Introduction to business Essay Example for Free

Introduction to business Essay A business function is the different jobs that people do or the different departments that form the basis of an organisations structure. The six business functions are Human Resources, Marketing, research and development, production, finance and administration. Human Resources deal with many different aspects of a business. They deal with recruitment, Job descriptions, dismissals, redundancy etc. They also have a policy-making role; they have to create company policies to create security for people and places within the organisation. Human Resources look after the people at work, they need to motivate them and also look after their needs. Human Resources have to help the MD to develop their roles and roles of other employees within the company. One of Human Resources roles is to bargain and negotiate they act as a go-between between different groups with different interests, they also liase with the trade unions. Human Resources also have an administrative role, for example they are responsible for paying wages and supervising and implementing health and safety laws. They also educate and develop the workforce they decide on whether or not any of the employees need training. The Marketing function is responsible for finding out what the customer needs and wants and then satisfying these needs and wants in the most cost effective manner. Sales is sometimes combined with marketing, sales has a different role to marketing though, for example sales has to make the customer think they want what the company makes or offers as a service whereas marketing has to get the company to produce what the customer wants. In order to find out the customers needs and wants they have to carry out primary research such as observations, questionnaires etc along with analysing secondary data. The Marketing department works closely with the production department because the research marketing do will show production what the customer wants, how they want it, where they want it and when. Marketing are also responsible for advertising, packaging, promotion, distribution and pricing. If a company wants to expand and grow a research and development department is essential because research and development furthers the companys aims by improving processes and by researching new ideas, processes and products. If a company does nothing to improve processes or seek ideas then it is highly unlikely that they shall become/remain successful. If a company is having problems they need to have a research department because some of the work this function carries out can help them to understand what is going wrong. Companies usually set aside available capital in for a research budget because it can cost a lot of money. The Administration function basically deals with every single piece of paper work. Some people may see the admin role as petty and this is strictly untrue. Organisations, especially the larger ones depend on their administration department. Administration handles consumer enquiries, communicating messages and producing documents for the company that are accurate. All companies would have an office manager and whereas Human Resources are responsible for deciding if the staff need training the office manager for organising the training, they would advise different departments on the most effective office layout, equipment, working practices and staff development. They analyse admin practices to see if there is any way they could be made better. They provide and maintain communications for the company; this would be phones, mail, Internet and also report and provide statistics on company activities. Overall ensuring a good standard of work. The Finance department is mainly responsible for monitoring the cash flow (monitoring income/revenue and monitoring expenditure) this is represented in a final balance sheet, sources and uses of funds are displayed in a PL account. The chief accountant is responsible for supervising this department. There are two different types of accounting within a finance department Financial accounting and management accounting. A financial accountant would keep records of all financial events to provide financial summaries on what has happened (Pay wages and keep day to day records) whereas a management accountant would provide the managers with figures to help them make their own decisions, for example costing and pricing decisions, they would also produce budgets. There are also subsections within the finance department; these include a cashiers department, which deals mainly with cash transactions, and a wages department, which are responsible for supervising the pay roll i.e. calculating and paying staff wages. The production function includes many different sections to help it run properly, Production and planning set standards and targets for each section of production. They monitor the goods or services that are being produced to make sure it is of the right quantity and quality, a comparator then compares what has been produced to what should have so that they can see if production is running smoothly and effectively. The purchasing dept have to provide the materials and equipment needed to make the product/service so that they can keep the production process working in order, the stores dept stock all tools, raw materials and equipment that is needed and finally there is the design and technical support dept who are responsible for researching improvements on existing products and also researching new ones. A technical department would give advice on working practices in order for them to estimate production costs.

Al Capone: The American Gangster

Al Capone: The American Gangster Al Capone was an American gangster who led a crime syndicate dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging of liquor and other illegal activities during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s. Capone began his career in Brooklyn before moving to Chicago and becoming the boss of the criminal organization known as the Chicago Outfit; although, his business card reportedly described him as a used furniture dealer. He was, and still is, the most recognized and influential Mafioso in American history. Both hated and loved by the public, he shared a common dislike with many people in American society at that time; a strong disdain for the temperance movement. Alphonse Gabriel Al Capone was born on January 17, 1899 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City to Italian immigrants Gabriele and Teresina Capone. They landed in New York just in time for the Panic of 1893, which would wrack the countrys economy for years. Gabriel who was a skilled barber and Teresina a seamstress, wisely chose Brooklyn as home in preference to the even greater squalor and density of Mulberry Bend, Manhattans Lower East Side Italian colony; not that the depression spared Brooklyn. Unemployment would soon idle one quarter of the boroughs workforce, making it no time for the unskilled.  [1]   The Capones lived better than most. Though Gabriel could not ply his trade at first, he avoided the drudgery and extreme low pay of manual labor because he boasted another skill that went with his trade; he could read and write. In Italy, as well as in America, the illiterate expected their barber to read them any letters that came their way. Gabriels learning earned him a job in a grocery store until he could gather enough of a stake to open his own barber shop; a storefront in a tenement at 69 Park Avenue.  [2]   Little Al, as he was called, had started school at John Jay, P.S. 7, at 141 York, near the Navy Yard. After the family had moved, he transferred to William A. Butler, P.S. 133, at 355 Butler Street; seven blocks away from Garfield. Until he reached sixth grade, he maintained a B average. He devoted much time and energy to his favorite extracurricular activity, playing hooky. He attended class only thirty-three days of the required ninety. A red-haze temper that would occasionally overmaster him all his life exploded one day, and he hit a teacher who was lecturing him. Sent to the principals office, he got a whipping and quit school in embarrassment. He was fourteen at the time, but he was ready to quit anyway as it was practically a family tradition.  [3]   Al made a stab at an assortment of honest jobs; clerk in a candy store and pin boy in a bowling alley. For a while he earned twenty-three dollars a week working in an ammunition factory. He also worked as cutter in a book bindery, following his older brother Ralph, who had worked in the print shop of a newspaper. Apprenticeship for Al Capones lifes work, though, arose on the streets. The streets Capone traveled as a young boy was ruled by gangs, or more precisely kid gangs. Members of these kid gangs could not be called gangsters; by todays standards they would barely qualify as delinquents. Excepting petty pilferage and occasional lunch-money extortion, few engaged in activity anyone would consider downright criminal.  [4]   Al was heavily influenced by gangster Johnny Torrio whom he considered to be his mentor. John Torrio was the thinking mans criminal. Torrio owned a bar on James Street at the corner of Water. He soon expanded, leasing a rooming house down the block which he filled with prostitutes and a nearby store he converted into a pool hall. Young Al could hardly have avoided absorbing the lesson of someone who had attained money and power without the drudgery that were typically weighed on others.  [5]   Al eventually joined the South Brooklyn Rippers, a junior gang that inducted kids as young as eleven. No reliably authentic details about Als activities in his late boyhood and early teens have survived, but he evidently did not stand out or apart. Not many years later, a former Brooklyn kid-gang member remembered him as something of a nonentity, affable, soft of speech and even mediocreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.  [6]   Al had caught the eye of someone who could exert the most portentous influence possible at that stage. It was Frankie Yale, six years older, who had ushered Al into the Forty Thieves Juniors gang. When Al entered his mid-teens, Yale welcomed him exclusively into the adult gang Five Points headed by Johnny Torrio. Membership in this Manhattan gang showcased his tough scrappiness. Capone learned all there was to know about extortion and slugging and the rest on the banks of the Gowanus Canal, says William Balsamo, Brooklyn native and historian of New York crime. Yale was fashioning a complex of enterprises beyond the Harvard Inn: a mortuary; racehorses; prizefighters; another nightspot, the Sunrise Cafe; a line of cigars-all based finally on his main line, strong-arm terror.  [7]   Capones job as bartender and bouncer at Yales Harvard Inn demanded a certain finesse. The trick was to bounce without alienating, and only to do so after considered efforts to calm and subdue had failed. Ideally, the bounced would recognize themselves as out of line. Capone combined the mass to bounce authoritatively and the intelligence to do it with tact. Capone became Yales pupil, favored by invitations after a hard night at the Harvard Inn to sleep over at Yales house. That happened frequently enough that Yales daughters would show visitors Als room. Yale had the swagger of a young man, already boss yet still a comer. Inevitably, Capone viewed Yale as a model and a teacher.  [8]   One summer night in 1917 resulted in scarring consequences. Frank Galluccio Galluch, a merchant seaman, barbers assistant, and spear-carrier in the Genovese crime family strutted into the Harvard Inn with his date, Maria Tanzio, and his kid sister, Lena. The sight of Lena set Capones glands exploding. Every time his rounds took him past her table he would try to chat with her; Lena snubbed him. Her brother who was half drunk and did not know Capone assumed from his familiarity that Lena did. His kid sisters growing anger penetrated Galluccios alcoholic fog stating, You know that guy? Lena then responded: I never saw him before. Hes got a lotta nerve. He wont give up, Frank. He cant take a hint. But I dont like him; he is embarrassing me. Maybe you could ask him to please stop-in a nice way.  [9]   Capone headed their way again and Galluccio was ready to take him aside like a gentleman: Hey, mister, please do me favor, okay? Shes my kid sister, you knowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Before Galluccio could speak, Capone leaned over to Lena, and whispered-loud enough to startle the party at the next table with heads swiveled in amazement-You got a nice ass, honey, and I mean it as a compliment. Believe me. Her brother sprang to his feet. The insult was bad enough; the fact that strangers had plainly heard made it insupportable. I wont take that shit from nobody, Galluccio shouted. Apologize to my sister now, you hear? At a moment, Capones brain reasserted itself, perhaps kicked in by sister. Family meant everything, and its evocation put this customer unarguably in the right. With his most ingratiating and placating smile, Capone turned to Galluccio arms spread wide and palms up and open: Hey, whatsa matter, pal, a little misunderstanding, a joke, no offenseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This is no fucking jo ke, mister, cried Galluccio.  [10]   Galluccio stood five-foot-six and weighed under 150. Capone looked like a mountain avalanching toward him. The Galluch knew he could be badly hurt unless he struck first and quickly, but his punch would never do the job. He clawed his knife from his pocket and lunged as the streets had taught him. One slash started two inches in front of mid-ear, curved four inches down the left cheek to just below the corner of Capones mouth; the other two each measured two and a half inches, one on the left jaw, and the other on the neck under the left ear. Galluccio grabbed his sister and date and ran out the door. Someone rushed Capone to the Coney Island Hospital where doctors applied thirty stitches to his face.  [11]   Soon Galluccio heard that Frankie Yale had been asking around for him. Galluccio appealed to Joseph Masseria, overlord of all New York for justice. Joe the Boss decreed a sit-down at the Harvard Inn where they agreed that Capone had indeed been wrong and would not be allowed to seek vengeance, while Galluccio had to apologize for his disproportionate reaction-which he readily did, contrite at sight of how he had disfigured Capone. Capone also recognized the justice of the settlement and the dishonor of his scars. He later put out the story that the scars had happened to him in service with the Lost Battalion of World War I. In fact, he had never been called up in the draft. This notable scarring had given him the infamous nickname Scarface.  [12]   In 1918 Capone met an Irish girl at a dance and fell in love. She was pretty, slim and tall with a round piquant face and large eyes framed by a helmet of blond hair. Baptized Mary, she would be known all her life as Mae, daughter of Michael Coughlin, a construction worker, and the former Bridget Gorman. On December 4, 1918, Mae gave birth. Eighteen days later, Maes sister, Kathleen, and James DeVico, an otherwise obscure friend of Capones, became godparents to Albert Francis Capone, also known as Sonny. Mae had almost two years on Capone, perhaps an embarrassment to them because each fudged a year of age on their marriage registration. Capone appears in the church records as Albert, maybe a mistake, or maybe a typical bit of criminal obfuscation.  [13]   Members of the Anti-Saloon League, founded 1893 in Oberlin, Ohio, sincerely believed everyone would be better off without alcohol. They looked forward, one historian has observed, to a world freeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦from want and crime and sin, a sort of millennial Kansasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Their campaign, which quickly enveloped the nation, combined such animating idealism with the most brutal brass-knuckles politics; the league terrorized Congress. In the words of a popular song of the era: What Have They Got on You, Mr. Congressman? Weve heard just how those drys, Keep cases on you Congress guys. One wrong vote and reports would wing back home broadcasted by the leagues fifty thousand field workers.  [14]   Americas April 6, 1917, entry into the war sanctified the dry cause as patriotism even for the doubting majority. The liquor trade gobbled up enough grain for eleven million loaves of bread a day. The league insisted drunken workers could not turn out war materiel any more than drunk soldiers could shoot straight. Caving in to these pressures, Congress passed a resolution calling for a prohibition amendment to the Constitution and sent it to the state legislatures for ratification in December 1917. On January 16, 1919, Nebraska provided the necessary three-fourths majority by becoming the thirty-sixth state to approve the resolution. The Eighteenth Amendment would become law in one year.  [15]   Meanwhile, the league rammed wartime Prohibition through Congress. Until the Eighteenth Amendment kicked in at midnight on Friday, January 16, 1920, the interim law forbade anyone in the United States to make, sell or transport-without a permit-any beverage containing more than one half of 1 percent alcohol. The ban-both permanent and interim-cunningly did not include owning, drinking or buying liquor. The league had been careful not to offend voters or members of Congress; many were notoriously wet in habits no matter how dry they voted.  [16]   Capone was a suspect for two murders in 1919 and was seeking a safe haven and a better job to provide for his new family. Capone relocated to Chicago to help out his Five Points gang mentor Johnny Torrio. Torrio had gone to Chicago to resolve some family problems his cousins husband was having with the Black Hand. Torrino had also been summoned there to help out his uncle, Big Jim Colosimo, the citys leading whoremaster to run his empire. By the time Capone arrived, Torrio was in dispute with Big Jim. Seeing the major financial opportunities that came with Prohibition, Torrio wanted Colosimo to shift his organizations main thrust to bootlegging; Big Jim was not interested. He had become rich and fat in the whoring trade and saw no need to expand. He forbade Torrio to get into the new racket. Torrio realized that Colosimo had to be eradicated so that he could use Big Jims organization for his criminal plans. Together he and Capone planned Colosimos murder and sent Frankie Yale and his men from New York to carry out the job. Capone and Torrio meantime would act out airtight alibis  [17]  . One of Capones duties was to buy trucks for Torrios operation-which those in it called the outfit-especially after Capone took over. Members used it casually when talking among themselves about their group-I joined the outfit two years ago-as they would say Im with Capone, when talking about their affiliation to an outsider. Many in the outfit were involved in transporting beer. For most of them, being part of a gang meant little more than being a truck driver; that was the entry-level job for most. Possible promotion led to muscle and racketeering work. But Torrio relied on few to buy new and used trucks; one was Capone. By mid-1922 Capone already ranked as Torrios number two.  [18]   The election of reform mayor William Emmet Dever led to Chicagos city government putting more strain on the gangster agenda within city limits. Devers biographer called him a dripping Wet who enforced Prohibition. He would tell a meeting of beer-guzzling Germans, I have never pretended to be, and am not now a Prohibitionist. But he would have law and order stating, He would enforce the law to the limit. Within a month, authorities were raiding places citywide with, wrote a reporter, unabated enthusiasm, arresting five hundred in one sweep, 450 in another. Within six months his men had closed over four thousand blatant saloons and some five hundred soda parlors-notoriously fronts for selling beers. A significant amount of license revocations were set forth.  [19]   To put its headquarters outside of city jurisdiction and create a safe zone for its operations, the Capone organization muscled its way into Cicero, Illinois. This led to one of Capones greatest triumphs; the takeover of Ciceros town government in 1924. Capone made it clear that he wanted an all-out conquest of the town. He installed his older brother Frank (Salvatore) as the front man with the Cicero city government. Ralph was tasked with opening up a working-class brothel called the Stockade for Ciceros heavily blue-collar population. Al focused on gambling and took an interest in a new gambling joint called the Ship. He also took control of the Hawthorne Race Track.  [20]   For the most part, the Capone conquest of Cicero was unopposed, with the exception of Robert St. John, the crusading young journalist at the Cicero Tribune. Every issue contained an expose on the Capone rackets in the city. The editorials were effective enough to threaten Capone-backed candidates in the 1924 primary election. On election day things got ugly as Capones forces kidnapped opponents election workers and threatened voters with violence. As reports of the violence spread, the Chicago chief of police rounded up seventy nine cops and provided them with shotguns. The cops, dressed in plain clothes, rode in unmarked cars to Cicero under the guise of protecting workers at the Western Electric plant there. Frank Capone, who had just finished negotiating a lease, was walking down the street when the convoy of Chicago policemen approached him. Someone recognized him and the cars emptied out in front of him. In seconds, Franks body was riddled with bullets. Technically, the police c alled it self defense, since Frank, seeing the police coming at him with guns drawn, had revealed his own revolver.  [21]   Al was enraged and escalated the violence by kidnapping officials and stealing ballot boxes. One official was murdered. When it was all over, Capone had won his victory for Cicero. Capones temper stayed under control for about five weeks. But then, Joe Howard, a small-time thug, assaulted Capones friend Jack Guzik when he turned him down for a loan. Guzik told Capone and tracked Howard down in a bar. Howard had the poor judgment to call Capone a dago pimp and Capone shot Howard dead.  [22]   While only twenty-five, Al Capone became a prominent figure in Chicagos organized crime. He wasnt the only one though. Dion OBanion owned a thriving florist shop, but was also one of the biggest names in the bootlegging business. Flamboyant but untrustworthy, OBanion became a thorn in Capones side. In one instance, OBanion killed a man outside of Capones Four Deuces gambling joint and the ensuing trial dragged Capone into unwanted attention. OBanion also set up Torrio to be arrested by the police. He had promised Torrio he would move to Colorado if Torrio agreed to buy OBanions Sieben Brewery. OBanion took the money and left while the police were waiting to raid the brewery. Torrio went to jail and OBanion kept the money. The Brewery was eventually shut down permanently.  [23]   OBanion met his end while preparing a floral arrangement in his shop on November 10, 1924. He was a consummate hand shaker and on that day three known gangsters came in the shop. Thinking they were there to pick up flowers for the funeral of another prominent gangster, he went to shake their hands. One of them pulled OBanion off balance and six shots rang out. While there was a great deal of speculation concerning the triggermen, no one ever went to trial over the murder. It did leave OBanions territory wide open for Capone to move in, but also made powerful enemies of OBanions friends. These friends included Hymie Weiss and Bugs Moran.  [24]   Over the next two years, Moran and Weiss would fail in over a dozen assassination attempts against Capone. On January 24, 1925, Torrio was returning to his apartment at 7106 South Clyde Avenue from a shopping trip with his wife Anna. Walking from his car towards his apartment building, Weiss and Moran opened fire. They shot Torrio in the chest, neck, right arm and groin, but miraculously the elderly man survived. The true miracle came about when one of the men-reportedly Moran-held his gun to Torrios head and pulled the trigger only to hear the click of an empty firing chamber. This incident made Torrio consider quitting the game. After recovering, Torrio pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine months in jail for the Sieben Brewery raid. During his jail sentence Torrio informed Capone he was planning on leaving Chicago and turning his vast empire over to Al stating, Its all yours Al. Me? Im quittin. Its Europe for me. Torrio then moved to Italy with his mother and wife.  [25]   Shortly after he took over Johnny Torrios empire, it was clear that his new status had changed Al Capone. He was a major force now in the Chicago underworld. To underscore his rise in the world, he moved his headquarters to the Metropole Hotel. His luxurious suite of five rooms cost $1,500 per day. He went from near obscurity to cultivated visibility. Capone became visible at the opera, at sporting events and charitable functions. He was an important member of the community: friendly, generous, successful, supplying a throng of thirsty customers. In an era where most of the adult population drank bootleg alcohol, the bootlegger seemed almost respectable.  [26]   In the spring of 1926, Capones run of good luck hit a snag. On April 27, Billy McSwiggin, known as the young hanging prosecutor who had tried to pin the 1924 death of Joe Howard on Capone, met with an accident. A bootlegger named Jim Doherty picked McSwiggin up by car at his fathers house. Dohertys car broke down and they hitched a ride with bootlegger Klondike ODonnell, a bitter enemy of Capone. The four Irish lads went on a drinking binge in Cicero with ODonnell and his brother Myles and ended up at a bar close to the Hawthorne Inn where Capone was having dinner. ODonnells cruising around in Cicero was a territorial insult.  [27]   Capone and his henchmen, not realizing that McSwiggin was in the bar with Myles ODonnell, waited outside in a convoy of cars until the drunken men staggered out. Then out came the machine guns and McSwiggin and Doherty were dead; Capone was immediately blamed. Despite the blot on McSwiggins integrity for keeping company with bootleggers, sympathy was with the dead young prosecutor. There was a big outcry against gangster violence and public sentiment went against Capone. While everyone in Chicago knew that Al Capone was responsible, there was not a shred of proof and the failure of this high-profile investigation to return an indictment was an embarrassment to local officials. Police took out their frustrations on Capones whorehouses and speakeasies which endured a series of raids and fires.  [28]   Capone went into hiding for three months. Reputedly some 300 detectives looked for him all over the country; in Canada and even Italy. He initially found refuge in the home of a friend in Chicago Heights and then, for most of the time, with friends in Lansing, Michigan. Those three months in hiding made an indelible mark on Al. He began to see himself as much more than a successful racketeer. He believed he was a source of pride to the Italian immigrant community; a generous benefactor and important fixer who could help people. His bootlegging operations employed thousands of people, many of whom were poor Italian immigrants. While much of this was just his ego getting larger, Capone had real leadership abilities and was very capable of extending those talents into areas that were beneficial to the community. He seriously thought of retiring from his life of crime and violence.  [29]   On July 28, 1926, he returned to Chicago to face the accusations of murder. It turned out to be the right decision because the authorities did not have sufficient evidence to bring him to trial. For all the public uproar and efforts of the law enforcement groups, Al Capone was a free man. The people of Chicago were tired of reading about gang violence and the newspapers fanned their anger. Capone held a highly publicized peace conference in which he appealed to the other bootleggers assembled there to tone down the violence. He made his point stating, There is enough business for all of us without killing each other like animals in the streets. I dont want to die in the street punctured by machine-gun fire. At the end of the meeting, an amnesty had been negotiated which accomplished two key things; first, there would be no more murders or beatings and second, past murders would not be avenged. For more than two months thereafter, nobody connected with the bootlegging business was kil led.  [30]   In May of 1927, the Supreme Court made a decision that Manny Sullivan, a bootlegger, had to report and pay income tax on his illegal bootlegging business. Just because reporting and paying tax on illegally-derived revenues was self-incrimination, it was not unconstitutional. With the Sullivan ruling, the small Special Intelligence Unit of the IRS under Elmer Irey was able to go after Al Capone.  [31]   Unaware and uninterested in Manny Sullivan or Elmer Irey, Capone became more compulsively extroverted and expansive. He indulged heavily in his two big passions; music and boxing. He became close pals with boxermJack Dempsey, but given the concern over fixed fights, the friendship had to be very discreet. Always an opera lover, Capone expanded his patronage to the jazz world. With the opening of the Cotton Club in Cicero, Al became a jazz impresario, attracting and cultivating some of the best black jazz musicians of the day. Unlike so many other Italian gangsters, Al did not seem to have the deep-seated racial prejudice and he gained the trust and respect of many of his musicians. Al extended his generosity and personal concerns to everybody who worked for him, black or white. Al spoke to reporters: Public service is my motto. Ninety percent of the people in Chicago drink and gamble. Ive tried to serve them decent liquor and square games. But Im not appreciated. Im known all over the world as a millionaire gorilla.  [32]   Capone biographer Laurence Bergreen described the way Capone inserted himself into the lives of those he knew: He came to dominate them not by shouting, overwhelming, or bullying, although the threat of physical violence always loomed, but by appealing to the inner man, his wants, his aspirationsby making them feel valued, they gave unstintingly of their loyalty, and loyalty was what Capone needed and demanded; in the volatile circles through which he moved it was the only protection he had from sudden death. The highest compliment other men could pay Capone was to call him a friend, which meant they were willing to overlook his scandalous reputation, that he had never been a pimp or a murderer.  [33]   The exposure was becoming a real nuisance. When he left for a trip to the West Coast, he had police surrounding him at every station. Los Angeles toughest detective said We have no room here for Capone or any other visiting gangsters whether they are here on pleasure tours or not. When Capone came back from the West Coast he found himself surrounded by six Joliet policemen with their shotguns aimed at him. Capone stated, Well, Ill be damned. Youd think I was Jesse James. Whats the artillery for? In Chicago, the police made things as uncomfortable as possible by surrounding his house and arresting him at the slightest provocation.  [34]   Capone left for Miami where the weather was much better than the Chicago winter, but the reception by the local community was chilly. He, Mae, and Sonny rented a house for the season and started to look for a permanent residence. Over the coming months he would invest a small fortune in redecorating his new palace in Miami, securing it like a small fortress with concrete walls and heavy wooden doors.  [35]   The Palm Island estate came to the attention of IRS Intelligence Unit watchdog Elmer Irey. He chose Frank J. Wilson to head up the job of documenting Capones income and spending. The job was monumental; despite Capones lavish spending everything was transacted through third parties. Although Capone had incredible wealth, every transaction was on a cash basis. The major exception was the very tangible assets of the Palm Island estate, which was evidence of a major source of income.  [36]   George Emmerson Q. Johnson, a member of the Scandinavian old boys network in the Midwest, was appointed U.S. attorney for Chicago. Johnson targeted Capone with unbridled passion. In the spring of 1928, the violence preceding the April primary election began to escalate out of control. It was not clear who was orchestrating all of this violence, but this time the targets were not gangsters, but U.S. Senator Charles Deneen, a reformer and a judge. The unabashedly corrupt Mayor Bill Thompson was presumed responsible since the victims were people who opposed him, but Al Capone who was still in Florida, was the scapegoat. While Mae Capone spent the spring of 1928 on an extravagant decorating spree Al dedicated himself to establishing himself as a legitimate citizen of Miami. In spite of the outward show of respectability, Al quietly made plans to solve pressing problems caused by his old boss Frankie Yale. The liquor supply deal that Capone and Yale had negotiated was experiencing too many

Overview of Epilepsy

Overview of Epilepsy Epilepsy Table of Contents Introduction †¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 1 What is epilepsy? †¦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‚¬ ¦. Page 2 Diagnosis †¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Page 2-4 Types of Seizures †¦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‚¬ ¦. Page 5-9 Types of Treatments †¦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‚¬ ¦. Pages 9-10 Further Research †¦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‚¬ ¦ Pages 11-12 Physiological issues with Epilepsy †¦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‚¬ ¦.. Page 12 Conclusion †¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Pages 12-13 References †¦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‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Pages 14-15 Introduction Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that targets 1 in 100 people in North America. Epilepsy is one of very few diseases without a definite cure. In fact scientists to this day cannot figure out what triggers these seizures. This is quite amazing considering the modern technologies medicine uses today. Throughout my paper I will explain what epilepsy is and what happens during an epileptic seizure, I will cover the different categories of seizures, how doctors diagnose epilepsy, and different types of treatment to help the patients with epilepsy. What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that attacks the nervous system. Another term for epilepsy is â€Å"seizure disorder† (www.epilepsy.com). To this day the exact factor that triggers an epileptic seizure is unknown. In other words epileptic seizures are idiopathic (Ogden, 2005). Seizures occur when too many brain cells get excited at the same time. A seizure is like an electrical storm in your brain. During this electrical storm your brain cannot perform its usual tasks, causing sudden changes in behaviour, sensations, movement, and awareness (www.epilepsysociety.org.uk). A typical seizure usually last between a few seconds, to a few minutes. Once the seizure is finished the victim enters a â€Å"post-ictal period. (The greek word â€Å"post† meaning â€Å"after†, and the Greek work â€Å"ictal† meaning â€Å"seizure† [http://www.behindthename.com]). During this post-ictal period, which can last from seconds to hours, the brain begins recovering, and the victim’s awareness will gradually increase. It is common to experience confusion and drowsiness during this phase. Diagnosis Epilepsy is the conditions of having spontaneous seizures. This means having one seizure is not enough to be diagnosed with epilepsy, there must be two or more. To be considered an epileptic seizure the seizure must occur spontaneously, without a direct factor (www.epilepsy.com). Doctors use three main ways to diagnose epilepsy. Neurological History – Doctors must be given specific description of previous seizures in the past. Such as; how long they lasted, what were you doing when the seizure occurred, what was your body’s behaviour/feeling before the seizure took place, and your body’s behaviour after the seizure ended (www.modernmedicine.com) People who suffer from having seizures do not remember what happens while a seizure takes place. That being said a description from a witness to your seizures could be very beneficial (www.epilepsyfoundation.org). Electroencephalograph – An electroencephalograph or an EEG is the most common tool used to diagnose epilepsy. An EEG measures the electrical signals passed from one neuron to another within the brain (www.epilepsyfoundation.org) ( see image 1). To measure these electrical signals doctors attach wires, known as electrodes, on the patients scalp (www.chp.edu). During an EEG no electricity is taken from the patient’s brain, and no electricity is injected into the patients brain. The EEG simply measures the electrical current travelling through the patient’s brain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging – a magnetic resonance imaging or MRI is a procedure used to create detailed images of the damaged area of your body. When diagnosing epilepsy an MRI can show damaged regions of your frontal lobe. (see figure 2) Wu XingXiaovi WangFangfang Xie Weihua, L. (2013) An MRI is done by using a large field of radio waves. An MRI is much more effective than an EEG, the neuron images created from an MRI shows exactly where the damaged area of the brain is (Robert F. LaPrade) From there procedures can made to repair or remove the damaged section of the frontal lobe that is causing epileptic seizures. Types of Epileptic Seizures Epileptic seizures are a very broad term. When diagnosing the type of epileptic seizures doctors categorize in two main categories; partial seizures, and primary generalized seizures. Within these two main categories there are more specific types of seizures (Stephen C. Schachter). The first category is â€Å"primary generalized seizures†. When a primary generalized seizure takes place both sides of the brain are affected at once, with a large amount of electrical discharge at the same time. The body is then accompanied by sudden movements, loss of awareness, or loss of consciousness. There are three types of primary generalized seizures: Clonic seizure (Grand Mal) – This type of seizure that most people visualize when they hear the word â€Å"seizure†. When a clonic seizure takes place the victim will stiffen and lose consciousness. – This is the â€Å"tonic phase†. The tonic phase usually lasts from thirty seconds, to a couple minutes (www.hopkinsmedicine.org). Next the body’s muscles then start to contract and back will begin to arch, and elbows and legs will start the flex. The last phase of the clonic seizure is jerking. The victim will lose all control of their body and will begin to jerk uncontrollably, this phase usually lasts around two or three minutes (www.nlm.nih.gov). Absence seizures (Petit Mal) – Absence seizures disconnect the victim from the world for a matter of a few seconds. This type of seizure is triggered from abnormal activity in the brain. Absence seizures occur mostly in children (www.epilepsy.com). There are two types of absence; Simple absence seizures, and Complex absence seizures. Simple Absence seizure – Usually last ten seconds or less. During these ten seconds the person â€Å"zones out† or stares off into the distance. This type of seizure is very difficult to diagnose (www.mayoclinic.org). Complex absence seizures – Usually lasts twenty seconds or less. During this time period then victim will â€Å"zone out† but will also be doing some sort of movement, such as; chewing, blinking, hand motions, or rubbing their fingers. (www.epilepsy.com). Myoclonic seizures – A myoclonic seizure is very brief, only lasting a matter of seconds. During this few seconds both sides of your body has sudden jerks at exactly the same time. During a myoclonic seizure the patient does not lose consciousness and does not have any memory loss (Orrin Devinsky, 7/2013). A myoclonic seizure can be compared to being in contact with a single jolt of electricity, sudden hiccups, or the jolt of waking up from sleep state very quickly (www.hopkinsmedicine.org) (Orrin Devinsky, 7/2013). Like absence seizures, myoclonic seizures are hard to diagnose and usually over looked because the seizures are so brief. The second category is â€Å"partial seizures†. When partial seizure takes place there is a large amount of electrical discharge in a certain area of the brain (Mary Ellen Ellis, July 25, 2012). Since only a specific location of the brain is effected, only a specific location of the body will be effected, depending on the location of the seizure in the brain. There are two types of partial seizures; Complex partial seizures, and simple partial seizures. Simple partial seizures: A typical simple partial seizure usually last between 30 seconds to two minutes (emedicine.medscape.com). When a patient has a simple partial seizure they are fully awake, alert, and able to interact with peers around them. The patient might lose one of their senses temporarily, be unable to move one of their fingers, or even stiffen one of their body parts (www.epilepsy.com). For the seizure to be considered a â€Å"simple partial seizure† memory, awareness, and consciousness must be preserved. Complex partial seizure – Similar to simple partial seizures, a complex partial seizure typically last between 30 seconds and two minutes (emedicine.medscape.com). During a complex partial seizure there are symptoms known as automatisms. Automatisms consist of lip-smacking, chewing, walking or pacing back and forth, swallowing, patting or fumbling (emedicine.medscape.com). A main difference between the two types of partial seizures is; consciousness, awareness, or memory is impaired. Unlike primary generalized seizures, partial seizures usually have a warning sign to inform the patient a seizure is near. This warning sign is called an â€Å"aura† (Columbia University, P. (2013)). An aura usually takes place a few seconds, or a few minutes before the seizure occurs. Aura’s can come in many different ways, such as; numbness, headaches, being light-headed, upset stomach, dizziness, the sensation of fear, forced thinking, abnormal sensations, or unusual tingle in a certain area of your body. When an epileptic patient senses one or more of these symptoms there is high probability a partial seizure will be soon to follow (William H. Blahd, Jr, August 25, 2011). Types of Epileptic Treatment The most common type of epileptic treatment is anti-epileptic drugs or AEG’s. With over twenty different choices seventy percent of epileptic patients choose anti-epileptic drugs. Although these medications to not cure epilepsy, it only suppresses the seizures (see figure #3, located on the top of the next page) (www.webmd.com). The way this medication works is by lowering the amount of electricity each neuron passes in the brain. This type of treatment is very useful in cases of generalized seizures. The only down fall from using anti-epileptic drugs is the side effects and because the medication acts on the brain and the body there is numerous side effects. The main four side effects are headaches, balancing troubles, more difficult to focus your eyes, and trouble thinking properly. This medication is not guaranteed to work; in some cases patients experience both seizures and side effects. When this occurs a new treatment is needed. This can be a switch to a different anti-e pileptic drug or a non-medicated treatment (Juan G Ochoa, Selim R Benbadis). If a patient does not have a seizure for two years and shows no sign of epilepsy on an EEG the doctor will slowly begin to ease off the medication. (FAULKNER M. A. (2014)) The other option of treatment for patients with epilepsy is the non-pharmaceutical route. Although anti-epileptic drugs have the highest success rate, non-medicated treatment has substantial research to support it (www.epilepsyontario.org). Brain surgery is the most common non-medicated treatment; the only issue with brain surgery is that it only works for partial seizures. The reason why is only works on partial seizures is because doctors can locate the specific area of the brain and remove sections of it. On grand mal seizures both hemispheres are triggered at the same time, in order to fix the epileptic problems doctors would have to remove too much of the brain, the patient would not live (www.epilepsyontario.org). New research always shows diet can be very beneficial; his is called the ketogenic diet. Its takes a lot of commitments considering no sweets or treats are allowed and 80 percent of the diet must be fatty foods, but low in carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet has success rates from 30 percent up to 50 percent (www.epilepsyontario.com). Further research Epilepsy has become more and more common in the past 20 years. Now that it has become more common scientists all over the world are beginning to test for a cure, weather that is a new class of medicine, gene therapy, or a non-medicated cure. The newest research for curing epilepsy is gene therapy. In 2009 scientist were able to figure out that the gene for epilepsy is located on chromosome 15 also known as â€Å"15q13.3†. (www.sciencedaily.com). With this knowledge and the proper technologies scientists can inject a virus containing the normal gene into chromosome where the epileptic mutation is. From there the normal gene will splice into the DNA strand, fixing the abnormal gene. In result epilepsy will be cured from the patient, and when they reproduce they can pass on a normal gene to their children. With this being said we can potentially remove epilepsy from our society. So far scientists have been able to cure rats with epilepsy using gene therapy, and now they have also been successful in Border Collie dogs. (Keijiro MizukamiAkira Yabukihye-Sook ChangUddin, M.) Another example of further research is new drug classes for epilepsy that are advancing each year. A good example of this is: September 2013 a new epileptic drug called Perampanel was released in United States. This new drug showed up to 35 percent more responsive outcomes than any other drug on the market. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). The only factor that is holding science back from curing epilepsy is funding. There is not enough funding going into epilepsy research. With the proper amount of Government funding or public donations epilepsy would be cured within the matter of five years from now. Physiological Issues with Epileptic patients Epilepsy does not affect the patient only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Patients who suffer from epilepsy also have to deal with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem and epilepsy go hand and hand because patients with epilepsy are afraid of going out in public, or even doing the normal day to day things because the thought of having a seizure in public. (Ogden, 2005) It is extremely embarrassing for a patient suffering from epilepsy to have a seizure in front of their friends, family, or even strangers. Another emotional barrier that is part of suffering from epilepsy is the thought of never getting a driver’s license. Not getting a driver’s license makes everything in a normal adult life difficult. From getting to work, or getting groceries, or any sort of transportation. In some cases epilepsy makes the patient one hundred percent dependent on other people. Conclusion Life with epilepsy makes any day to day task more difficult. Epilepsy has impacted millions of people in a negative manner but further research is getting close to a cure, by using gene therapy research, and finding new classes of medicine. With the proper funding from the government epileptic medicine will continue to grow and be redefined. The research going into epilepsy is constantly growing, at this rate epilepsy will have a definite cure within the next decade, and using gene therapy epilepsy will also be removed from our society all together, allowing everyone to live epileptic free. Resources http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/greek-mythology http://epilepsy.com/learn/epilepsy-101/what-epilepsy Ogden, 2005 http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/what-epilepsy#.UzXDJPnIZ5V http://www.professinals.epilepsy.com/page/after_ab_pos http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/aboutepilepsy http://cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Epilepsy-Program/Diagnosing-Epilepsy/ http://www.modernmedicine.com/modern-medicine/news/neurological-assessment-refresher http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=11sid=467a451f-9d21-4962-a627-675ecbe6d893%40sessionmgr4004hid=4204bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=94116054 http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3sid=867d5b74-4a00-46de-86e1-686c17975c83%40sessionmgr4003hid=4112bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=85968889 Figure 2 http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/seizure-mri http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org http://nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000695 http://epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/absense-seizures http://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/petit-mal-seizure/basics/definition/con-20021252 http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/myoclonic-seizures http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/specialty_areas/epilepsy/seizures/types/myoclinc-seizures.html http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1183962-overview http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1183853-overview http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4sid=e018e8f4-ed9b-4c77-929f-f00e8685f286%40sessionmgr115hid=103bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=khhAN=39005165 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸(EBSCO #3) http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/aura-and-seizures http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/aura-and-seizures à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸ William H. Blahd, Jr http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/[emailprotected]gr4005vid=5ui=16088672id=59600950parentui=59600950tag=ANdb=aqh à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸ Image #3 http://www.emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187334-overview à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸ Juan G Ochoa, Selim R Benbadis http://epilepsyontario.org/non-pharmaceutical-treatments/ http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4sid=b0940d9f-1c3e-465e-af24-23be73f63bc7%40sessionmgr110hid=122bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=15877590 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090114075919.htm http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3sid=d6e55ff9-b6e5-4a6d-ab81-7e59cc92f267%40sessionmgr4001hid=4209bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=95333447 Overview of Epilepsy Overview of Epilepsy TASK 3 REPORT ON EPILEPSY Epilepsy is a neurological disorder marked by sudden episodes of bodily disturbance, loss of consciousness, or seizures, related to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Anything that injuries the brain can result in epilepsy. Some of the common causes are head injuries and strokes. Other more infrequent causes are brain tumours and some genetic disorders like tuber sclerosis. A seizure is the only observable symptom of epilepsy. There are various types of seizures and symptoms of each type. Seizures typically last from a few seconds to a few minutes. A person may lose awareness. They may not recall what occurred during the seizure or may not even realise they had a seizure. Seizures that make you fall to the ground or make the muscles stiffen or move out of control are easy to recognise. Some seizures might make you gaze into space for a few seconds. Others may only involve a few muscle jerks, a turn of the head, or an odd smell. Epileptic seizures often happen without notice. A seizure ends when the abnormal electrical activity in the brain stops and brain activity begins to return to normal. Idiopathic Generalised Epilepsy In idiopathic generalised epilepsy, there is often a genetic history of epilepsy. Idiopathic generalised epilepsy have a tendency to appear during childhood although it may not be diagnosed until maturity. In this type of epilepsy, no nervous system condition, other than the seizures, can be identified on either an EEG (EEG a test which measures electrical impulses in the brain) or MRI (imaging studies). People with idiopathic generalised epilepsy have ordinary brainpower and the outcomes of the neurological exam and MRI are usually normal. The results of the EEG test may show epileptic releases affecting one or more areas. The types of seizures that affect patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy: Myoclonic seizures (unexpected and very short length of jerking) Absence seizures (staring spells) Generalised tonic-clonic seizures (affect the entire brain) Idiopathic Partial Epilepsy Idiopathic partial epilepsy begins in youth (between ages 5 and 8) and may be part of a family history. It is considered one of the mildest types of epilepsy. It is almost always outgrown by puberty and is never diagnosed in adults. Seizures tend to arise during sleep and are most often partial motor seizures that involve the face. This type of epilepsy is usually identified with an EEG. Symptomatic Generalised Epilepsy Symptomatic generalised epilepsy is caused by brain damage. For example, injury during birth is the most common cause of symptomatic generalised epilepsy. When the cause of symptomatic general epilepsy cannot be identified, the disorder may be referred to as cryptogenic epilepsy. Symptomatic Partial Epilepsy Symptomatic partial epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy that begins in maturity, but it does occur often in children. This type of epilepsy is caused by a local condition of the brain, which can consequence from strokes, tumours, trauma, birth brain condition, scarring of brain tissue, cysts, or infections. These brain conditions can be seen on MRI scans, but often they cannot be recognised, because they are microscopic. Symptomatic partial epilepsy may be successfully treated with surgery. Identify and watch for a specific behaviour or physical and emotional signs that come before attacks. Its not exceptional, to feel annoyed or joyful several hours prior to the seizure, and immediately before the attack. The person may become conscious of a warning aura perhaps a taste or a smell. This notice may let the person to lie down in time to avoid falling down. In situations where the aura is a smell, some people are capable of fighting off seizures by smelling a strong odour, such as garlic or roses. When the first signs include depression, irritability, or a headache, an extra dosage of medication may help prevent an attack. Electroencephalogram (EEG) An EEG test measures the electrical activity of your brain through electrodes placed on your scalp. During the test, a person might be asked to breathe deeply or to close their eyes, as these activities could expose unfamiliar brain activity related to epilepsy. A person might also be asked to gaze at a flashing light, but the test will be stopped immediately if it seems like the flashing light could cause a seizure. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan An MRI scan can often spot possible causes of epilepsy, such as faults in the structure of your brain or the existence of a brain tumour. At the moment there is no remedy for epilepsy. Anti Epileptic Drug (AED) Anti Epileptic Drugs are commonly the first choice of treatment. They work by changing the levels of chemicals in your brain. This reduces the chances of seizures. Around 70% control their seizures with AED. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Vagus Nerve Stimulation is a therapy that is recommended when the Anti-Epileptic Drug dont work and epilepsy is still poorly controlled. This involves surgically implanting an electrical device, like a pacemaker, under the skin, near the collarbone. The electrical device has a lead that is bound around one of the nerves on the left side of your neck, identified as the vagus nerve. The electrical device passes a regular amount of electricity to the nerve to stimulate it. This can help to reduce the occurrence of seizures. Surgical procedure Surgery will only be suggested if a single area of one side of the brain is causing seizures. As with all types of surgery, this surgical procedure carries a threat. One person in 100 has a stroke after surgery and five in 100 suffer from memory problems. Yet, around 70% of people who suffer from epilepsy, after the surgical procedure they become absolutely free of seizures. Epilepsy Ireland was established in 1966 by a group of people who were eager to progress the quality of life of people with epilepsy in Ireland. Over 50 years, Epilepsy Ireland have grown and expanded. They now provide a range of services from their head office in Dublin and from regional offices in Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Tullamore. Epilepsy Ireland is committed to working and consulting the needs of everyone with epilepsy in Ireland and their families. Certain objectives of Epilepsy Ireland are; to be committed to working and considering the needs of everyone with epilepsy in Ireland. To provide support, information and advice on health to people who are dealing with epilepsy. To undertake any awareness campaigns to improve peoples understanding of epilepsy, also to increase funds to support its work in an awareness-creating method. One of their main objective is to assume, inspire and support research into the source of epilepsy and a cure for it. Many people with epilepsy live standard lives. Progressive brain scans and other procedures allow greater accurateness in diagnosing epilepsy and defining when a patient may be aided by surgery. More than 20 different medications and a diversity of surgical methods are now available and offer good control of seizures for most people with epilepsy. Other treatment selections include the ketogenic diet and the vagus nerve stimulator. Research on the fundamental causes of epilepsy, include the recognition of genes for some types of epilepsy and seizures, it has managed a great improvement of understanding about epilepsy that may lead to more effective treatments or even some new ways of preventing epilepsy in the future. Works cited http://www.epilepsy.ie/index.cfm/spKey/info.what_is_epilepsy.what_causes_epilepsy_.html http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/tc/epilepsy-symptoms http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-guides/epilepsy-basics?page=2 http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/E/Epilepsy/ http://www.epilepsy.ie/index.cfm/spKey/about.html

Differences In Slave Laws In Colonial Brazil And Colonial British North :: essays research papers

Differences in slave laws in British North America and Colonial Brazil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slavery as it existed in colonial Brazil contained interesting points of comparison and contrast with the slave system existing in British North America. The slaves in both areas had been left with very little opportunity in which he could develop as a person. The degree to which the individual rights of the slave were either protected or suppressed provides a clearer insight to the differences between North American and Brazilian slavery. The laws also differed greatly between the two areas and have been placed into three categories: term of servitude, police and disciplinary powers, and property and other civil rights.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point One: In both systems of slavery, the term of servitude was for life and the child's status was inherited from its mother. Inherited lifetime slavery was the norm. Manumission or granting freedom was very infrequent in British North America. Sometimes masters who fathered slave children would later grant them their freedom. In Brazil, manumission was more frequent. The practice was a highly favorable social sanction and masters often celebrated national holidays by freeing one or more of their favorite slaves. The law also defended the right of the slave to purchase his own freedom and he also had the right to demand that his master set a fixed price for his purchase which he could pay over a period of years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point two: The general thrust of the laws outlining police and disciplinary powers in North America was to entrust complete jurisdiction to the master. The master generally acted as judges, juries, and dispensers of punishments. The court also assumed that it was irrational for a man to destroy his own property and therefore that it was impossible for a master to commit a harsh crime or premeditated murder against one of his own slaves. However, in Brazil, the court exercised much more jurisdiction over the slave. Crimes committed by slaves were prosecuted by the court and if a slave was murdered, the case was prosecuted by the court as if the victim had been a free man. The law also made a more concerted attempt to protect the slave against mistreatment by his master. Mistreatment of a slave could lead both to the freedom of the slave and to the imprisoning of the master.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point Three: The slave in British North America could not own property and had absolutely no civil rights. Differences In Slave Laws In Colonial Brazil And Colonial British North :: essays research papers Differences in slave laws in British North America and Colonial Brazil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slavery as it existed in colonial Brazil contained interesting points of comparison and contrast with the slave system existing in British North America. The slaves in both areas had been left with very little opportunity in which he could develop as a person. The degree to which the individual rights of the slave were either protected or suppressed provides a clearer insight to the differences between North American and Brazilian slavery. The laws also differed greatly between the two areas and have been placed into three categories: term of servitude, police and disciplinary powers, and property and other civil rights.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point One: In both systems of slavery, the term of servitude was for life and the child's status was inherited from its mother. Inherited lifetime slavery was the norm. Manumission or granting freedom was very infrequent in British North America. Sometimes masters who fathered slave children would later grant them their freedom. In Brazil, manumission was more frequent. The practice was a highly favorable social sanction and masters often celebrated national holidays by freeing one or more of their favorite slaves. The law also defended the right of the slave to purchase his own freedom and he also had the right to demand that his master set a fixed price for his purchase which he could pay over a period of years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point two: The general thrust of the laws outlining police and disciplinary powers in North America was to entrust complete jurisdiction to the master. The master generally acted as judges, juries, and dispensers of punishments. The court also assumed that it was irrational for a man to destroy his own property and therefore that it was impossible for a master to commit a harsh crime or premeditated murder against one of his own slaves. However, in Brazil, the court exercised much more jurisdiction over the slave. Crimes committed by slaves were prosecuted by the court and if a slave was murdered, the case was prosecuted by the court as if the victim had been a free man. The law also made a more concerted attempt to protect the slave against mistreatment by his master. Mistreatment of a slave could lead both to the freedom of the slave and to the imprisoning of the master.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Point Three: The slave in British North America could not own property and had absolutely no civil rights.

A Different Life :: essays research papers

A Different Life Silence came in seventh grade. It was in seventh grade that I began the first of six years at a private school. In those six years I realized that it was not only I who had lost their voice; I was one among many who were denied the opportunity to speak. I distinctly remember the first time they betrayed me and informed me that my voice was invalid. A close friend of mine from elementary school wanted to attend and I was telling others about him- telling them how neat he was. The three people whom I had felt I could trust- the headmaster, academic dean, and dean of students- cornered me and attacked me for things that I had supposedly said. They did not believe me when I pleaded my case, saying, "He is my friend. Why would I say such horrible things?" They three looked at each other, stuck their noses in the air and simply explained that it sounded like the kind of thing I would do. They did not know me. They had accepted a rumor as truth. They attacked me and disregarded my testimony. Unfortunately, this moment was merely the beginning of the silencing. It continued until the day I graduated. They condemned me for being curious and outspoken and lively. They shut me down for every brilliant idea I proposed, telling me that it was against the rules. I lived, quite literally, in this silence. I could not win by being myself, so I engulfed myself in obtaining their approval through silence and obedience. And I remember exactly what he said to me when I left. On June 4, 1999 my headmaster said to me, "Saint James has really changed you. You've really calmed down a lot. You've become a real lady." I finally gained his approval, but at what cost? Even then, when I was leaving, I could not find the voice to scream at him and tell him how deeply he had hurt me. I did not have the voice to tell him about all the pain he had brought me. I did not have the voice to tell him that I would have forfeited all of the "ladiness" I had gained over six years if I could have my voice back. Saint James taught me to bottle my emotions, because whenever I was open with them I would get in trouble.

How a Friend Change My Life

Friends Really Do Change Your Life I believe friends can impact your life. Whether negatively or positively, the people you surround yourself with have a significant impact on where your life takes you. Specifically, I believe my best friend got me to where I am today. I am now and have been on a path to success since she entered my life. Four years ago, I was a trouble maker, rule breaker and all out rebel. The girls that I surrounded myself were known for their bad attitudes and party habits.I have watched their lives get destroyed because of the decisions they made. I believe by stepping away from them, I have become a more structured and overall better person. During my friendship with my former group of friends, I had no rules. I stayed out hours past midnight, threw parties without my parent’s permission or knowledge, and didn’t care who I associated myself with. Thankfully, I was level-headed enough to never give in to the pressure of trying drugs or alcohol. I w as only in it for the fun.Four of these girls, however, lacked the better judgment I was lucky enough to have. They drank constantly, smoked pot, and ditched school almost every day. After several years of this, I had had enough. Unfortunately, by associating myself with this group I had somewhat ruined my reputation. Even though I stayed away from drugs, people at school assumed I was just as crazy as the rest of the girls. The girls eventually dropped out of school and I was left trying to find people that would accept me.I knew of another girl at school that I hadn’t talked to in a few years. She was in Honors classes and theater, so we rarely crossed paths. Our parents, however, were best friends and always encouraged her and I to hang out but we never found much in common. After separating myself from my former group, she and I became friends. I quickly found myself realizing what true friendship really was and was surprised to have found it with someone I had once thoug ht to be so different from me. Four years later, we are best friends and closer than anyone could imagine.Through the lives of my former friends, I have seen what my path could have been. I could have been without a high school education, without a job, without my dignity and without a true friend. I have learned that who you associate yourself with can have a strong impact on your future. By becoming friends with someone I thought was on the right path, I, myself, can see a bright future ahead of me. I am extremely thankful to have found someone who helped me get on this path. I believe that without her, I would not be who I am today.

Analyzing a Published Work

Analyzing a Published Work Overview One of the most important moves academic writers can master is the art of analysis. This assignment will help you to develop the skills necessary to determine the meaning found within a text. To be clear, the intent of this essay is not to argue for or against the content; instead, we are analyzing what the article does in terms of the following: 1. purpose, 2. approach, and 3. effectiveness. Assignment Go to an online newspaper website: Chicago Tribune http://www. chicagotribune. com/, http://www. ansascity. com/, or http://www. nytimes. com/ are a few possible sites, but feel free to use a more local newspaper website. Find an article in the Op/ED section that is argumentative in nature. Use the following questions to guide your analysis: 1. What is the purpose of the text? In other words, what exactly is the position the article takes and/or what does the author want his or her readers to believe and/or do after reading the article? 2. What stra tegies does the text use to attempt to achieve its purpose? Give examples from the article.In other words, does the article use facts, examples, experiences, logic, assumptions, data, sources, expert opinion, and so on to prove his or her position? Be sure to give examples. You could also try to determine if the position is presented as more of a Classical argument or a Rogerian argument. 3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approach the article used? In other words, what would you have liked to see more of in the article? Less of? What worked? What didn't work? Do you detect bias that is unreasonable? Does the author use unreasonable assertions, stereotypes, or faulty information to make his or her points?Does the author place the opposition in an unfair light? Does the author distort the arguments of those who disagree? Does the author fail to recognize the weaknesses in his or her own position? Does the author leave out important information? Does the author back up hi s or her assertions with evidence, or does he or she simply make assumptions? What would most improve the argument? Explain your answers. Remember, we are not arguing for or against the content of these articles; we are analyzing what the article attempts to do, how it does it, and if it does so fairly.We should not be concerned about how we feel about the article. To be clear: Your readers should not know what your position is about the subject. Your readers should only know whether or not you felt the article was reasonable, well-developed, fair, etc. Do not include personal opinion or personal judgments about the subject matter. Do not include personal narrative. This analysis should be presented in the form of a single essay, complete with a title page, an introduction, three body paragraphs (purpose, approach, and effectiveness), a conclusion, and a full References page.Your analysis should meet the following criteria: †¢Is based on a current topic and/or event; †¢is between 300-500 words in length, not including the title page, abstract (if used), and References page; †¢includes direct quotations and paraphrased passages from the text; †¢uses attributive tags that not only work to convey the mood of the writer, but establish him or her as an authority in the field of study; †¢avoids personal opinion; †¢is written clearly, concisely, and accurately; †¢is written solely in third-person; is formatted in APA style and includes a References page; †¢has been closely edited so that it contains few or no mechanical errors; †¢is ordered with a title page, an introduction, three body paragraphs (purpose, approach, and effectiveness), a conclusion, and a full References page. *Note that no one writes a polished essay in a single sitting. Start early and give yourself time for multiple revisions. Analysis Checklist As you work on your analysis, it is a good idea to keep the following questions in mind: 1. How does this an alysis meet the assignment criteria? . How close do you feel your analysis reflected the presentation of the original argument? 3. Does this analysis use effective transitions as it progresses from paragraph to paragraph? 4. Does this analysis avoid personal opinion, casual language, or first or second person language? 5. Is there anything in this analysis that could have been left out without losing its effect? 6. Is there anything else that could have been added to this analysis to make it feel more complete? 7. Is this analysis based on a current topic?