Hybrid Assistive Limb

Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL-5) 1. Introduction. People often suffer from various disorders related to their physical health, which also include disorders of the nervous, vascular and integumentary systems, muscular and neurologic diseases. Consequently, these violations probably affect the musculoskeletal system and complicate the daily lives of these people. However, with the daily development of science and technology, doctors and inventors are trying to create some kind of device that can make life easier for people with such disabilities. To date, some examples of these developments are already invented.One of these developments is a powered exoskeleton Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL-5). Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) is a full-body suit, which was designed to help people with degenerated muscles or spinal injuries or brain disorders. Now we are going to describe appearance, functions and main characteristics of this robotic device. 2. Data and producers. The wearable-type robot â€Å"R obot Suit HAL† was created in Japan, notably by Cyberdyne, Inc. This company was founded in 2004 to exploit the work of a group of cybernetics researchers headed by Yoshiyuki Sankai, a Professor of System and Information Engineering at Tsukuba University. 4] The study about Hybrid Assistive Limb was started by professor Sankai in 1992 and lasted until 1996. The result of this hard work was HAL-1 (fig. 1), first prototype of HAL series robots. The next robot which was built with cardinally other design is HAL-3 (fig. 2). It was invented in 1999 and had been used for 6 years. Final version of HAL robot, HAL-5 (fig. 3), was discovered in 2005 and still is being developed by professor Yoshiyuki Sankai in his laboratory at University of Tsukuba. Cyberdyne Inc. has been manufacturing and is currently distributing of the HAL-5 to the residences of Japan and Europe.Figure 1. HAL-1 robot, 1996 Figure 2. HAL-3 robot, 1999 3. Functions and applications of the system HAL-5 is expected to be applied in various fields such as rehabilitation support and physical training support in medical field. Also, it can be used in a range of another non-military uses, for example, in including allowing workers to carry heavier. [4] HAL-5 helps users lift up to about 40 kg more than they normally could. To be exact, a healthy adult male, wearing this suit, can lift approximately 80 kg, roughly double what he can without it.Hybrid Assistive Limb can multiply the overall original strength of the wearer by a factor of 2 to 10. The general concept of a HAL-5 robot is simple in general. The components HAL are very easy to construct, however, the complexity of the HAL occurs primarily in its programming and way of working. Professor Sankai says that â€Å"the suit detects faint biosignals on the surface of the skin when the human brain tries to move the exoskeleton†. When the Robot Suit detects these signals, it helps the user to move.HAL-5 can operate indoors and outdoors; altho ugh, it is strongly recommended to use this suit indoors until better batteries allow more prolonged use. One of the main advantages of this robot is the ability to change between two types of control: Cybernic Voluntary Control and Cybernic Autonomous Control. By using phase switching with the autonomous control function, the healthy function of a limb could be reproduced by the HAL. Based on this capability, it appears that the HAL would be effective for use in the rehabilitation of patients suffering from loss of nervous function in a limb. 4.System design The most visible part of the HAL-5 is the exoskeletal frame, which consists of a frame made of nickel molybdenum and an aluminum alloy. Moreover, it was strengthened by a plastic casing and the metal bars, which is strapped to the body and helps the user externally. The bars run along the lateral sides of the legs and arms. Additionally, there are several electric motors act as the HAL-5’s muscles, which have to provide powered assistance to the wearer’s limbs. Currently, the total weight of the Hybrid Assistive Limb suit is 23kg, but man, wearing this device, does not feel any weight.It happens because the suit can support its own weight. Also, HAL-5 has a small pouch attached to a belt on the suit that contains a computer, Controller Unit, which controls the suit and a Wi-Fi communications system. The bindings at the shoulders take the form of backpack-like straps to attach the battery and Controller Unit. The frame also has soles, which are used to help stabilize balance, at the ends of the leg bars to eliminate the need for the user to support the weight of the suit. All of these details you can see from fig. 3, and fig. 4. Fig. 3. and Fig. 4.System architecture with sensors, battery and Controller Unit 5. Sensors and actuation mechanisms On the side of the joint nearest the corpus, two sensors are placed upon the skin. One sensor is placed over the muscle group, which causes the limb to extend, and one on the surface of muscle group, which causes the limb to flex. Each sensor consists of two electrodes which measure potential difference between them as a function of the nerve impulses, which cause the contraction of muscle fibers. These sensors first filter and then amplify the signals of passing such kind of nerve impulses.Also, the suit is powered by both nickel-metal hydride and lithium battery packs. Full charge of this battery lasts approximately for 2 hours and 40 minutes, with both the upper and lower body parts in action. Cyberdyne Inc. has announced that one part of its research is focused on increasing this time to about 5 hours. HAL-5 Speficications: | Height | 1600mm| Weight | Full Body Type: 23kg | | Lower body: 15kg| Battery | Drive Charged battery ( AC100V)| Continuous operating time | Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes| Motions Daily Activities | Standing up from a chair| Walking| | Climbing up and down stairs| | Hold and lift heavy objects up to 80k g| Cybernic Control:| Cybernic Voluntary Control| | Cybernic Autonomous Control| Indoor and outdoor| ? | 6. Conclusion In conclusion we can consider that the wearable-type robot HAL-5 is a tool with enormous potential for improving quality of life. In addition, the HAL-5’s frame can incorporate recycled materials, which can include fiberglass, certain plastics, silicon, aluminum, and steel. Such materials can also be recoverable for recycling into other products.Improvements in battery efficiency and frame weight would reduce energy requirements, and in the case of outdoor use, energy requirements could be offset by solar cells on the frame. So, the program is currently being continuing and developing. Sankai says that one of his main aims is â€Å"to create technologies that are designed for the benefit of humankind rather than for destructive purposes. † For example, he refused offers from the U. S. Department of Defense in Washington DC and the government of South K orea to work on a robot for military use. This adds more confidence in the good intentions of professor Sankai.

Vacant Chapter 13 Forgive

So far I've cleaned the bathroom, the oven, the refrigerator and vacuumed – twice. It's after nine and Emily still hasn't shown up. I'm starting to think that her things are simply a mirage, or maybe she just didn't want to carry a lot of junk with her. Maybe she's staying with one of her school friends, and she didn't need her hygiene stuff. Maybe my earlier thought about what she would need to do for money wasn't that far off the mark. Maybe she's out doing something dangerous, or worse yet, something has already happened to her. There's no one but me to know she's missing. How long do I have to wait before I turn her in as a missing person? I know she has to be missing for at least twenty-four hours, but maybe she's already been gone for a couple days. Oh, God – what if she's hurt and lying somewhere. Maybe she only has minutes left and I can't get to her in time†¦ â€Å"Ow!† I hit my head on the bottom shelf of the linen closet, cleaning the dried and caked shampoo from the floor when the sound of the door closing startles me. â€Å"Emily?† I hope it's her. If it's not, I'm going to call the cops and lie and tell them she's been missing for days. I hear the slapping of tennis shoes against the linoleum, then a thud on the carpet. I turn and look down the hall to see a brown-haired beauty face down on the floor. â€Å"Emily? Are you okay?† I almost – almost – laugh when she looks up at me with her hair tangled in her face. â€Å"Ethan, it's you! It's really you!† She scrambles the rest of the way to me on her knees, spitting her hair out of her mouth and hugging me tighter than I can ever remember. Her smile is brighter than a sunny day at the equator. We settle on the couch, still holding on to each other. I can't seem to let go. I never want to let go. â€Å"Where have you been?† There doesn't seem to be any anger in her tone. How could she NOT be angry with me? I'm ashamed at my answer. â€Å"I drove. I didn't really go anywhere. I was just running away, Emily.† I hang my head, embarrassed that I don't even have a good reason for leaving her. â€Å"I know it won't make any difference now because you probably hate me, but I love you too, Emily. I have since†¦forever, and I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you. I should have said it to you a week ago instead of running away like the coward I am. But, I can't hold back any longer without you knowing how I feel about you. I've never been in love before, but I'm pretty sure this is what it feels like. I can't think about anything else but you – how you laugh, the way you comb your hair, the way you smell right after the shower†¦ God!† Something stops my rambling, something soft, warm and moist. Emily's lips are on mine and her arms are wrapped around my neck. She's kissing me, and I don't ever want her to stop. Her mouth on mine is awesome! And I think about other things I want her to do with her mouth. While there are a hundred synonyms for how kissing Emily feels, the only thing in my head the at the moment is â€Å"woo-hoo†. If I really think about what is actually happening, I'll make her stop. This is wrong – not the kissing part, but the part where she's willing to forgive all my sins and just take me back without a second thought. Now that I'm thinking about it†¦ Damn it! Now I'm mad. I pull away while her lips linger. â€Å"Emily,† I sigh, not really knowing where to start. â€Å"We have to talk about this,† I motion between us. She nods begrudgingly. It's written all over her face; she thinks I'm going to reject her again. â€Å"Look,† I pull her chin up so her eyes meet mine, â€Å"nothing will change my feelings for you. They haven't changed in the last few years, and they won't change in the next few, either. What I have to know, though, is how you are feeling.† She starts shaking her head, telling me not to worry, but that's precisely the problem. She should be angry with me. â€Å"Emily, you should be upset with me. Yell, scream, hit – anything to let me know how you feel!† I'm almost shouting near the end of my declaration. I pull back and get myself in check before I completely lose it. â€Å"Relieved.† â€Å"What?† It's a stupid question because I heard perfectly well what she said. It's a stall tactic on my part. â€Å"I'm relieved, Ethan.† â€Å"Why aren't you-â€Å" â€Å"Do you know how many people there have been in my life who I cared about or who cared about me?† I'm pretty sure I know the answer. I'm hoping it's two, but know for sure it's one – her mother – but I'm always careful not to bring up LouAnne. I just squeeze her hand, which I'm still holding onto like the piece of wood Leonardo DiCaprio was holding onto after his exit from the Titanic. â€Å"Two, Ethan. Two.† Now I'm relieved. â€Å"And one of them can't ever come back, but you did. You came back and I don't care where you went or what you did. You are here now, safe.† The tremble in her voice as she says, â€Å"what you did,† tells me she's a little scared of what – or who – I might have done, so I hope I'm about to put her fears to rest. â€Å"I just drove and slept in my car. I ate a few times, but honestly, Emily, the only thing I did was think about you and how much you mean to me. I was an asshole for leaving you. I didn't take your safety or well-being into account and for that, I'm sorry. You should be upset with me.† â€Å"I was scared, Ethan. At first, I thought maybe you were just blowing off some steam, off figuring out a way to tell me to leave, but when you didn't come home that first night or the next morning, I started to get worried. Then Margie came by and said you hadn't shown up for work.† So, this is how Margie knows about Emily. â€Å"I wasn't really sure how much she knew, but I could tell she was surprised to find me here. She was so nice though. I told her how highly you speak of her and how much we appreciated the deal she and her husband gave on the car. Then I lost myself for a little bit and told her about you surprising me and taking me to graduation.† Emily pauses and smiles, then looks down as if she's a little embarrassed. â€Å"It was nice to have a woman to talk to again. It reminded me a little of my mom.† Emily continues to tell me about Margie coming to the house. She said she cried for a little bit because she didn't know what to do, that she'd been relying on me for so long. She didn't know what she would do if I didn't come home. She also tells me how Margie asked her about a job and what she liked to do. It seems they went to the public library and Emily applied for a position. She can work there part-time and still go to school. Apparently, she works until closing and that's why she came home so late. Margie also got her a bus pass and rode with her the first time to make sure it was safe. There isn't a bouquet of flowers big enough for Margie right now.

Time Bank

Time bank is a unique organisation that holds vast amount of knowledge and skills belonging to its customer. The way time bank operates is by allowing individuals to exchange their knowledge, skills with others. The concept of the Time Bank is based on the fact that people are all individually different, we all have different types of knowledge and we all have different set of skills, no one is good at everything, the typical situation is that we only have the capacity to be good at certain things and not all things.In a world without Time Bank, we have to pay for things we can’t do, for example I am not an expert with computers, if my computer breaks down then I would have to pay for someone to fix it. However, with the existence of Time Bank, I can exchange a skill which I am good at for someone else’s help with the repair of my computer. To illustrate this example more specifically, If a member of the Time Bank has spent two hours repairing my computer then that pers on would have banked two hours worth of time with the Bank, in another word, that person will have two hours worth of credit.When that person needs help with something he has difficulty with, he is entitled to two hours free help from another individual. So individuals can build up their credit by helping others with things that they are good at. This way, people can save time and money in dealing with difficult tasks. It is clear that Time Bank offers a service that many needs, but no such provider exists in the current market in Colchester. However, as Time Bank is such a new concept promotion of the Bank is vital. Effective promotional method needs to be used to introduce people to this new concept.I shall look into these methods in the rest of this essay, but before doing so, it is important to assess who would use Time Bank, i. e. its target audience. 2. Target Audience: One of the key reason that people will want to use Time Bank will be because that they can save money, from this it follows that Time Bank is unlikely to attract very wealthy individuals. Further, it is likely that only people who can offer knowledge or skill in return will use the Bank, this will mean that the younger and older groups are probably excluded from the target audience, as they are likely to be limited with the help they can offer.So, main target group of Time Bank is likely to be working individuals and possibly students. So, we have to have this in mind when selecting the promotion methods for the Bank. 3. Advertising: Placing adverts on local newspapers, radios and internet, magazines and possibly on television may be a good way to build the awareness of the Bank’s presence. Yellow pages is another idea, however, with the expansion of the internet Yellow pages is not as much used by people as before. So, instead, it may be a better idea to place advert on the internet, for example, Yell Colchester.With newspapers and radios it will be a good idea to place the advert on popular Colchester local papers and local radio stations such as BBC Essex and Heart Essex. In terms of magazines, if possible, it would be a good idea to select magazines that our target audience is most likely to read, something like magazines advising on money matters or D. I. Y. magazines (as it is likely that people who are interested in D. I. Y will find it more enjoyable to exchange their skills and bank their time with the Time Bank). Putting up adverts on the internet is also a good idea, an excellent website to place advert is www. sk. com, as people who go on to ask. com will normally be in the need for some kind of help, so an advert on this website will capture some of our key audiences. It may be a better idea to take advantage of free advertising, such as placing adverts on Gumtree Colchester. Putting up posters in University campus may also be a good idea, students are likely to be a key user of the Time Bank, the reason being that students do not earn any income as a result they are likely to prefer to save money by using the Time Bank.Sponsoring a University newsletter or website is another idea to build awareness in the student market, the sponsorship will enable Time Bank’s logo to appear and be seen by students. In terms of working individuals, it may be a good idea to put up posters in job searching agencies such as Reed, or paying for an advertising space on job searching websites. Distributing leaflets is another possible idea, we could position few leaflet distributors on busy locations in Colchester, such as city centre during busy times such as weekends. 4. Publicity:Publicity is a great way to promote the Time Bank, as most publicity can be done for free and more details of the Time Bank can be exposed compared to the advertising option. Writing articles on topic related to the Time Bank: The Time Bank can write an article relating to saving time and money and try to place it on to publications that our target audience mi ght read, as mentioned before, magazine relating to money matters or D. I. Y. magazines are possible options. To target students it may be a good idea to write articles for school newsletters.However, the problem that we may encounter with this promotion method is that there is no guarantee that the article we write will be accepted and published by our preferred magazines. So, to enhance the chance of our article being published it is a good idea to provide a well written article. Magazines, tends to have a long lead time, writing articles for internet magazines might be a better option, as there are higher demand for articles with internet magazines. Newspaper is another source we can supply our articles to.Newspapers have a much shorter lead time than magazines and they are often looking for materials. So, it may be a good idea looking to writing an article to local Colchester newspapers. Press releases: Sending out press releases to local newspapers is another effective promotio nal tool. However, the press release must be newsworthy in order for it to be published by local newspapers. The fact that there is no other organisation that is providing the same type of service as the Time Bank will make the press release newsworthy. Online Forums:Posting message on online forums is a cost effective way of promotion. There will be tons of D. I. Y forums, money savings forums, student forums etc on the net, posting messages or answering queries posted by other people will promote the Time Bank. When answering queries, we can post a link of the time bank’s website or/ and explain the workings of the Time Bank in the process of answering. www. Ask. com is another great internet place to get free advertising; free advertising can be gained by answering queries posted by people on the Q & A page.Try to get an interview slot on local radio shows: It will be ideal is a interview slot can be secured on either Heart Essex or BBC Essex, as these two stations are quite popular stations it will mean that they will reach out to a wide rage of audience. An interview discussing the how the Time Bank works will not only give Time Bank free advertising but also can enable people a better understanding of what Time Ban is and how it works. And this is important due to the fact that the Time Bank is such a new concept. 5. Conclusion – evaluation of the promotional methods:In the above sections I have discussed many possible promotional methods for the Time Bank. Each method have its pros and cons; advertising on the television, radio, newspapers, internet and magazines are an effective way of reaching a wide audience and is a good way of building brand awareness of Time Bank. But, such way of advertising can be costly. It was mentioned that it is possible to get free advertising from certain websites such as Gumtree Colchester, it is suggested that free advertising offered by websites should be taken full advantage of.I then looked into ways of promotion by gaining free publicity on magazines, local newspapers, local radios and internets. I think that emphasis should be placed on these types of promotion, the reason being that such methods are cost effective and it will enable people to get a better understanding of the Time Bank. Time Bank, being a new thing in the market will mean that careful explanations on the concept and workings will be needed for people to fully understand. With the advertising methods, only limited information can be displayed, but with publicity much more detail can be introduced.So, the best way to promote in my view is to select a few paid advertising methods that can target our key audiences, such as putting a paid advert on ask. com and on yell. Colchester and take advantage of free online advertising as much as possible to build Time Bank’s brand awareness. A big part of the promotion should be based on publicity, efforts should be devoted to try to get articles and press releases published in relevant magazines, and newspapers etc and get interview slots on popular local radio stations such as Heat Essex and BBC Essex.

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Personal Statement Example Nevertheless, according to the constitution, the most important right that Kurdistan region had was the right to exploit its own natural resources. This right led to Kurdistan region being a place where major energy companies wanted to explore and invest in the region’s natural resources such as oil and gas. The energy business became large and had high demand therefore there arose the need for professionals such as lawyers to help with the formulation of contracts and for setting out various laws regarding energy. In my work experience at a law firm, I realized that I have to improve certain skills. These skills include acquiring knowledge on English as a language, legal writing skills, ability to do legal research based on international standards and communication skills with international lawyers and managers. I can only acquire these skills academically. This is mainly the chief reason why I desire an LL.M. degree in a country that uses English as its national language. I chose to do law because I have a passion for this profession. According to me, it as a method to lend a hand to people in their legal matters and become a legal adviser to many people as well. In my country, there is lack of adequate information and legal knowledge regarding energy. An LL.M. in energy degree will equip me with the right information that I can use to help my country with when it comes to legal matters concerning energy. I will have the ability to assist my nation expand its international market by formulating the correct legal contracts required, advising the government on legal matters concerning energy, and ensuring that my country is not exploited by other countries that want to invest in the energy business. In a this realm, I will be able to help the country understand the Iraqi people due to my acquired communication skills. I look forward to to acquiring skills that will aid me improve my ability as a professional. These

Affects On Business in New York City Term Paper

Affects On Business in New York City - Term Paper Example But on the other hand there are many difficulties and factors still exist which inhibit the residents to live independently and without issues. America has always been the place where issues of racism, inequality, differences of social, cultural or political exist. US residents were tired of social and economic inequality, greed corruption in the business sector and undue influence of corporation on 6their government. The main influence on the authoritative part was from the financial sector.The financial distribution in America was like 99% of society was facing inequality and unhealthy income distribution and 1% of the society was rich. It was holding on to the wealth which was the right of other 99% residents as well (Mr. Smith (2001). Now, to overcome this problem and to get rid of severe living issues the people got united under one slogan â€Å"we are 99%† and protested against the growing factors which were perilous to their living circumstances. The participants conduc ted assemblies which were called â€Å"General Assemblies† in which major and basic decisions were taken. Actions to be taken were planned and discussed. In these assemblies, the president and main participants of the movement decided to take over the petitions straight and to get hold of the financial situations directly by planning the major road map for this goal. The protestors were failed in the beginning and were forced to move out of the Zuccotti Park where it took place. After they left the place, they never succeeded.

Women's Suffrage campaigns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Women's Suffrage campaigns - Research Paper Example This was following a long and difficult struggle against federal governments as well as the state. Previously, women never took part in general elections simply for the reason that they were women (Macbain-Stephens, 4). This paper discusses Women's Suffrage/the right to vote. Introduction Women's suffrage refers to women’s right to hold public office and to vote. The women's suffrage movement comprises of reformers’ every organized activity to add constitutional amendments and laws guaranteeing women the right to vote or to transform laws that hindered women from voting (Lewis, 1). Between early 1800s and civil war, which took place between the years 1861 and 1865, the US had a growing middle class, including families wherein while the women stayed at home taking care of their children, men held positions of lawyers, managers, business owners, among others. During this time, stereotypical ideas regarding women as well as men’s roles emerged from the culture of me n going into the world of work. People held the argument that since women were pure of heart in addition to being physically weak, only men could cope with the harsh events of the world of rough work. Another belief was that women should seldom leave home – they were expected to develop the aspects of submissiveness, purity, piety, and domesticity, maintaining the values of morality and stability in the home. They were also expected to create a getaway from the competitive world of business for their men (Macbain-Stephens, 6). Women were denied the right to own property, vote, obtain a divorce, speak in public, or serve on juries (Adams, 4). Macbain-Stephens further explains that long before and during the Progressive movement, a period of great reform (1900-1920) during which great transformations in economic, political and social ideas were occurring in the US, women had been fighting for their voting rights (they tried for more than 80 years without succeeding). In the year 1776 for example, a woman by the name Abigail Adams expressed strong views regarding her desire to take a more prominent role in the decision-making process pertaining the way in which the government was run as well as share a voice in the election of individuals who ran it. Abigail was the second US president’s wife and she wrote John Adams, her husband, a letter voicing her reaction to the proclamation that ‘all men are created equal’ after she had read a draft of the constitution that the second Continental Congress had written. In the letter, she requested her husband to ‘remember the ladies’ and be more favorable and to generous them than his ancestors. She promised that if her husband would not give particular attention and care to the ladies, they were determined to provoke a rebellion, and that they would not hold themselves bound by any laws in which they had no voice or representation (Adams, 4 & Thelizlibrary.org, 1-3). Abigail cauti oned against according all the power to men during the formation of a new government. According to her, the constitutional freedoms and rights were also supposed to be applicable to women too. However, Abigail’s letter did not change anything. She still held the belief that one day, women would come together to secure equal rights for themselves. By early 19th century, a period during which there was the discussion of new ideas as well as the changing of the old ideas, many people shared Abigail opinion. Equally, both men and women such as Frances Wright started protesting against the discrimination against women. a writer and editor to a newspaper known as the ‘free Enquirer’, Wright became an inspiration to many women and they

Amazon Prime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Amazon Prime - Essay Example So, in order to generate value for the customers, frequent purchases on the online store is necessary. For repositioning the service, a multi step strategy can be implemented. The first one is to create awareness about the service among the loyal customers, who have high shopping frequency. The second step will be to highlight the benefits of faster product delivery during the holiday seasons, which are the prime shopping seasons (Rao, 2013). The third step can be to pitch the service to consumers, who has a high movie watching tendency. The final tactic will be to offer attractive price rate for consumer electronics and books, since they have the highest purchases in the online stores (Nanji, 2013). By offering attractive prices, the purchase frequency of the consumers can be increased and this will create a pull demand for the Amazon Prime Service. Kline, D. (2014). Is Amazon Prime Still Cost Effective With a $20 Price Increase? Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/17/is-amazon-prime-still-cost-effective-with-a-20-pri.aspx Rao, L. (2013). eBay And Amazon On This Year’s Marketplace Holiday Shopping Trends. Retrieved from: http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/24/ebay-and-amazon-on-this-years-marketplace-holiday-shopping-trends/ Nanji, A. (2013) Online Shopping Trends 2013: Most Popular Categories, Top Purchase Drivers. Retrieved from:

Corporate finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Corporate finance - Assignment Example Miller & Modigliani capital structure irrelevance proposition In the year 1958 Franco Modigliani and Merton Miller highlighted that in â€Å"perfect capital markets† the capital structure does not have any influence on the value of the firm rendering it irrelevant. The perfect capital markets are not characterised by any market frictions like trading costs, taxes and the information is easily transmitted between the investors and the managers. M&M made a clear distinction between the financial risk and business risk faced by a firm. While the financial risk refers to the choice of risk distribution between the bondholders and shareholders, the business risk refers to the uncertainty of cash flows of the business. It has been pointed out by Miller and Modigliani that changes in leverage does not cast any significant influence on the cash flows generated by the business. Therefore changes in leverage cannot alter the value of the firm. ... The firms as well as individuals can borrow or lend at the risk-free interest rate. The firms employ risky equity and risk-free debt. There exist only corporate taxes i.e. absence of personal income taxes or wealth taxes. They assumed perpetuity of cash flows i.e. assuming the growth rate to be zero (Lee, et al., 2009, p.202). As per M&M model the value of levered firm (VL) is equal to the value of unlevered firm (VU). Suppose there are two companies- Company 1 and Company2. It is assumed that the two companies have identical cash flows and belong to same risk profile. The difference between the two companies is with respect to financing. M&M state that the market value of the two companies is same. Suppose the pay-off of Company 1 in good state is 160 and in bad state is 50. This company is financed only by the equity mode of financing. Similarly the payoff of Company 2 is 160 in good state and 50 in bad state. It is financed by the combination of debt and equity. Suppose the total debt of Company 2 is $60 and its market value is $50; the market value of its equity is $50. Then the value of the Company 2 is- VL = Value of its equity + Value of debt = 50+50 =100 Now if the value of Company 1 is different from Company 2 say 103. Then an arbitrage strategy can be created- An investor can sell Company 1 at 103. He can buy the equity of Company 2 at $50 and debt at $50. The net cash flow is- = 103-100 =3 This process will continue until the Value of Company 1 is equal to Company 2 (Banal-Estanol , 2010). The increase in leverage component raises the risk and return of the shareholders. This can be stated as- RE = RO + (B/S)(RO – RD) RE is the return on levered equity RO is return on unlevered equity B is the debt value S is the

The New Modern Architecure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The New Modern Architecure - Essay Example Peter Eisenman is an American architect who contributed highly to modernism in architecture. Thus, this paper will examine how Eisenman’s work has influenced the modernism movement in architect not only in the form of the design but also through the graphic representation, which is demonstrated by OMA current work in Point city/South City, Netherlands, 1993.† Peter Eisenman was commonly regarded as a theorist and teacher, but currently he is often called a deconstructionist due to his ability to swirl the controversy with buildings that seem disconnected from their environment, as well as their historical context. For this reason, he highly influenced modernism in architecture. His first public building was the Wexner Center for the Arts in Ohio, which he designed along with Richard Trott. His designs, as well as writings, represent an attempt to liberate from meaning while shunning external references. In addition, Eisenman’s house designs were meant to be theore tical experiments, which existed in abstraction and developed them without any influence from clients, or any concern for their use; Thus, Eisenman’s modern architectural work was based on the conceptual procedure through which the architecture was produced (Eisenman 54). Eisenman has large-scale housing, innovative facilities for educational establishments, urban design projects and several inventive private houses. Some of his current projects include a large condominium housing block in Italy, and a 6-building City of Culture of Galacia found in Santiago de Compostela (Eisenman 54). Most of Eisenman’s buildings are based on shifted grids that collide with one another; for example, the Wexner Center, which was built in 1983 to 1989. This is a form of modern architectural design because traditional buildings were based on single grids in which all walls were perpendicular and parallel to each other. Therefore, basing the walls of rooms on different grids that are not parallel to one another, Eisenman is able to perplex people who use the building expecting a traditional look. Eisenman broke up the traditional forms of architecture in the Wexner Center building into fragments, which mock the traditional solid feel of the old building. Also, the famous column of the building, which hangs from the ceiling, does not reach the ground, which also mocks the traditional design of how a column should appear (Chou 121). This is an illustration of Wexner Center building (1983-1989) designed by Eisenman (Siegel 1). It is an excellent example of how Eisenman influenced modernism in architecture by breaking down the traditional forms of architecture and incorporating modernist elements. Another example of how Eisenman has influenced modernism movement in architecture can be seen in the point city-south city project, Netherlands. This project is an example of how the OMA used technics similar to Eisenman’s in the representation matter, when it diagramme d, collected data and information and incorporated them in the design process. The ancient themes that were never used before have now become the most widely used formulas used to guide the development of Netherlands. According to Garcia (172), the OMA diagram is enigmatic and paradoxical and is characterized by a series of ironic hybrids of juxtaposed and quixotic contradictory concepts, as well as

Issues Associated with Modern Slavery in the UK Essay

Issues Associated with Modern Slavery in the UK - Essay Example ..9 Appendix A ...................................................................................................................................11 Bibliography †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 Issues Associated with Modern Slavery in the UK Abstract Even in the modern era, many people all over the world are considered property by the industries they are employed by. These people are forced into labor while they are stripped from their basic human rights. Modernized human slavery includes human trafficking, bonded slavery and child labor among other examples. The institutions controlling human slavery are so strong that despite the efforts of many government bodies and NGOs they are still at large. Though such actions make the organizations enjoy low costs and high profitability because of l ower than normal wages they pay to these enslaved people, still this abomination can cause a strain on the social structure of any country. People loose their self respect and the society suffers the strain of low morality. We, as human beings, owe our society to participate in the government efforts so that we can get rid of this atrocity. Introduction Slavery can be defined as a situation where people are considered property by their employers and are therefore forced into labor and deprived from their basic human rights. In today’s world modern slavery exits in many forms which includes human trafficking, child labor and bonded slavery to name a few (See figure 1 in Appendix A). In the past two years it is estimated that roughly around 1,500 cases of slavery and human trafficking have been reported to the British police. The article ‘Modern Slavery in the United Kingdom’ highlights that there are three elements ‘of the exploitative relationship which con stitute slavery’. These are severe economic exploitation, the lack of a basic human rights framework and the control of one person over another by the prospect or reality of violence. Of the 12.3 million people enslaved in the world today, roughly 360,000 are approximated to be present in well industrialized countries, while the remaining 250,000 – 270,000 are expected to be locked in forced labor in less industrialized areas. As slavery is an illegal act executed by organized mafia, employing clandestine methods, its exact numbers will always vary from estimated studies (Craig 2007; Craig et al 2007; Engerman et al 2001). This report focuses on slavery in the UK, which includes all forms of bonded & forced labor. The approach adopted is one of a qualitative analysis across various industries within the UK, with statistics included where appropriate. Main Findings The most common form of modern day slavery is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual or forced labor. However, human trafficking is not always easy to identify as a case of modern day slavery as it may be disguised as any of a variety of other offenses. In 2007, the Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (CEOP) conducted a study in the UK which resulted in the exposure of 330 suspected & confirmed cases of trafficked children in the country. Of these 183 went missing from social services care. This study concluded that there is a dire lack of awareness of trafficking among those involved with child & teen labor (Yorkshire Post 2007). Many councils

Reading Response to a Poem Essay Example for Free

Reading Response to a Poem Essay The poem â€Å"Wild Geese† by Mary Oliver was a very inspirational poem. Oliver creatively uses imaginative language, emotion, symbolism, and romanticism which led to a very positive and upbeat tone in her poem. Throughout this poem, the one thing that I focused on was the positive and upbeat tones that this poem contained. By her use of symbolic and imaginative language in â€Å"Wild Geese†, the reader is opened to Mary Oliver’s underlying meaning behind her literary prose. Furthermore, the calm romantic tone of this thought provoking poem, raises positive emotions to rise up out of the moment, and invites us to further take a look at ourselves. Mary Oliver immediately engages the reader into considering the true meaning behind her choice of words. In lines one through five, the reader can envision being in a very noble place where rules are always followed. Mary Oliver (1986) noted that, â€Å"You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves† I believe that she is saying that you do not have to follow the rules of society by bowing down to others or to repent for being who you are. Oliver used the symbol of an animal, you should do what you love to do and not worry about having to say you are sorry. With that being said, animals never have to apologize for being who God or the Creator made them to be. In lines six and seven, she again uses emotion and romanticism to bring out the feeling of her readers. Oliver (1986) noted that, â€Å"Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on†. She cleverly shows that we all have problems and yet the world will still go on. God or the Creator never promised us an easy life. In lines eight through eleven, Oliver uses the symbols of nature once again to show us that life is still going on no matter what problems we face. Oliver (1986) noted that, Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees,   the mountains and the rivers. She uses the emotional state of the reader along with the quiet romantic tones to show that although you will go through trying times in life, it will not last forever. She uses the symbolism of the wild geese, in lines twelve and thirteen, to show that we will always be guided to our destinations. All we have to do is allow our natural instincts to guide us just as the wild geese are guided home by natural instinct. In lines fourteen through fifteen, Oliver uses emotion and imaginative language to let the reader know that no matter who you are, or how lonely you feel, the world is for you to design it. The reader needs to use his/ her imagination. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. She again uses the symbolic nature of the wild geese to illustrate this concept. Last but not least, in lines sixteen through eighteen, she again uses imaginative language to challenge the reader to not conform to the world. The reader can use their imagination to break free from their conventional life styles and to join their place in the family of nature. In nature, there are no rules, but the ones that you create, where you are free to be as the â€Å"Wild Geese†. In conclusion, I found the poem â€Å"Wild Geese† by Mary Oliver extremely inspirational. She creatively uses imaginative language, emotion, symbolism, and romanticism to convey a very positive and upbeat tone in her poem. Throughout this poem, the one thing that I continuously focused on was the positive and upbeat tones that this poem contains. This is a very inspirational and uplifting poem. It encourages us to go beyond the plan that is laid out for us by society and lends us permission to be who we were destined to be. Throughout this entire poem, we are given permission to shake off all of life’s discretions, throw caution to the wind, and be as wild and free as nature intended us to be. References Clugston, W. R. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Leadership and Management Paper Essay Example for Free

Leadership and Management Paper Essay At a very young age, George Washington Carver took a strong grip on his destiny. This dynamic leader prevailed over getting born without a name into slavery, overcoming poverty, and prejudice to commit his life in helping others achieve a better livelihood. Through his actions, he was able to earn high levels of respect of self-worth, dignity, honor, and infinite achievement. Booker T. Washington was the first president and principal of the Tuskegee Institute in 1896. Booker T. Washington sent an invitation to George W. Carver to reside over the Agriculture Department. For 47 years Carver developed, taught, and applied constant research in working to develop several methods from using crop-based materials. Carver was the innovator of going green. Through his tenure he worked with two additional college presidents that supported the zealous work of Carver. His discovering and teaching methods of crop rotation while introducing several alternative money crops for farmers that simultaneously improving the soil of heavily cultivated cotton fields would motivate and inspire many Black students to follow suite in his techniques. (Kouzes Posner, 2009) â€Å"A leader’s dynamic does not come from special powers. It comes from a strong belief in a purpose and a willingness to express that conviction.† In leadership, Carver designed a mobile classroom that brought education to the fields of the farmers. His so-called ‘Jesup wagon’ (named after Morris Ketchum Jesup), well honored for Mr. Jesup a philanthropist and New York financier fully supported and funded the program. Leadership functions Carver had many duties as an administrator, such as administer the Agriculture Experiment Station Farms. He manages the sale and production of farm products that generated revenues for the institute. His academic career as a teacher and researcher was stellar. What made Carver different from other professors and administrators is his determination to fulfill what he believed to be right. There were many times Booker T. Washington would voice his frustrations through letters to Carver because to the way he would administer his duties, Washington would always praise Carver for the great discoveries and hard work that has taken place. (G.W. Carver, 2011) Education is the key to unlock the golden door of opportunity.† This is how his leadership is different from the rest. He proves exactly what he stated to his life. His work became very high profile because of his more than 300 uses for peanuts, pecans, sweet potatoes and soybeans with the majority of his accomplishments of conquering the mundane. Every invention came after hours during peaceful nature walks, observing, and later testing in his laboratory. After Carver came to success, he did not cite ingenuity, though he was very blessed with it. On the contrary, he remarked that 99% of the failures come about people who have the habit of making excuses. Carver also well notes that, â€Å"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world† pg. 143 of Frontage Magazine. Obstacles George W. Carver is someone whom many can only look up too when problems come into our lives for comparison sake. Carver beats the odds so well that his name should never had been heard of. His mission, determination, and story defy the odds. Being born into slavery a raider kidnapped him as an infant, and was not expected to live past the age of 21 because of poor health and being a Black scientist in the harsh times of racial segregation is beyond the norm. After the death of Carver, the United States Government erected the first national monument to honor someone other that a president. Effective Leader – Common Measures George W. Carver was best known in his time as a man of faith who believes in God as science as a gift from God. He would constantly acknowledge that his work was inspired by the works of God and God’s inspiring, and guiding him in his work. When those who wanted things from Carver such as his  secrets without the desire to work for the knowledge, Carvers replay would be, ‘God refuses to reveal the secrets of the humankind and the universe. Within the readings and teachings of the text, Carver proves his effective leadership skills for success present. To be a leader whom everyone will want to immolate, it takes the extraordinary levels of strong will, determination, someone who can listen and follow, and the ability effectively to move those whom you lead in a positive direction fostering a successful outcome. Conclusion Carver’s faith was his concern of character that his students whom he regularly taught would follow a set of cardinal virtues: ââ€"  Do not look up the rich nor down to the poor ââ€"  Be clean both inside and out ââ€"  Win without bragging ââ€"  Lose if needed but without squealing ââ€"  Be too brave to lie ââ€"  Always be considerate of women, children, and other people ââ€"  Be too generous to cheat ââ€"  Take your share of the world and let others take theirs. The world needs more women and men like George Washington Carver – people who cannot complain, strive hard and overcome adversity while focusing on the finish line ahead. Everyone does not possess the skill and knowledge of George Washington Carver but he has left us a milestone of character traits that can allow us to use as a guide while striving to achieve our goals here in this life. I like what Langston Hughes states on page 159 of Through the Fire, â€Å"Hold fast to dreams, for it dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.† This goes back to how George Washington Carver spoke about excuses; they are just that, an excuse to fail. Live right, stay positive, follow the plan, persevere, and finish the race, you will for sure win. References Carver, G. W. (2011). Greatest Leaders of America History. Frontage Magazine, 32(4), 112 113. p.113 Kauzes, J., Posner, B. (2009, April). See what today will bring when you are done thinking. Whole and Complete Places, 8(13), 78 -84. p.83 Livingstrom, J. T. (1974). Through the Fire (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper Collins. p.154

Defining Interoperability in Healthcare Systems

Defining Interoperability in Healthcare Systems Interoperability According to Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), a not for profit organization focused on improving Healthcare through the use of Information Technology, â€Å"interoperability is the ability of different information technology systems and software applications to communicate, exchange data, and use the information that has been exchanged. Data exchange schema and standards should permit data to be shared across clinicians, lab, hospital, pharmacy, and patient regardless of the application or application vendor. Interoperability means the ability of health information systems to work together within and across organizational boundaries in order to advance the health status of, and the effective delivery of healthcare for individuals and communities†.[1] Interoperability in Healthcare Information Systems is important for delivering quality healthcare and reducing healthcare costs. Although achieving interoperability is quite a challenge both because there are competing standards and clinical information itself is very complex, there have been a number of successful industry initiatives such as Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Profiles, and the epSOS initiative for sharing Electronic Health Records and ePrescriptions in Europe. There are three levels of health information technology interoperability: 1) Foundational; 2) Structural; and 3) Semantic. We shall try to define these terms in simple words in order for the reader to be able to understand not only the differences between them, but also to understand the complexity that lies in Healthcare Information Systems. Technical Interoperability is usually associated with hardware/software components, systems and platforms that enable machine-to-machine communication to take place. In this kind of interoperability we are mostly interested in communication protocols and the infrastructure needed for those protocols to operate and not about the interpretation of data moved from on system to another. Structural – or syntactical Interoperability is usually associated with data formats. Certainly, the messages transferred by communication protocols need to have a well-defined syntax and encoding. This way it is ensured that data exchanges between information technology systems can be interpreted at the data field level. Semantic Interoperability is usually associated with the meaning of content and concerns the human rather than machine interpretation of the content. We are talking about interoperability at the highest level, the ability of computer systems to transmit data with clear, shared meaning. Thus, interoperability on this level means that there is a common understanding between people of the meaning of the information being exchanged. Most widely used contemporary Interoperability standards in Healthcare In Europe, Technical committee 251 (TC 251) of the European Committee for Standardization, holds the responsibility for the standardization of Healthcare IT messages. The goal is to achieve compatibility and interoperability between independent systems and to enable modularity in Electronic Health Record systems. Various workgroups establish requirements for health information structure in order to support clinical and administrative procedures, technical methods to support interoperable systems. In addition they establish requirements regarding safety, security and quality. In the United States HL7 committee is a not-for-profit, ANSI-accredited standards developing organization dedicated to providing a comprehensive framework and related standards for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information. HL7s 2,300+ members include approximately 500 corporate members who represent more than 90% of the information systems vendors serving healthcare. In parallel with HL7, the ACR-NEMA[2] committee established the DICOM standard (Digital Communications in Medicine) that is today the most widespread standard for the format of the pictures that medical equipments produce. DICOM enables the transfer of medical images in a multi-vendor environment and facilitates the development and expansion of picture archiving and communication systems. DICOM enables the integration of scanners, servers, workstations, printers, and network hardware from multiple manufacturers into a picture archiving system (PACS). The different devices come with DICOM conformance statements which clearly state which DICOM classes they support. During the last years an initiative is in progress from IHE (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise) in order to â€Å"improve the way computer systems in healthcare share information. IHE promotes the coordinated use of established standards such as DICOM and HL7 to address specific clinical needs in support of optimal patient care. Systems developed in accordance with IHE communicate with one another better, are easier to implement, and enable care providers to use information more effectively†.[3] Systems that adopt the IHE Integration profiles collaborate in a more standard way, are easier to be implemented and help Healthcare providers to use information more efficient with the aim of providing better care. IHE facilitates users and developers of healthcare information technology to come together through an annually recurring four-step process: Clinical and technical experts define critical needs for information sharing (use cases). Technical experts create detailed specifications for communication among systems to address these use cases, selecting and optimizing established standards. Industry implements these specifications called IHE Profiles in HIT systems. IHE tests vendors systems at carefully planned and supervised events called â€Å"Connectathons†. All IHE Profiles are publicly available and free of charge in IHE’s website. Until today more than a hundred companies are accredited by IHE having materialized at least one profile. The IHE Process The existence of so many standards creates challenges difficult to address. Their usage is not always well known, interoperability between applications using different standards is often not documented and some of them conflict. The market for interoperability standards is maturing, even though slowly. The third version of the HL7 standard is progressively being adopted by the health industry, and convergence with Europe’s CEN/TC 251 standardization work is under way. The IHE initiative is producing useful use cases that standardize communication between various health information system components. In the future, the World Health Organization’s eHealth Standardization Coordination Group can also be expected to play a more prominent role in developing ICT standards for the health sector.[4] EPSOS (European Patients Smart Open Services) A very interesting and ambitious EU initiative that falls under the Interoperability domain is epSOS. The project â€Å"aims to design, build and evaluate a service infrastructure that demonstrates cross-border interoperability between electronic health record systems in Europe†[5]. EpSOS attempts to offer seamless healthcare to European citizens. Key goals are to improve the quality and safety of healthcare for citizens when travelling to another European country. Moreover, one other goal is the development of a practical eHealth framework and ICT infrastructure that enables secure access to patient health information among different European healthcare systems. epSOS can make a significant contribution to patient safety by reducing the frequency of medical errors and by providing quick access to documentation as well as by increasing accessibility of one’s prescribed medicine also abroad. In emergency situations, this documentationprovides the medical personnel with information and reduces the repetition of diagnostic procedures. epSOS aims at building and evaluating a service infrastructure demonstrating cross-border interoperability between Electronic Health Record Systems in Europe. Sometimes called a large-scale European implementation, epSOS is dri ven forward by many European member states, the first European eHealth project gathering such a large number of countries in practical cooperation. Interoperability in Greece Healthcare Informatics In the next pages, we will try to investigate the introduction of Interoperability in ICT systems in the Greek Health sector. Until the dawn of the century in the Healthcare IT arena in Greece, emphasis was given in Enterprises Resources Planning (ERP) applications with the aim to better monitor financial data and streamline supply chain planning. The biggest from the Public Sector hospitals have incorporated some Information systems in this area, that were manufactured by â€Å"E government for Social Security† (IDIKA), a government organization with the mission to supply IT applications in Hospitals and Social Security organizations. Private hospitals were more advanced and the biggest of them have started implementing more integrated systems, some of them international, like YGEIA hospital or MITERA obstetric clinic that implemented SAP ERP. These applications were built in a monolithic way, and the various modules were tightly connected together. Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) were in their infancy and each Healthcare provider was acting as a silo. Hen ce the need for Interoperability was not considered crucial. The need for interoperability among the disparate systems within a hospital and among the hospitals of the same region was firstly introduced as a need in the Integrated Information Systems projects that were carried out in the Healthcare Regions and were funded by the Operational Programme Information Society of the 3rd CSF. The design of these projects started in 2001 and the first one was tendered in 2003. The purpose of those projects was the infusion of IT technology in the management of the Healthcare organizations, in order to support the changes in the organization of the Healthcare System in Greece – that was moving towards regionalization – and the upgrade of the services towards patients. In these projects the need for Interoperability was expressed in the following four aspects: Interoperability within a hospital with applications and systems already in place. Interoperability among the sub systems that would be provided in the scope of the tenders for each hospital, wherever necessary (ERP, HIS, LIS etc) Interoperability with future systems, which were not part of the projects, like RIS and PACS. Interoperability among the different regional Health Authorities and Ministry of Health systems (mostly future ones) like Blood Bank, the National Center for Emergency Help (ΕΚΑΒ) etc. The standard that was selected in order to ensure a common messaging standard was HL7 ver 2.x. All these projects finally materialized after several years of delays, with different level of success between Regions but also between hospitals inside the same region. The reasons for the rather poor results in interoperability are many and we will try to illustrate the main barriers. At this point we should note that there is official data in the form of a study of the current status of interoperability in Healthcare. Poor technical specifications for the interoperability aimed to be achieved. The standard (HL7) selected was adequate and mature, but detailed specifications were missing. There were no national codifications that could facilitate the set up of the systems The institutional framework was not clear and the obligations derived were not documented The maturity and openness of the solutions that were implemented varied a lot The applications in place could not interoperate through HL7, so this aspect could not be accomplished There was no strategy and specifications for the national EHR for the implementations to be benchmarked against. As a conclusion someone could say that despite that results were not as expected, it was the first time that interoperability in Healthcare was ever mentioned and required as a mandate. Several use cases were implemented and a step towards openness has been achieved. Many lessons were learned and the evolution of HC ICT will definitely incorporate Interoperability as an integral part. In recent years interoperable eHealth in Europe or even on an international scale is a fact. The European Commission is supporting collaboration initiatives through its policy initiatives and funding instruments and the World Health Organization (WHO) is promoting worldwide eHealth through its Global Observatory for eHealth. [1] HIMSS, Definition of Interoperability. Approved by the HIMSS Board of Directors, April 5, 2013 [2] American College of Radiology (ACR), National Electrical manufacturers Association (NEMA). [3] http://www.ihe.net/About_IHE/ [4] See http://www.who.int/ehscg/en/ [5] http://www.ihe-europe.net/eu-projects/epsos

van gogh :: essays research papers

His move to Paris in 1886 brought van Gogh into contact with Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Paris saw the first evolution in his paintings; his palette became lighter and he started to use pure colours. In 1888 he moved to Arles, where his artistic liberation was accelerated and completed. He also had his first attack of insanity there; he used to paint every day and produced an astonishing amount of marvelous work, such as the Sunflower series. During a visit by his friend Gauguin van Gogh cut off one of his own ears. Austrian expressionist artist Egon Leo Adolf Schiele, b. June 12, 1890, d. Oct. 31, 1918, was at odds with art critics and society for most of his brief life. Even more than Gustav Klimt, Schiele made eroticism one of his major themes and was briefly imprisoned for obscenity in 1912. His treatment of the nude figure suggests a lonely, tormented spirit haunted rather than fulfilled by sexuality. At first strongly influenced by Klimt, whom he met in 1907, Schiele soon achieved an independent anticlassical style wherein his jagged lines arose more from psychological and spiritual feeling than from aesthetic considerations. He painted a number of outstanding portraits, such as that of his father-in-law, Johann Harms (1916; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City), and a series of unflinching and disquieting self-portraits. Late works such as The Family (1918; Oesterreichische Galerie, Vienna) reveal a newfound sense of security. 1902 - Ansel Easton Adams born on February 20, at 114 Maple Street, San Francisco, the only child of Olive and Charles 1915 - Despises the regimentation of a regular education, and is taken out of school. For that year, his father buys him a season pass to the Panama-Pacific Exposition, which he visits nearly every day. Private tutors provide further instruction. 1916: Family Trip to Yoesmite, Californina. 1925: Decides to become a pianist.

Analysis of a Horses by Edwin Muir Essay -- English Literature

Analysis of a poem- Horses by Edwin Muir It is said that one should forget the past and live in the present It is said that one should forget the past and live in the present. However, Edwin Muir’s ‘Horses’ is a poem of past memories only. The interesting part is that it deals with many conflicts and issues which are prevalent even today. It is thus a bridge between the past and present and is expressed in the form of a piece of literature. Muir himself said that in writing about horses in this poem, he was reflecting his childhood view of his father’s plough horses, which must have seemed huge, powerful and mysterious to a boy of four or five. Some of his poems, including ‘Horses’, have a close equivalent in passages from his autobiography, suggesting that seeing these horses reminded him of certain events. The poem begins with the poet transcending reality and reminiscing of one of his childhood memories. In this case it is one of when he as a child, watched a team of horses ploughing the stubble back into the field, during a rainy day which got progressively stormier. In the first two verses, the poet gives the reader a meaningful hint into what the circumstances of his times were. This was most probably, the hardships of a period of war. The few references Muir makes to an army such as in cases where the horses â€Å"marched† and the word â€Å"conquering† further strengthen this issue of war. â€Å"Their hooves like pistons in an ancient mill† This line brings up another issue which is plaguing the third world as we know it. In the same verse he refers to a â€Å"childish hour† in which he also compares the horses’ hooves to pistons in an ancient mill. This refers to how child labour in factories was existent e... ...hose memories back when he says â€Å"I must pine†¦Ã¢â‚¬  hoping, in my perspective, to change the past. Muir now seems to be in a state of possible turmoil and confusion. At one point, he refers to these memories as â€Å"dreadful and fearful† while in the same verse he calls them â€Å"bright.† Ultimately however, it seems that the past has been greater than the present; at least it still has an overwhelming effect on the poet’s mind. It is said â€Å"When you are thrown from the horse, the best thing you can do is to get back on as soon as possible†. Returning to the ‘scene of crime’ can help resolve issues and this is exactly what Muir is doing through the course of the poem. The closing paragraph of the poem is very powerful in how it expresses his mixed feelings towards the Horses. Through these animals, he has given light to different issues that disturbed him as a child.

Ch. 10 project- Booker T. Washington :: essays research papers

Booker Taliaferro was born a mix slave in Franklin Country on 5th April, 1856. His father was a white man who and no one knew who he was and his mother the slave of James Burroughs. His mother married the slave Washington Ferguson. When Booker entered school he took the name of his stepfather and became known as Booker T. Washington. After emancipation, his family was so poor that he worked in factories and mines at the age of nine. When he was 16 his parents allowed him to quit work to go to school. They had no money to help him so he walked 200 miles to attend the Hampton Institute in Virginia and paid his tuition and board there by working as the janitor. The principal of the institute was Samuel Armstrong an who was against slavery and had been commander of African American troops during the Civil War. Armstrong believed that it was important that the freed slaves received an education. Armstrong was impressed with Washington and arranged for his tuition to be paid for by a wealthy white man. Booker T. Washington carried on this idea and later he would teach in his home town, then at the Hampton Institute, and then in 1881, he founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. As head of the Institute, he traveled the country unceasingly to raise funds from blacks and whites both; soon he became a well-known speaker. In 1895, Washington was asked to speak at the opening of the Cotton States Exposition, a good thing for an African American. His Atlanta Compromise speech explained his idea, that blacks could protect their rights through their own economic and moral progress rather than through legal and political changes. Although his calm stand angered some blacks who feared it would encourage the enemy of equal rights, whites approved of his views. His major achievement was to win over diverse elements among southern whites, without whose support the programs he thought and brought into being would have been impossible.

Heart disease Essay

Before you start the rehabilitation programme you will have an initial assessment to find out how much exercise you can safely do. A physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist can then carefully work out a programme of exercises for you, tailoring the programme to your individual needs. At the beginning of each session you will do warm-up exercises which involve stretching your muscles. All the exercises will be carefully explained to you. The exercises will be ‘aerobic’ (exercises that help to improve your heart and circulation). You will be encouraged to increase your exercise gradually over the weeks of the rehabilitation programme. It is very important that you work within your limits and follow the advice given to you. At the end of each exercise session you will do ‘cool-down’ exercises to stretch out your muscles and prevent them from aching the next day. It is normal to feel anxious about exercise after a heart attack. However, attending rehabilitation classes can help give you the confidence to become active again. Relaxation You will be able to practice different relaxation techniques and find one that suits you. You will also find out how important relaxation is for people who have had a heart problem. If possible, encourage your partner or a family member or friend to go along with you. This will help lessen their fears as well and give them the chance to ask any questions. This may involve structured but informal sessions within your group. You may cover one or more topics in each session and will have the opportunity to ask any questions. Going back to work. People who have had an uncomplicated heart attack will usually be able to return to work. You can talk to a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team about the type of work you do. They will help to assess how easily you might take up your job again and when you should return to work. Attending cardiac rehabilitation classes gives you the opportunity to ask questions and talk about any worries you may still have.

Halal Food Essay

Hello Ladies and gentlemen, this is our final project for Journalism and Mass Communication senior class video presentation, an interview from the Taipei Grand Mosque Assistant Imam Musa. It presents an interview on what are the differences between halal and non-halal foods? In this interview, we will present to you Halal Food Consumption in Taiwan, What we meant by Halal, where Muslims buy and eat Halal foods. And as well as how Muslims Brothers and Sisters could seeks advice in country they travel to where a handful of Muslims is found. From what the Imam just rightly said, only the celebration of Eids is the time when the Taipei (Taiwan) Govt. allows them to slaughter or sacrifice their animals, only at the Grand Mosque in Taiwan. These memorable days marks the Muslims celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham’s trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat This action is very often misunderstood by those outside the faith. Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name (To make our food Halal) at the time of taking life. Muslims slaughter animals in the same way throughout the year. By saying the Name of Allah (Bismillah) at the time of slaughtering, we are reminded in that way that life is sacred. As the majority of Muslims gathered every Friday (to pray Friday Prayers known as Salatul Juma). This is the only time when you can buy halal meat imported from Australia and New Zealand as the imam said. Friday, is a religious festival for the Muslims. In this holy day, the Muslims gather at the mosques at noon time. They listen to the khutbas (Speeches made by the Imam). Then after the prayers, most of the people go to that restaurant to buy that halal meat and halal foods sold at that restaurant only on Friday noon.

Charles Dickens and the Victorian Era Essay

The writer Charles Dickens created some of the most memorable fictional stories and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. He managed to represent features that were characteristic of this period. A clear example of this is ‘The Signalman† which was written by the author in 1865 and was based on a signalman who worked with the steam trains. There are two aspects of this work that portray the Victorian period. One distinctive aspect is the use of the supernatural device and the other is the use of the prejudices which were typical from this time. One important aspect in the story that gives a picture of the Victorianism is the use of the supernatural device. As the Victorian era progressed, the supernatural interest began to grow; consequently the Gothic genre began to gain in popularity. During this period literature reflected this interest through the prevalence of ghosts, mysterious apparitions, and unexplainable sounds in the literary w orks. (Craig, 2012) Dickens attempts to capture the superstitious beliefs that predominated during the Victorian period, using the supernatural theme in the story. It is shown through the signalman who is convinced that he is haunted or that there is a â€Å"ghost†. Meanwhile the narrator believes that these premonitions are merely coincidences, and that there is not any spectre but the wind. To sum up, Dickens tries to explore altered states of mind by which he was fascinated in the last part of his life and which will lead to the development of the imminent modern psychology afterward. Another important aspect is the use of the â€Å"prejudices† in order to depict an important quality of the Victorian world. The story illustrates how the Victorian society was judged by class. In this case, the narrator is surprised that the signalman is an educated man that has a low rank job which would be suitable for a lower classed person. It is shown when the narrator affirms ‘[†¦]he had been well educated, and (I hoped I might say without offence) perhaps educated above that station†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢.(Dickens,1907, p.14 ). By analyzing this extract it can be inferred that Victorian society had their social classes clearly defined and  that each class had its own standards. Thus, an educated person was expected to belong to middle or upper class consequently that person was supposed to have a job appropriate to that class. All in all, indirectly, it could be said that the author is concerned about the prejudices and standards assumed to each social class. Nothing can detract from the fact that Charles Dickens was an outstanding writer who drew the attention of the reading public exploring social themes that took place during those times. Indirectly, the author illustrated the era he lived in, describing aspects such as the beliefs as well as the attitudes society had during the Victorian Era. On balance, there is not a shadow of doubt that Dickens challenges and is concerned on the popular Victorian beliefs that some people were more prone to vice than others. REFERENCES Craig, S. (2012). Ghosts of the Mind: The Supernatural and Madness in Victorian Gothic Literature. Retrieved from: http://aquila.usm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1098&context=honors_theses Dickens, C. (1907). The Signalman. Pickwick Papers. London. Everyman’s Library.

Study carefully the following extract from The Social Contract, and the painting The Lictors Returning to Brutus The Bodies of his Sons

Both Rousseau and David's philosophy have the same idea where David was influenced by Rousseau to a great extent. However, they have presented their ideas in different medium whereby one was on the written form whereas the other one was on the visual form. Therefore, this essay will prove their ideas in different ways which they are explored by Rousseau and David. Rousseau constructed the social contract was to solve the question of freedom, and his solution to this problem was the construction of the civil state. In other words, his idea was that living in the civil state was similar as signing a contract in which one agrees to obey the general will and not one's particular will. Rousseau wanted to show that man could live in the civil state and be free as in the state of nature. Through the grouping of citizens, each willing to surrender himself and live with others as a whole which required thinking rationally and act morally. Most importantly, by agreeing to the social contract, people gave up their physical freedom in state of nature and signing himself over to the civil state. Hence, this directed by the general will. In the first and second line of the extract, ‘a remarkable change in man' indicates that people would benefit in a change from the state of nature to civil state. He believed that in joining the civil state, people escape the slavery of appetite and fulfill themselves as human beings. Only ‘general will' makes people human. Our particular wills may want to pursue selfish ends with no regard for the people's interests. Hence, Rousseau believed that ‘general will' is a will that â€Å"it would be in each individual's best interest to think according to the general will and so escape brutish stupidity. (Blk 3, pp115). Therefore, votes must be cast to find a ‘general will'. This general will is the product of reason (Blk 3, pp122). Only then will the society benefit if citizen act according to reason and embrace the ‘general will'. Thus, in obeying the state, citizens will be obeying themselves because the ‘general will' should be what they desire. Therefore, the particular will should coincide with the will of the state because everyone wants the best. Another idea from Rousseau was â€Å"to be legimate, the authority the state has over the people must come from the people themselves† (Blk 3, pp97). In social contract, Rousseau is trying to defend a certain view about legimate authority. He argued that a state is only legimate if based on a contract between all its members, in which they give away their bad qualities in exchange for good qualities. Thus, he claimed that the goal of the government should be to secure freedom, equality, rights and justice for all within the state. Hence, he also claimed that we should abandon our inclinations and consult our reason and think as a member of the state. This had to adopt the general will. As such, people could relate Rousseau's political ideas with David's painting. It helped to ignite a passion amongst the French general public and change French politics. In Rousseau's social contract, the minorities of individuals who do not agree with the ‘general will' must not be ignored. When there is a conflict between the two, Rousseau expects that the citizen will rationalize and choose the ‘general will' over his ‘particular will'. To do otherwise would be ignoble and slavish to selfish appetite. This emphasizes duty to state over personal desires and it was this same belief which David, a painter of the Revolution subscribed to. In his painting, â€Å"The Lictors Returning to Brutus the Bodies of his sons†, David painted in such a way that the view of the spectator is at the same level and it is drawn in a horizontal space. The picture is organized into two different figure groups whereby the females are on the extreme right while the males are on the extreme left. Thus, the empty chair forms a barrier between the two halves of the painting. The group of female figures and a woman on the far right attract the attention in this picture. Their strong emotions show sadness and anxiety to grief at the sight of the corpses. The tallest woman gives a point of interest that she is turning towards her dead sons and one of her hands supports her two daughters while the other hand hopes to rush towards her dead sons. However, her two daughters could not accept the truth that the death of their family members as one was fainted and the other one used her two hands to hide her eyes. Next to them is a female who is seated at one corner as she is deeply depressed of this scene. On the left, Brutus sits impassively in the shadow of the goddess Roma and his right arm signals the lictors to bring the corpses in. He turned his back and refused to look at his dead sons. His tightly clenched toes and muscles on his arms show how tense he is. His other hand held a letter tightly. Thus, the content of the letter has something to do with his sons as they planned a plot to overthrow Brutus. Thus, David has chosen a part of history and he has painted at that moment that Brutus sacrificed his sons for the sake of politics. Hence, he has portrayed the conflicts between political duty and family allegiances. The painting became politically significant because the content reflected the Roman republican virtues and promoted the ideas of moralizing France. This painting leads our eyes along perspective lines and into the depths of the room which was blocked half-way on this picture. The column nearest to the viewer, the dark doorway and the walls on the left and the curtain screen on the right block the view of what lies behind the painting, making us focus on the action of the figures which was closer to us. Thus, it also creates a greater depth in the dark brickwork beyond a second row of columns. The colours and features of the lictors who are first to enter the room are darker then those behind them. Hence, this gives a further sense of pictorial space and takes the viewer deeper into the picture creating depth. The red cushion to the left closer to us adds to another dimensional space. Thus, the different proportions of the chairs and table add more space and depth to the picture. Light is bright and has poured into the scene with different angles. This makes the spotlight effect on the female figures which captures our attention. Bright lights also fall on the columns and empty chair, on the feet of Brutus and on the legs of the body on the second litter. It is also more evident from the shadow of the man on the left, the shadow of female group on the cloth and flooring and one of the lictor's shadows is cast on the column. We could conclude that the light is coming from the doorway from the left. These also seem to be lit in their outlines and add to the three-dimensional effect. In his painting, David chose bright colours such as red and orange costumes for the females, table cloth and empty chair. On the other hand, he also chose dark neutral colours to create a somber mood. There is a broad tonal range in it as a whole, from very bright to very dark and this creates dramatic contrasts. The figures are clearly defined and certain colours are repeated and balanced as reflected in this painting. Like David's painting, Rousseau's ideas are also very clear and well-defined. The brushwork is well-defined and shows clear facial expressions. The expressions on the female figures clearly showed their emotion reactions whereas Brutus is left alone. Brutus and his sons had different views as his sons supported the monarchy instead of him. Thus, it symbolizes that from the left are 'emotions' and from the right are ‘reasons'. Therefore, David introduces the themes of the triumph and role of reason. When looking at David's painting, it could not separate from Rousseau's ideas. As I have mentioned earlier, one must surrender himself and live with others as a whole which required thinking rationally and act morally. In other words, we should bring across the moral values that people should be noble and not possess those bad qualities that has mentioned in the extract. Last but not least, the similarity between Rousseau and David is their ideas involved human reasons and attitudes. Hence, it also grasps an emotional and passionate side of man in both painting and extract. These two medium symbolizes both political and historical context. Thus, David's Neoclassical art extolled civic virtues and emphasized morality, Rousseau was willing to sanction death as a punishment allowing for the achievement of his civil state and David's painting serves as propaganda to reflect his ideology in his painting.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Eighteen

I SPRANG UP FROM THE bed, relieved that I didn't fall over. My head still hurt, but I no longer felt dizzy, which hopefully meant I really had evaded a concussion. Glancing at an alarm clock as I left Sonya's bedroom, I saw that I'd been in Lissa's head for a few hours. Her test had been far more extensive than I'd realized. In the living room, I found an almost comical sight. Victor and Robert stood there, in the flesh, taking in the surrounding details. Even Robert seemed to be with us mentally this time. Only, whereas Victor was studying everything in his calculating way, Robert's attention was fixed on Sonya. His eyes bugged out in astonishment. Dimitri, meanwhile, hadn't altered his position near Sonya or put away the stake at her throat. It was clear from his stance and watchful gaze, however, that he regarded the brothers as a new threat and was trying–impossibly–to stay on guard against everything. He seemed relieved to see me and have some backup. Sonya had gone perfectly still within her chains, which I didn't like at all. It made me think she was planning something. Her red eyes narrowed. The whole situation was tense and dangerous, but a tiny part of me felt smug satisfaction as I studied Victor more closely. The dream meetings had been deceptive. Just as I could shift my appearance in dreams, Victor had made himself look stronger and healthier in those visits than he actually was in real life. Age, disease, and life on the run were taking their toll. Dark shadows lined his eyes, and his graying hair seemed thinner than it had a month ago. He looked haggard and tired, but I knew he was still dangerous. â€Å"So,' I said, hands on hips. â€Å"You managed to find us.' â€Å"There's one lake in this town,' said Victor. â€Å"One blue house. Maybe you had trouble with those directions, but for the rest of us, it wasn't that difficult.' â€Å"Well, if you're so smart, what's your plan now?' I asked. I was trying to stall as I frantically thought about what my plan was. I'd wanted to capture Victor and Robert but didn't know how. Since we had to split our attention between them and Sonya, Dimitri and I couldn't team up. I wished we had leftover chain. Aside from physically subduing the brothers, we would also specifically need to restrain their hands to reduce their ability to use magic. â€Å"Since you're so smart,' countered Victor, â€Å"I assumed you'd have already obtained the needed information.' I gestured toward Sonya. â€Å"She's not exactly forthcoming.' Victor's eyes fell on her. â€Å"Sonya Karp. You've changed since I last saw you.' â€Å"I'm going to kill you all,' Sonya snarled. â€Å"And consume you one by one. Normally, I'd start with the human and work up to the Moroi, but †¦' She glanced at Dimitri and me, her face full of rage. â€Å"I think I'll save you two for last and drag out your suffering.' She paused and almost comically added, â€Å"You've annoyed me the most.' â€Å"Do all Strigoi go through some boot camp and learn all the same threats? It's a wonder you don't cackle too.' I turned back to Victor. â€Å"See? Not that easy. We've tried everything. Beating it out, torturing it out. Sydney went through the names of all her relatives. No reaction.' Victor studied Sydney in detail for the first time. â€Å"So. Your pet Alchemist.' Sydney didn't move. I knew she had to be scared of facing someone who was both a vampire and a dangerous criminal. I had to give her points for meeting his stare unflinchingly. â€Å"Young,' Victor mused. â€Å"But of course she would be. I imagine it's the only way you could manipulate her into this little escapade.' â€Å"I'm here by choice,' replied Sydney. Her expression stayed calm and confident. â€Å"No one manipulated me.' Abe's blackmail wasn't really relevant at the moment. â€Å"Look, if you wanted to keep torturing me with your not-funny comments, you could have just kept invading my dreams,' I snapped. â€Å"If you don't have anything useful to offer, then get out of here and let us wait until hunger weakens Sonya.' And by get out of here, I meant: foolishly think you're going to leave so that I can knock your heads together and drag you back to the guardians. â€Å"We can help,' said Victor. He touched his brother lightly on the arm. Robert flinched, jerking his eyes from Sonya to Victor. â€Å"Your methods were destined to fail. If you want answers, there's only one way to–‘ Sonya made her move. Dimitri was still right next to her, but he'd also been keeping an eye on the rest of us. And of course, I'd been completely focused on the Victor drama as well. It was probably the best opening Sonya could have hoped for. With crazy Strigoi strength, she bucked up from the chair. The chain was wrapped around her over and over, but her quick movement and strength were enough to snap the chain in two places. The rest still encircled her, but I knew perfectly well even one opening was enough for her to eventually bust out. Distracted or not, Dimitri was on her in a flash, and a second later, so was I. She was flailing in the chair, using every bit of her strength and speed to shake off the chains. If she got loose, I knew she'd put up another fierce fight. Dimitri and I met eyes briefly, and I knew we were thinking the same things. First, how were we going to re-restrain her? The chain could probably be rebound, but we'd need to unwind it and start over, which would be next to impossible. We also both knew he and I might not be able to take her down a second time, and now we had innocents around. They couldn't fight, but Sonya might be able to use them to her advantage somehow. All we could do was try to keep her down. Holding her against a flat surface like the floor would have been much easier than the unwieldy recliner. It shook as she fought against us, and we struggled to get a good position on the chair. Dimitri had his stake– I'd set mine down earlier–and he raked it against her skin, giving us some advantage in the struggle. She screamed in rage, and I clung to the hope we might tire her out. Probably not. We'd break first. My aching head was proof enough that I wasn't in peak condition. I saw a flash of movement in my periphery, setting off new alarms. Robert Doru was heading toward us–and he had a silver stake in his hand. The sight was so bizarre and unexpected that I was slow to alert Dimitri. When my sluggish mind suddenly kicked back to life, it was too late. â€Å"No!' I shrieked, seeing Robert raise the stake. â€Å"Don't kill her!' Dimitri turned and saw Robert then, but there was nothing he could do. Dimitri and I had created the perfect opportunity. We were holding Sonya still, and with her chest vulnerable, Robert had a clean shot. Frantically, I wondered what to do. If I stopped him, I'd release Sonya. If I didn't stop him, he might kill our only chance at finding out who– Too late. The stake plunged down with a force that astonished me. Lissa had had a very difficult time staking Dimitri, and I'd assumed the same would be true for someone like Robert, who was older and seemed so fragile. But, no. He still had to use two hands, but the stake went firmly into Sonya's chest, piercing her heart. Sonya let out an intense scream. A brilliant, blinding white light suddenly filled the room, just as an unseen force blasted me away. I hit a wall, my brain barely registering the pain. The small house shook, and with one hand, I tried to grab something and brace myself. I squeezed my eyes shut but could still see starbursts. Time slowed. My heartbeat slowed. Then–it all stopped. Everything. The light. The tremors. I breathed normally. All was quiet and still, as though I'd imagined what had just happened. I blinked, trying to bring my eyes back into focus and assess the situation. I did my best to scramble clumsily to my feet and saw Dimitri was doing the same. He looked like he'd also been knocked over but had caught the wall for support, rather than smashing into it. Robert was lying flat out on the floor, and Victor rushed over to help him. Sydney just stood frozen. And Sonya? â€Å"Unbelievable,' I whispered. Sonya was still in the armchair, and from the way she was sitting back, it was obvious that she'd been blasted by the same force that had hit the rest of us. The chains were still around her, but she'd stopped struggling. On her lap was the silver stake Robert had held only moments ago. Sonya managed to wiggle a hand out of the chain, just enough for her fingers to brush against the stake's surface. Her eyes widened with wonder–eyes that were a rich, azure blue. Robert had brought Sonya Karp back to life. She was no longer Strigoi. When Lissa had saved Dimitri, I'd felt the magic's power through the bond, giving me the full and overwhelming experience of it all. Witnessing it now, without the firsthand knowledge provided from Lissa, was still just as incredible. Victor was preoccupied with Robert, but the rest of us couldn't stop staring at Sonya in amazement. I kept looking for anything–anything–that might give the slightest hint of her previous existence. There was none. Her skin bore the typical Moroi paleness, but it was still filled with the warmth of life, with the faintest tinge of color–not like the Strigoi, who were completely devoid of pigment. Her eyes were bloodshot, but that was from her rapidly forming tears. There was no red ring around her irises. And the look in those eyes †¦ there was no cruelty or malice. They were not the eyes of someone who had just threatened to kill us all. Her eyes were all shock and fear and confusion. I couldn't tear my gaze from her. A miracle. Another miracle. Even after seeing Lissa restore Dimitri, some secret part of me had believed I would never witness anything like it again. That was how miracles worked. Once in a lifetime. There'd been a lot of talk about using spirit to save Strigoi everywhere, talk that had faded when other drama–such as the murder of a queen– took precedence at Court. The shortage of spirit users had also made the idea unpopular, and besides, everyone knew the difficulties involved with a Moroi staking a Strigoi. If trained guardians died fighting Strigoi, how could a Moroi stake one? Well, here was the answer: a subdued Strigoi. A Moroi could manage staking one with two hands, especially with guardian backup. The possibilities made me reel. Robert's magic was strong, but he was old and frail. Yet, if he had still done this, could any spirit user? He'd almost made it look easy. Could Adrian do it? Could Lissa do it again? A miracle. Sonya Karp was a living, breathing miracle. And suddenly, she began screaming. It started off as kind of a low wail and rapidly grew in volume. The noise snapped me to attention, but I didn't exactly know how to respond. Dimitri did. His stake fell from his hand, and he rushed to Sonya's side, where he began trying to free her from the chains. She floundered at his touch, but her efforts no longer packed the supernatural strength of an undead monster seeking revenge. These were the motions of someone desperately, terribly afraid. I'd wrapped those chains pretty securely, but Dimitri had them off in seconds. Once Sonya was free, he sat in the chair and pulled her to him, letting her bury her face against his chest and sob. I swallowed. Dimitri had also wept when he had been changed back. An odd image of newborn babies flashed through my mind. Was crying the natural reaction for anyone being born–or, in this case, reborn–into the world? A sudden movement grabbed my attention. Sydney's eyes were wide, and she was actually moving toward Dimitri–to stop him. â€Å"What are you doing?' she cried. â€Å"Don't release her!' Dimitri ignored Sydney, and I caught hold of her, pulling her back. â€Å"It's okay, it's okay,' I said. Sydney was the most stable factor in this whole operation. I couldn't have her freaking out. â€Å"She's not Strigoi. Look. Look at her. She's Moroi.' Sydney slowly shook her head. â€Å"She can't be. I just saw her.' â€Å"It's what happened to Dimitri. Exactly the same. You don't think he's a Strigoi, do you? You trust him.' I released my hold on her, and she stayed put, her face wary. Looking down at the brothers, I realized theirs might be a more serious situation than I had realized. Robert, while not a Strigoi, looked pale enough to be one. His eyes were vacant, drool escaping his partially open mouth. I reassessed my earlier observation about Robert making Strigoi restoration look easy. He'd staked her like a pro, but obviously, there were a few side effects. Victor was trying to support his brother and murmured soothing and encouraging words. And on Victor's face †¦ well, there was a look of compassion and fear that I'd never seen before. My brain didn't entirely know how to reconcile it with my well-defined and villainous image of him. He seemed like a real person. Victor glanced up at me, his lips twisting into a bitter smile. â€Å"What, no witty quips now? You should be happy. We've given you what you wanted. You need answers from Sonya Karp?' He nodded toward her. â€Å"Go get them. They've certainly come at a high price.' â€Å"No!' exclaimed Dimitri. He still held Sonya against him, but his gentle expression turned hard at Victor's words. â€Å"Are you crazy? Didn't you see what just happened?' Victor arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Yes. I noticed.' â€Å"She's in no condition to answer anything! She's in shock. Leave her alone.' â€Å"Don't act like she's the one who's suffering here,' snapped Victor. Turning back to Robert, Victor helped his brother stand and go toward the couch. Robert barely managed it, his legs trembling and then giving way as he sat down. Victor put an arm around Robert. â€Å"You'll be all right. Everything's all right.' â€Å"Will he be?' I asked uncertainly. Robert didn't look like he was in all that good of shape. My earlier thoughts about spirit users saving Strigoi continued growing unrealistic. â€Å"He †¦ he did it before and recovered, right? And Lissa's fine.' â€Å"Robert was much younger–as is Vasilisa,' replied Victor, patting Robert's shoulder. â€Å"And this is hardly a simple spell. Doing it even once is monumental. Twice? Well, you and I both know how spirit works, and this feat takes a toll on both body and mind. Robert has made a great sacrifice for you.' He had, I supposed. â€Å"Thank you, Robert,' I said. The words came hesitantly to my lips. Robert didn't seem to hear. Dimitri stood up, lifting Sonya easily in his arms. She was still crying, but her sobs were quieter now. â€Å"She needs to rest,' he said gruffly. â€Å"Believe me, you have no idea what's going on inside her right now.' â€Å"Oh, I believe you,' I said. â€Å"You're idiots,' snapped Victor. â€Å"Both of you.' It was a wonder Dimitri's glare didn't pin Victor to the floor. â€Å"No interrogation yet.' I nodded my agreement, not knowing what else to do. When Lissa had changed Dimitri, she'd taken on a fierce, similarly protective attitude. He might not have been the one to change Sonya, but he was the only one here who had any idea what she was going through. I knew he'd had a hard adjustment and that the initial effects of the restoration had been disorienting. That wasn't even taking into account the subsequent depression. He swept past all of us, taking Sonya to her bedroom. Sydney watched them go and then glanced over to the sofa, where Victor still had his arm wrapped around his brother. The Alchemist met my eyes wonderingly. â€Å"I heard †¦ but I didn't believe.' â€Å"Sometimes,' I told her, â€Å"I still don't. It goes against every rule of the universe.' To my surprise, she touched the small gold cross around her neck. â€Å"Some rules are bigger than the universe.' Victor rose from the couch, apparently satisfied Robert was resting. I tensed up. Miracles aside, he was still a criminal, one I intended to capture. He took a step toward me, pitching his voice low. â€Å"Sorry to interrupt Metaphysics 101, but you need to listen to me,' he said. â€Å"Be careful, Rose. Very careful. A lot rests on you now. Don't let your pet wolf keep you from finding out what Sonya knows.' â€Å"But he's right,' I exclaimed. â€Å"Its been five minutes! What she went through †¦ what they both went through †¦ well, it's kind of a big deal. Literally life-changing. He had to recover too and adjust to being saved. Once she does, she'll help us.' â€Å"Are you sure?' he asked, narrowing his eyes. â€Å"Will she think she's been saved? You forget: Belikov was turned against his will. She wasn't.' â€Å"W-what are you saying? That she's going to try to become Strigoi again?' He shrugged. â€Å"I'm saying get your answers soon. And don't leave her alone.' With that, Victor turned and headed toward the kitchen. He soon returned with a glass of water. Robert drank it greedily and then fell into a heavy sleep. I sighed and leaned against a wall near Sydney, totally worn out. I still hurt from the earlier fight. â€Å"What now?' asked Sydney. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't know. We wait, I guess.' Dimitri returned a little while later and spared a small glance for Robert. â€Å"She's sleeping too,' he told me. â€Å"The transformation †¦ it's difficult.' I could see a haunted look in his eyes and wondered what memory was tormenting him now. The memory of being changed? The memory of being Strigoi? â€Å"I don't think we should leave Sonya alone,' I said. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Victor smirk. â€Å"Someone should stay with her in case she wakes up. She won't know what's going on.' Dimitri didn't answer for a few seconds as he scrutinized me. He knew me well enough to sense there might be something else on my mind. Fortunately, he couldn't find a fault in my logic. â€Å"You're right. Do you mind sitting with her?' he asked Sydney. I groped for something to say. No, no. Not Sydney. If Sonya did turn on us, we needed someone else on guard–someone who could fight back. Sydney, probably guessing my problem, saved me from lying to Dimitri–or from telling him the truth about my concerns. â€Å"She doesn't know me. It might make things worse when she wakes up. Besides †¦' Sydney put on that disgusted expression that Alchemists excelled at. â€Å"I don't really feel that comfortable with someone who was a monster five minutes ago.' â€Å"She's not Strigoi,' he exclaimed. â€Å"She's absolutely, completely Moroi again!' Even I felt a little cowed by the harshness of his voice, but I wasn't entirely surprised at his vehement reaction. He'd had a hard time convincing others he'd changed. His face softened a little. â€Å"I know it's hard to believe, but she really has changed.' â€Å"I'll stay with her then,' I said. â€Å"No, no.' Dimitri shook his head. â€Å"Sydney's right about one thing: Sonya might be confused. It's better if someone's there who understands what's happened.' I started to argue that I was the only one Sonya really knew but then decided I'd rather stay with the brothers. They seemed harmless now, but I didn't trust them. Dimitri apparently didn't either. He took a few steps forward and leaned down, speaking only an inch from my ear. â€Å"Keep an eye on them,' he murmured. â€Å"Robert's down right now but might recover sooner than we think.' â€Å"I know.' He started to turn, then glanced back at me. His commander face had softened into something thoughtful and awestruck. â€Å"Rose?' â€Å"Yeah?' â€Å"That †¦ was that what it was like when Lissa changed me?' â€Å"More or less.' â€Å"I didn't realize †¦ it was †¦' He struggled for words. It was uncharacteristic. â€Å"The way that light filled the room, the way she changed. Seeing that life emerge from death †¦ it was †¦' â€Å"Beautiful?' He nodded. â€Å"Life like that †¦ you don't–no, you can't waste it.' â€Å"No,' I agreed. â€Å"You can't.' I saw something shift in him then. It was small, just like in the alley, but I knew then another piece of the Strigoi-trauma had peeled away. He said no more, and I watched as he walked back down the hall. With nothing else to do, Sydney sat down cross-legged on the floor, holding a book in her lap. It was closed, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Meanwhile, Victor sat back in the armchair and reclined it. He didn't look as bad as Robert, but lines of fatigue showed on both brothers. Good. The longer they were out of commission, the better. I brought in a chair from the kitchen so I could sit and survey the room. Everything was peaceful. I felt like a babysitter, which I suppose I kind of was. It had been a long day, and night soon turned the windows black. This made worried me. For all I knew, Sonya had some Strigoi pals who might stop by. The fact that Donovan knew her certainly indicated she wasn't a total outcast among them. It made me extra-vigilant, but at the same time, I was exhausted. The brothers were already asleep. Sydney, perhaps in an attempt to keep her human schedule, eventually found a spare blanket and pillow and curled up in a makeshift bed on the floor. And me? I was halfway between human and vampiric schedules. I had a feeling Dimitri was the same. Really, we were on a do-what's-necessary schedule, in which extensive sleep was not an option. A hum of excitement and astonishment suddenly sang through the bond. I sensed no danger or threat, but curiosity made me decide to check in with Lissa anyway. Even if I was in her mind, I knew my body would stay watchful, and I wanted to know how the rest of Lissa's test had gone. Beautifully, of course. She rode back to Court, exhausted but proud of herself. She wasn't the only one. The rest of her companions all wore similar expressions †¦ all except for Ava Drozdov. She had been the only one to break and use the cell phone to call for help. Lissa was surprised that Ava had cracked. After his earlier bitching, Marcus Lazar had seemed the most likely to bail. But no, the old man had managed it somehow, meaning he'd continue on in the monarch trials. Ava refused to make eye contact with anyone, instead staring bleakly out the window as they traveled back to Court. She would still hold a Council spot, but her shot at being queen was gone. Lissa felt bad for her but couldn't spare too much concern. It was the way of the trials, the way they determined the best candidates. Besides, Lissa had her own issues. Staying out in the daytime had run contrary to the normal vampiric schedule. Now, she simply wanted to get back to Court, find her room, and sleep for a few hours. She wanted some peace. Instead, she found a mob waiting for her.