Alzheimers disease Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alzheimers disease - Term Paper Example 1). In fact, Alzheimer’s disease happens to be the most common form of dementia in this nation. Dementia in fact happens to be a large set covering a range of illnesses that involve deterioration of the nerve cells or a loss of their ability to work normally. Alzheimer’s disease is a serious condition that renders the patient incapable of performing the most basic of bodily activities like swallowing and walking. The irony is that Alzheimer’s disease in the long run eventually ends up being fatal. Though it is a still quiet difficult to explain as to how the Alzheimer’s disease process begins, it would be safe to say that the damage to the nerve cells in this disease begins a decade or more before the actual symptoms begin to appear (Newport & Hirsch, 2011). In the preclinical stage the patients in the Alzheimer’s disease tend to appear normal, however, the toxic alterations and changes in the brain do tend to start much earlier. The disease is characterized by abnormal deposits of proteins leading to the formation of tau tangles and amyloid plaques allover in the brain (Newport & Hirsch, 2011). Thereby the neurons which happened to be early healthier, begin to function in an abnormal manner. In the long run the neurons begin to lose the ability to work and communicate with each other, eventually leading to their death. Gradually the disease spreads to the hippocampus part of the brain, which is the repository of memories (Newport & Hirsch, 2011). With the gradu al demise of neurons, the parts of brain proceed to shrink. In the long run the damage grows over to be widespread leading to a significant shrinking of the brain tissue (Newport & Hirsch, 2011). Alzheimer’s disease actually happens to be a progressive brain disease marked by symptoms like memory changes that disrupt normal life, confusions pertaining to time and place, difficulty in accomplishing even the most basic of

Business information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Business information system - Essay Example There are many factors that are contributing to the increasing vulnerability of organizational information assets. Given below are some of the important factors that play significant role in making the organizational assets vulnerable (Prentice Hall, 2010; KingCounty, 2009; Turban et al., 2005): Internet Vulnerabilities The research has shown that open or public networks such as the Internet are more vulnerable than internal networks for the reason that they are virtually open to everyone. Hence, when the Internet turns out to be an important part of the business network, and the most of the business tasks are supported by this network then the organization’s information arrangements also become open for attacks from outsiders. Wireless Security Challenges Wireless networks based on radio technology are also vulnerable to security penetration for the reason that radio frequency bands are easy to scan and detect for the attackers. These days Wi-Fi technology is extensively avai lable and offering great deal of support for connectivity and information sharing. However, these networks always remain the major target of attackers which can cause problems for the organizations and attacks against information system. Malicious Software: Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses, and Spyware A malicious software program can cause a variety of threats for example worms, computer viruses and Trojan horses. These threats can cause massive destruction to organizations’ resources in the forms of theft of organizational information, personal data theft and huge danger to corporate and personal information. Hackers and Cybervandalism A hacker is a person who aims to obtain illegal access to an information system. However, in the hacking community, the term cracker is normally employed to demonstrate a hacker with criminal objectives, though in the public press, the terms cracker and hacker are employed interchangeably. These hackers can get access to an organization’s network and launch a variety of security attacks such as: (Prentice Hall, 2010; KingCounty, 2009; Turban et al., 2005): Spoofing and sniffing Denial of service attacks Identity theft Question 2: Contrast unintentional and deliberate threats to an information resource. Provide two (2) examples of both. Information systems are vulnerable and in danger due to a number of possible threats and hazards. However, there are two major types of threats known as deliberate threats and unintentional threats. Given below are acts with no malicious determination and with malicious determination (Rainer, 2009; Safari Books Online, 2013; E.Whitman, 2004): Unintentional Threats Device Loss Human errors or mistakes are the major causes of un-intentional threats that can happen due to human error or due to negligence of human. For example, a person who has lost his device, mobile or laptop which be misused by an attacker for carrying out illegal activities. Temporary Hires Temporary hires are also ma jor type of unintentional threats. In this scenario, temporary workers including contract labor, janitors, consultants, and guards can also create serious security loss for the organizations. Contract labor, for example temporary hires, can be ignored in information security policy. Though, these staff members can unintentionally access the

Studying Industrial Engineering and Management | Reflection

Studying Industrial Engineering and Management | Reflection During the past four years, I studied industrial engineering with specialization in electronics at Ostend. The emphasis of my studies was understanding the fundamental electronic principles that govern modern day electronics. But I also learned about other diverse topics such as safety, economics, and industrial management. I found the last topic, industrial management, to be very interesting and exciting, because one of my career aspirations is to participate in the senior management of an industrial company. To further my career aspiriations of becoming part of a senior management team, I want to obtain a Masters Degree in Industrial Management. Having this knowledge will allow me to better understand management principles. With all the uncertainty and changes in with world, political, economic, and technological, I believe that management must have a solid understanding, supported by a strong academic foundation, of how to guide companies through these challenging times. No education is complete without experience. Armed with a solid understanding of academic principles, I can begin my career where I will add to my experience. Because I will be well versed in the theory, I will be able to adapt and modify the theoretical constructs as required in order to meet my companys needs. I fully recognize that our political, economic, and technological environments are constantly changing, and thus management needs to be able to adapt quickly and accurately to the new conditions if the company is to survive, let alone prosper. I believe obtaining a Masters Degree will provide the necessary background for me to be to anticipate and react to ever-changing environments. I have completed my four year Bachelor of Technology program at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. I graduated in July 1998 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Many of my courses and research activities in the final year were in the field of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research with a strong focus on production and operations management. I am presently working in Tata Technologies India Ltd., an information technology firm that is involved in the areas of enterprise integration and CAD/CAM. I am applying for admission and financial aid to the Ph.D. program in Operations Management at the Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University. Detailed information about my academic record and my research and other experience is attached to this statement. I was introduced to mathematics and the physical sciences while at school and it was in high school that I considered a career in this area. The desire to study the applied physical sciences and mathematics prompted me to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology. I was ranked in the top 0.25 % of the nearly 1,00,000 students who took the examination. My undergraduate education at IIT Bombay has not only given me a certain set of skills but has also helped me understand my fields of interest and my academic strengths and weaknesses. This understanding has made me realize that though the applied physical sciences appeal to me, my strengths lie in applied mathematics and in abstractions of reality. In particular, I am interested in the managerial aspects of industrial and technological systems. This interest developed during my junior year seminar titled Productivity Management in which I explored the relationship between manufacturing strategy and productivity improvement. I continued further research in this area through my senior year project titled Decision Support System for Quality Control which sought to investigate various decision making mechanisms in the quality function and provide corresponding computer support. The project also enabled me to appreciate the interaction between manufacturing and the other functions of the firm especially information systems. The reading of certain outstanding books during the course of my research such as Skinners Manufacturing in the Corporate Strategy, Demings Out of the Crisis and Goldratts The Goal finally convinced me to pursue a Ph.D. in operations management and an academic career thereafter. My past work in the area of industrial engineering and operations research was characterised by a dichotomy of approaches. The courses that I took in this area dealt with various operational and tactical issues. The basic aim was to understand a specific problem, model the problem appropriately and find an optimal or reasonably optimal solution using the techniques of operations research. This has given me a good background in issues related to methodology, modelling, and heuristic solutions. On the other hand, my research has been oriented towards strategic issues. The basic thrust of my junior year seminar and senior year project has been integrative. Through my future research efforts I would like to understand this dichotomy better. Initially, I want to study rigorous model-based methods and do research on operational and tactical topics. After gaining a thorough grounding in these topics, I am interested in applying the same methodologies and techniques to strategic topics in op erations management. I believe that I have the qualities to be a good researcher and teacher. I am a creative person and often think in a contemplative way about various issues of practical importance. Being able to identify patterns and relationships that are not obvious to others is perhaps my greatest strength. This will prove very valuable because an integral part of being a researcher and teacher is to perceive the balance between theory and practice, analytical rigor and intuition. My communication skills are good and I like expressing ideas and concepts both in oral and written form an ideal platform for the dissemination of knowledge in my chosen field of specialization. The Krannert Graduate School of Management is one of the best schools of management in the world with a strong orientation towards research. The diversity of research interests in the operations management group is of particular interest to me. The eminent faculty and the individualized nature of the doctoral program will definitely bring out the best in me. I would like to reiterate that I possess the background, the ability and the motivation to make a significant contribution to Operations Management. I hope you will take a favorable decision regarding my admission to the Ph.D. program and I look forward to joining the Krannert Graduate School of Management and Purdue University. ============== Like most young kids in computer science, my first interest was in computer graphics. I remember my interest in graphics led me to build a single player Tic-Tac-Toe game with some nice graphics and show it off to my friends. However, I soon realized that my Tic-Tac-Toe is actually quite stupid and almost always lost to my friends. I started working on it and made it more intelligent so that it never loses to anyone, and wins most of the times. I didnt realize that I was working on Artificial Intelligence at that time, but thats how my interest in AI started growing. Since then my exposures, associations with clubs, readings, and undergraduate work all have served to push me into deciding to study, research, teach and discover different aspects of AI, particularly those that connect computer science with robotics, and logic-based planning under incomplete knowledge. I am now completely taken in by the challenge of solving complex problems, and making generalizations and relationships that concern writing programs which will make machines think, analyze and learn. AI excites me also because its becoming a potpourri of all kinds of knowledges. Apart from AI I have also developed a keen interest on Bioinformatics through my undergraduate research work during the last few months. Bioinformatics is an area I didnt know much about. However, since I started my research on sequence analysis, I have got more and more interested on this area, particularly on processes by which a genes information can be converted into the functions of a cell. Life outside classes has been quite exciting for me and I am really enjoying my research work under Dr. Gurpur M. Prabhu. I am currently working on a project on sequence analysis of DNA and then predict functions of the resulting protein. The idea we are working on is to use Conways Look and Say Sequence and incorporate some of its properties in the DNA sequence. The first obvious difference between the two is that Conways sequence contains primarily three characters (1, 2, 3), whereas there are four characters (A, T, C, G) to deal with in the DNA sequence. I first tried to see whether its possible to generate characters other than those three, for example 0 or 4. I proved that its not possible for any other character to appear in the successors of the original string, unless it was present in the original string itself. Another interesting property of the Conways Sequence is its 92 audioactive elements, just like elements in the normal periodic table and the concept of compound that can be formed using these elements. I am currently working on a program which tests and verifies the similarity of the properties of these elements with the real world elements. Recently I found that though the compound MgCl cannot exist in the real world (only MgCl2 exists), this compound can be formed using Conways elements. I am currently also working on a semester long research project for an AI course on developing artificial intelligence for the game Othello, also known as Reversi. I am particularly focusing on the evaluation function and the search techniques. I also discovered that the mobility of the opponent is crucial to the strategy. The idea is to make a move that will restrict the possible moves of the opponent. I am using alpha beta search for this problem. I discovered that finding the better move towards the beginning cuts off many moves and thus makes it faster. Currently I am working on this algorithm to order the moves so that the better moves come first. I also plan to make it learn inductively in the next step. Another project I recently started under Dr. Prabhu is on a concept called negative-language. At times it is easier to define something by saying what its not than what it is. One such example is justice; its easier to say what justice isnt than what it is. I am using Disjunctive logic programming to work on this problem using DLVk Java Wrapper. Often its easier to decide whether a particular solution is optimal or not, than to find the optimal solution. Our goal is to solve this kind of problems effectively. Now I am also closing in on a yet another watershed decision in my life of studying higher and deeper into the area of computer science and get into research in fields like AI, or Bioinformatics. Under the Ph.D. program I will get enough scope to translate my thinking and ideas to reality by application to the real problem. This will build up my self-confidence if I am successful. Otherwise, if I fail in a particular application I will get scope to find the reasons and modify it in the next step. Actually, Im looking forward to an in-depth and challenging hands-on experience in my Ph.D. career. Being on a Ph.D. program will also provide me the opportunity to attend conferences and symposium on my chosen area and I will be able to listen to the experts in the area as well as have interactions with them. This will certainly enable me to enrich my knowledge and keep myself updated on the recent developments. Moreover, I believe that the Ph.D. program will help me to enhance my independ ent thinking and analysis of a problem. This will be of much importance to me in the next career step, when I aspire to take up my own problem and build up own group. I believe, doing my Ph.D. in University of California, Santa Barbara will expose me to a deeper area of my chosen topic and will provide me a much optimized environment to expand my knowledge on the subject through associations and interactions with my supervisor and other faculty experts in the department. My reasons of choosing University of California, Santa Barbara are three. First, this university offers a wonderful Ph.D. program in Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence; two, it has an acclaimed network of closely working labs that engage in lots of sponsored research Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence. On my own, I am interested in doing something in areas like Active Logic, Metacognitive Computation, Simple Hierarchical Ordered Planning, and Sequence Analysis of DNA and all of these are very much there in University of California, Santa Barbara in some variant or other. And third, most importantly, presence of professors like Dr. Ambuj Singh, Dr. Tobias Hollerer, Dr. Terrence Smith, and Dr. Matthew Turk who have been passionately working in the field of Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence also influenced me a lot. The presence of these factors led to University of California, Santa Barbara being my preferred choice. If I do my Ph.D. from University of California, Santa Barbara, I will have the opportunity of interacting with them, and who knows, of even working with them on a path breaking idea. ========== When introduced to economics in high school I realized that it interestingly qualified as a subject of both Arts and Science. It was an area defined by precise rules, principles and axioms and yet there was tremendous scope for self-expression in the form of interpretation and analysis. This facet of economics intrigued me very much and I decided to pursue further studies in Economics. During my Masters program I equipped myself as best as I could, with various tools used in economic analysis. I obtained rigorous training in mathematics, econometrics and game theory. After completing the Masters program, I joined National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, as I was very eager to see how one might use economics to tackle real life problems, where simplified models, and assuming away of problems may offer no respite. I did some very interesting work here, which is described in my resume. I want to delve deeper into the subject to be able to carry out independent research and analysis, hence my decision to join the Ph.D. program at UCLA. International Economics is an area I would really like to explore. I am fascinated by game theoretic modeling of issues pertaining to International Economics. I believe that game theoretic models can be effectively used in international economics as many policy issues such as negotiations over mutual reductions in tariffs, formation and preservation of customs unions, establishment of cartels in the case of internationally traded goods, all have some game theoretic character. The current Regionalism versus Multilateralism debate holds its own attraction. It should be interesting to analyze the trade diversion effects of Preferential Trading Agreements and also their impact on multilateral institutions like GATT. The strategic trading that takes place in foreign exchange markets and the variety of auction like mechanisms that have been used for foreign exchange trade, especially in developing countries, are intriguing. During my graduate studies I aim to equip myself with some advanced tools and develop my analytical and research capabilities. I want to get an excellent command over econometrics to be able to confront stochastic statistical data with exact models of economic theories and also for empirical verification of other models, which might otherwise be set in a partial equilibrium framework. I expect to emerge as an economic engineer and an expert in model building.Econometrics per se, also interests me as a subject of economics and I might like to research in econometric methodology. I want to be an academic economist. I have cleared the National Eligibility test conducted by the University Grants Commission of India, which makes me eligible to teach an undergraduate course in economics in any Indian university. I want to study at UCLA, as it emphasizes on the rigor and analytical tools that are necessary for academic research. I have well-developed analytical and mathematical skills and I want to exploit these skills to the greatest extent. I feel the help and guidance that can be provided to me by the distinguished faculty of your university will be invaluable. I am sure if I am given the opportunity to study at your university that attracts some of the best students from all over the world, it will provide an environment competitive enough to bring out the best in me. =============== wish to become an accomplished academic researcher in the field of strategic management and I am convinced that the XXXX School of  Business is the best context for me to pursue studies at the doctoral level. My professors have all encouraged me to continue my studies of  management and I am confident that I will be successful in this quest. Several of my professors as well as colleagues have suggested that  XXXX might be a great location for me to pursue my doctoral work. My business experience is a prominent factor in my qualifications  since I have worked as a consultant at one of Koreas leading strategy-consulting firms. I am most pleased with the way that I have been  able to help my clients organizations perform better. And I have also been engaged in research for several years Throughout my Masters program at XXXX University, I struggled to refine my analytical skills and research capabilities concerning  strategic management, organization, and international business, resting on a solid foundation of statistics and methodology. My most relevant  academic experience in research has been assisting Professor XXXX in writing a report on XXXXs core competence. This experience has  helped me to better understand that research is what means most to me in my professional life. Writing my masters thesis was also a most  important learning experience preparing me for doctoral study. The thesis investigated factors influencing founder-CEO replacements in  venture companies and in Korean entrepreneurial firms. Drawing on three different perspectives, namely the organizational life cycle,  founder-CEO characteristics, and founder-CEOs power, I developed a conceptual framework and collected data from DART, the  electronic disclosure system of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS); the Company Data XXXX, and KINDS, the database of the Korea  Press Foundation. This was the first study of this kind to be conducted in Korea, since it dealt with event-history analysis performed using  STATA. This study is now under second review at the Korean Management Review and I am presenting an updated English version at the  5th Asia Academy of Management (AAoM) this December. I profoundly enjoyed all phases of the research process, especially developing  hypothesis, the collection of data, and running statistical analyses-as well as drawing conclusions. I am especially enamored with the  discussion of critical issues in management with professors and colleagues. My thesis resulted in a study now under second review at the  Korean Management Review, indisputably the top management journal in Korea, and I am presenting an updated English version at the 5th  Asia Academy of Management (AAoM) meeting this December. I am very pleased tha t my academic research has been appreciated by  renowned researchers in the field. I look forward to learning a great deal more about corporate governance in the Ph.D. program at the XXXX School of Business, especially  topics related to CEOs and top management teams. Building on my previous research, I want to continue to study the consequences of  founder-CEO replacement, and how entrenched CEOs influence a firms performance. I am interested in the management of innovation and  technology and would like to investigate how different technology acquisition strategies, including networks, lead to innovation and, in turn,  to competitive advantage in the high-tech industry. I am also fascinated by the knowledge management strategy of multinational  corporations, the field of expertise of my thesis advisor Professor XXXX. The first academic research I engaged in was a project commissioned by the XXXX Bank. As a Senior at XXXX University, Professor XXXX asked me to assist him with his investigation of the reasons behind a recent surge of Korean patents in the US. My responsibility  was to write a case study on the Korean semiconductor industry, which played a central role in increased patents. I wrote a qualitative case  in English along with four other graduate students and learned invaluable teamwork skills. This study was published in 2003 as a research  report What is Behind the Surge in Korean Patenting? by the XXXX Bank. I also assisted Professor XXXX with his study of XXXXs  core competence from multiple perspectives. Through collaboration with the XXXX Economic Research Institute (XERI), I was  responsible for conducting literature reviews on various topics including but not limited to core competence, synergy, corporate  governance, diversification, and organizational learning and I presented my findings at weekly meetings. The result of this research XXXX  Way: The Great Transformation of XXXX since the 1990s was published as a research report in 2004. I am presently working as a research assistant at the Graduate School of Business Administration at XXXX University. I am assisting  Professor XXXX with his research on the knowledge management strategy of multinational corporations, which is a collaborative work  with Professor XXXX of XXXX. This research examines the internationalization process of RD activities of US, European, and Asian  companies from an evolutionary perspective. My main responsibility is to conduct research on each companys internationalization process  according to functional areas and collect quantitative data ready for analysis. During this process, I am learning how to manage a joint  research project and gaining familiarity with Japanese databases such as XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. I feel strongly that my studies, coupled with my research experience, have provided me with a diverse set of knowledge and skills that  make me an excellent candidate for doctoral study in this field. My enthusiasm and good cheer, coupled with sound fundamentals in  management theory will provide me with the driving force that I will need to be a successful life-long researcher. I am fascinated by the management of innovation and technology. On the one hand, I am interested in how different technology acquisition  strategies, such as alliances, acquisitions, and networks, lead to innovation and, in turn, to competitive advantage. And I am deeply intrigued  by the characteristics and influence of network effects of internet-based industries, especially online game companies and the social  network service (SNS) providers. I also wish to become more in tune with the knowledge management strategy of multinational companies  I have discovered that my academic interests fit especially well with the research interests of outstanding faculty members in the area of  management and organization at the XXXX School of Business. I especially value XXXXs emphasis of the importance of and support for  teaching excellence. As someone who very much wants to become a professor, I think that being an effective educator is as important as  being an important rese archer. I am attracted by the fact that XXXXs undergraduate program provides an opportunity for many graduate  students to gain invaluable teaching experience. I also admire XXXXs supportive environment for research. At XXXX, I am confident that  I will develop invaluable research and teaching skills while having the privilege to interact with attentive professors and intellectually-gifted  colleagues. I hope to teach at a school of business in the United States, where I plan to struggle to add my name to the long list of distinguished  scholars that have come from your program. I sincerely believe that the Ph.D. program at the XXXX School of Business is the best match  for my strong motivation. I have no doubt that I have made the right choice to spend five years at XXXX as a Ph.D. student. I have found  that my academic interests fit well with the research areas of the outstanding faculty and resources of XXXX, including the Center for  Global Business and the Center for Human Capital, Technology, and Innovation. I value XXXXs support for interdisciplinary learning. I  would like to use this opportunity to advance my understandings in a variety of specific areas in the field of management, and gain expertise  knowledge in economics which I believe will be of foundational importance for my future study. Finally, and of primary importance, I  admire XXXXs dynamic supp ort for research. I strongly believe that one of the most important elements in pursuing a successful  academic career is to have a good mentor who can closely guide you academically, and in person, as well. I am confident that I will develop invaluable research and teaching skills while interacting with attentive professors and intellectually-gifted  colleagues. After graduation, I will seek an academic career at a leading American business school. I would like to see myself publishing at  top journals and winning teaching awards for teaching excellence and, in the long run, I hope to positively add to the reputation of XXXX  by adding my name to its long list of prominent scholars. I want to thank you for consideration of this application. ============= Ever since I was a child I have been concerned with poverty, not my own poverty, but that of others, especially in Third World or  developing countries. This concern led me to develop a profound fascination with the study of economics, the inequality between  developed and developing countries, in particular, and a search for creative directions in which to foster economic development on an  international level. Now, I very much want to push ahead with this interest, studying towards a graduate degree in economics. I have  chosen to apply to XXXX University for several reasons, especially the renown of the faculty for exploring questions of economic  development in creative ways. I am also especially attracted to the highly international character of this university, along with its  cosmopolitan location near the heart of Los Angeles. I have long been interested in international economics and international relations because my life has been always affected by them. While in  junior high school, I had a chance to visit North Korea for three months for a music/performing arts exchange. Although I stayed in Pyong  Yang, the capital of North Korea, I witnessed great poverty-many local people wearing ragged clothes, and very thin malnourished  children searching for food in the streets. All information was totally controlled by the government and people do not have economic and  political freedom. I was so shocked by the disparity in North Korea and by the large gap between the living conditions in Japan. During my freshman year in university in Japan, I participated in a two-week summer school program at XXXX University in Thailand. Although the political and economic structure of Thailand is more open to the rest of the world than North Korea, economy has not  developed as other Asian countries such as Japan, China and South Korea. While visiting a HOYA factory, which is one of the major  firms for the lenses, I learned that such factories had recently greatly expanded by developed countries through the exploitation of third  world countries. It is time for us to reconsider our economic system and renovate the alternative methods of economic development. While in undergraduate, I had a great opportunity to present my research on sex trafficking at the annual spring symposium. A great  number of women in the third world countries are engaged in human trafficking (human trading) and sex industry as their ultimate means  to survive and protect their families. Due to the ineffective national economic policy and international economic regulations established on behalf of the developed countries, poverty issue has not been alleviated. As economic discrepancy gets larger among the nations, it   aggravates the international tensions and it would finally trigger international conflicts. The more I recognize the severity of problems  confronted by our global society, the more strongly I believe the way to avoid conflict and improve economic conditions is to act from a  professional point of view After obtaining a masters degree in Economics, I strongly hope to work in the sphere of economic affairs concerning international  economic development. For such a future career, my working experiences play an important role in understanding professionalism. In  2003, I was volunteering for the non-profit organization called People for the Advanced Cambodian Education (PACE) and since  September 2005, I worked as a computer lab assistant at XXXX University. After graduating from XXXX University, I started to work  for the XXXX Company as a full-time sales associate. The company is one of the imported oriental food and supplies distributors in the  United States. Through this job, I truly realized that local business significantly affects the international business and such economic  interaction has fundamental influence to the international economy. Moreover, through all my professional experiences, I learned how to  cope with problems efficiently with professional mann ers and how to establish relationships with co-workers as a team. I also acquired  leadership skills that I would be required in a real society. Though career opportunities may place me in a variety of professional positions,  my final goal is to work at the United Nations. What I expect to learn from graduate school is to obtain academic foundation required for  such a career and find a way to apply methods to the real world. This is the incentives that stimulate me to pursue further studying and the  motives for my choice of University of XXXX. Economic Developmental Programming at XXXX is a very rare MA degree on the west  coast and it suits my needs and professional goals. Since I have taken only a few lectures relevant to the quantitative economics, it is  significantly important for me to take mathematical methods in economics as well as economic development in order to apply them to the  practical problems of developing countries. I truly believe that a graduate degree in International Relations from XXXX, combined with my  own interests and experiences, will provide ample chances for accomplishing my professional goals

Childhood Obesity Essay -- Obesity in Children

One of the biggest problems we currently face as a society is obesity. People all over the nation question why we are having this problem and who is responsible. Who do we turn to to educate our society so that we may address this problem the correct way? The answer: healthy eating habits and exercising should be taught early in a child's life. An excellent place to build these fitness foundations is where children spend almost a third of their time: at school. Physical education should be available for all kindergarten through twelfth-grade students in order to tackle the problems of obesity. The number of overweight youth has more than doubled in the past thirty years according to an article, 'Is Physical Education Becoming an Oxymoron' written by Vicki Worrel, a Physical Education professor at Wichita State University. In addition, fifteen percent out of nine million children, ages six to nineteen, are overweight according to the article 'The Growing Cost of Obesity.' Obesity is one of our nation's largest and most expensive health problems. Obese children have a higher chance of growing up to become obese adults (Troxler 24). As you can see in the statements above, it?s obvious that obesity is a continuing and growing problem and all starts at an early age. Physical activity should be encouraged at an early age. It would be best to make physical education a required school curriculum. A student taking a physical education class will have many benefits. For example, a child taking a physical education class will learn about proper exercising. It would also be wise if the instructors integrated information about healthy eating habits into the curriculum to further increase a child?s knowledge on good dieting. This will help a child develop physically more in strength and endurance which in turn will build healthy bones, muscles, and muscle development. Furthermore, at the same time a child will maintain a healthy weight from eating a nutritional diet. Having studied some physical education classes from personal experience, the coach was very passionate about being healthy. Before leaving P.E. class everyday, he would review all the major food groups and stress that the students stay away from fried foods and consume more fruit in their di et. There are many benefits to exercise. Physical activity can help increase self-esteem and reduce stress an... ...education to all the children in school. This will, in turn, guide our future generation to follow a hale and hearty exercising and diet programs. In addition, such programs will initiate a smaller percentage of children becoming obese and thus growing up as regular healthy adults. As a society, we should depend on the schools to educate our children on physical education and healthy eating habits. Physical education classes should be available for all grades from kindergarten to twelfth grade in order to face the problems of obesity in our society. Works Cited: Loewy, Michael I. Working with Obese Children in Schools. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 2012. ?The Growing Cost of Obesity: An Article? National Association of Convenience Store Online. 15 May. 2013. < http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/Daily_News_Archives/May2013/nd0515034.htm> Troxler, Howard. ?Much Mind Exercise and Too Little Physical Education Cause Flab.? The Times. October 2013. Worrel, Vicki. ?Is Physical Education Becoming an Oxymoron: An Article? University Communications, Wichita State University. 19 Sep. 2013. < http://webs.wichita.edu/dt/newsletter/show/?NID=1768&AID=4006> Childhood Obesity Essay -- Obesity in Children One of the biggest problems we currently face as a society is obesity. People all over the nation question why we are having this problem and who is responsible. Who do we turn to to educate our society so that we may address this problem the correct way? The answer: healthy eating habits and exercising should be taught early in a child's life. An excellent place to build these fitness foundations is where children spend almost a third of their time: at school. Physical education should be available for all kindergarten through twelfth-grade students in order to tackle the problems of obesity. The number of overweight youth has more than doubled in the past thirty years according to an article, 'Is Physical Education Becoming an Oxymoron' written by Vicki Worrel, a Physical Education professor at Wichita State University. In addition, fifteen percent out of nine million children, ages six to nineteen, are overweight according to the article 'The Growing Cost of Obesity.' Obesity is one of our nation's largest and most expensive health problems. Obese children have a higher chance of growing up to become obese adults (Troxler 24). As you can see in the statements above, it?s obvious that obesity is a continuing and growing problem and all starts at an early age. Physical activity should be encouraged at an early age. It would be best to make physical education a required school curriculum. A student taking a physical education class will have many benefits. For example, a child taking a physical education class will learn about proper exercising. It would also be wise if the instructors integrated information about healthy eating habits into the curriculum to further increase a child?s knowledge on good dieting. This will help a child develop physically more in strength and endurance which in turn will build healthy bones, muscles, and muscle development. Furthermore, at the same time a child will maintain a healthy weight from eating a nutritional diet. Having studied some physical education classes from personal experience, the coach was very passionate about being healthy. Before leaving P.E. class everyday, he would review all the major food groups and stress that the students stay away from fried foods and consume more fruit in their di et. There are many benefits to exercise. Physical activity can help increase self-esteem and reduce stress an... ...education to all the children in school. This will, in turn, guide our future generation to follow a hale and hearty exercising and diet programs. In addition, such programs will initiate a smaller percentage of children becoming obese and thus growing up as regular healthy adults. As a society, we should depend on the schools to educate our children on physical education and healthy eating habits. Physical education classes should be available for all grades from kindergarten to twelfth grade in order to face the problems of obesity in our society. Works Cited: Loewy, Michael I. Working with Obese Children in Schools. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 2012. ?The Growing Cost of Obesity: An Article? National Association of Convenience Store Online. 15 May. 2013. < http://www.nacsonline.com/NACS/News/Daily_News_Archives/May2013/nd0515034.htm> Troxler, Howard. ?Much Mind Exercise and Too Little Physical Education Cause Flab.? The Times. October 2013. Worrel, Vicki. ?Is Physical Education Becoming an Oxymoron: An Article? University Communications, Wichita State University. 19 Sep. 2013. < http://webs.wichita.edu/dt/newsletter/show/?NID=1768&AID=4006>

Firsthand experience Essay

Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes. What makes you happy may not make someone else happy. The idea of happiness may not be the same for any two people, or maybe not for anyone you come across with. Happiness is an emotion causes by thousands of things. It is an abstract idea that cannot be fully described. What makes you happy changes as you get older, you do not like the same things your whole life so it is normal that your interests start to change. Like mentioned before not everyone has the same interests and cannot feel happiness from the same things. From firsthand experience I can say that I am the perfect example of finding different happiness. They have changed from my years in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Let’s start with elementary school. When I was in elementary school what brought me happiness was having time to spend at my friend’s house after school. Because I lived far away from the school that I attended I didn’t really know anyone in my neighborhood. There were days though that my parents would let me go to a friend’s house and stay there for a few hours while they got out of work. I didn’t have to be at my grandma’s house bored so that made me really happy, and I had a lot of fun while I was there so that made it even better. Another thing that made me feel happiness was being able to go two days out of the week to band practice. I liked being able to play my instrument and making beautiful sound come out of something so little. Playing with the band was my thing I could not stop smiling and feeling all this joy inside as I played. When the director put his arms up and signaled us to start playing was so thrilling knowing that we were about to make beautiful music all together. I think back and see how simple things made me really happy as a child. Now let’s talk about middle school. While I was in middle school I was still in band and yes it still brought me happiness. The main thing that brought me happiness while I was in middle school was being a little more free from home and my parents. If I remember correctly it was seventh grade that I went to my first dance, you can imagine my excitement. When I was at the dance my friends and I were having a great time, we were laughing and dancing the whole time. Because it was my first dance it was a very fun time, and it brought so much happiness to be able to share that experience with my friends. When I was in high school all of my interests changed and even now I have the same interests. I found my passion for singing so I auditioned to join the school choir and I made it. Being in choir class was the best thing that I did when I was in high school. The happiness that I felt when I walked into that class every day I have no words to describe it. To top it all off when I started to sing and hear the chords we would all make together gave me the chills. There was not a single day that passed where hearing myself and others around me sing was not magical. When I would have a bad day I waited for third period to talk into class grab my folder from my cubic and start to sing and just forget about everything. Music was my escape from being upset, it was the way for me to forget about what was going on in my life. The happiness I felt was so great, even now I turn to music for help and comfort. In conclusion, happiness is an abstract emotion that cannot be easily defined. Not everyone feels happiness in the exact same way or from the same things. But no matter where our happiness comes from we all feel it. We feel it as kids, as teenagers, and as adults. Even though what causes us happiness may change the characteristics of it do not. The smile, the giggle, and the butterflies in your stomach do not disappear. From firsthand experience I know that we all go through phases, but not matter how old we get, we are always going to be happy.

The Increase of Illicit Stimulant Use on College Campuses

The Increase of Illicit Stimulant Use on College Campuses Stephanie Lobe Upper Iowa University December 5, 2011 ABSTRACT Numerous studies are finding that college students in the United States are relying on stimulant medications prescribed for ADHD without a prescription and for nonmedical reasons, most commonly because students believe these medications can enhance their cognitive performance. Research finds that students report these stimulants have become a part of the college culture and are easier to obtain than alcohol.This paper will discuss the prevalence of use on college campuses in the United States and both the academic and nonacademic motivations these students use prescription stimulants illicitly. In the United States, the domestic sales for prescription stimulant ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine are increasing at significant rates. Between 1991 and 1999, sales of these prescription stimulants increas ed over 500 percent. As the rate of legal use increases, so does the rate of illegal or nonmedical use, especially on our college campuses.Data shows that these drugs have high abuse potentials and produce effects very similar to cocaine. Because of the potential for physical and psychological dependency and risk of abuse, the US Drug Enforcement Administration classifies these stimulants as Schedule II substances (Woodworth, 2000). Unfortunately, most students consider these drugs safe and do not realize the potential side effects and risk for abuse. There is a perception that nonmedical use of these drugs is morally acceptable if used for academic rather than recreational purposes (DeSantis, 2008).In, 2002, there had not yet been a lot of research conducted on illicit stimulant use on campus. At this time, Graf Low and A. E. Gendaszak surveyed undergraduates at a small college in the United States to gather information on the legal and illegal use of stimulants on the college camp us. The authors also wanted to explore how perfectionism and sensation seeking behavior contributed to abuse of both legal and illegal stimulants. Low and Gendaszak hypothesized that students influenced by perfectionism would be likely to abuse prescription stimulants (i. e.Ritalin, Adderall) and sensation seeking students would be more likely to abuse both prescription stimulants and illegal stimulants (i. e. methamphetamines, cocaine). Of 160 questionnaires distributed to students in an undergraduate psychology course, 150 questionnaires were returned. The questionnaires assessed selected demographic variables and the abuse of prescription and illegal stimulants during the previous 12 months. It is important to note that for this study, illicit stimulant use is defined as taking prescription stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin, etc) without a prescription.Illegal stimulant use is defined as taking the illegal â€Å"street† stimulants cocaine or MDMA (ecstasy). Participants were a lso questioned about their reasons for using stimulants. Two measures that have demonstrated reliability and validity with college students were administered to assess possible correlates of use: the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Sensation Seeking Scale. Ten percent of the students participating were prescribed stimulants by a medical professional and researchers automatically categorized them as non-abusers.In this journal article, the authors do not report the total number or percent of participants that were considered illicit users. They do report that analysis of the illicit users showed that 10% abused stimulants monthly and 8% weekly. There were a significantly higher number of men than women reporting illicit use, but no difference in their motivations for use. The common motivations for use were: to improve intellectual performance, to be more efficient and to use in combination with alcohol. Of the total of students participating, 34% reported taking cocaine , MDMA or both within the last 12 months.It was found that illegal stimulant use was highly correlated with illicit use of prescription stimulants. Researchers also found there was a correlation between having a prescription for stimulants and using illegal stimulants. Eighty-eight percent of the illegal users reported using MDMA vs. cocaine with men reporting greater use than women. Almost always, the motivation for illegal stimulant use was for recreational purposes. Sensation seeking and perfectionism were dichotomized based on a median split to produce categorical variables for analysis of variance.A two by two analysis of variance was carried out (high or low perfectionism by high or low sensation seeking) with the illicit use of prescription drugs as the dependent variable and gender as a covariate. The main effect for sensation seeking was significant, but perfectionism was not associated with self-reported use. However, the two-way interaction between sensation seeking and p erfectionism was significant. High sensation seeking perfectionists had the greatest self-reported abuse of prescription stimulants (Low, 2002).In the research study, Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: a Multimethodical Approach, both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted to collect data on college students’ perceptions of illicit prescription stimulant use and the prevalence of use. With the combined methods, 1,811 undergraduate students from a large, public, southeastern research university participated. Seventy-eight of these students had a prescription to treat ADHD and were removed from the study, leaving a total of 1,733 participants.This study found that of those participants, 34 % of used prescription stimulants illegally and for nonmedical reasons. The results suggested that illicit use of the stimulants was more common in Caucasians, men, upperclassmen, and students belonging to Greek organizations. Interviews with students allowed researchers to gather detailed information about their perceptions of stimulant prescription drugs, the circumstances of the first time they used a stimulant and what their motives were.During the interviews, it was discovered how prevalent illicit use of these medications are as well as how casually this use was discussed on campus with many students stating, â€Å"it’s no big deal†. Of the illegal users in the study, 63% used stimulants for the first time in college and for most the first time of use was at a time of high academic stress. For more than two-thirds of these users, this occurred during finals or when they had multiple tests in one day. First time users had little knowledge about the side effects of stimulant medication, the appropriate doses, or the legal consequences of using these drugs illicitly.Of illegal users, 72% reported using the drugs to stay awake and study longer or to concentrate on work. Many students claimed they cou ld be more productive and reported being able to study for up to 3-5 hours straight without getting distracted or taking a break. Others reported the stimulants made them â€Å"smarter† because they were able to memorize & retain information, grasp ideas and recall information better. One participant’s description of the drug Adderall was, â€Å"the stuff is like an academic anabolic steroid†. There were a few students that reported use of the stimulants for nonacademic purposes.Some these reasons included that the drugs gave them the ability to stay up all night for parties, be more talkative and social at parties and feel the effects of alcohol quicker. Students also reported that when crushed and snorted, the drugs produced a high similar to cocaine (DeSantis, 2008). In the study, Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulant Medication Among College Students, authors also investigate how prevalent illicit use is at a Midwestern campus as well as why students are abu sing these drugs. Three different methods were used to recruit students for the study.A list of randomly selected students residing in residence halls, 500 female and 500 male, was obtained from the university’s registrar office. A cover letter and questionnaire were sent to these students and then a second questionnaire was mailed to those who had not responded within two weeks. The researchers also held three sessions that were open to introductory psychology students who would receive credit for completing the questionnaire. The last effort to recruit students included researchers going door to door on men’s wings in residence halls.The combined total of responses was 552. The survey completed consisted of 85 items with the first section including questions about demographics and personal information. The questions on the remainder of the survey used a Likert-type scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree). Questions were separated into two sections for statistical analysis. The second section obtained specific information from individuals who reported they had illicitly taken stimulant medication.Results from the survey found that 17% of the men surveyed and 11% of the women surveyed had used prescription stimulants for non-medical reasons. Forty-four percent of the students surveyed reported that they knew someone who had used prescribed stimulant medication illicitly for academic or recreational reasons. Authors found that the main reason for use was to increase alertness and energy and use was associated with experiencing time and academic pressures of college life (Hall, 2005). The purpose of a study published in the Journal of Human Pharmacology andDrug Therapy was to explore illicit use of specific prescription stimulants among college students and the reasons and routes of administration associated with illicit use of these drugs. The study was conducted at a large Midwestern university in 2005. A ran dom sample of 5,389 full-time, undergraduate students were selected from the total population of 20, 138 full-time students. In order to produce reliable prevalence estimates for minority racial and ethnic groups, researchers oversampled 652 Hispanic, 634 African American and 244 Asian students.Students in the sample were mailed a letter describing the study and inviting students to self-administer a confidential web survey. Participants were eligible for a sweepstakes that included cash prizes, travel vouchers and other prizes. The final response rate exceeded the average rate for national college based studies of alcohol and other drugs with a 66% response rate. The final sample closely resembled the demographics of the overall student population and consisted of 4,580 undergraduate students.The results from the survey indicated that 8. 3% of the participants had used illicit prescription stimulants in their lifetime and 5. 9% had used them in the past year. Three out of four of t he illicit users reported taking Adderall and one out of four illicit users reported taking Ritalin. Unlike other studies of this nature, the authors report there were no differences in past year illicit prescription stimulant use between men and women. They did find statistically significant ethnic-racial differences in past year use with 8. % of Hispanics having used illicit prescription stimulants, 7% of Caucasians, 3. 4% of Asians, 1. 9% of African Americans and 3. 6% of those categorized as other. Sixty-five percent of the lifetime users began using illicit prescription stimulants during college rather than before starting college. Logistic regression showed students who began using prescription stimulants illicitly before entering college were three times as likely to use these drugs during college compared to those who had not used them before entering college.When looking at the motivations of students using illicit prescription stimulants, researchers found significant diff erences between gender and ethnic-racial groups. Men were more likely than women to report using these drugs to experiment, get high, and counteract the effects of other drugs. Women were more likely than men to report using prescription stimulants to lose weight, to help study, and to increase alertness. There was not a difference between sexes regarding the most frequently cited motive which was to help with concentration.There were no African Americans that reported using illicit prescription stimulants to get high, but over 20% of Caucasians, Hispanics, Asians, and others reported this as a motive. The results for experimenting as a motive were similar. Most African American students who reported using prescription stimulants illicitly listed the motives to help concentrate or to help study. Students who reported using prescription stimulants illicitly before entering college were more likely to use these drugs during the past year to get high, lose weight or experiment.Students who did not start using prescription stimulants until enrolled in college were more likely to report the motive to help study. The results of this study also revealed findings about the routes in which students administered illicit prescription stimulants. Ninety-five percent of illicit users reported oral administration. Thirty-eight percent reported snorting the prescription stimulants and a very small percentage reported smoking, inhaling or injecting these drugs. Neither gender nor race-ethnicity were associated with routes of administration.However, students who began using illicit prescription stimulants before college were more likely to report snorting the drugs than those who started using during college. The authors report their study is the first to empirically document the claim that use of Adderall is the primary prescription stimulant used illicitly by college students. Hypothesizes to why the use of Adderall may be growing relative to other stimulants such as Ritlan, generally fall into three categories: availability, pharmacokinetic differences between stimulant drugs, and pharmacologic differences.In another study cited by the authors, college students reported Adderall was used more frequently because it was easily accessible, caused fewer emotional ups and downs, and was believed to work better overall. The authors explain that there are differences in the mechanism of action of Adderall that may result in this drug being more appealing to college students. The effects of the drug will last longer and may generate higher dopamine levels in the brain than occur when taking Ritalin (Teter, 2006).A study done by Rachel Judson & Susan W Langdon investigated illicit use of stimulant medications on college campuses considering the theory of planned behavior. This theory states that attitudes, beliefs about social norms, and perceived control work together to create intentions which predict health related behavior. The study included a total of 33 3 participants from two small competitive New England college campuses. Two survey forms were distributed – one for current stimulant prescription holders and one for non-prescription holders. The surveys were self-administered online.The study found that 20% of all participants reported illicit use of stimulants. Of the prescription holders, 46% reported illicit use (using for reasons other than prescribed or at increased doses) and of the non-prescription holders, 18. 3% reported illicit use. The two most predominant motives were to improve concentration and to increase alertness or stay awake. This indicates that academic reasons were more prevalent than recreational reasons for taking the medication. For non-prescription holders, the results were consistent with the theory of planned behavior.Attitudes, perceived norms and a sense of low control held by illicit users may act as rationalizations for their illicit use of stimulant medication (Judson, 2009). Many studies hav e been done investigating how perceived harmfulness influences nonmedical drug use and there have also been separate studies done investigating the association between nonmedical drug use and high sensation-seeking characteristics. This study takes both variables into consideration and explores whether the association between perceived harmfulness and nonmedical drug use vary by level of sensation-seeking.Participants included 1, 253 first year college students from a large, publicly-funded university in the mid-Atlantic region with an ethnically diverse student body. Personal interviews were conducted with participants and then participants were followed up with twice at six month intervals. Researchers examined the association between the two variables of perceived harmfulness and level of sensation-seeking characteristics because they believed it was important to consider the possibility that sensation-seeking characteristics can influence risk perception.Results from this study indicated that one in four students perceived a great risk of harm from occasional nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and analgesics. Low perceived harmfulness and high sensation-seeking were independently associated with increased risk of nonmedical use. At most levels of sensation-seeking, high perceived harmfulness did affect nonmedical prescription drug use; however, among high sensation-seekers, perceived harmfulness was not related to nonmedical use of prescription analgesics.This study found that individuals with low perceived harmfulness were approximately 10 times more likely to use prescription drugs for both stimulants and analgesics, as compared to those individuals with high perceived harmfulness. Another important finding was that individuals with low or moderate sensation-seeking tendencies were especially susceptible to the influence of perceived harmfulness (Arria, 2008). An article published online, New Findings on the Misuse of ADHD Medications by College S tudents, reviews one of the largest studies conducted regarding nonmedical use of stimulants on college campuses.In 2001, nearly 11,000 students attending 119 nationally representative, 4-year colleges in the United States were surveyed about their nonmedical use of prescription stimulants. The involvement of such a high number of universities across the country overcomes one of the major limitations of other studies done on this topic. Because most studies collect data from only one college, the results cannot be accurately generalized to college populations outside of that type of institution or region. This study found that the average rate for nonmedical use of stimulants during the participant’s lifetime was 6. %; during the last year was 4. 1% and during the last month was 2. 1%. The rate of use of stimulants varied dramatically across the campuses surveyed with rates ranging from 0% to as high as 25%. Findings from this study indicate that the highest rates of nonmedic al use of prescription stimulants are highest at colleges with competitive admission standards. More than 80% of schools with a past year prevalence rate higher than 10% had highly competitive admission standards and were located in the Northeast or Southern United States.Results of the motives for illicit stimulant use were comparable to other studies with the three top motivations being to help with concentration, to help with alertness and to get high (Ashley Children's Psychology Center, n. d. ). Most research studies regarding the illicit use of prescription stimulants on college campuses use a randomly selected sample size of over 1,000 participants. In the study, Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimethodological Approach, students participating in part I of the research, a quantitative survey, are recruited through a large introductory communications course.This course is a social science requirement and was selected to represent students from different majors across the campus. To ensure the upperclassmen were also represented in the study, additional surveys were distributed in an upper division communications course as well as the general student body. The second part of the study included qualitative interviews with 175 full-time, undergraduate students. The authors fail to report how these students were recruited.It is not know if these students were randomly selected from the general student population or if they were selected from the group of students who completed the survey. This research was done at a large, southeastern research university in the United States (DeSantis, 2008). Studies relating to the illicit use of stimulants on college campuses have found a significant variance in the prevalence of usage depending on factors such as admission standards and location of the university (Ashley Children's Psychology Center. (n. . ). Due to this, the study done at this southeastern research university canno t be generalized to the college population as a whole. This study used both quantitative and qualitative studies. Data was collected from surveys administered in the classroom as well as from scripted, in-depth interviews with students. The authors designed and pretested the 25-item survey for this study by conducting a pilot study of 94 students. After receiving feedback from the students, question wording and survey structure were revised.The interviews were conducted by students who had all completed an upper-division research methods course and were certified by the university’s institutional review board. Interviewers were assigned specific demographic groups to facilitate the comfort and trust levels of interviewees. Interviews with students allowed researchers to gather detailed information about their perceptions of stimulant prescription drugs, the circumstances of the first time they used a stimulant and what their motives were. Interviews revealed that many student s viewed illicit prescription stimulant use as part of the culture of ampus life (DeSantis, 2008). This study showed that 34% of the students who participated in the study had used prescription stimulant medications for nonmedical purposes. This rate is significantly higher than most published studies about stimulant use on college campuses; however, studies have found that rates vary greatly depending on demographic factors (Teter, 2006). The authors offer three explanations as to the reason their study reported a significantly higher prevalence rate of use on campuses: 1.ADHD stimulant use may be rising nationwide and as time passes, this phenomenon continues to grow; 2. Rates of use may vary on different college campuses and this campus may have a higher prevalence of use; and 3. The relatively high proportion of Greek students in the student body may have contributed to the higher prevalence rate. In relation to explanation 2, it was also noted that this study took place in a st ate that has been ranked as one of the top three states in the nation for ADHD diagnosis.To estimate the proportion of individuals who used illicit stimulants by demographic category, the number of users in each category was divided by the total number surveyed in each category. Using results displayed by demographic category use and non-stimulant use, data was cross tabulated by the same demographics factors and a chi-square analysis was conducted to examine statistically significant differences. The resulting data suggested that illicit prescription stimulant use was more common in men, white students, upperclassmen, and members of Greek organizations. Most other studies have published similar results (DeSantis, 2008).The study, Illicit Use of Specific Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Prevalence, Motives and Routes of Administration found that there is a significantly higher prevalence of use in Caucasian and Hispanic students. These two ethnic groups reported rates of use at 8. 5% and 7%, respectively. Use for African Americans students was only 1. 9%. Another notable difference related to ethnicity was that while over 20% of Hispanic and Caucasian students reported one of the motives of using prescription stimulants was to get high; 0% of African American students reported that motivation (Teter, 2006).Quantitative data showed students’ primary motive for taking ADHD medication was to earn better grades in school. With the augmentation o the qualitative data, researchers discovered a myriad of more subtle motives defining when and why these students took stimulants. Researchers found that most students used prescription stimulants during finals week or periods of high academic stress. They also discovered some what some of the non-academic motives were such as staying up all night for parties, getting drunk quicker, and to be more social (DeSantis, 2008).Other studies have revealed similar findings with other non-academic motives bein g to help with losing weight, to get high, to experiment and to counteract the effects of other drugs (Teter, 2006). As discussed, the possible biases of this study were the fact that there was a high number of students in Greek organizations in the student body and that the study focuses on one campus noting the prevalence of use can vary greatly depending on the region the university is located in as well as other factors such as the competiveness of the school.The authors did not attempt to control these biases in their study, but in future studies an oversampling of students not involved in Greek organizations as well as a sample from several schools across the country could help control these biases (DeSantis, 2008). Each of these studies identifies the prevalent, increasing illicit use of stimulant medications for nonmedical uses, primarily motivated by academic reasons. It is apparent that most students do not know the dangers or risks of taking these medications and prescrip tion stimulants are more socially acceptable than other drugs.Many students appear rationalize their use because it is for academic reasons rather than recreational reasons. This is a terrifying trend that can result in many unwanted outcomes, the worst being death. References: Arria, A. M. , Calderia, K. M. , Vincent, K. B. , O'Grady, K. E. , & Wish, E. D. (2008, July 17). Perceived harmfulness predicts nonmedical use of prescription drugs among college students: Interactions with sensation-seeking. In National Institutes of Health. Retrieved November 10, 2011, from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2574828/ Ashley Children's Psychology Center. (n. d. . New Findings on the Misuse of ADHD Medications by College Students. In Ashley Psychology. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://ashleypsychology. com/Articles/010608. html [pic] DeSantis, A. D. , Webb, E. M. , & Noar, S. M. (2008, November). Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimet hodological Approach. Journal of American College Health, 51(3), 315-325. Retrieved November 12, 2011, from EBSCOhost. Hall, K. M. , Irwin, M. M. , Bowman, K. A. , Frankenberger, W. , & Jewett, D. C. (2005, January). Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulant Medication Among College Students.Journal of American College Health, 53(4), 167-174. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from EBSCOhost. Judson, R. , & Langdon, S. W. (2009, January). Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Prescription Status, Motives, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Knowledge and Self Diagnostic Tendencies. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 14(1), 97-104. doi:10. 1080/13548500802126723. Low, G. K. , & Gendaszek, A. E. (2002, August 1). Illicit Use of Psychostimulants Among College Students: A Preliminary Study. Psychology of Health and Medicine, 7(3), 283-287. doi:10. 1080/13548500220139386Teter, C. J. , McCabe, S. , LaGrange, K. , Cranford, J. A. , & Boyd, C. J. (2006, October 26). Illicit Use of Speci fic Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Prevalence, Motives and Routes of Administration. The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, 26(10), 1501-1510. doi:10. 1592/phco. 26. 10. 1501 Woodworth, T. (2000, May 16). DEA Congressional Testimony. Presented to the Committee on Education and the Workforce: Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families. Retrieved November 13, 2011 from http://www. dea. gov/pubs/cngrtest/ct051600. htm.