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Philosophy Paper Topics On Justice
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Booker T. Washington Up From Slavery Essays - American Slaves
Booker T. Washington: Up from Slavery Booker T. Washington:'Up from Slavery The self-portrayal of Booker T. Washing named Up From Slavery is a rich account of the man's life from subjugation to one of the authors of the Tuskegee Institute. The book takes us through one of the most unique time frames in this current nation's history, particularly African Americans. I am keen on the period following the Civil War and particularly in the change of African Americans from captives to freemen. Up From Slavery gives a lot of data on this timeframe what's more, helped me to all the more likely comprehend the change. Up From Slavery gave a story on Washington's life, just as his perspectives on training and combination of African Americans. All however this book was written in the first year of this century I trust Washington's perspectives are as yet substantial today. America can presumably still gain from them. Booker T. Washington was naturally introduced to subjection in either 1858 or 1859. Birth Records were typically not accessible to slaves. Booker, his sibling and his mom moved to Malden West Virginia after the Civil War. They went to live with his stepfather, whom they had as it were seen a couple of times previously. At the point when they showed up in Malden, Washington was no all the more then nine years of age. Be that as it may, he went to work with his stepfather in the salt mine business taking care of the heaters. His instruction began with a Webster's old Blue-Black spelling book that his mom had given him. She trusted it would assist him with learning to peruse. At the point when Washington began working with his stepfather in the salt mines, he needed to work from first light to 9:00 PM, getting not very many breaks during the day. During his breaks he would contemplate his spelling book, instructing himself to peruse. While working with his stepfather, a neighborhood school opened up for individuals of color. But since of Booker's an incentive to his family in the mines, he kept on working there in line with his folks. In the end, he talked his stepfather into letting him go to class a couple of hours during the day. Booker, notwithstanding, ran into another issue. His stepfather needed him to work until 9:00 AM and the youthful Booker thought that it was hard to arrive at school in time. He in this manner accomplished something that he was not glad for sometime down the road. Washington figured out how to change the clock each morning from half past eight to nine so he could show up at school on schedule. The director acknowledged somebody was changing the clock and bolted it to deny access to everything except himself. This is a case of the length to which the youthful Booker went to get an opportunity to learn. Booker learned at an early age the significance of getting things done for himself. Another story from the book shows what assisted with building Booker's character. While at school he saw that all of the individuals were wearing tops. At the point when he stood up to his mom about this she clarified they couldn't stand to get him a locally acquired top. Be that as it may she disclosed to him that she would work something out. Washington's mom took two old bits of fabric and sewed them together to make him a top. For an incredible remainder, he would recall that top as a significant exercise in his life. Washington states: The exercise that my mom showed me in this has consistently stayed with me, and I have attempted admirably well to educate it to other people. I have consistently felt pleased, at whatever point I think about the episode, that my mom had the quality of character enough not to be driven into the enticement of appearing to be that of which she isn't of attempting to dazzle my classmates and others with the way that she had the option to get me a store cap when she was definitely not. Afterward, the youthful Washington took an occupation at the home of a Mrs. Ruffiner as a house worker. Numerous young men before him, in a similar activity, kept going had just half a month as a result of her requests. Ruffiner was severe and expected the best out of the young men that worked for her. She requested that they be perfect and respectful. This remained with Booker for a mind-blowing remainder. He notes, Even right up 'til the present time I never observed bits of paper spread around the house or in the road that I don't need to get them without a moment's delay. In the wake of working for Ruffiner for a year and a half, youthful Washington was acknowledged at the Hampton Institute, a school set up by whites to
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Emotions free essay sample
Mariah Carey is back with a fresh out of the box new collection titled Emotions. The discharge comes just one brief year after her super hit debut collection Mariah Carey, which sold 7,000,000 duplicates and included four continuous number one hits: Love Takes Time, Vision of Love, Someday, and I Dont Wanna Cry. Feelings, which has been playing over the wireless transmissions since early September, is likewise bound for the top spot. Mariah has an extreme blend of melodies on this collection, which is raging its way up the diagrams. For instance, Mariah co-composed a melody titled If Its Over with the incomparable Carole King. Additionally contained in the collection are two unfortunate tracks, Cant Let Go, which incorporates the verses: Do you at any point understand the distress I have inside/When all you have simply kicks the bucket/I see you in my fantasy, and The Wind which has a windy breeze audio cue out of sight as Mariah sings, So youthful to bite the dust/I truly adored you. We will compose a custom paper test on Feelings or on the other hand any comparative subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page The Wind is a change of the first Russell Freeman hit, for which Mariah just revised the verses. After each lovely moderate tune Mariah comes back with an astounding, move pop tune, similar to Make It Happen, communicating considerably a greater amount of her fantastic ability. Mariah has another hit on all fours the main inquiry is the point at which she will visit. Mariah expressed in an ongoing meeting that she anticipates visiting at some point one year from now. All things considered, this is a fantastic collection from a hot new craftsman who has an exceptionally brilliant future in front of her. So on the off chance that you making the most of her first collection, I suggest getting this one. n
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
When Do Your Mental Powers Peak
When Do Your Mental Powers Peak Theories Cognitive Psychology Print When Do Your Mental Powers Peak in Life? By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on December 07, 2019 Frazer Hudson / Getty Images More in Theories Cognitive Psychology Behavioral Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology At what point in your life do different mental powers peak? Some of the earliest intelligence tests simply categorized all people over the age of 16 as adults. Today, researchers recognize that the brain continues to develop and change throughout early adulthood and that there are significant changes in how the brain functions as people age. Still, we often tend to think of the adult brain as a relatively stable and unchanging thing, suggesting that various mental abilities are simply static, or even on the decline, throughout most of adulthood. Conventional ideas about intelligence often suggest that people hit their mental peak fairly early in life and then follow a long, slow decline into old age. There is also a tendency to believe that certain mental abilities, such as fluid intelligence, typically peak relatively early in adulthood. Crystallized intelligence, on the other hand, is often suggested to peak during late adulthood. According to some experts, this long-held dichotomy might be far too simplistic. Researchers Joshua Hartshorne and Laura Germine utilized a large pool of online participants to gather information about exactly what ages certain mental abilities are the strongest. What they discovered was that there was a surprising consistency to when particular abilities typically peak. Some Mental Abilities Peak Much Later in Life According to the study published in the journal Psychological Science, different aspects of fluid intelligence peak at different ages, with some abilities hitting their apex as late as age 40. âAt any given age, youâre getting better at some things, youâre getting worse at some other things, and youâre at a plateau at some other things. Thereâs probably not one age at which youâve peaked on most things, much less all of them,â explained researcher Joshua Hartshorne of MIT and one of the studys authors. Hartshorne had previously found that visual short-term memory peaks in the mid-30s before beginning to go down. In a 2011 study, Germine found that the ability to recognize faces also improves until people are in their early 30s and then begins to gradually decline. Digging deeper, the two began looking at archival data from older intelligence tests. What they discovered was that there appeared to be no single mental peak. Instead, different abilities seemed to peak at wildly different and sometimes surprising ages. These results helped inspire their further investigation into how mental abilities change with age. Large Online Samples Offered a Unique Look at Mental Abilities The latest study was able to draw on a large online sample of participants who utilized the websites gameswithwords.org and testmybrain.org. Using the approach, the researchers were able to gather data from nearly 50,000 people across a wide range of ages. Four different types of cognitive tasks were used as well as one task that looked at the ability to detect the emotional states of other people. Hartshorne and Germines earlier research had shown that these tasks measured mental abilities that change as people age. The results revealed what the researchers called considerable heterogeneity in when cognitive abilities peak. When Do Mental Powers Peak? Among the key findings from the latest study and earlier research: 18-19: Information-processing speed peaks early, then immediately begins to decline.25: Short-term memory gets better until around age 25. It remains fairly steady until it begins to decline around age 35.30: Memory for faces peaks and then starts to gradually decline.35: Your short-term memory begins to weaken and decline.40s-50s: Emotional understanding peaks in middle to later adulthood.60s: Vocabulary abilities continue to increase.60s and 70s: Crystallized intelligence, or accumulated knowledge and facts about the world, peaks late in life. While the results that crystallized intelligence peaks later in life are consistent with earlier findings, this study implies that this peak occurs much later in life than previously believed. What could explain this late peak in mental abilities? The researchers suggest that their results might be due to the fact that people today have more education, greater access to information, and more mentally demanding jobs than did previous generations of adults. The results suggest that while older brains might indeed be slower, they are likely to still be more accurate, knowledgeable, and better able to assess the moods and emotional states of others. The researchers are continuing their online research by introducing more cognitive tasks as well as tests designed to measure language abilities, executive function, and social and emotional intelligence. They also agree that further investigations are needed to determine exactly why mental powers peak at different ages. We took the existing theories that were out there and showed that theyâre all wrong. The question now is: What is the right one? To get to that answer, weâre going to need to run a lot more studies and collect a lot more data,â said Hartshorne.
Friday, May 22, 2020
Migrant Tattoos And Their Implications A Case Study Of...
Migrant Tattoos and Their Implications: a Case Study of Eritrean Emigrants in Newcastle Introduction Tattoos, as an art of body modification, have cultural and social meanings all over the world for thousands of years (Humbly, 1925). Archaeological evidence clearly showed that body modification (tattooing) is one of the oldest forms of human expression/art (Ball, 1996). The implication and importance of tattoos has been diverse and changed through time in a society (Humbly, 1925). ââ¬Å"Anthropological evidences showed that tattoos have served in many various and diverse cultures as rites of passage, marks of status and rank, symbols of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations for bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love, punishment, amulets and talisman, protection and as the marks of outcasts and convictsâ⬠(Hemingson, 1999). Due to the absence of research on tattoo it is quite difficult to talk about when and where the practice of tattooing (such kind of body modification) was started in Eritrea. However, it is common to see a tattoo among Eritrean women and men aged between 50 to 70 in Eritrea (Per.Comm, Hailey). There are remarkable differences on the meaning, location and symbol of the tattoos between men and women. In the first place, it shows your place of origin, country side (Per. Comm, Hailey; Alem). The tattoos on men usually located on forehead and arm, and it implies male heroism and religious and spiritual devotions, whereas the tattoos on
Saturday, May 9, 2020
The Hidden Treasure of Essay Topics for the Odyssey
The Hidden Treasure of Essay Topics for the Odyssey The Honest to Goodness Truth on Essay Topics for the Odyssey Just take a case study of a royal family or a brand who has become the idol and vintage in the style market. Women are viewed as pitiful and people that are strong willed though they are defeated in the long run. List these women and compare how he relates to distinct ones. Introduce the idea of sustainable fashion. Odysseus also negotiates the ability of disguise to advance his objectives and objectives. How he is influenced by the discussions with various women in the poem will be a matter of conjecture in this Odyssey essay. An essay on The Odyssey may be daunting and complicated task. Students should attempt to interpret the significance of each word through context clues. Their religion is vital to their lives as it influences most everything they do. Define the essence of revenge in the Odyssey that suggests under what conditions it's an acceptable way of justice. In addition, the tone that's used in the book is just one of admiration which goes to boost the worthiness of the hero. Between Odysseus and Telemachus, by comparison, there's the feeling that these 2 men longed for each other deeply. It's simple to see why Odysseus is her preferred mortal. Inspect the different versions of Odysseus that you see in The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a huge epic poem from Ancient Greece that's attributed to Homer. The Odyssey by Homer is among the most recognized epic poems ever. The War Against Essay Topics for the Odyssey The very first section discuses the core of the suitors that were won by Penelo pe. Quite simply, if you spot it in another person and judge that, then you got it. Essay Topics for the Odyssey Can Be Fun for Everyone You should have your reasons, and our primary concern is that you wind up getting a great grade. The two of these factors are crucial for making the finest first impression. However, we provide various examples to calm the pressure of dealing with this kind of a mammoth and important bit of work. In the event you were assigned with a particular subject, make it even more thought-provoking by selecting a fresh viewpoint and an original stance. Odyssey shows remarkable ability on each of these counts. The Odyssey shows numerous instance of determination by a large number of characters. It is considered one of the greatest literary achievements of Western civilization. It is one of the oldest pieces of literature, and one of the most beautiful and interesting. Furthermore, it's a lengthy epic, which a lot happening, which is very good as it delivers an extremely wide space to allow various intriguing topics to emerge. It is a fact that we can finish the film in two hours but reading the book would have a lengthy clip. The women form a valuable part of the folk epic The Odyssey. Or you may be teaching a literature class about various classics from all over the world. Hearsay, Lies and Essay Topics for the Odyssey There's, clearly, a limit on the range of pages even our very best writers can produce with a pressing deadline, but generally, we figure out how to satisfy all the clients seeking urgent assistance. It will be useful to have the resultant products shared with the entire class. Moms who intend to establish a little home based business can find writing custom essays as a superior source of internet income at the comforts of their property. Don't submit totally free essays as your very own academic paper.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Forbidden Game The Kill Chapter 12 Free Essays
string(81) " you look at this!â⬠Michael exclaimed when they reached it and climbed up\." Iââ¬â¢m the one all this is for,â⬠Jenny said. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s me you want to despair. So talk to me. We will write a custom essay sample on The Forbidden Game: The Kill Chapter 12 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Letââ¬â¢s get personal.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, letââ¬â¢s get general,â⬠Julian said. ââ¬Å"Want to talk about life?â⬠There was a kind of soft triumph in his voice. A cat-pouncing-on-a-mouse tone. As if he knew he had her. ââ¬Å"Did you know,â⬠he went on, ââ¬Å"that in the Congo thereââ¬â¢s a kind of fly that lays its eggs in human flesh? They develop into little white worms that live inside you forever. Sometimes the worms surface and you can watch them crawling inside the skin of your arm. They say that when they crawl inside your eyeball itââ¬â¢s quite painful.â⬠Jenny stood where she was, appalled. ââ¬Å"Thatââ¬â¢s Nature for you,â⬠Julian said and laughed. The laugh didnââ¬â¢t sound quite sane. Jennv got her voice back. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢re not worms.â⬠ââ¬Å"No. Humans are a lot more inventive. Mustard gas, for instance. It touches you, your skin comes rolling off. Happened to thousands of soldiers in World War I. Some man invented that for the benefit of his brothers.â⬠Jenny wanted to look away from Julian, but she couldnââ¬â¢t. The spotlights threw swaths of red and purple on his hair. His eyes were mirror-brilliant. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s the same all down through history. Two million years ago your hominid ancestors were eating each other. In thirteenth-century Peru they used to crack little boysââ¬â¢ ribs wide open so the priests could take their hearts out still beating. These days itââ¬â¢s drive-by shootings. People never change.â⬠Jenny could feel her breath catch. ââ¬Å"Okay â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ The soft, insidious voice went on. ââ¬Å"So Nature is cruel and ruthless.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"And life is fragile and bewildering. And death-death is inevitable and worse than anything you can imagine.â⬠From the boat Dee said defiantly, ââ¬Å"Who cares?â⬠Julian spoke without turning toward Dee. ââ¬Å"She cares,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t you, Jenny? You care if itââ¬â¢s a cruel and pointless universe. You care if youââ¬â¢re surrounded by evil.â⬠There was something almost mesmeric about his gaze now. His voice was reasonable, flowing. ââ¬Å"So why not despair? Thereââ¬â¢s nothing wrong with that. Things will be so much easier once youââ¬â¢ve given up. Why not just relax and give inâ⬠¦ .â⬠He was coming toward her, and Jenny knew she couldnââ¬â¢t resist. He was coming to put a warm palm on the back of her neck, maybe, or press her hand. And whatever he did, she wouldnââ¬â¢t be able to resist, because at that moment his beauty was so unearthly it was frightening. ââ¬Å"I believe you!â⬠she said, speaking before he got to her. He stopped, head tilted slightly, quizzically. Then suddenly she was speaking in a rush. ââ¬Å"You wanted to prove how much evil there is-well, fine; I believe you. And I donââ¬â¢t know all the answers. I donââ¬â¢t even know the stupid questions. But not everything is evil, like you say. There are good people. Like Aba. Like my grandfather. He died to save me, and heââ¬â¢s not the only person whoââ¬â¢s died for somebody else. I canââ¬â¢t explain the evil thatââ¬â¢s out there, but that doesnââ¬â¢t mean I ought to join it. It doesnââ¬â¢t mean I should give in.â⬠The smiling victory had drained out of Julianââ¬â¢s face, and something cold and ugly was rising in his eyes instead. But Jenny went on before he could speak, her words tumbling over one another. ââ¬Å"You said I cared about whether it was a cruel and pointless universe, and I do. But you want to know something else I care about? I care about you, Julian.â⬠He was startled now. He looked as if he might almost take a step backward. Because Jenny was moving forward, deliberately, holding his eyes and speaking. ââ¬Å"You wanted to show me how itââ¬â¢s all right to be evil, because everything else is that way. But Iââ¬â¢m not having it. And you wanted to prove to me how bad you are, but Iââ¬â¢m not buying that, either. I care about you, Julian. I-ââ¬Å" He disappeared just as she reached him. The gold coin fell spinning to the ground. Jenny picked it up a moment or so later, after standing quite still and watching it spin on its side for a while and finally land flat. Looking toward the boat, she saw that they were all looking at her: Dee, and Audrey, and Michael-and Summer, who was just poking her head out. Nobody seemed to know what to say. Itââ¬â¢s not what you think, Jenny thought, but she didnââ¬â¢t know how to explain it to them. She did care about Julian. Sheââ¬â¢d seen the moonbeam side of him, the vulnerable side that was so badly hurt it made him strike out. She even â⬠¦ loved Julian â⬠¦ in a way she was just discovering. But that didnââ¬â¢t mean she didnââ¬â¢t love Tom. Tom was a part of her life, a part of her. She could never betray him. But putting all that in words was beyond her. Theyââ¬â¢d just have to think whatever they wanted. ââ¬Å"You know,â⬠Michael said at last, running a hand through his rumpled dark hair, ââ¬Å"I think we just won this Game.â⬠He smiled, a weak and wry smile, but a real one nevertheless. ââ¬Å"And I think we should get out of here on foot,â⬠Dee said. ââ¬Å"My guess is this boat isnââ¬â¢t moving.â⬠Nobody talked much as they sloshed through the tunnel. Dee went first, one hand on the dank wall to guide her. Jenny followed with Summer, and Audrey and Michael brought up the rear, holding hands. Jenny had the feeling that they were all sore from Julianââ¬â¢s last and most terrible attack-but they were stronger for it, too. In the end it had pulled them together. Julian had revealed their secrets-and Jenny had never felt so close to her friends before. She was relieved to see Deeââ¬â¢s form silhouetted against lighter blackness and to feel fresh air on her face. They had found the end of the tunnel. Now she could see the loading dock. ââ¬Å"Will you look at this!â⬠Michael exclaimed when they reached it and climbed up. You read "The Forbidden Game: The Kill Chapter 12" in category "Essay examples" ââ¬Å"Will you just look, please?â⬠The park was awake. All the lights that had been off were on, and all the rides were going. Fairy lights twinkled and glimmered in the trees, white lights played on a fountain below them. To the left, the Turnpike was illuminated, with lines of sports cars standing ready to race. Straight ahead, the rocket ride was already in motion, red-lit rockets up and whizzing. The structure of the March Hare roller coaster was picked out in flashing neon, and Jenny could hear the clatter of a car on the wooden tracks. Everything was going, all at once. It looked exactly like a normal amusement park at night-except that it was still deserted. The rides were operating by themselves. Beautiful, Jenny thought, but scary. As if the whole park was inhabited by ghosts. The merry-go-round music was distant but eerily distinct, and she could hear the Noahââ¬â¢s Ark foghorn in the pauses. On the central island of the lake, the lighthouse rose white and slender and silent. ââ¬Å"Now we find the bridge, I suppose,â⬠Audrey said quietly from behind Jenny. Jenny unbuttoned her shirt pocket, reached in. She looked at the three doubloons on her palm, felt their satisfying weight. Then she closed her hand and heard them clink softly. ââ¬Å"Thereââ¬â¢s something we have to do first,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Follow me.â⬠The arcade was only a short distance away. Its sign was lighted, too, but the inside was dim and quiet. Jenny went straight to the cabinet with the mechanical wizard. She tried not to look at the black cabinet that stood opposite, but she got a glimpse of the heads anyway. They were as blue and ghastly as ever, their eyes still shut. Jenny turned her back on them firmly and faced the wizard. He was moving just the tiniest bit. As if some battery were running down. His hand lifted the wand and dropped it slightly, lifted and dropped, a sad repetitive motion. His head bobbed just as slightly, the dark marble eyes staring out into nothingness. Every so often his lower lip moved. ââ¬Å"Grandfather,â⬠Jenny said. It was a formal moment, and Grandpa didnââ¬â¢t seem quite right. He was Grandfather, like all the Grandfathers in fairy tales, a mystical, archetypical figure. Someone who belonged in a story. Dee had said there was nothing Jenny could do for him, and it was true. Sheââ¬â¢d accepted it before, really, and she was even more certain now. There was no wav to put his soul back into his body-if he even had a body anymore, which Jenny doubted. No way to fix him or undo what the Shadow Men had done. But there was one thing she might be able to do. It had come to her while she was talking to Julian, surging up in the back of her mind when she had said that her grandfather had died for her. He hadnââ¬â¢t-exactly-but heââ¬â¢d meant to. And she was sure heââ¬â¢d rather be dead than be like this. The only question was whether her idea would work. ââ¬Å"Grandfather, I thought of something, something from your journal. A way to help you. But I need to know if it will work-and if itââ¬â¢s what you want.â⬠The matted-paintbrush eyelashes seemed to droop, then lift. The glass eyes didnââ¬â¢t look at her, and the ruddy plastic face couldnââ¬â¢t change expression. But she had the feeling he was listening. ââ¬Å"I saw the runes in your journal, and I know that runes can do things here, they can change reality. They can make things happen. And the rune Iââ¬â¢m thinking of is Gebo, Grandfather, do you understand? Gebo.â⬠ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s she talking about?â⬠Summer whispered, from several steps away, where the others waited. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know. Gebo-which was that?â⬠Dee said, and Michael said, ââ¬Å"Shush, okay?â⬠Jenny stood watching the mechanical figure in the black velveteen robe, and waiting. Suddenly the glass eyes rolled. The whole figure moved jerkily, banging the wand up and down. The carmine lips opened and shut, and the head bobbed. It was a perfect frenzy of motion, like a mute person in a straitjacket trying desperately to convey agreement. At least, that was what Jenny hoped it was. If she was wrong, it was going to be a terrible mistake. ââ¬Å"All right,â⬠she whispered. ââ¬Å"I love you, Grandpa.â⬠She could feel tears starting in her eyes, but she wasnââ¬â¢t going to cry, she wasnââ¬â¢t. She wasnââ¬â¢t really sad. She was happy and a little scared. Beyond all hope, sheââ¬â¢d gotten to see her grandfather again. It had helped her remember him, how kind heââ¬â¢d been to her, how much heââ¬â¢d loved her-whatever his other faults. Sheââ¬â¢d gotten the chance to say she was sorry, and now she had the chance to say goodbye. It was more than a lot of people got, more than Jenny could ever have expected. She reached into her back pocket for the Swiss Army knife. It had been there all along, almost forgotten since sheââ¬â¢d tucked it away in the mine ride. It had survived the cave-in and the flood and everything else. She was glad, because it was Tomââ¬â¢s, and now because it was very useful. She held it in her hand a moment, then thumbed open the large blade. She set the blade against the old-fashioned wooden cabinet, just above the glass, and, bearing down hard, carved a diagonal stroke. Then she made another that crossed the first in the middle, forming an X. Making Gebo, the rune of sacrifice. It was funny, how sheââ¬â¢d had a premonition about that when they were carving it on the door. Sheââ¬â¢d felt that it had been important somehow-but sheââ¬â¢d never imagined this. She stepped back. Pinching her left index finger between middle finger and thumb, she watched the end go purple with blood. Then, without hesitation, she jabbed once with the knife. She didnââ¬â¢t really know whether she needed blood for this. Isa, the ice rune sheââ¬â¢d used to stop the flooding waterfall, had worked without it. But she wanted to do this just right, and make absolutely sure. Squeezing the finger, she painted the X with blood. Then she stepped back again. The mechanical figure was perfectly still, as if waiting. Everything seemed to be waiting, the universe holding its breath around Jenny. For a moment she was afraid she couldnââ¬â¢t speak, but the dark eyes were at last looking straight at her. There was a silent encouragement in them, almost a plea. And a gentle trust. The third step is to say the name of the rune out loud. Jenny took a deep breath and clearly and quietly said, ââ¬Å"Gebo.â⬠Rune of sacrifice, of death. Of yielding up the spirit. It happened immediately, startling her. The figure in the cabinet, the mechanical thing dressed in black velveteen and gold sequins, spasmed as if a jolt of electricity had gone through it. Both arms jerked up, the head rolled wildly. Cracks ran along the caked paint on its face, flaking off in pieces. Every part of the figure that could move thrashed frantically. And then the clenched fist with the wand fell. The entire figure sagged, its head falling back. It was as if some mainspring had been sprung, or the wires to a marionette cut. The carmine lips were slightly open. Jenny, scarcely breathing, stared at the face. It-had changed. It was still plastic-cracked and peeling plastic. It was clearly a broken doll. But-the pain was gone. The look that had wrenched Jennyââ¬â¢s heart in the beginning, the look of ineffable sadness, wasnââ¬â¢t there anymore. The carmine lips seemed to be smiling slightly, and the glass eyes, though open, seemed at peace. There was an odd dignity that went with the peace. The face was patient and almost noble, for all that it was a dollââ¬â¢s face. Whatever her grandfather had done, whatever secrets heââ¬â¢d meddled in, heââ¬â¢d paid the price-and this doll seemed to know it. Its expression was that of somebody whoââ¬â¢d waited a long time to get to the end of a journey, and was home at last. ââ¬Å"You can rest now,â⬠Jenny said, and then she had to wipe her eyes on her denim sleeve. A click made her look down. A fortune-telling card was in the slot. Jenny took it, turned it over. There were only two words in the middle. THANK YOU. Then she really did cry, looking around as if her grandfatherââ¬â¢s soul might be floating somewhere in the room where she could see it. Wherever it had eone. it was free. ââ¬Å"What about them?â⬠Dee said. Jenny looked at the others and saw that they were sniffling, too-and Dee was looking at the black cabinet. Jenny wiped her eyes again, and her nose, and then she made herself look. Slug and P.C. were more hideous than ever because they were awake. Their eyes followed her with the desperate longing of dogs that wanted to go out on a walk. Neither of them had been particularly handsome when they were alive, and in death they were grotesque. Jenny swallowed. ââ¬Å"Can you hear me?â⬠The two grisly objects bobbed. ââ¬Å"Did you see what I did?â⬠Bob. Bob. ââ¬Å"Do you-do you want me to do it for you?â⬠Bob, bob, bob, bob, bob, bob, bob â⬠¦ Jenny burst into tears and went on crying as she lifted the knife. She needed to cry. She had never liked either of these guys; theyââ¬â¢d stalked her on an empty street, theyââ¬â¢d meant to do her harm, theyââ¬â¢d broken into her house and stolen from her. And now they looked like those little dogs with nodding heads that people put in the back of their cars, and Jenny was going to kill them. She went on sobbing as she carved the two Xs, one over each head, and stabbed her middle finger. She was still crying as she began to stain the first X red. So she didnââ¬â¢t notice the attack until Dee started shouting. Jenny looked up and froze. It was another body like the one that had grabbed Dee at the Fish Pond, and it had the same ghastly emptiness above its shoulders. The only difference was that it wasnââ¬â¢t white and bloated, and it was wearing a black T-shirt and leather vest. It was P.C. In the cabinet the head with the black bandanna was shaking violently-as if to disassociate itself with the lumbering body that Dee was fighting. Its eyes were terrified, straining sideways to try and watch. ââ¬Å"I think the Shadow Men must control the bodies!â⬠Michael shouted, pulling Summer out of the way. Audrey had stumbled back, too, and Dee was fighting the thing alone, swinging Audreyââ¬â¢s pick. Cabinets on both sides were smashing. Jenny, caught completely unprepared, was still frozen. ââ¬Å"Come on, hurry!â⬠Michael shouted. He grabbed the knife from her hand and stabbed his own finger. The next thing she knew he was staining the other rune, making sharp, slashing motions on the cabinet. ââ¬Å"Come on, Jenny!â⬠Trancelike, Jenny raised her finger, smearing pale red across the second stroke of the X. The headless body had gotten hold of Deeââ¬â¢s pick and was jerking it away from her, pulling her within range. Jenny whirled back to the cabinet, energized. The blue-lit heads gazed at her, looking imploring and stupid and more pathetic than anything sheââ¬â¢d ever seen. ââ¬Å"Gebo!â⬠she shouted. Michael shouted it, too, maybe because his blood was in the runes. Then several things happened in quick succession. Both the heads in the box jerked. Their jaws fell open, impossibly far open, revealing blue-stained teeth. Their eyes rolled up. And there was a noise-an inhuman howling that seemed to come from all around Jenny rather than from the open jaws. Down the corridor there was a terrible crashing. P.C.ââ¬â¢s body was flailing with the pick, breaking glass and splintering wood. As Jenny watched he flailed more and more jerkily, then stopped. His body flopped backward, collapsing like a pricked balloon. Meanwhile, from every side, there was clicking and whirring and plinking music. The entire arcade had come to life at once. The foot vitalizer was vibrating. In a shattered cabinet a mechanical ballerina was twirling. The figures in the Ole Barn Dance were clacking their wooden jaws. ââ¬Å"Letââ¬â¢s get the hell out of here!â⬠Dee shouted over the music of a nickelodeon. Jenny cast one last glance at the black cabinet. The heads were still now, and she supposed their blank and empty expressions were peaceful. Certainly nobody was in there anymore. Then she was moving, stepping over glass shards and P.C.ââ¬â¢s motionless body, while the arcade gibbered and screeched around her. A minute later she was in the open air. It was an unspeakable relief to get away from the noise. The outside seemed clean somehow, even if it was in the Shadow World. She looked at Dee. ââ¬Å"Are you okay?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah.â⬠Dee was gripping her thigh with both hands, pulling bits of glass out of her jeans. ââ¬Å"I got some shrapnel here, but Iââ¬â¢m all right.â⬠Jenny looked at Summer, who was huddling and hugging her own elbows. ââ¬Å"Are you all right?â⬠Summer managed an extremely watery smile. ââ¬Å"I got splinters,â⬠Michael offered, holding up his finger. ââ¬Å"That was brave of you,â⬠Jenny said. She was remembering the way heââ¬â¢d looked in her grandfatherââ¬â¢s house when she had first explained that they needed to stain the runes with blood. Michael just looked at her. ââ¬Å"Huh?â⬠ââ¬Å"Never mind. Summer, give Dee back her jacket. Audrey, are you okay to walk? Because I have the feeling weââ¬â¢d better keep moving. I think theyââ¬â¢re mad.â⬠She squeezed her shirt pocket and felt the reassuring heaviness there. She felt the need to hurry, as if a storm were gathering behind her. The Shadow Men werenââ¬â¢t happy with what sheââ¬â¢d done to their prisoners. ââ¬Å"Wait, but how do we find the bridge?â⬠Michael said. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ll just walk around the lake until we see it.â⬠They saw it as soon as they cleared the trees by the Penny Arcade. It started somewhere in between the March Hare roller coaster and the Log Ride, rising in a beautiful arch like a rainbow that ended on the island. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t think that was there before,â⬠Audrey said. ââ¬Å"Maybe it just wasnââ¬â¢t lit,â⬠Dee said. Michael said, ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s going to be like climbing the St. Louis Arch.â⬠Everybody looked at Jenny. ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ll do it,â⬠she said stoutly. ââ¬Å"We have to. We have to get to Tom and Zach-and quick, because they may try to stop us or something. Weââ¬â¢ve got to actually get to them to win the Game.â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t see how the coins fit in,â⬠Dee muttered. But when they reached the nearer base of the arch, Jenny saw. There was a neat little tollbooth in front of it, and a fence with barbed wire that kept you from climbing up the sides. After the first ten feet it was so high in the air that you couldnââ¬â¢t have reached the side if you had wanted to. ââ¬Å"What holds it up?â⬠Summer whispered, and Jenny said, ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t ask.â⬠Attached to the white tollbooth was a coin receiver with a flat tray-like the kind you see in airports for getting luggage carts. Instead of four spaces for quarters there were three spaces for irregularly shaped coins in the tray. With a little twisting and exchanging, Jenny got all three gold pieces to fit neatly. They lay there and gleamed at her. She looked at the others. It was a momentous moment, a serious, profound moment. Theyââ¬â¢d finished the treasure hunt and they were about to go collect the prize. She felt as if somebody ought to make a significant gesture. ââ¬Å"Dee? You want to push it? Or Audrey?â⬠ââ¬Å"You earned it, Sunshine. Go on and make it happen,â⬠Dee said. Jenny was happy. She pushed the tray in and felt it lock in place. The white-and-yellow striped turnstile lifted. ââ¬Å"After you,â⬠she said and gestured the others through. How to cite The Forbidden Game: The Kill Chapter 12, Essay examples
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption Essay Example
Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption Essay Laser and its medical applications Presented by S. vignesh J. sabastian The Advent of the Laser Scalpel Early experimenters with medical lasers pointed out that there are surgical operations that are difficult to perform with the conventional scalpel and that a laser beam might be used instead. Initial trials showed that a finely focused beam from a carbon dioxide gas laser could cut through human tissue easily and neatly. The surgeon could direct the beam from any angle by using a mirror mounted on a movable metal arm. Several advantages of laser surgery quickly became apparent. First, the light beam is consistent, which means that it gives off the same amount of energy from In this photo taken during open-heart surgery, a doctor uses a laser probe to punch small holes in the patients heart muscle to increase the organs blood flow. one second to the next. So as long as the beam is moving along, the cut it makes (the incision) does not vary in depth; whereas when using a scalpel a doctor can accidentally make part of the incision too deep. A second advantage of the surgical laser is that the hot beam cauterizes, or seals off, the open blood vessels as it moves along. This works well mainly for small vessels, such as those in the skin. The doctor still has to seal off the larger blood vessels using conventional methods. ) Still another advantage is that the cells in human tissue do not conduct heat very well, so the skin or any other tissue near the laser incision does not get very hot and is not affected by the beam. This advantage of laser surgery is very he lpful when a doctor must operate on a tiny area that is surrounded by healthy tissue or organs. It should be pointed out that the laser scalpel is not necessarily the best tool to use in every operation. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Some doctors feel that while the laser is useful in some situations, it will never totally replace the scalpel. Others are more optimistic and see a day when more advanced lasers will make the scalpel a thing of the past. The second of these views may prove to be the most accurate, for surgical use of lasers is rapidly advancing. At first, lasers were considered most effective in operating on areas that are easy to reachââ¬âareas on the bodys exterior, including the skin, mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. But in recent years doctors have demonstrated remarkable progress in developing laser techniques for use in internal exploration and surgery. Of course, in order to be able to direct the laser beam the doctor must be able to see inside the body. In some cases this is a simple matter of making an incision and opening up the area to be operated on. But there are situations in which this step can be avoided. Cleaning Arteries with Light For instance, lasers are increasingly used to clean plaque from peoples arteries. Plaque is a tough fatty substance that can build up on the inside walls of the arteries. Eventually the vessels can get so clogged that blood does not flow normally, and the result can be a heart attack or stroke, both of which are serious and sometimes fatal. The traditional method for removing the plaque involves opening the chest and making several incisions, a long and sometimes risky operation. It is also expensive and requires weeks for recovery. An effective alternative is to use a laser beam to burn away the plaque. The key to making this work is the doctors ability to see inside the artery and direct the beam, another area in which fiber optics and lasers are combined into a modern wonder tool. An optic fiber that has been connected to a tiny television camera can be inserted into an artery. These elements now become a miniature sensor that allows the doctor and nurses to see inside the artery while a second fiber is inserted to carry the bursts of light that will burn away the plaque. The technique works in the following way. The fiber-optic array is inserted into a blood vessel in an arm or leg and moved slowly into the area of the heart and blocked arteries. When the array is in place the laser is fired and the plaque destroyed, and then the exhaust vapors are sucked back through a tiny hollow tube that is inserted along with the optical fibers. When the artery has been cleaned out the doctor removes the fibers and tube, and the operation is finished. This medical process is known as laser angioplasty. It has several obvious advantages. First, no incision is needed (except for the small one in the vessel to insert the fibers). There is also little or no bleeding, and the patient can enjoy total recovery in a day or two. Laser angioplasty does have some potential risks that must be considered. First, when the laser beam fires at the plaque it must be aimed very carefully ecause a slight miss could cut through the wall of the artery and cause serious bleeding. The patients chest would then have to be opened up after all. Another problem involves small pieces of burnt debris from the Surgeons use a tiny laser to cut away tissue in a gallbladder operation. The laser and a tiny camera are inserted into the navel, so no abdominal incision is necessary. . Lasers Heal and Reshape the Eyes Some of the most remarkable breakthroughs fo r medical lasers have been in the area of ophthalmology, the study of the structure and diseases of the eye. One reason that laser beams are so useful in treating the eye is that the cornea, the coating that covers the eyeball and admits light into the interior of the eye, is transparent. Since it is designed to admit ordinary light, the cornea lets in laser light just as well and remains unaffected by the beam. First, the laser is very useful in removing extraneous blood vessels that can form on the retinaââ¬âthe thin, light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eyeball. It is on the retina that the images of the things the eye sees are formed. Damage to the retina can sometimes cause blindness. The laser most often used in the treatment of this condition is powered by a medium of argon gas. The doctor aims the beam through the cornea and burns away the tangle of blood vessels covering the retina. The procedure takes only a few minutes and can be done in the doctors office. The laser can also repair a detached retinaââ¬âone that has broken loose from the rear part of the eyeball. Before the advent of lasers detached retinas had to be repaired by hand, and because the retina is so delicate this was a very difficult operation to perform. Using the argon laser, the doctor can actually weld the torn retina back in place. It is perhaps a strange coincidence that Gordon Gould, one of the original inventors of the laser, later had one of his own retinas repaired this way. Another condition that affects the eye is glaucoma, which is characterized by the buildup of fluid in the eye. Normally the eyes natural fluids drain away a little at a time, and the eye stays healthy. In eyes impaired with glaucoma the fluid does not drain properly, and the buildup affects vision; blindness can sometimes result. In some cases drugs can be used to treat glaucoma. If the drugs fail, however, many doctors now turn to the laser to avoid onventional surgery. The laser punches a hole in a preplanned spot and the fluid drains out through the hole. Again, the treatment can be performed in a doctors office instead of a hospital. Using Lasers for Eye Surgery The laser works like a sewing machine to repair a detached retina, the membrane that lines the interior of the eye. The laser beam is adjusted so that it can pass harmlessl y through the lens and focus on tiny spots around the damaged area of the retina. When it is focused, the beam has the intensity to weld or seal the detached area of the retina back against the wall of the eyeball. The patients eyeglass prescription is literally carved inside the cornea with the beam of an excimer laser [a laser device that produces pulses of ultraviolet, or UV, light]. A small flap of the cornea is first removed with a precision knife . . . and an A patient undergoes eye surgery performed by a laser beam. In addition to treating detached retinas, lasers can remove cataracts. inner portion of the cornea is exposed to the excimer laser. After the prescription is carved, the corneal flap that was opened is then put back into place over the ablated [surgically altered] cornea. 6 LASIK does not come without risks. The changes it makes in the cornea are permanent, and the danger of unexpected damage is ever present. However, the procedure has become increasingly popular each year; about a million Americans had it done in the year 2000, and about four thousand surgeons in the United States were trained to perform it. Some Cosmetic Uses of Lasers Medical lasers are also widely used for various types of cosmetic surgery, including the removal of certain kinds of birthmarks. Port-wine stains, reddish purple skin blotches that appear on about three out of every one thousand children, are an example. Such stains can mark any part of the body but are most commonly found on the face and neck. The medical laser is able to remove a port-wine stain for the same reason that a military laser is able to flash a message to a submerged submarine. Both lasers take advantage of the monochromatic quality of laser light, that is, its ability to shine in one specific color. The stain is made up of thousands of tiny malformed blood vessels that have a definite reddish purple color. This color very strongly absorbs a certain shade of green light. In fact, that is why the stain looks red. It absorbs the green and other colors in white light but reflects the red back to peoples eyes. To treat the stain, the doctor runs a wide low-power beam of green light across the discolored area. The mass of blood vessels in the stain absorbs the energetic laser light and becomes so hot that it is actually burned away. The surrounding skin is a different color than the stain, so that skin absorbs only small amounts of the beam and remains unburned. (Of course, the burned A doctor uses an argon laser to remove a port-wine stain, a kind of birthmark. Unwanted tissue is burned away while normal skin remains undamaged. areas must heal, and during this process some minor scarring sometimes occurs. ) Laser-Assisted Dentistry Dentistry is another branch of medicine that has benefited tremendously from laser technology. Indeed, lasers have made some people stop dreading a visit to the dentist. No one enjoys having a cavity drilled, of course. It usually requires an anesthetic (a painkiller like novocaine) that causes uncomfortable numbness in the mouth; also, the sound of the drill can be irritating or even sickening to some people. Many dentists now employ an Nd-YAG laser (which uses a crystal for its lasing medium) instead of a drill for most cavities. The laser treatment takes advantage of the simple fact that the material that forms in a cavity is much softer than the enamel (the hard part of a tooth). The laser is set at a power that is just strong enough to eliminate the decayed tissue but not strong enough to harm the enamel. When treating a very deep cavity bleeding sometimes occurs, and the laser beam often seals off blood vessels and stops the bleeding. The most often asked question about treating cavities with lasers is: Does it hurt? The answer is no. Each burst of laser light from a dental laser lasts only thirty-trillionths of a second, much faster than the amount of time a nerve takes to trigger pain. In other words, the beam would have to last 100 million times longer in order to cause any discomfort. So this sort of treatment requires no anesthetic. Advantages of Lasers for Dental Surgery In this excerpt from an article in The Dental Clinics of North America Robert A. Strauss of the Medical College of Virginia mentions some of the advantages of using lasers for oral surgery. Decreased post-operative swelling is characteristic of laser use [for oral surgery]. Decreased swelling allows for increased safety when performing surgery within the airway [the mouth] . . . and increases the range of surgery that oral surgeons can perform safely without fear of airway compromise. This effect allows the surgeon to perform many procedures in an office or outpatient facility that previously would have required hospitalization. . . . Tissue healing and scarring are also improved with the use of the laser. . . . Laser wounds generally heal with minimal scar formation and . . . often can be left unsutured [without stitches], another distinct advantage. Thus the role of laser in medical field is most predominant. Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption Essay Example Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption Essay Laser and its medical applications Presented by S. vignesh J. sabastian The Advent of the Laser Scalpel Early experimenters with medical lasers pointed out that there are surgical operations that are difficult to perform with the conventional scalpel and that a laser beam might be used instead. Initial trials showed that a finely focused beam from a carbon dioxide gas laser could cut through human tissue easily and neatly. The surgeon could direct the beam from any angle by using a mirror mounted on a movable metal arm. Several advantages of laser surgery quickly became apparent. First, the light beam is consistent, which means that it gives off the same amount of energy from In this photo taken during open-heart surgery, a doctor uses a laser probe to punch small holes in the patients heart muscle to increase the organs blood flow. one second to the next. So as long as the beam is moving along, the cut it makes (the incision) does not vary in depth; whereas when using a scalpel a doctor can accidentally make part of the incision too deep. A second advantage of the surgical laser is that the hot beam cauterizes, or seals off, the open blood vessels as it moves along. This works well mainly for small vessels, such as those in the skin. The doctor still has to seal off the larger blood vessels using conventional methods. ) Still another advantage is that the cells in human tissue do not conduct heat very well, so the skin or any other tissue near the laser incision does not get very hot and is not affected by the beam. This advantage of laser surgery is very he lpful when a doctor must operate on a tiny area that is surrounded by healthy tissue or organs. It should be pointed out that the laser scalpel is not necessarily the best tool to use in every operation. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Youth in Eradicating Corruption specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Some doctors feel that while the laser is useful in some situations, it will never totally replace the scalpel. Others are more optimistic and see a day when more advanced lasers will make the scalpel a thing of the past. The second of these views may prove to be the most accurate, for surgical use of lasers is rapidly advancing. At first, lasers were considered most effective in operating on areas that are easy to reachââ¬âareas on the bodys exterior, including the skin, mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. But in recent years doctors have demonstrated remarkable progress in developing laser techniques for use in internal exploration and surgery. Of course, in order to be able to direct the laser beam the doctor must be able to see inside the body. In some cases this is a simple matter of making an incision and opening up the area to be operated on. But there are situations in which this step can be avoided. Cleaning Arteries with Light For instance, lasers are increasingly used to clean plaque from peoples arteries. Plaque is a tough fatty substance that can build up on the inside walls of the arteries. Eventually the vessels can get so clogged that blood does not flow normally, and the result can be a heart attack or stroke, both of which are serious and sometimes fatal. The traditional method for removing the plaque involves opening the chest and making several incisions, a long and sometimes risky operation. It is also expensive and requires weeks for recovery. An effective alternative is to use a laser beam to burn away the plaque. The key to making this work is the doctors ability to see inside the artery and direct the beam, another area in which fiber optics and lasers are combined into a modern wonder tool. An optic fiber that has been connected to a tiny television camera can be inserted into an artery. These elements now become a miniature sensor that allows the doctor and nurses to see inside the artery while a second fiber is inserted to carry the bursts of light that will burn away the plaque. The technique works in the following way. The fiber-optic array is inserted into a blood vessel in an arm or leg and moved slowly into the area of the heart and blocked arteries. When the array is in place the laser is fired and the plaque destroyed, and then the exhaust vapors are sucked back through a tiny hollow tube that is inserted along with the optical fibers. When the artery has been cleaned out the doctor removes the fibers and tube, and the operation is finished. This medical process is known as laser angioplasty. It has several obvious advantages. First, no incision is needed (except for the small one in the vessel to insert the fibers). There is also little or no bleeding, and the patient can enjoy total recovery in a day or two. Laser angioplasty does have some potential risks that must be considered. First, when the laser beam fires at the plaque it must be aimed very carefully ecause a slight miss could cut through the wall of the artery and cause serious bleeding. The patients chest would then have to be opened up after all. Another problem involves small pieces of burnt debris from the Surgeons use a tiny laser to cut away tissue in a gallbladder operation. The laser and a tiny camera are inserted into the navel, so no abdominal incision is necessary. . Lasers Heal and Reshape the Eyes Some of the most remarkable breakthroughs fo r medical lasers have been in the area of ophthalmology, the study of the structure and diseases of the eye. One reason that laser beams are so useful in treating the eye is that the cornea, the coating that covers the eyeball and admits light into the interior of the eye, is transparent. Since it is designed to admit ordinary light, the cornea lets in laser light just as well and remains unaffected by the beam. First, the laser is very useful in removing extraneous blood vessels that can form on the retinaââ¬âthe thin, light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eyeball. It is on the retina that the images of the things the eye sees are formed. Damage to the retina can sometimes cause blindness. The laser most often used in the treatment of this condition is powered by a medium of argon gas. The doctor aims the beam through the cornea and burns away the tangle of blood vessels covering the retina. The procedure takes only a few minutes and can be done in the doctors office. The laser can also repair a detached retinaââ¬âone that has broken loose from the rear part of the eyeball. Before the advent of lasers detached retinas had to be repaired by hand, and because the retina is so delicate this was a very difficult operation to perform. Using the argon laser, the doctor can actually weld the torn retina back in place. It is perhaps a strange coincidence that Gordon Gould, one of the original inventors of the laser, later had one of his own retinas repaired this way. Another condition that affects the eye is glaucoma, which is characterized by the buildup of fluid in the eye. Normally the eyes natural fluids drain away a little at a time, and the eye stays healthy. In eyes impaired with glaucoma the fluid does not drain properly, and the buildup affects vision; blindness can sometimes result. In some cases drugs can be used to treat glaucoma. If the drugs fail, however, many doctors now turn to the laser to avoid onventional surgery. The laser punches a hole in a preplanned spot and the fluid drains out through the hole. Again, the treatment can be performed in a doctors office instead of a hospital. Using Lasers for Eye Surgery The laser works like a sewing machine to repair a detached retina, the membrane that lines the interior of the eye. The laser beam is adjusted so that it can pass harmlessl y through the lens and focus on tiny spots around the damaged area of the retina. When it is focused, the beam has the intensity to weld or seal the detached area of the retina back against the wall of the eyeball. The patients eyeglass prescription is literally carved inside the cornea with the beam of an excimer laser [a laser device that produces pulses of ultraviolet, or UV, light]. A small flap of the cornea is first removed with a precision knife . . . and an A patient undergoes eye surgery performed by a laser beam. In addition to treating detached retinas, lasers can remove cataracts. inner portion of the cornea is exposed to the excimer laser. After the prescription is carved, the corneal flap that was opened is then put back into place over the ablated [surgically altered] cornea. 6 LASIK does not come without risks. The changes it makes in the cornea are permanent, and the danger of unexpected damage is ever present. However, the procedure has become increasingly popular each year; about a million Americans had it done in the year 2000, and about four thousand surgeons in the United States were trained to perform it. Some Cosmetic Uses of Lasers Medical lasers are also widely used for various types of cosmetic surgery, including the removal of certain kinds of birthmarks. Port-wine stains, reddish purple skin blotches that appear on about three out of every one thousand children, are an example. Such stains can mark any part of the body but are most commonly found on the face and neck. The medical laser is able to remove a port-wine stain for the same reason that a military laser is able to flash a message to a submerged submarine. Both lasers take advantage of the monochromatic quality of laser light, that is, its ability to shine in one specific color. The stain is made up of thousands of tiny malformed blood vessels that have a definite reddish purple color. This color very strongly absorbs a certain shade of green light. In fact, that is why the stain looks red. It absorbs the green and other colors in white light but reflects the red back to peoples eyes. To treat the stain, the doctor runs a wide low-power beam of green light across the discolored area. The mass of blood vessels in the stain absorbs the energetic laser light and becomes so hot that it is actually burned away. The surrounding skin is a different color than the stain, so that skin absorbs only small amounts of the beam and remains unburned. (Of course, the burned A doctor uses an argon laser to remove a port-wine stain, a kind of birthmark. Unwanted tissue is burned away while normal skin remains undamaged. areas must heal, and during this process some minor scarring sometimes occurs. ) Laser-Assisted Dentistry Dentistry is another branch of medicine that has benefited tremendously from laser technology. Indeed, lasers have made some people stop dreading a visit to the dentist. No one enjoys having a cavity drilled, of course. It usually requires an anesthetic (a painkiller like novocaine) that causes uncomfortable numbness in the mouth; also, the sound of the drill can be irritating or even sickening to some people. Many dentists now employ an Nd-YAG laser (which uses a crystal for its lasing medium) instead of a drill for most cavities. The laser treatment takes advantage of the simple fact that the material that forms in a cavity is much softer than the enamel (the hard part of a tooth). The laser is set at a power that is just strong enough to eliminate the decayed tissue but not strong enough to harm the enamel. When treating a very deep cavity bleeding sometimes occurs, and the laser beam often seals off blood vessels and stops the bleeding. The most often asked question about treating cavities with lasers is: Does it hurt? The answer is no. Each burst of laser light from a dental laser lasts only thirty-trillionths of a second, much faster than the amount of time a nerve takes to trigger pain. In other words, the beam would have to last 100 million times longer in order to cause any discomfort. So this sort of treatment requires no anesthetic. Advantages of Lasers for Dental Surgery In this excerpt from an article in The Dental Clinics of North America Robert A. Strauss of the Medical College of Virginia mentions some of the advantages of using lasers for oral surgery. Decreased post-operative swelling is characteristic of laser use [for oral surgery]. Decreased swelling allows for increased safety when performing surgery within the airway [the mouth] . . . and increases the range of surgery that oral surgeons can perform safely without fear of airway compromise. This effect allows the surgeon to perform many procedures in an office or outpatient facility that previously would have required hospitalization. . . . Tissue healing and scarring are also improved with the use of the laser. . . . Laser wounds generally heal with minimal scar formation and . . . often can be left unsutured [without stitches], another distinct advantage. Thus the role of laser in medical field is most predominant.
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