Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) Collection, Preparation and Uses

Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) Collection, Preparation and Uses Samuel Good Fresh Frozen Plasma Introduction Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) is the name for the liquid portion of human blood, which has been frozen and preserved. It is taken by blood donation and is stored until needed for blood transfusion. FFP has been available since 1941 (Hoffman, et al, 1990), it was used initially as a volume expander (Erber, et al, 2006), but is now used for the â€Å"management and prevention of bleeding in coagulopathic patients† (Ho, et al, 2005). The term FFP is confusing as the plasma cannot be frozen as well as fresh at the same time. What the term implies is that the plasma was frozen rapidly after it was taken and therefore can be considered fresh. The plasma, from a transfusion aspect, contains essential components such as fibrinogen, albumin, globulin and coagulation factors. These allow for specific individual components to be transferred to a recipient who is in need. The most efficient and effective way to make optimum use of blood which has been donated, is to separate it into its individual components. This process allows for a â€Å"wider availability of blood products† (Spence, et al, 2006) and also reduces the risk patients are exposed to â€Å"transfusion-related risks† (Erber, et al, 2006). The use of FFP and its individual products has increased tenfold since its first introduction (Hoffman, et al, 1990). One reason for this may be the declining availability of whole blood because of the trend to use component therapy (Spence, et al, 2006). Collection and Storage When a donor gives a unit of whole blood, the blood is then separated into several components parts. These include; packed red blood cells (pRBC), platelets and FFP. If required the FFP can be further divided into cryoprecipitate and something called cryo-poor plasma. Cryo-poor plasma is rarely used as a therapeutic response (Lauzier, et al, 2007). As mentioned previously, plasma is the non-cellular, liquid part of the blood. It is made up of; water, electrolytes and proteins. The proteins include the clotting factors and intrinsic coagulants (Murray, et al, 1995). The plasma is separated from the blood after donation and then frozen. For the plasma to be considered ‘fresh’ it must be frozen â€Å"within eight hours of collection† (Murray, et al, 1995) and stored at a temperature of minus 18 degrees centigrade or lower. If this fails to happen, the product is known just as ‘frozen plasma’, which like cryo-poor plasma, is rarely used for therapeutic means. However, to maintain coagulation factors to optimum levels the plasma should be stored at minus 30 degrees centigrade (Lauzier, et al, 2007). FFP can be prepared by separation from whole blood or via plasmapheresis. Plasmapheresis is the name given to a â€Å"broad range of procedures† where â€Å"extracorporeal separation of blood components† (Erber, et al, 2006) results in a plasma which is filtered. Preparation To summarise, FFP is collected in citrate-containing anticoagulant solution, frozen within 8 hours and stored at minus 30 degrees centigrade for up to a year. Although every protection is taken to ensure sterility, it is quite possible for the donor to have an asymptomatic bacteraemia at the time of donation (Stanworth, et al, 2004). The bacteria will have its proliferation down-regulated by the plasma being frozen. However, FFP can still sometimes transmit infectious diseases. Therefore, screening and pathogen inactivation may be performed to reduce the risk. FFP contains no RBC’s and also no WBC’s. As there are no WBC’s the plasma is referred to be as being leucodepleted. This is an indication as to why FFP can transmit said diseases. As mentioned pathogen inactivation can be performed and this is done by using either Methylene blue or a solvent/detergent process. The Methylene Blue Technique Methylene blue is a dye that has been shown to be very effective in the inactivation of pathogens. It binds to nucleic acids and, on illumination with white light, singlet oxygen is formed. This then destroys viral DNA and RNA, therefore viral replication cannot take place. Solvent/Detergent Technique This technique is used for the preparation of factors viii and ix as well as immunoglobulins. First, a solvent is added to the plasma which removes the lipid viral envelope. After this is complete, a detergent is added which inactivates the viral contents. The solvent and detergent are then removed by a physical separation technique, in which they are dissolved in oil. Column chromatography can then be used to isolate factors viii and ix. Once any treatment that is required is complete, the FFP is ready for use. It is an accepted practice that FFP is thawed before use (Ho, et al, 2005). The required units of FFP are placed in a water bath set at 30 – 37 degrees centigrade for approximately 20 – 30 minutes. Von Heyman, et al investigated the effects of 2 different thawing machines and running warm water of 43 degrees centigrade, on the activity of clotting factors, inhibitors and activation markers in FFP. They discovered no significant differences in the activity of coagulation markers over a 6 hour period post thawing. However, a major conclusion found was that, if FFP is immediately transfused after thawing, the product remained rich in clotting factors. Also, if the plasma is left, the activity of said clotting factors decline gradually and therefore FFP should only be maintained at room temperature for up to 4 hours. If thawed FFP is not used within 24 hours it becomes a separate product known as ‘thawed plasma’ (Murray, et al, 1995). Most clotting factors are stable in thawed plasma, however some labile factors, such as v and viii are not. Their degradation actually accelerates whilst the plasma is in a liquid state (Lauzier, et al, 2007). The only main advantage of having thawed plasma readily available, is that it can be transfused rapidly if a severely injured patient requires it. FFP Blood Type Specific It is widely accepted that O negative is the universal donor for pRBC’s, however for FFP this isn’t the case. A and B antigens of the blood are located on the red cells themselves. Type O individuals are devoid of these proteins on their red blood cells. Plasma does not contain RBC’s, but it contains antibodies to the corresponding absent protein. An example of this is: Type A individual has Anti-B antibodies in their blood. Type O plasma has both Anti-A and Anti-B antibodies and is incompatible with about 55 percent of the population. An individual with type AB blood has neither Anti-A nor Anti-B antibodies. This makes the AB plasma ideal for universal use when the blood type of the patient is unknown. The Rh status is irrelevant because any plasma with Anti-D is destroyed at the manufacturing stage. Recipient blood Acceptable blood groups of donor plasma O O,A,B,AB A A,AB B B,AB AB AB The major problem with blood type AB is that the percentage of the population which has it is only 4 percent. Therefore it is better to use FFP which is blood type compatible, which will be determined at the blood bank. Usage There are very few actual specific needs for the use of FFP (Spence, et al, 2006). Usually FFP is used to treat â€Å"deficiencies of coagulation proteins where specific factor concentrates are unavailable† (Hoffman, et al, 1990). Coagulation deficiencies can occur in a variety of different clinical situations. These include massive blood loss, surgery, and infection or acquired multiple coagulation factor deficiencies. Examples of FFP usage: Replacement of isolated factor deficiencies Reversal of Warfarin effects Massive blood transfusion Antithrombin III deficiency Treatment of immunodeficiency Treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura Treatment of Disseminated intravascular coagulation Replacement of isolated factor deficiency FFP can be used to heat deficiencies of factors II, V, VII, IX, X and XI. It is only chosen as a treatment when no specific component therapy is available. Certain factors require a different haemostatic level, for example; severe factor X deficiency only requires a factor level of about 10 percent. Therefore FFP has a range of success when treating factor deficiencies. Reversal of Warfarin effect If a patient is being treated with Warfarin, they have been shown to be deficient in â€Å"functional vitamin K dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX and X† (Spence, et al, 2006). Usually vitamin K will be administered, however anticoagulated patients will be actively bleeding, and therefore FFP can be used. Massive blood transfusion The use of FFP as a treatment on massive blood transfusion has increased over the decades. Massive bleeding is defined as â€Å"the loss of one blood volume within 24 hours† or as â€Å"50 percent blood loss within 3 hours† or a â€Å"bleeding rate of 150 ml/minute† (Lauzier, et al, 2007). It is indicated for use in patients who have documented blood clotting abnormalities after large blood loss and who are in need of urgent treatment. This is due to the fact that in most emergency situations it is unacceptable to wait hours for lab results to be returned. Antithrombin III deficiency FFP is sometimes used as a source of Antithrombin III in people who are deficient of this inhibitor. Especially if the patients are undergoing surgery or who use Heparin to treat thrombosis. Treatment of Immunodeficiency FFP has been used in children and adults with a humoral immunodeficiency as a source of immunoglobulin. It is also sometimes used for infants when parental nutrition is lacking, and they are suffering with severe protein losing enteropathy (Erber, et al, 2006). Treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura The treatment recommended for this condition is a daily plasma exchange (Murray, et al, 1995). Prompt intervention is indicated if development of neurological abnormalities start to appear. This plasma exchange usually continues for at least 2 days after remission (Ho, et al, 2005). Treatment of Disseminated intravascular coagulation Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a syndrome where the control of the coagulation system becomes disturbed and out of control. This is usually due to pro-coagulants being dispersed into circulation (Stanworth, et al, 2004). Most of the time this happens secondary to a disease or disorder, such as cancer. In the presence of DIC, fibrinogen, platelets and coagulation factors V and VIII become rapidly depleted. FFP is given as treatment to prevent further problems or progression. Treatment usually involves a patient being infused with a single line of FFP and then coagulation tests performed to assess the clinical benefit (Stanworth, et al, 2004). There are also some conditional uses where FFP can be used but is not the first choice treatment, such as liver disease and Paediatric use. If patients have an abnormal coagulation profile and are suffering from liver disease, they can be treated with FFP. There is varying success and treatment must be monitored by regular transfusion coagulation tests. Clotting times of infants have been shown to be longer than that of adults (Murray, et al, 1995), and even longer in premature babies (OShaughnessy, et al, 2004). Vitamin K deficiency is the most common cause of neonatal bleeding (Murray, et al, 1995). FFP can be used to counter the effects if required. In the case of babies suffering from haemorrhagic disease of the newborn, FFP can be used as treatment. But only if the â€Å"chance of bleeding is greater than the risk of harmful reactions† to the treatment with FFP (Lauzier, et al, 2007). Risks As with any transfusion there is a risk of infection, the main risks identified include: Disease transmission Excessive intravascular volume Anaphylactoid reactions Alloimmunisation Transfusion related acute lung injury The risks associated with viral infectivity of FFP are similar to that of whole blood and RBC’s. As mentioned earlier this risk can be countered by photochemically treating the plasma. Allergic reactions that occur in response to FFP transfusion vary in severity from â€Å"hives to fatal non-cardiac pulmonary oedema† (Stanworth, et al, 2004). Transfusion relate acute lung injury (TRALI) is defined as a â€Å"new episode of acute lung injury within 6 hours of complicated therapy† (OShaughnessy, et al, 2004). It manifests as severe respiratory problems, including hypoxia and other symptoms linked to pulmonary oedema. Symptoms will usually subside 2 days after ceasing FFP treatment (Stanworth, et al, 2004). Alloimmunisation can occur if Anti-Rh antibodies are formed after treatment with FFP. To counter this, plasma containing Anti-D antibodies should not be given to an RhD-positive recipient. There has also been reported incidences of post-transfusion Hepatitis, and depends on a number factors, including donor selection. Also with any intravenously transfused fluid, there is a chance of hypervolemia which could lead to cardiac failure, therefore administration of FFP should not be given in excessive doses. Below is a suggested dosage breakdown: Volume of 1 Unit Plasma: 200-250 mL 1 mL plasma contains 1 u coagulation factors 1 Unit contains 220 u coagulation factors Factor recovery with transfusion = 40% 1 Unit provides ~80 u coagulation factors 70 kg X .05 = plasma volume of 35 dL (3.5 L) 80 u = 2.3 u/dL = 2.3% (of normal 100 u/dL) 35 dL In a 70 kg Patient: 1 Unit Plasma increases most factors ~2.5% 4 Units Plasma increase most factors ~10% Figures taken from (http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ffp-octaplas-fresh-frozen-plasma-999499) Conclusion In conclusion, FFP can be used as an effective treatment for a number of different clinical issues. It also does not come without risk and therefore FFP should be collected, stored, prepared and used in an efficient and safe manner. Below I have summarised the administration of FFP. FFP (Fresh Frozen Plasma) Volume: 240-300ml (mean 273ml) Storage: designated temperature controlled freezer. Core temperature -30 o C Shelf life: 24 months (frozen) Must be ABO compatible, but Rh is not necessary to be considered for transfusion and no anti D prophylaxis is required if Rh-D negative patients receive Rh-D positive FFP. Prior to the transfusion FFP must be thawed under controlled conditions using specifically designed equipment. Thawing usually takes approximately 15-30 minutes Once thawed, FFP must not be re-frozen and should be transfused as quickly as possible. Post-thaw storage results in a decline in the quality of coagulation factors. If stored at 4 degrees centigrade post thawing (in a designated temperature controlled refrigerator), the transfusion must be completed within 24 hours of thawing. Pooled solvent-detergent treated plasma is also commercially available Dose: typically 10-15ml/kg. This dose may need to be exceeded in massive haemorrhage depending on the clinical situation and its monitoring (BCSH 2004) Typical infusion rate 10-20ml/kg/hr (approximately 30 minutes per unit) Rapid infusion may be appropriate when given to replace coagulation factors during major haemorrhage. There is anecdotal evidence that acute reactions may be more common with faster administration rates. (http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ffp-octaplas-fresh-frozen-plasma-999499) REFERENCES Erber WN, Perry DJ: Plasma and plasma products in the treatment of massive hemorrhage. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2006, 19:97-112 Hewson JR, Neame PB, Kumar N, Ayrton A, Gregor P, Davis C, Shragge BW. Coagulopathy related to dilution and hypotension during massive transfusion. Crit Care Med. 1985;13(5):387-391. Ho AM, Karmakar MK, Dion PW. Are we giving enough coagulation factors during major trauma resuscitation? Am J Surg. 2005;190(3):479-484. Hoffman M, Jenner P. Variability in fibrinogen and Von Willebrand factor content of cryoprecipitate.  Brief Sci Rep. 1990;93(5):694-697. Lauzier F, Cook D, Griffith L, Upton J, Crowther M: Fresh frozen plasma transfusion in critically ill patients. Crit Care Med 2007, 35:1655-1659. Leslie SD, Toy PT. Laboratory hemostatic abnormalities in massively transfused patients given red blood cells and crystalloid. Am J Clin Pathol. 1991;96(6):770-773. Murray DJ, Olson J, Strauss R, Tinker JH. Coagulation changes during packed red cell replacement of major blood loss. Anesthesiology. 1988;69(6):839-845 Murray DJ, Pennell BJ, Weinstein SL, Olson JD.Packed red cells in acute blood loss: dilutional coagulopathy as a cause of surgical bleeding. Anesth Analg. 1995;80(2):336-342. OShaughnessy DF, Atterbury C, Bolton Maggs P, Murphy M, Thomas D, Yates S, Williamson LM, British Committee for Standards in Haematology, Blood Transfusion Task Force: Guidelines for the use of fresh-frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate and cryosupernatant. Br J Haematol 2004, 126:11-28. Spence RK: Clinical use of plasma and plasma fractions. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2006, 19:83-96. Stanworth SJ, Brunskill SJ, Hyde CJ, McClelland DB, Murphy MF: Is fresh frozen plasma clinically effective? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Br J Haematol 2004, 126:139-152 Tieu BH, Holcomb JB, Schreiber MA. Coagulopathy:its pathophysiology and treatment in the injured patient. World J Surg. 2007;31(5):1055-1065 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_frozen_plasma http://www.psbc.org/therapy/ffp.htm http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ffp-octaplas-fresh-frozen-plasma-999499 http://ccforum.com/content/14/1/202

Slaverys Coexistence with Other Economic Systems :: A Respectable Trade Capitalism Slavery Essays

Slavery's Coexistence with Other Economic Systems Slavery as economic order based on the ownership and exploitation of human beings as property is widely covered in A Respectable Trade. The film, however, does not solely reveal slavery and its characteristics. It is a film rich in reference to other economical orders as well, because besides elaborately showing from different aspects the processes typical for the establishment of slavery, it touches on and gives examples on economic relationships that are rather characterized as capitalist, feudal or self-employment-related. The action in A Respectable Trade takes place in 1788 in the English city of Bristol, starting with the marriage between Frances Scott and Josiah Cole. Frances, an educated and refined young woman of genteel origin, is left poor and with no inheritance after the death of her father. For lack of a better alternative, she marries the rough and uneducated Josiah who trades with ships, led by the motive to import slaves directly to England, have them educated and polished by his wife, and sell them as house servants at a better price . Josiah is far from successful in his trade: he only manages to import eight slaves and eventually to sell only two of them. However, this is enough to elucidate the main characteristics of slavery as an economic order. The arrival of his slaves, the process of educating them and their final escape represent a peculiar slavery-cycle that elaborates on important economic issues such as the slaves' status, the creation of subservient attitude in them (or at l east the attempt to), the strategies of breaking up their independent spirits, and their resistance. A typical characteristic of slavery is that slaves are considered just another element of the productive resources. They are regarded as property, as chattel, and can be freely sold as such. Never considered human beings with consciousness and will, slaves are often described with the term 'instrumentum vocale', meaning that they are seen just as instruments capable of producing human speech. Naturally, like any human beings, slaves have a consciousness of free and independent people, and it takes time and effort to impose on them an attitude of subservience and obedience, a consciousness of being no longer human beings but enslaved pieces of property. In A Respectable Trade that is achieved in several different ways. Firstly, the slaves are imported by ships to England - extremely far from their homeland, especially in the context of the 18th century. Slavery's Coexistence with Other Economic Systems :: A Respectable Trade Capitalism Slavery Essays Slavery's Coexistence with Other Economic Systems Slavery as economic order based on the ownership and exploitation of human beings as property is widely covered in A Respectable Trade. The film, however, does not solely reveal slavery and its characteristics. It is a film rich in reference to other economical orders as well, because besides elaborately showing from different aspects the processes typical for the establishment of slavery, it touches on and gives examples on economic relationships that are rather characterized as capitalist, feudal or self-employment-related. The action in A Respectable Trade takes place in 1788 in the English city of Bristol, starting with the marriage between Frances Scott and Josiah Cole. Frances, an educated and refined young woman of genteel origin, is left poor and with no inheritance after the death of her father. For lack of a better alternative, she marries the rough and uneducated Josiah who trades with ships, led by the motive to import slaves directly to England, have them educated and polished by his wife, and sell them as house servants at a better price . Josiah is far from successful in his trade: he only manages to import eight slaves and eventually to sell only two of them. However, this is enough to elucidate the main characteristics of slavery as an economic order. The arrival of his slaves, the process of educating them and their final escape represent a peculiar slavery-cycle that elaborates on important economic issues such as the slaves' status, the creation of subservient attitude in them (or at l east the attempt to), the strategies of breaking up their independent spirits, and their resistance. A typical characteristic of slavery is that slaves are considered just another element of the productive resources. They are regarded as property, as chattel, and can be freely sold as such. Never considered human beings with consciousness and will, slaves are often described with the term 'instrumentum vocale', meaning that they are seen just as instruments capable of producing human speech. Naturally, like any human beings, slaves have a consciousness of free and independent people, and it takes time and effort to impose on them an attitude of subservience and obedience, a consciousness of being no longer human beings but enslaved pieces of property. In A Respectable Trade that is achieved in several different ways. Firstly, the slaves are imported by ships to England - extremely far from their homeland, especially in the context of the 18th century.

Machiavelli and Weber: Comparing Political Philosophies Essay

Philosophy is referred to as a set of beliefs, concepts and attitudes held by an individual or a group of people. It is the study of problems in general and the prescription of solutions to problems based on critical and systemic analyses and the employment of rational argument. Philosophy through the lens of Political Science does so as mentioned above in terms of the state, the governance of the state the ethics of an individual in possession of political power. Political philosophers focus on the issues relating to the state, such as political action that need or need not be taken and the general behavior of a given individual involved in politics. With the focus set on just the state, political action and violence, two philosophers have critically analyzed politics through the three concepts listed above: Niccolo Machiavelli and Max Weber. They each have their own views, opinions and suggestions that both have similarities and differences considering the cultural and temporal inc onsistency between the both of them. The fact that some of their ideas intersect is fascinating. Niccolo Machiavelli, known as the founding father of modern Political Science, lived between 1469 and 1752 in Florence in what is known today as Italy. He is not only known for his work in politics and diplomacy, as he was also a well-versed historian. He employed the method of citing historic figures and events in his justification for the suggestions he made in his famous book: The Prince. In the book that was dedicated to Lorenzo Medici, Machiavelli raises many important aspects relating to the political environment, governance and ethics of an individual in possession of political power citing political actions that should and should not be  taken, the state briefly and violence in governing which is studied by political philosophers today as there are many ancient concepts and practices mentioned in the text that can still be incorporated into modern political practices. Max Weber famously known as one of the three founders of modern Sociology, lived between 1864 and 1920 in Germany. Although he specialized in the field of Sociology, Weber did delve into the world of politics. His methods differ from that of Machiavelli as time progressed, so did society and the knowledge possessed by mankind. Instead of employing the method of historical analysis in his philosophy of politics, Weber utilizes Sociology in his analysis of the political realm. In his groundbreaking essay titled ‘Politics as a Vocation’, Weber explores the world of politics through political actions based on social implications; be it good or bad and weighing the benefits against cost. He goes on to mention the state and its rights of governance in which violence is also cited. This document is also of interest to those in the field of politics, as his definition of the state has become the general understanding of Western social thought. In this paper, I would argue that although their opinions on governance may be different on the outlook, they share a similarity, which can be detected through analyzing their philosophies carefully. This also means that they share differing views on the concepts of political action, the state and violence which will also be analyzed in this paper. NICCOLA MACHIAVELLI In his book, The Prince, Machiavelli focuses his attention on counseling and educating the prince, Lorenzo Medici in the treacherous world of politics. The book is considered in simple terms a manual to being the prince. As such, he elaborates on an array of ideas relating to politics. For the purpose of this paper, the content of his writing will be analyzed through the three concepts listed above. In terms of political action, Machiavelli writes about cruelty and violence and the proper use of the evil act of cruelty. He admits that cruelty can and should be used wisely once within a  rule as he explains in his words â€Å"_Injuries therefore, should be inflicted all at the same time, for the less they are tasted, the less they offend._† (Cahn, 2011, p. 260). He then goes on to say that after that one infliction of injury, the prince should gradually distribute benefits in small quantities successively (Cahn, 2011, p. 260). Machiavelli raises a good point in his explanatio n above as when people are constantly subject to miseries, injuries and misfortune, they will eventually grow weary of it and revolt, however if the need for the use of cruelty arises and is applied in the prince’s governance at one point of time, it is only felt once and can sometimes be forgiven through time. It is basic knowledge from daily observation that repetitive actions can be very irritating and that understanding can be applied in Machiavelli’s justification for the use of cruelty. As for the distribution of benefits after the fact of cruelty, it works well as Machiavelli states that the subjects can fully savor the goodness of the benefits if they are given in small quantities successively. After being treated with cruelty, the gradual distribution of benefits would show the subjects that it can only get better from there on and would appease the subjects. This concept can be seen today in many forms of government, where benefits such as tax returns or any form of government assistance is always given in small amounts and in monthly or yearly intervals. This is where Machiavelli relates political action to violence. The state can also be related to Machiavelli’s conception of political action. Through his writings, Machiavelli was seen as an individual who detested representative governments or republics and therefore refers to the state as the prince’s possession which meant that the prince was the state. As such, the prince or the state was free to act in a way that it sees fit for the greater good of the state itself. Machiavelli’s conception of the state suggests that he believes a different set of moral rules apply to the state and that it is unreasonable for the state to act just like a regular person would act. MAX WEBER In his essay titled ‘_Politics as a Vocation_’, Max Weber explores the world of politics through the lens of Sociology. As Weber delves into the lecture,  he begins by stating that politics exist exclusively in the realm of the State and between states. This leads Weber to defining state in his own words, â€Å"_Today, however, we have to say that a state is a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory_.† (Weber, 1919, p.1). Weber, Like Machiavelli, believed that the violence and cruelty could be incorporated into governance however with the explicit use of the term ‘legitimate’. The idea of legitimate violence is ambiguous in a sense of what is considered legitimate violence? The ambiguity of the term has created a ‘grey-zone’ for which the definition of legitimate violence can be debated. However, gathering from his ideas and considering his position in the timeline of political philosophers, Weber’s understanding of legitimate violence can be explained as violence that is state sanctioned to protect the majority of the people within a state. This means that the state can use violence to halt the advance of individuals who commit crimes that harm the state as a whole in which the greater good of the state is the reason for violence rather than personal gain. For example, in the recent 2010 Toronto G20 Summit riots, those who were involved in the rioting were subject to violence from the police (who are authorized by the state to act on its behalf) who arrested the rioters. The riot was a harmful act carried out by a group of citizens and by using violence, the police were able to curb the threat and return downtown Toronto to its regular daily life. Weber’s definition of the state and his use of the term ‘legitimate violence’ satisfactorily connects the three concepts listed above. ANALYSIS Comparing the ideas of Machiavelli and Weber, there are some notable similarities although the two philosophers lived in different points in history and also in different parts of Europe. There are also some clear differences in their view of politics which will be listed. Both Machiavelli and Weber condone to state sanctioned violence with the purpose of the greater good of the public, however their views on the degree of violence differ substantially. For Machiavelli, he believed that cruelty and violence should be used only once and it can vary in degrees depending on the  circumstances. This means that Machiavelli condones to excessive use of violence in one single use. As for Weber, his idea of the legitimate use of violence would imply that the violence used would be used in a way that it is not excessive and used only to temporarily disable rather than harm permanently. Their views on the state are also quite similar and different at the same time. Machiavelli refers to the state as the prince’s possession while Weber referred to the state as an entity that had the power to use legitimate violence. The similarity between the two ideas is the fact that they both agree the state has rights that regular citizens do not. The difference is that Machiavelli believed the prince was able to act freely (wisely) in any way he seen fit to achieve success. Weber on the other hand believed that violence should only be used against those who threaten the peace and security of the state rather than personal gain. Machiavelli’s philosophy can be seen as a more realistic view of human nature and his suggestions are more appealing as they are more practical to individual gain. He is one of the few philosophers that acknowledges and condones to evil as many philosophers tend to write only on how men should live rather than how men actually live. Weber also has a sense of practicality in his views but is more downplayed and fair as violence or evil in his opinion was to be used to maintain peace and order within the state. After the analysis of the two philosophers, it can be concluded that although their views may seem very different, they are in a way similar. Their views on violence are both the same to a point and also different when they delve further into explaining more into the concept. Their conception of the state are also similar to a point until it was elaborated upon which clear differences could be seen. They both agreed violence could be used in governance however the degree and actual purpose differed when analyzed. In terms of their conception of the state, they both agreed that the state has rights that normal citizens were not in possession of to carry out violence. However, Machiavelli’s definition of the state was the prince’s possession while Weber’s definition of the state is a government within a territory that is authorized to use legitimate physical violence. Weber’s definition of the state is more relevant to the modern understanding of the state as it is the basis of understanding the relationship between the state and its  people where the enforcement of law comes into play. Machiavelli’s viewpoint was more individualistic and focuses more on the politician itself than the state and the greater good for the public. As Thomas Hobbes said, there is a difference between the transferring of power to an entity rather than an individual. Of course, Machiavelli did write _The Prince_ well before Thomas Hobbes’ time. References Cahn, S. M. (2011). _Political Philosophy_. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Weber, M. (1919). _Politics as a Vocation_. Retrieved from http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/polisci/ethos/Weber-vocation.pdf.

Whats the Deal with Improving Paragraphs SAT Writing Section Guide and Advice

What's the Deal with Improving Paragraphs SAT Writing Section Guide and Advice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re not familiar with the design of these questions on every SAT, you should be. Here’s the scoop on Improving Paragraphs (and, bonus, a quick and dirty guide to acing the SAT Essay)! In this post,we’ll look at what these questions are designed to test, why those skills are important, and, of course, how to easily take the questionsapart on test day. The Problem Education in the U.S. has changed a lot since the SAT’s inception in 1926, and so must the test. The skill of writing is a great example of how they’ve had to do that. Before 2005, the SAT didn’t have any way to measure students’ ability to read or write more than a sentence at a time. Many college officials and instructors understandably felt that this was not an ideal way to test college preparedness- most college freshmen are expected to write multiple 5-8 page papers in the first semester. But writing is a complicated process- how to break it down into small, multiple-choice-type questions? One of the ways the College Board came up with was Improving Paragraphs. The Solution Since 2005, one Writing section in each SAT has ended with a question type called Improving Paragraphs. It shows you what it calls â€Å"an early draft of an essay.† It consists of 2-4 paragraphs in which each sentence is numbered. The questions ask you to identify mistakes or make improvements to the paragraphs. Here’s an example of a question and the sentence it asks about: (6) Although zoologists do not believe that increasing numbers of raptors pose any threat to humans in urban areas, they feel it is important to maintain ongoing surveillance of the main ones where nests are most common. In context, which would best replace the word â€Å"ones† in sentence 6? (A) raptors (B) objects (C) experiments (D) urban areas (E) hypotheses The Breakdown At PrepScholar, our years of experience teaching at both the high school and college levels makes the purpose of the above question, and others like it, quite clear. In this post, we’re going to share that clarity with you. We’ll go through some common question types and explain what they're really testing. The Transition Question It asks†¦ ...which of five sentences would be best to put between two sentences (at the beginning of a paragraph). It’s really testing†¦ ...whether you know how to use transitions. Between two paragraphs, either at the end of the first or the beginning of the second, something- usually a whole sentence- should connect the main ideas of the two paragraphs to each other. Wrong answers on the SAT will mention the main idea of only one, or neither, of the paragraphs concerned. It addresses the problem†¦ ...that many students just don’t use transitions in their writing, accidentally taking the reader on a confusing, bumpy ride. But the SAT can’t ask â€Å"does this need a transition?† because there would only be 2 answers: yes and no. They also can’t ask you to write a transition yourself, since someone would then have to read it. The only option is to give you one appropriate transition and four much less appropriate sentences, and make you find the right one. The Addition Question It asks... ...which of five sentences would be best to insert into the essay at a certain point. It’s really testing†¦ ...whether you understand how to organize an essay. It addresses the problem†¦ ...that students sometimes skip linking information in their thought processes. The first sentence says something about a movie star being courageous. The one after it in the passage, which would go after the sentence we choose as the answer to this question, mentions an outcome that applies to both the movie star and the narrator. The correct answer is a direct comparison between the two- without it, the paragraph is a bit weird, but not confusing. These are difficult because they’re subtle, but the idea is the same as #30: which sentence best connects the sentences that go before and after it? The Wording Question It asks†¦ ...which of five words or phrases would be best to replace another word. It’s really testing†¦ ...whether you know how to be specific. It addresses the problem†¦ ...that students are often (read: almost always) far too vague in their writing, both in high school and college, because it’s easier to be vague. The essay is where the SAT tries to test this the most stringently, but they kind of take a stab at it here, too. Because the SAT has to come up with five answers, the words (or phrases) in these kinds of questions are usually extremely vague, like â€Å"things,† â€Å"ideas,† or â€Å"groups.† Then you have to figure out, based on context, what that vague word or phrase means more specifically. The answers, for example, might be similar nouns with different adjectives attached to them, and you have to decide which adjective would fit best with the surrounding sentences. The Main Idea Question It asks... ...about the purpose of a paragraph. It’s really testing†¦ ...whether you understand the meaning in context of some chunk of writing. It addresses the problem†¦ ...that many students don’t read deeply enough to understand how an author’s use of an example or story fits into his or her overall point. Most academic texts don’t start with a main idea like, â€Å"Cities have too much sprawl; it should be reduced.† Instead, they say something like â€Å"The strip malls designed to serve residents of new housing developments in many suburbs are not suitable replacements for historic districts or unique, local culture.† It could be argued that the first statement is clearer and thus better, but many of the works you’ll read in college will be even less clear than the second statement above, so the SAT tries to test your ability to see through the nonsense to the author’s point. The PhrasingQuestion It asks... ...you to revise half of a sentence. It’s really testing†¦ ...whether you know how to be concise. It addresses the problem†¦ ...that students use more words than they need to in communicating their points. Most of the revision questions in Improving Paragraphs are about conciseness; that’s why it’s called Improving Paragraphs and not Fixing Errors That Happen to Be in Paragraphs. Sometimes, however, they test appropriateness in context- for example, if two sentences contrast, the second needs to start with a word or phrase that indicates that contrast, e.g. â€Å"However,† â€Å"On the other hand,† or â€Å"Others believe that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Deletion Question It asks... ...which sentence should be deleted. It’s really testing†¦ ...whether you can eliminate irrelevant information. It addresses the problem†¦ ...of fluff, i.e. filler writing that doesn’t help develop the point of the essay. Students at both the high school and college levels tend to include irrelevant details in their writing. Nobody knows what leads to this mysterious phenomenon, but enough of it can make an essay sound like nonsense. The question is, which sentence has the least to do with the essay as a whole? (If the sentence is related to the essay, but a different part than where it is, they’ll usually ask you to move it rather than delete it.) Bonus Time: Improving Paragraphs is Useful for the Essay Too And here’s your prize for reading all the way to the end! The underlined phrases above (and below) comprise a concise set of guidelines for the SAT essay (and, really, most essays). Use transitions: the joints between paragraphs are the places readers read first. Make sure you move smoothly from one idea to the next. Organize: keep like ideas together and don’t repeat yourself. Be specific: as much as possible, use concrete names, places, and dates; instead of ‘great’ or ‘terrible,’ use specific adjectives like ‘progressive’ or ‘destructive.’ Use examples and stories: rather than hypothetical, â€Å"what-if† scenarios, you can invent situations and events to illustrate your point, so do it! Be concise: cut the fluff, it doesn’t add to your essay, and the readers see it as repetition, which hurts your score. Avoid irrelevant information: this is also tied to organization; give only examples that really drive home your point, not things that ‘kind of’ show what you mean. Other Posts You Might Like: What is a good SAT score? A bad SAT score? SAT Writing Guide Part II: Essays SAT Writing Guide Part III: Improving Sentences

Troubleshooting essays

Troubleshooting essays Sometimes you will run into the problem where two programs that are installed on your PC conflict with each other and refuse to run at the same time. It can be tricky to find the culprit, because you think that no other programs were running, so what could possibly conflict? You'd be surprised at how many programs are running on your PC right now. Take a look right now and be amazed. Push Control (Ctrl), Alternate (Alt) and Delete (Del) on your keyboard right now. You should now see a dialog box labeled Close Programs. In there is a list of some pretty funny looking names. Each one of those is a program running right now in the background. Didn't expect to see that many, did you? Two of the items listed here are always there, that is Explorer and Systray. Those are Windows components and they are supposed to be there. But everything else is a program running right now that could be a possible culprit for your software conflict. They get loaded automatically every time you start Windo ws. There are several places where you can find out. Let's first look at your startup files. Go to Start/Run, and type Sysedit. In the resulting window you'll see many cascading Windows. In the Autoexec.bat window you might find a few lines to start a program. Or in the Win.ini file, look at the load= and run= lines. Anything in those lines after the = sign is a program to be loaded. Windows also has a startup folder where it checks every time Windows starts. If there are any programs listed, it will start them automatically. You can find the contents of the startup folder by going to Start/Programs/Startup. Didn't realize you had those items in there, did you? Then there is another not so obvious place: the Windows Registry. The registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun holds a list of programs to be loaded on Windows startup as well. You probably think how did they get in there since you didn't put them there. S...

The Role of the Egyptian Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Role of the Egyptian Religion - Essay Example The New Kingdom is the time period between roughly the sixteenth century BC and eleventh century BC in ancient Egyptian history. It could be described as the ancient civilization’s most affluent period with the most power it ever enjoyed. The main stalwart of Egypt’s power during this time, taking the civilization to a new height was Ramesses the Great. His campaigns into the Levant, to recover the once lost lands brought him great splendor as a king. Particularly of remembrance was his great military victory at the battle of Kadesh. The Egyptian religion played a strong roll in the lives of the people. The gods, who were believed to be manifested in their cult images, were taken care of by the priests. Offerings were made to them regularly to bring their blessings upon the people. There was a sense of hierarchy about the gods as well with Isis enjoying a higher position than the local gods like Tawaret. The primary difference in this came from the institutional gods be ing there to help in concerns of kingship whereas the local gods were prominent among the locals of Egyptian towns. There was a kind of ascendency involved with the higher state gods starting out as local deities but climbing slowly to a higher level as more temples were built in their name and opportunities for their worship increased.

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Education - Essay Example therefore carry out effective changes that will ensure that the education system in the country is commensurate to the improving lifestyle in the country† (Jeff 02). This way, the two reports raise myriad factors that shape the nature of education and the trends in the rising demand. Additionally, they analyze some of the education acts formulated by past regimes in the country with the effects of such policies. The increase in the population of the country coupled with the improving economy has consequently resulted in an improving lifestyle for the citizenry thereby instigating a change in the demand for educational services in the country. Such trend implies that schools, colleges and universities in the country must carry out extensive changes in their structures in order to accommodate the increasing demand for the services in the country. On the need for general education introduces an important concept in the sector as it seeks to investigate the essence of general education in the country. The economic and technological state of the society currently requires a particular degree of enlighten for the populace to survive. This refers to a type of education that every individual in the country requires in order to survive in the American society. As a basic education, the article analyses features of the demand thereby information the formation and management of such education. Just as the name suggests, general education targets the population indiscriminate of their backgrounds. Such are basic education possibly up to the high school level. At such levels, the learners obtain adequate interpersonal and communication skills that can enable them make a living in the society. However, just as the name suggests the demand is likely to be high for such education in the country owing to the rising population. The government must therefore consider intricate features of the education in order to ensure that the quality of the education is not only attainable