Emily Walak Essays (1231 words) - Medicine, Clinical Medicine

Emily Walak DSP 350 Dr. Thompson Final Paper DATE \@ "d MMMM yyyy" 20 April 2018 The Effects of Caffeine Caffeine is a drug that can be found in seeds, nuts, and leaves in a number of plants in South America and East Asia. It dates as far back as the Stone Age when, some anthropologists believe, the first caffeinated beverage could have been created, based on cave drawings. People use caffeine for many things; including suppressing appetite, protecting against common diseases or even some cancers, and of course, staying awake when tired. Whether one is drinking green tea or an espresso, they are ingesting caffeine. The safest average dose of caffeine is about 400 mg per day. That is about three 8 oz cups of coffee, five 8 oz Red Bulls, or eight 8 oz cups of black tea. On the flip side, caffeine becomes toxic at about 10 grams, which is about 75 cups of coffee. That's a lot of coffee. Caffeine has many positive side effects when taken in moderation, however one must be careful because caffeine can also lead to excessive overuse, dependence, and unwanted negative side effects. To understand the full effect of caffeine, one must understand what happens in the brain when caffeine is ingested. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that slows down cellular activity. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, which means there is no slow down of activity. Since the nerve cells are stimulated, they release adrenaline. The adrenaline release increases levels of dopamine. Overall, caffeine's effect on the brain is a feeling of alertness, a boost in physical energy, and a feeling of pleasure. Fredholm, Battig, Holmen, Nehlig, and Zvartau, (1999) write about this in the article "Actions of Caffeine in the Brain with Special Reference to Factors that Contribute to its Widespread Use." In this article there are studies done to try to explain why people ingest caffeine based on its different effects on the brain. He concludes that people ingest caffeine to increase motor behavior, improve mood, increase information processing and performance, delay the onset of sleep, and elevate clear-headedness under conditions of pain (Fredholm et al., 1999, p. 83). Xu, Xu, Chen, and Schwarzschild (2010) pose another article that reports on the positive effects of caffeine. Xu et al. present the research supporting the claim that caffeine intake reduces the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. In this study, experiments performed on mice using different metabolites found in caffeine show that caffeine has a neuroprotective effect on the mouse model of Parkinson's disease when administered in the right conditions (Xu et al., 2010, p. 475-481). That's not all, however. Lipton et al. (2008) write about another instance when caffeine is used to help people. Lipton et al. conducted a study on patients suffering from migraines, who met the international Headache Society's criteria for migraines. They tested the effectiveness of the combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine in reducing migraine occurrences and symptoms. The conclusion of the study is that the combin ation of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine is highly effective. It not only treats migraine headache pain, but it also alleviates common symptoms associated with migraine attacks in a safe way. Caffeine is a huge reason why the combination is so successful (Lipton et al., 2008). These are only a few of the ways that caffeine helps people functionally and medically. All of these are positive side effects of caffeine when taken in moderation. Ingesting too much caffeine will have very different effects. Everything is good in moderation, especially caffeine, however overuse of caffeine can cause serious side effects as well as dependence. The article "Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda" by Meredith, Juliano, Hughes, and Griffiths (2013) reviewed literature that showed evidence of the behavioral and physiological effects of caffeine that were similar to the effects of other drugs of dependence. Some of these effects were subjective effects, reinforcement, conditioned taste preference, withdrawal, and tolerance. They also reviewed clinical evidence for caffeine use disorder. This evidence included the DSM-IV Substance Dependence criteria applied to caffeine. The three criteria they looked at were the: (1) persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control caffeine use, (2) continued caffeine use despite knowledge of having a persistent or

Biography of Carl Sagan, Astronomer of the People

Biography of Carl Sagan, Astronomer of the People Astronomer and author Carl Sagan (November 9, 1934 - December 20, 1996) burst into public consciousness as the star and producer of the TV series Cosmos. He was a prolific researcher in astronomy  as well as a science popularizer who sought to educate the public about the universe and the value of the scientific method.   Early Years Born in Brooklyn, New York, Sagan grew up with a strong interest in the planets, stars, and science fiction. His father, Samuel Sagan, immigrated from what is now Ukraine and worked as a garment worker. His mother, Rachel Molly Gruber, encouraged his great interest in science. Sagan often cited his parents influence on his career, saying that his father influenced his imagination and his mother urged him to go to the library to find books about stars. Professional Life After graduating from high school in 1951, the young Sagan headed the University of Chicago for a degree in physics. At the University of Chicago, he took part in chemistry research about the building blocks of life. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics in 1960. Sagan left Illinois and began working at University of California - Berkeley, where he worked with a team to  build an instrument for a NASA mission to Mars called Mariner 2. In the 1960s, Sagan moved to Harvard University, where he worked at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. There, he focused his research more closely on planetary science, with a particular interest in Venus and Jupiter. Sagan later moved again to Cornell University, where he served as director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies. Sagans work with NASA continued. He was a principal advisor for the Viking missions and worked on the landing site selection. He also was instrumental in a project to put messages from humanity aboard the Pioneer and Voyager probes to the outer solar system. In 1976, he became  the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences, a chair he held until his death. Research Interests and Activism Throughout his career, Carl Sagan remained deeply interested in the possibility of life on other worlds.   Throughout his work with NASA and the U.S. space program, he tirelessly promoted the ideas behind the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, colloquially known as SETI. Sagan worked on  several collaborative experiments, which ultimately demonstrated that, when exposed to ultraviolet light, mixtures of amino acids and nucleic acids could be produced in  conditions much like those of early Earth. Carl Sagan conducted early research on climate change. One of his studies showed that the high temperatures on the surface of Venus could be attributed to a runaway greenhouse effect. Throughout his career, Sagan continued his scientific research, ultimately publishing more than 600 papers. Throughout his work, he advocated for scientific skepticism and healthy reasoning, promoting skepticism as an alternative to belief systems of politics and religion. Sagan was also  an anti-war activist. He  studied the potential impact of nuclear war and advocated for nuclear disarmament. Science as a Way of Thinking As an avid skeptic and agnostic, Sagan promoted the scientific method as a tool for better understanding the world. In his book  Demon-Haunted World, he laid out strategies for critical thinking, deconstructing arguments, and testing claims. Sagan published a number of other science books aimed at a lay audience, including The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence, and Brocas Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science.  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1980, Carl Sagans:  Cosmos: A Personal Voyage premiered on television.  The premiere turned Sagan into a well-known science popularizer. The show was aimed at a general audience, with each  episode  focusing on a different aspect of scientific discovery or exploration.  Cosmos  received two Emmy Awards.   Later Years and Legacy In the 1990s, Carl Sagan was diagnosed with a blood condition called myelodysplasia. He received three bone marrow transplants and ongoing treatment, continuing to work on his research and writing even as the condition worsened. At age 62, Sagan died of pneumonia associated with his condition. Sagan left a long-lasting legacy in the fields of astronomy and science education. Several awards for science communication are named after Carl Sagan, included two given by the Planetary Society. The Mars Pathfinder location on Mars is named the Carl Sagan Memorial Station.   Carl Sagan Fast Facts Full Name: Carl Edward SaganKnown For: Astronomer, author, and science popularizer  Born: November 9, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York, USADied: December 20, 1996 in Seattle, Washington, USAEducation: University of Chicago (B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.)Selected Works:  Cosmos: A Personal Journey,  Demon-Haunted World,  The Dragons of Eden,  Brocas BrainKey Accomplishments:  NASA Medal of Honor (1977), Emmy Award for Outstanding Personal Achievement (1981), authored 600 scientific papers and dozens of popular science articles and books.Spouse Name:  Lynn Margulis (1957-1965), Linda Salzman (1968-1981),  Ann Druyan (1981-1996)Childrens Names: Jeremy, Dorion, Nick, Alexandra, Samuel  Famous Quote: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Sources and Further Reading Kragh, Helge. â€Å"Carl Sagan.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 27 Oct. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Sagan.  Head, Tom. Conversations with Carl Sagan (Literary Conversations), University Press of MIssissippi, 2006.  Terzian, Yervant, and Elizabeth Bilson. Carl Sagans Universe. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

News Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

News Story - Essay Example Irrespective of these market determined prices of goods and services economies goes through various phases of boom and depression, a fact that affect consumers ability to afford some goods and services over time (Martha, 1989). Tracing this changes in the 1920s indicated a need to establish measures that can help consumers boost their affordability of various goods and services (Martha, 1989). Introducing these measure which included among others credit buying were established to help consumers get goods and services which otherwise could have been out of their reach. Credit buying is where a consumer is given with a promise to pay later (Martha, 1989). It therefore means that with this mode an individual would be able to access goods and services that otherwise would have been out of his reach and pay for them later when he is able or in installment (Martha, 1989). Credit comes in different forms and has evolved since 1920s, incorporating technology and other modern means of payment. The most modern form of credit buying has incorporate the concept of plastic money and is to most popular known as credit cards (Martha, 1989) Credit buying as indicated in the introduction allows buyers to get good and services now and pay for them later (Martha, 1989). The 1920s introduced many modern conveniences and was commonly referred to as the roaring 20s for this reason. These period marked overwhelming rise of modern consumer culture (Martha, 1989). This meant rise in exciting opportunities to buy stylish clothing, cars and house appliances that defined status and comfort. Among these modern conveniences was the concept of buying on credit to help consumers buy not just within their means. With the surge of new exciting opportunities, new financing modes were introduced to help consumers cope with increasing need for an easy life (Martha, 1989). New products in the 1920s