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Friday, November 29, 2019

Efficacy of Antibiotic Therapy and Appendectomy

Validity It is necessary to note that choosing the most appropriate research method can be a challenging task but the validity of the research depends on this choice and, hence, evaluation of a research plays an important role (Picardi and Masick 10). The article in question dwells upon the efficacy of antibiotic therapy and appendectomy in patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis (Salminen et al. 2340).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Efficacy of Antibiotic Therapy and Appendectomy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To evaluate the article, it is possible to consider its face validity that will show the way people see the test (McQueen and Knussen 144). It is possible to assume that the research seems valid due to its attention to two types of treatment. It involves quite a significant number of patients who were chosen randomly. There seems to be no bias or inconsistency (McBurney and White 185). At the sam e time, the article’s validity is quite doubtful as the correlations were not totally free of confounds. The research in question is characterized by certain degree of bias as the third variable interferes with its results (Nestor and Schutt 49). Thus, the health issue is similar to all the patients but health conditions are all different. However, the age of participants ranges from 18 to 60 and it is clear that these age groups are characterized by certain health conditions that could have a considerable effect on the efficiency of antibiotics. Lifestyles of patients (their diets, bad habits and so on) were not taken into account and this aspect could have a significant impact on efficacy of treatment as well. Importantly, patients’ lifestyle after the treatment was not considered and it could affect the results of the research. Therefore, it is possible to note that the validity of the research could be doubtful even though it seems to address the research question and it is based on the right research method. Statistical Methods The researchers used categorical variables characterized by percentages and frequencies. They applied the Pearson χ2 test. This statistical method is quite relevant as it is aimed at revealing the likelihood of the difference between certain things, events and so on. The researchers hypothesize that the difference between efficacy of the two types of treatment will be 24% and the test helps them check their hypothesis. Furthermore, the researchers also tried to eliminate any inaccuracy through addressing the variables. The researchers utilized the Mann-Whitney test. The Mann-Whitney test is employed when a non-parametric test is necessary. It enables researchers to test the median of groups of participants.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As far as the research in question is concerned, the participants were characterized by different features (including different leukocyte count, creatinine and hemoglobin level, their age, gender and so on). Hence, the test helped the researchers to trace the median of the two groups of participants. Finally, it is necessary to add that modern researchers may utilize various types of statistical software that helps them avoid any bias or inaccuracy (Stangor 343). It also saves a lot of time. The researchers also employed technology as they used SAS version 9.2. Hence, it is possible to state that the research is based on solid statistical analysis of major data. The researchers use the statistical analysis that are consistent with their research questions and the purpose of the research. It is possible to state that the research is quite valid as it is based on efficient statistical tests. Works Cited McBurney, Donald, and Theresa White. Research Methods. Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. McQueen, Ronald A., and Knussen, Christina. Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology. Essex: Pearson, 2006. Print. Nestor, Paul. G., and Russell K. Schutt. Research Methods in Psychology: Investigating Human Behavior. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2014. Print. Picardi, Carrie A., and Kevin D. Masick. Research Methods: Designing and Conducting Research with a Real-World Focus. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2013. Print.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Efficacy of Antibiotic Therapy and Appendectomy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Salminen, Paulina, Hannu Paajanen, Tero Rautio, Pia Nordstrà ¶m, Markku Aarnio, Tuomo Rantanen, Risto Tuominen, Saija Hurme, Johanna Virtanen, Jukka-Pekka Mecklin, Juhani Sand, Airi Jartti, Irina Rinta-Kiikka, and Juha M. Grà ¶nroos. â€Å"Antibiotic Therapy vs Appendectomy for Treatment of Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis: The APPAC Randomized Clinical Trial.† JAMA 313.23 (2015): 2340-2348. Print. Stangor , Charles. Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences. Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2014. Print. This essay on Efficacy of Antibiotic Therapy and Appendectomy was written and submitted by user Eric Pickett to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Effects of Parenting and Peer Pressure on Adolscent Sexual Activity

Effects of Parenting and Peer Pressure on Adolscent Sexual Activity Free Online Research Papers What prompts adolescents to engage in sexual activity in regards to peer pressure, parental guide and religious beliefs? Approximately one in every five adolescents have had sexual intercourse by his/her fifteenth birthday. Recent studies have shown that peer pressure has the strongest impact on adolescents decision making towards sexual activity. Parenting and religion have been found to be less influential. For that reason, adolescents as well as parents need to be informed about the effects of peer pressure on sexual decision-making. Literature Review: Adolescent Development Adolescence is a time in development when children become mature in age, physical appearances and the beginning stages of sexual maturation. There is no specific age range for adolescent; it can range from elementary to senior-year in high school. Physical appearance is the main predictor when a child transitions into an adolescent. Adolescent males experience voice change, height and weight spurts, growth of facial and body hair and their first ejaculation experience. Adolescent females experience menstrual cycles, breast development, widen hips, and height and weight spurts. These physical changes are called puberty, or sexual maturation. The onset of puberty varies between age and gender. There is a strong impact on early and late puberty in adolescent males and females. Adolescent females that reach puberty early are sometimes embarrassed and ashamed of their newly shaped body. Most of them appear older and sexually ready in the eyes of younger and older men. According to Paludi (2002) these females are physically ready for sexual activity, but mentally and emotionally they are not. Adolescent males that reach puberty early are satisfied with their body change. They are taller and muscular, which enables them to perform better in sports. These males tend to become sexually active; they are accepted by peers and become popular with females because of their â€Å"adultlike† appearance (Paludi, 2002). Late maturing females feel left behind; they feel that they do not get the same attention from males as the early matured females. Their self-esteem is higher and they perform better in sports. Late maturing males are shorter and skinnier from the rest. They have extremely low self-esteem, peers ridicule them, they tend to shy themselves from others, and they avoid any sports. Adolescents face many obstacles in life and within those obstacles they must learn how to achieve them successfully. According to Paludi (2002), adolescents deal with identity development, building and maintaining friendships, physical appearance, and sexual activity, because at this time in development â€Å"everybody’s doing it.† Sex is the primary focus on almost every adolescent’s mind. Their peers are having sex, so they want to join the â€Å"club† and have sex as well, despite the consequences. Adolescents have many questions and concerns regarding sexual activity. â€Å"What does it feel like,† â€Å"If I do it, my friends will like me more,† â€Å"My friends are doing it, so why can’t I have some fun,† â€Å"My boyfriend/girlfriend would LOVE me if I do it.† Most adolescent engages in sexual activity because they need and want to be accepted by their peers and/or their significant other. Some adolescents are curious about sex and want to find out what the big deal is about it. Adolescents have sex for the wrong reasons and don’t think about the consequences that may follow. In a study done by Prinstein and LaGreca (2004), reported that only 10.9%, of their sample of 148, reported never using birth control and 14.5% reported that they never used protection against STD’s. This study proves that adolescents are not concerned about the consequences of sex, just the pleasure and social acceptance. Although adolescents are engaging in sexual activity, many don’t. Despite the pressure from peers, adolescent that lives in a religious home or with parents that educate them about sex and the consequences, tend to wait longer to have sex. Not saying that these adolescents wait until marriage to engage in sexual activity, but there is a delay. What prompts adolescents to engage in sexual behaviors as related to the influences of parenting, religion, and peer pressure? Despite the strong and positive relationship between parent and child and/or the high religious beliefs, peer pressure has the strongest influence toward adolescent sexual behavior. This essay will discuss the three influences and how each can directly or indirectly affect sexual decision making in adolescents. Influential Factor: Peer Pressure Could it be the effects of peer pressure that elicits sexual activity in adolescents? Being accepted from peers is very important in adolescence. Having high social preference and a healthy friendship offer benefits, such as opportunities to develop appropriate emotional regulation skills, practicing appropriate interpersonal behaviors, or receiving friendship support (Prinstein LaGreca, 2004), decreases the chances of adolescent sexual activity. Engaging in sexual activity among adolescent is not to gain experience, enjoyment, or curiosity, it’s mainly to fit in some sort of peer group or â€Å"club.† Peer rejection is the number one reason adolescents engage in any risky behavior, particularly sex. Adolescents teased about not being sexually active, usually had sex to stop the teasing. Adolescents reported that if most of their peers are having sex; they are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors (Norman Romer, 1998). Adolescents want to gain respect from their peers, so they will do anything to get that respect. Adolescent boys will more likely engage in sex to gain respect. Adolescent males that are not sexually active reported higher intention to initiate sexual intercourse within the next school year (Norman Romer, 1998). Adolescent believe that if they don’t have sex, they would be ridiculed and stigmatized. Adolescents with low social preference are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors to gain respect and boost their social skills. Most adolescents have sex for many wrong reasons, seeking acceptance from peers, seeking love away from home, and curiosity. Adolescents that perceive their peers to be initiating new behavior tend to alter their own behavior to reflect their perception of the normative behavior. Adolescents that are not receiving any love or attention at home will seek love and affection elsewhere. Adolescents that look for love elsewhere have to deal with the pressure of not being loved, looking for love, and keeping that love. Once they found love, they have to deal with pressure from their significant other. The significant other may pressure them like saying, â€Å"I will love you if you do it,† or â€Å"You must not love me if you don’t.† With the feeling of being wanted and loved these adolescents will do anything to keep their love interest and make them happy. Some adolescents are curious about sex. They want to know more about it, they want to be apart of the group that is sexually active. Adolescents have sex to kill their curiosity. Acceptance is so important that adolescents overlook the consequences of sexual activity. Adolescents don’t care about the consequences concerning sexual activity, like STD’s or pregnancy. Consequences are far from their minds; they feel that no harm can come their way if they have sex for the first time. Most adolescents that engage in sexual activity don’t use any type of birth control or protection from STD’s. In one study they reported that 10.9%, of a sample size of 148, reported that they never used birth control and 14.5% reported that never used any protection against STD’s (Prinstein LaGreca 2004). Peer pressure toward sex is the same across different cultures. In Musaka, Uganda being sexually experienced is important not just from the enjoyment, but also for the sense of belonging to an informal peer group or club (Kinsman, Nyanzi Pool, 2000). Within the group or club one can share experiences, knowledge and opinions about sex. Like in the United States, adolescents in Uganda that are sexually experienced were seen as better people and demanded more respect at school. Adolescents that weren’t sexual active were ridiculed and looked down upon. To reduce these negative actions they soon became sexually active. Future research should better describe how perceptions of peer norms are constructed, communicated and internalized by young adolescents. By educating families about the roles of peer influence, this may encourage parents to address their child’s perception of peer norms. Peer pressure is a strong motivating factor in regards with sexual behavior in adolescents, but parenting skills can also influence adolescent sexual behavior. Having an opened parent-child relationship can reduce early sexual activity in adolescents. The effects of Parenting Parent-child closeness is associated with reduced adolescents pregnancy, postponing intercourse, having fewer sexual partners and the use of contraceptives (Miller, McCoy, Olsen , Wallace, 1986). When the parent/s are opened about sexual information, adolescents are less likely to engage in sexual activity at an early age. Although having an open parent-child relationship delays’ sexual activities in younger adolescents, older adolescent are more influenced by peer pressure no matter how opened the parent-child relationship is. Parent-child relationship is important to adolescents’ decision-making, especially when it comes to sex. Adolescents don’t make the right choices about sex because they are unaware of the consequences with sex. Peers talk about all the positive outcomes about sex, the feeling, gaining power and respect. None of the negative outcomes about sex are told such as pregnancy, STD’s, disrespect to parents and self. Parents have to be opened with adolescents about sexual information so their curiosity is killed, and they are aware of both positive and negative outcomes regarding sex. A stricter parenting style leads to early sexual activity in adolescents. One study found that Mormons, which are strict parents and have stricter views about sexual activity, reported higher permissiveness in adolescents (Miller, McCoy, Olson , Wallace, 1986). Stricter parenting rules affect adolescents plus parents that have no set rules. Adolescents become more permissive when the parents lack rules about dating. When the adolescents have no rules about whom they date, where they go, and the arrival time back home, tend to be more sexually active (Miller, McCoy, Olson , Wallace, 1986). Parents’ attitudes and values about sex do influence adolescent sexual activity. If a parent is opened about sex and explains the positive and negative outcomes of sex, adolescents will respect parents’ views about sex and postpone sexual activity. Forming a close parent-child relationship is the best way to delay adolescent sexual activity. Adolescents that wait to have sexual intercourse usually get positive responses from parents about how proud they are, or the parents would speak highly of them. To reduce the effects of peer pressure on sexual decision-making parents can have open conversations with their teens about sexual intercourse. Parents should allow their children to be open and have their own opinions about sex. Having parent-child communication about sex will reduce an adolescent’s curiosity about sex, and they will be aware of the consequences of sex. Open parent-child communication will also reduce the effects of peer pressure on adolescent sexual decision-making. Adolescent will be aware of the types of peer pressure, and they will be able to avoid the pressure from peers, especially in regards with sex. Although positive response from parents has a delay in adolescents’ sexual behavior, peer pressure is more influential. Parents influence younger adolescents, but as they get older they ultimately shifts from parent to peer (Norman Romer, 1998). Parenting does not have a directly influence adolescents’ decisions about sex, but parenting does indirectly affect adolescents. For example, the types of peers the adolescents involve themselves with and the timing of their sexual debut, indirectly affect adolescents. Religion Religion is another factor that delays early sexual behavior in adolescents. It has been found that having high levels of religion reduces early sexual behavior in adolescents. Religious involvement may deter adolescent sexual behavior because most religious institutions hold norms contrary to the act. Like parenting, religion affects the onset of sexual activity in adolescents, but the pressure form peers are more influenced. There are differences between religion and spirituality. Religion involves a set of institutionalized and beliefs and spirituality are the experience, the way an individual expresses their relationship with others, the world around them and God (Rostosky, Regenrus, Comer Wright, 2003). There are eight dimensions of spirituality church attendance frequency of attendance, religion importance, intrinsic motivation, a built-in motivating force of an individual decision-making, extrinsic motivation, how religion is pursued as the external social influences, belief in God degree to which an individual adheres a notion of a divine persona, divine support, self support components of an individual relationship with God and how it is positively related to self-esteem, and spiritual interconnectedness, supportive components between family and friends. Out of the eight dimensions of spirituality, only spiritual interconnectedness among friends is the only dimension that seems to delay sexual activity in adolescents. Adolescents who had friends who attended church were more likely to delay sexual activity (Rostosky, Regnerus, Comer , Wright 2003). Having strong spiritual interconnectedness among friends delays sexual activity in both male and female adolescents. Adolescents that follow the same beliefs about premarital sex will influence other adolescents not to engage in premarital sex. In addition, religiosity delays the onset of sexual activity in females, but there is no effect in males. There were significant gender differences in religiosity and attitudes toward sexual behavior. Females that are more religious sought more negative outcomes in sexual activity emotionally and health concerns (pregnancy and STD’s). Males were more positive about emotions concerning sexual activity and negative outcomes concerning health related issues. Despite the importance of religion and beliefs, having multiple romantic partners increased the likelihood to engage in sexual intercourse, for both males and females. Having a religion with beliefs and rules helps control sexual behavior among adolescents. Strong beliefs of religion delays sexual initiation indirectly in older and younger adolescents. Religion indirectly affects adolescents with the anticipation of the negative consequences such as guilt, loss of respect, embarrassment of pregnancy, and/or upsetting parents. Religion also affects the onset of adolescent sexual activity as referred to demographically connections like gender, age, ethnicity, etc. African-American adolescent males that were more religious were more likely to engage in sexual activity than White non-Hispanic males and African-American males that were less religious. To conclude, peer pressure is the strongest influential factor with sexual activity in adolescents. Good parenting and beliefs in religion delay the onset of sexual activity in younger adolescents. As they get older, adolescents stray away from religious beliefs and parents’ wishes and follow their peer’s actions. Being accepted by their peers is important for adolescents, being sexually active before getting married is not a concern when it comes to sex. Being ridiculed about being sexually inactive is something adolescent experience in middle school and high school. Most adolescents want to be apart of the sexually active group, so they can share ideas, opinions and excitement about sex. Those that are not sexually experienced by the time they reach high school, intend on having their first sexual encounter soon before the year of high school ends. Ultimately, sexual decisions are personal value choices. Yet they are molded and shaped by many social contexts in which adolescents develop. There may not be just one main factor that ultimately causes or deters sexual behavior in adolescence, but there is a whole host of influential factors, in which some are stronger than others. Throughout this research, peer pressure appears to be the strongest motivating factor in whether or not an adolescent decides to engage in sexual behaviors. The best combination seems to be religiosity and peer interconnectedness, with parenting being the least influential. Though that does not discount the effects parenting has on adolescent sexual decision-making, a positive parent-child relationship does have some influence on sexual initiation and type of peer group orientation. Ways to reduce the strong effects peer pressure is to have open parent-child communication about sexual intercourse, the good and bad outcomes of sexual intercourse, and opinions about sex. Adolescents involved in youth groups at church become aware of opinions of peers their own age about risky behaviors, especially sexual behaviors. Youth groups and parents that speak positively and openly about sexual behavior are great opportunities for adolescents to be aware of the pressures of sex and other risky behaviors. To effectively reduce sexual risk taking among adolescents, programs need to be designed that address multiple social contexts and promote contradictory sexual ideologies. References Hardy, S.A, and Raffaelli, M. (2003). Adolescent religiosity and sexuality: An investigation of reciprocal influences. Journal of Adolescence, 26, 731-739 Holder, D. W., Durant, R. H., Harris, T. L., Henderson-Daniel, J., Obeidallah, D., Goodman, E. (2000). The association between adolescent spirituality and voluntary sexual activity. Journal of Adolescent Health, 295-302. Kinsman, J., Nanzi, S., Pool, R. (2000). Socializing influences and the values of sex: The experience of adolescents in rural Musaka, Uganda. Culture, Health, and Sexuality, 2, 151-166 Meier, A.M., (2003). Adolescents’ transition to first intercourse, religiosity, and attitudes about sex. Social Forces, 81, 1031-1053. Miller, B. C., McCoy, J. K, Olsen, T. D Wallace, C. M. (1986). Parental discipline and the control attempts to adolescent sexual attitudes and behavior. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 3, 502-511. Norman, S. B., Romer, D. (1998). Early sexual initiation: The role of peer norms, 102. Paludi, M. A. (2002). Human Development in Multicultural Contexts, (4), 134- 146. Prinstein, M., La Greca, A. (2004). Childhood Peer Rejection and Aggression as Predictors of Adolescents Externalizing and Health Risk Behaviors: A 6-year Longitudinal Study. 72, 103-112. Rostosky, S. S., Regnerus, M. D., Comer, M. , Wright, L. (2003). Coital debut: The role of religion and sex attitudes in the health survey- Journal of Sex Research,40. Shah, F., Zelnik, M.(1981). Parent and peer influence on sexual behavior, contraceptive use and pregnancy experience of young women. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 43, 339-349. Teyber, E. (2001). Helping Children Cope With Divorce. 210-219 Wills, T. A., Gibbons, F. X, Gerrard, M., Murray V. M., Brody, G. H. (2003) Family communication and religiosity related to substance use and sexual behavior in early adolescence: A test for pathways through self control and prototype perceptions. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 17, 312-323. Research Papers on Effects of Parenting and Peer Pressure on Adolscent Sexual ActivityInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Spring and AutumnRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Fifth Horseman

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Financial Analysis of the Company Diageo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Analysis of the Company Diageo - Essay Example This essay stresses that Diageo is a leading firm which is spread globally and conducts premium drinks business with a varied collection of outstanding labels. Diageo is mainly concentrated in business regarding beverages. The firm, based in UK, manufactures its products in different countries of the world like Britain, Ireland, United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, Africa, Latin America, Australia, India, and the Caribbean. Based on research, it is seen that they sell their products approximately in 180 markets throughout the world. Diageo is an established firm and, thus, has its own authority in the production and sale of wine. Diageo manages 17 out of 100 of the top world’s spirit brands. The firm emphasizes its prime focus on developing its international brands in order to capture a giant market share. Diageo is listed in the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and for its American depositary receipts it is also listed on the New York Stock Exchange (DEO). This paper makes a conclusion that sales, accounts receivable and number of days outstanding or the turnover ratio provides a more or less indication of the firm’s current and future prospects. Economic recession has negatively impacted on the customer’s confidence and, thus, this has brought about a little negative diversion in business and its profits. â€Å"Diageo strength has driven competitive advantage in premiumisation†. Diageo faces competition from small and artisan wineries which also pose a greater threat to its market. An increasing competition from other drinks outside the wine industry is another threat for Diageo. Analysis of the Key Personnel within the Company: Diageo has more than 20000 talented people working with the firm. Diageo has a diverse workforce which corresponds to its widespread network throughout the globe. The staff of Diageo is committed in serving their customers, as customer satisfaction is the highest priority for Diego. The pr ime motto among employees is ‘

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Energy Drinks Essay

Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Energy Drinks - Essay Example Unfortunately, due to the interchangeable use of the words â€Å"sports drinks†, and â€Å"energy drinks†, these young consumers are exposing themselves to the adverse effects of overindulging in the latter. In addition, the lax regulatory policies also make it easier for younger consumers to access energy drinks. In response, some institutions have called for stringent regulations that prohibit the sale of such products in schools. Discussed below are the health risks and perceived benefits associated with intake of energy drinks.   One of the main ingredients used to make energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is a highly addictive substance; as such, its use in the manufacturing of any food or beverage is likely to result in users’ addiction to the consumed substances. There are two major categories of energy drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic energy drinks. A high percentage of consumers of energy drinks are unaware of the adverse health risks associated with the consumption of non-alcoholic energy drinks, as they operate under the assumption that the alternative form (alcoholic energy drinks) poses a greater danger. Research by various scholars contradicts this assumption stating,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦caffeine’s neuropharmacology effects might play a role in the propensity for addiction† (Arria & O’Brien 2012, p.601). Reissig et al. (2009, p. 4-6) postulate that lack of regulatory oversight resulting from lax regulatory requirements especially in countries such as the US increases childr en and adolescents’ vulnerability to developing caffeine related disorders, which include caffeine intoxication.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Strategic Position of McDonalds in the Fast Food Industry Essay

Strategic Position of McDonalds in the Fast Food Industry - Essay Example According to Derdak and Pederson, McDonald’s Corporation is the leading hamburger fast-food restaurant chain in the world. Maurice McDonald and Richard McDonald initially started the company in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant but Ray Kroc later brought it in 1995; Kroc was initially a franchise agent of the restaurant and he is the one who initiated the global expansion of the restaurant chain.According to Derdak and Pederson, McDonald’s Corporation is the leading hamburger fast food restaurant chain in the world. Maurice McDonald and Richard McDonald initially started the company in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant but Ray Kroc later brought it in 1995; Kroc was initially a franchise agent of the restaurant and he is the one who initiated the global expansion of the restaurant chain. Presently the McDonald’s Corporations has its own restaurants that it manages and there are licensed franchisees and affiliates that operate under the corporation’s portfolio. The refore, the net income of the company is attributed to sales from its own restaurants, licensing fees from franchisees, and royalties. The present headquarters of the corporation are in Oak Brook, Illinois in the United States, and it has presence in over thirty four thousand locations across the world. Among the popular dishes served at the McDonald’s restaurants include French fries, hamburger, Chicken, coffee, milk shakes, soft drinks, salads and desserts.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Techniques for Understanding Human Walking Motion

Techniques for Understanding Human Walking Motion Introduction Multimedia is a term that collectively describes a variety of media content available in various forms of text, speech, audio, still images, video, animation, graphics, 3D models and combinations of them used to capture real time moments. Over the recent years the technological advances have enabled wide availability and easy access of multimedia content and much research was dedicated to perform automated computational tasks for a wide spectrum of applications such as surveillance, crime investigation, fashion and designing, traditional aerospace, publishing and advertising, medical applications, virtual reality applications to name a few. The volume of multimedia information is so huge now that the improvement in various tasks of representation, analyzing, searching and retrieving process has become the need of the hour. Among all the available types of media, video is one of the prominent forms, widely used for analyzing multimedia content. Several types of videos can be captured by various recording devices but then even the most suitable types of devices used for acquiring videos have to deal with two important problems- sensory gap and semantic gap. The sensory gap being- the difference between the real world and its representation. â€Å"The sensory gap is the gap between the object in the world and the information in a (computational) description derived from a recording of that scene† [Smeulders, A. W. M., Worring, M., Santini, S., Gupta, A., and Jain, R. (2000). Content-based image retrieval at the end of the early years. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 22(12):1349–1380.]. The semantic gap being- the difference between the behavior description by human vision and the computational model used by the human activity/behavior analysis systems. â€Å"The semantic gap is the lack of coincidence between the information that one can extract from the visual data and the inter pretation that the same data have for a user in a given situation† [Smeulders, A. W. M., Worring, M., Santini, S., Gupta, A., and Jain, R. (2000). Content-based image retrieval at the end of the early years. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 22(12):1349–1380.]. Many researchers have proposed to build computational models of the human visual system to represent as close as possible to the reality. A major development was the framework proposed by David Marr at MIT, who used a bottom-up approach to represent scene understanding [D. Marr,† Vision: A Computational Investigation into the Human Representation and Processing of Visual Information†, Freeman, san Francisco (1982)]. Later, various state-of the-art methods evolved but, the technology that helps people to integrate the content of multimedia, for meaningful expression is still lagging behind. Within the realm of multimedia content analysis, computer vision methods and algorithms have been used as foundation and the coupled relation between multimedia analysis and computer vision is a well-known challenge. Currently, the most popular research performed by various researchers is the human movement analysis. Several types of activities that are performed by humans can be captured by various recording devices and the human motion analysis systems were built with respect to context of applications. The aim of human movement analysis systems is to automatically analyze and transform the input video sequences into semantic interpretation of them. The recognition of human activities has been studied by computer vision for quite some time but is far behind the capabilities of human vision. In human visual system- when a person moving is observed, human’s brain recognizes that person’s action by analyzing the transition of postures adopted or interprets behavior by tr acking the person’s transition of postures and noting the intent of action. This analysis is complex for computer vision systems. Since the human body is non-rigid, deformable, articulated, a person can have a variety of postures over time. The works on human activity analysis have not provided satisfactory results yet. To solve problems relating human movement analysis using videos, the paradigm of data fusion is recommended. Multimedia data fusion is a way to integrate multiple media, their associated features or integrate intermediate decisions to perform an analysis task. According to B.V Dasarathy, â€Å"Combining Multimedia data fusion is a formal framework in which are expressed means and tools for alliance of data originating from different sources for the exploitation of their synergy in order to obtain information whose quality cannot be achieved otherwise.† [Dasarathy, B.V. (2001) information fusion- what, where, why, when, and how? Information fusion, 2, 75-76]. In the existing literature several contributions are made to research on data fusion techniques used in multisensory environments and multimodal fusion with the aim of fusing and aggregating data obtained from multiple sources. Video data has a significant characteristic of multimodal content. Combining the information gat hered from multiple modalities is valid approach to increase accuracy. [ P.K Atrey, M. a Hossain, A.E Saddik and M.S Kankahalli. â€Å"Multimodal fusion for multimedia analysis: A Survey. Multimedia systems 16(6): 345-379, 2010] Multimedia fusion is useful for several tasks such as detection, recognition, identification, tracking and a wide range of applications. This research work presents multimedia analysis in combination with computer vision and data fusion perspectives to understand human walking motion in video sequences. This kind of research is challenging. Motivation From the view point of data fusion this research work is motivated by the observation that all living organisms have the capability to use multiple senses to learn about the environment and then the brain fuses all the information to perform a decision task. Human observer can easily and instantly recognize action. But, the main limitations with the visual sensory of humans are, limited range of visual perception, limitations and compromises of human brain. Whereas, automatic systems can work 24 hours a day and 7 days a week allowing accurate event detection and their cost is lower to maintain. On the other hand, from the view point of computer vision, algorithms and techniques are yet to improve performance for analyzing humans walking found in videos. Computer vision systems are far behind the capabilities of human vision and have to deal with two important problems- sensory gap and semantic gap. The sensory gap being- the difference between the real world and its representation and the semantic gap being- the difference between the behavior description by human vision and the computational model used by the human activity/behavior analysis systems. A promising strategy consists in integrating different techniques of data fusion and computer vision in a unified framework to enhance the performance of the tasks associated with analyzing human walking motion and overcoming the drawbacks. 1.3 The Goal The aim of this research work is to conduct a detailed investigation of currently available tools and techniques for understanding human walking motion and develop a generic framework where data fusion and computer vision perspectives are used to analyze human walking actions in context to real life applications. During the process of fusing, correlation of activities and patterns of activities can be detected to predict intent. Finally, performance will be evaluated for true positives, false positives and misclassifications. Summary of contributions Our work in the thesis is focused on the following significant contributions: Design of a unified framework, for combining data fusion and computer vision methodology to improve the performance of automatic analysis of human movements in videos. Tasks of detecting moving humans and related sub-problems in video frames using unsupervised techniques. Efficient technique to handle occlusion in the task of tracking walking humans. New strategy for accomplishing the task of correlation and predictions during detection and tracking of humans. Noticing and Interpreting stances change in walking movements. 1.5 Outline The thesis is organized as follows Chapter 2 –presents background and related literature review on various existing strategies and approaches of data fusion and computer vision while providing motivation for the proposed approaches used for the work in this thesis. Chapter 3 Provides detailed explanation on the unified framework. Show how the frame work helps in accomplishing the tasks of analysis in multimedia content for correlation and prediction along with a comparison of proposed frame work to JDL, Dasarthy data fusion model. Chapter 4 Presents an overview of state-of-the art methods for detection of humans in videos, the proposed novel work, experiments and the evaluations. Chapter 5 Presents an overview of state-of-the art methods for tracking of humans in videos, the proposed novel work, experiments and the evaluations. Chapter 6 Automatic interpretation of changes in stance changes in human walking. Chapter 7 Conclusions, future directions and related open issues are discussed. References: Smeulders, A. W. M., Worring, M., Santini, S., Gupta, A., and Jain, R. (2000).Content-based image retrieval at the end of the early years. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 22(12):1349–1380 D. Marr,† Vision: A Computational Investigation into the Human Representation and Processing of Visual Information†, Freeman, san Francisco (1982) Dasarathy, B.V. (2001) information fusion- what, where, why, when, and how? Information fusion, 2, 75-76 P.K Atrey, M. a Hossain, A.E Saddik and M.S Kankahalli. â€Å"Multimodal fusion for multimedia analysis: A Survey. Multimedia systems 16(6): 345-379, 2010

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

How Intelligent Are Dolphins? Essay -- Aquariums Intelligence Essays

How Intelligent Are Dolphins? There is something about dolphins that fascinates me. They are some of the most intelligent and beautiful animals that I have ever seen. Their faces are so cute that every time I look at a dolphin it looks like it is smiling at me and wants to tell me something. The noises they make represent some kind of language and it makes me wonder if they can really communicate. I also want to know what kind of feeling they have and whether they have emotions. This is why I chose to do this I-search project on dolphins; the different kinds of dolphins there are, the places that they can be found and their mental abilities. I remember sitting at a dolphin show when I was six years old. I felt like the dolphins were my friends; I felt like I could go to them and tell them all my stories, laugh with them and share my thoughts. They seemed innocent and sweet to me. After the show I went down to the water where the dolphins were with my mother and we asked if I could just play with them for a little. The trainer let me. There are no words to express my excitement. I went to the dolphin and I hugged him I gave him a fish and them I started telling him a story. I do not remember what I said anymore because I was really young at the time. What I do remember is that the story was funny and I was laughing and then the dolphin started making these noises as he was laughing with me. Then he splashed me with water. Years later when I thought about that experience and I did not know whether it was just my childish imagination or if the dolphins actually understood. I wanted to find out if that they possess great int elligence, sense of humor and if they can really communicate with each other. Regina Blackstock is a ve... ...someone next to them. They have families. Lastly they have great sense of humor. Dolphins are one of the most intelligent mammals on the planet earth and I am glad that I have realized that. Works Cited Blackstock, Regina. Dolphins and Man†¦ Equals? May 1970 Kirby, Sally. Dolphins. 20 Sept. 1997 Kodat, Rebecca. What is dolphin echolocation? 2002 Lori’s Mishmash Humor Page. â€Å"Dolphin Intelligence† MIT Sea Grant College Program, Do dolphins sleep? < http://web.mit.edu/seagrant/dolphinsleep/questions/dolphins/sleep.html> The day I was rescued by dolphins.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Medical Tourism Promotional Action Plan

Promotional Action Plan Medical Tourism Marvin Wilcox Saint Leo University Our marketing plan for 2013 will focus on several mediums that are aimed at providing detailed information on the company and services provided, reaching new targets and offering incentives to previous clients and maximizing exposure. Five venues were chosen to take full advantage of our budget of $100,000 . The following is a synopsis of each venue: 1. Building a website 2. YouTube videos 3. Social Media 4. Mass Mailing 5. Local Business Networking with AmbassadorAction Plan #1 * Action Item:A fully functioning professional website based in the U. S with search engine optimizing (SEO) at a cost of $25,000 to be implemented March 1, 2013. * Objective:With 87% of travelers using the internet for a bulk of their travel planning, medical tourism needs to take advantage of this opportunity to capture consumer attention. Increasing our search engine optimization (SEO) makes it more likely that someone will find you r business online. This will be our broadest advertising measure targeting that 87%. Description:Our website will be equipped with a language translator with languages relevant to the geographic chosen. The website will present a strong brand by stating who we are, why we are better and the quickest means of contact. It will also present testimonials to provide credibility and build familiarity and trust based relationships. * Target Market:250 million underinsured Americans and the 20% of 250 million Americans that have pre-existing conditions. in addition to the 750,000 Americans that already travel abroad for medical and dental services.Also the 38% of Americans that is open to health care abroad. * Metric:For the first 90 days of the website, we expect further inquiries of 35% of all site visitors, 50% registration to a free monthly newsletter and 68% of those visiting partnered tourism sites to be redirected. Action Plan #2 * Action Item:Monthly uploads to YouTube beginning Mar ch 1, 2013 in support of the official website. The service is currently free of charge. * Objective:To convey credibility through video testimonials consisting of 3-5 min in length.To present information about tourism, the forgotten half of medical tourism and to create familiarity and confidence through a personal connection. * Description:The videos will show satisfied and happy clients reporting the variance in cost between domestic and international medical procedures and how the money saved can be used towards vacationing in the same locale. Also, the videos will contain information about destinations, things to do, restaurants and attraction to enjoy the full experience of being abroad. Target Market: The 92% of consumers around the world that say they trust recommendations from family and friends above all other forms of advertising. The 85% of 30- to 50-year-olds and 51% of 65- 75-year-olds that are active social media users. * Metric:The method will be proven successful if we receive booking from 20% of the viewers. Another measure is for 65% of the viewing public follow the link to the official website and 50% of that number result in hard inquires, bookings or subscribers to the newsletter. Action Plan #3 Action Item:We will engagement potential clients on a personal level via Skype. The service will cost $168 for one year of unlimited international use. * Objective:To make potential customers feel they are receiving individualized and attentive care by a brand they can trust before they even step a foot in a hospital. Also, it is important to us to strengthen relationships and trust. This will provide a light consultation with professional to provide answers and resources for some the most frequently asked questions. Description:This medium provides presence or the availability and willingness of our professional to communicate. We will use it for high quality of voice and especially for its free PC to PC service. Other supporting features include video conferencing, SMS, voicemail, long distance conferencing and inexpensive calls during travel. * Target Market: There are 500 million Skype users worldwide with 40 million users logged on during peak hours. Our target market are generally individuals between 45-65 who have a medical need for surgery and are looking to save money by travelling abroad.The secondary target is those that request a face to face question and answer session via Skype and have been redirected by our website. * Metric:Optimization will be recognized when 25% of site visitors and 5% of peak users request a professional consult session and of that number a minimum of 25% booking. Action Plan #4 * Action Item:Our firm will engage in local business networking with ambassadors. This service requires hiring two individuals specializing in international tourism and medical administration at a total of $75,000 per year. Objective:To facilitate procurement of visas, booking travel and airport pick up and drop of f. We also wish to broker consultations with professionals, accommodate for post-operative recuperation and arrange travel insurance. * Description:Our ambassadors will be responsible for networking with travel agencies, medical and dental professionals and insurance companies. They will act as liaisons on behalf of the firm to foster relationships with supporting organizations. Their main goal is to streamline the process of informing and preparing a client for participation in our program.They will also develop a working relationship with local medical professionals for redirection of the underinsured. * Target Market: There are 2466 travel agencies in Virginia available for a mutually beneficial cooperation of professionals. Also, healthcare providers seeking to lower costs by 80%-90% in India or 50%-70% in the middle-east. * Metric:Realization of our efforts acceptable when sales from networking opportunities for the period of one year reach 6 times the cost of the action item. Action Plan #5 Action Item:We will run a direct mailing campaign with promotional rewards for referrals and a budget of $1500 to begin March 15, 2013. * Objective:We will attract customers by introducing our company, informing the public of our products and services, generate customer loyalty and make sales. Offer invitations to visit a local office, official website or webinar of our firm. Finally, we will offer discounts on first time bookings and referrals. * Description:Our firm will conduct our direct mailing through USPS.The main visual content will be of a popular Asian or Middle-Eastern vacation resort and a medical professional in uniform. We will offer a message of physical recovery in peaceful fun surroundings. The emphasis of the material will focus more on the vacation aspect than the medical procedures therefore inscriptions referencing entertainment and amenities will be larger than those concerning medical practices. Also, the material will include a picture of a gro up of Westerners (Americans and Europeans) in ordinary middle class attire to symbolize the affordability of our products and services. Target Market: Primary for this venue will be ordinary working Americans with a median income of $60,000 yearly, adequately to slightly under-insured between the ages of 45-65. Secondary for this venue are those with ongoing medical issues that travel abroad at least once every 5 years with incomes upward of $100,000. * Metric:Progressive indicators will be an increase in call volume, website visits and return request forms for more information. The expected result is a 10% verifiable response volume that results in either referrals or bookings.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Malaria Research Paper essays

Malaria Research Paper essays Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that lives both in mosquitoes and humans (9). Malaria lives in tropical and sub-tropical areas such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Haiti, India, The Dominican Republic, Africa, Papua New Guinea, and Central and South America (3). Malaria is one of the largest diseases around the world. About one out of every 20 people on earth, almost 300 million people, suffer from malaria yearly. Almost 2 million of those 300 million people die each year. Many new drugs are being tested to prevent malaria but no sure vaccine has been discovered (1). Malaria has terrorized this earth since the mid-Pleistocene age. No one knows just when malaria showed up in the Western Hemisphere however. Many say that malaria roamed the New World before the Europeans came over. Yet others will tell you that the Western Hemisphere had no contact with malaria until the end of the fifteenth century. Many other diseases similar in destruction as malaria were brought over from the old world from Europe and Africa (5). Malaria limited colonization all over the world. West Africa and Northern Australia were major hot spot for malaria attacks during the colonization of those areas. Malaria also resulted in many casualties in wars form Ancient Greece to Vietnam and present (2). The Old World supposedly gave malaria to the New World. However, the New World found the first effective treatment for the disease. In 1632, a piece of bark form a Peruvian Tree was taken to Europe by a Spanish priest. The bark was soon found to be a remedy to the constant feve rs. Malaria was extremely active in Ancient Rome and Europe. However, it is proven that the malaria back then was much less destructive than it has been in recent centuries. This is because P. falciparum, the most deadly type of malaria, was not present back in Ancient Europe. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the History of malaria is unknown for quite some time in Ancient E...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Theory Of Evolution Essays - Evolutionary Biology, Charles Darwin

Theory Of Evolution Essays - Evolutionary Biology, Charles Darwin Theory of Evolution TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ............................................... 2 DARWINIAN THEORY OF EVOLUTION .............................. 4 THE THEORY OF BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION: CONTRIBUTING ELEMENTS ....................... 7 WALLACE'S CONTRIBUTIONS ................................... 13 HARDY-WEINBERG PRINCIPLE .................................. 15 COMPARISON: LAMARCK vs. DARWIN ........................... 16 DARWIN'S INFLUENCES ....................................... 20 METHODS OF SCIENTIFIC DEDUCTION ........................... 23 LIMITS TO DARWIN'S THEORY ................................. 25 MORPHOLOGICAL & BIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS ....................... 27 BIO-EVOLUTION: POPULATION vs. INDIVIDUALS ................ 29 MECHANISMS FOR GENETIC VARIATION .......................... 31 GENETIC VARIATION AND SPECIATION .......................... 35 DARWIN'S FINCHES .......................................... 37 SPECIATION vs. CONVERGENT EVOLUTION ....................... 39 CONCEPT OF ADAPTATION ..................................... 41 PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM .................................... 43 VALUE/LIMITATIONS: THE THEORY OF BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION .... 45 ALTERNATE EXPLANATIONS OF BEING ........................... 47 CONCLUSIONS ............................................... 48 INTRODUCTION Theories explaining biological evolution have been bandied about since the ancient Greeks, but it was not until the Enlightment of the 18th century that widespread acceptance and development of this theory emerged. In the mid 19th century english naturalist Charles Darwin - who has been called the "father of evolution" - conceived of the most comprehensive findings about organic evolution ever . Today many of his principles still entail modern interpretation of evolution. I've assessed and interpreted the basis of Darwin's theories on evolution, incorporating a number of other factors concerning evolutionary theory in the process. Criticism of Darwin's conclusions abounds somewhat more than has been paid tribute to, however Darwin's findings marked a revolution of thought and social upheaval unprecedented in Western consciousness challenging not only the scientific community, but the prominent religious institution as well. Another revolution in science of a lesser nature was also spawned by Darwin, namely the remarkable simplicity with which his major work The Origin of the Species was written - straightforward English, anyone capable of a logical argument could follow it - also unprecedented in the scientific community (compare this to Isaac Newton's horribly complex work taking the scientific community years to interpret ). Evolutionary and revolutionary in more than one sense of each word. Every theory mentioned in the following reading, in fact falls back to Darwinism. DARWINIAN THEORY OF BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION Modern conception of species and the idea of organic evolution had been part of Western consciousness since the mid-17th century (a la John Ray) , but wide- range acceptance of this idea, beyond the bounds of the scientific community, did not arise until Darwin published his findings in 1958 . Darwin first developed his theory of biological evolution in 1938, following his five-year circumglobal voyage in the southern tropics (as a naturalist) on the H.M.S. Beagle, and perusal of one Thomas Malthus' An Essay on the Principle of Population which proposed that environmental factors, such as famine and disease limited human population growth . This had direct bearing on Darwin's theory of natural selection, furnishing him with an enhanced conceptualization of the "survival of the fittest" - the competition among individuals of the same species for limited resources - the "missing piece" to his puzzle . For fear of contradicting his father's beliefs, Darwin did not publish his findings until he was virtually forced after Alfred Wa! llace sent him a short paper almost identical to his own extensive works on the theory of evolution. The two men presented a joint paper to the Linnaean Society in 1958 - Darwin published a much larger work ("a mere abstract of my material") Origin of the Species a year later, a source of undue controversy and opposition (from pious Christians) , but remarkable development for evolutionary theory. Their findings basically stated that populations of organisms and individuals of a species were varied: some individuals were more capable of obtaining mates, food and other means of sustenance, consequently producing more offspring than less capable individuals. Their offspring would retain some of these characteristics, hence a disproportionate representation of successive individuals in future generations. Therefore future generations would tend have those characteristics of more accommodating individuals . This is the basis of Darwin's theory of natural selection: those individuals incapable of adapting to change are eliminated in future generations, "selected against". Darwin observed that animals tended to produce more offspring than were necessary to replace themselves, leading to the logical conclusion that eventually the earth would no longer be able to support an expanding population. As a result of increasing population however, war, famine and pestilence al! so increase proportionately, generally maintaining comparatively stable population . Twelve years

Monday, November 4, 2019

Phonemic awareness and it's relationship to word analysis Research Paper

Phonemic awareness and it's relationship to word analysis - Research Paper Example Phonemic awareness can be considered as a subset of the phonological awareness in where listeners possess the ability to hear, and identify and the manipulate phonemes, smallest units of sound which may differentiate meaning, is Separating, spoken word " the cat" through into three separate phonemes, /?/, /k/, and /t/, requiring the phonemic awareness. National Reading Panel (NRP) had realized several years ago that the phonemic awareness may and do elates an individual’s word reading and comprehension in reading, in addition to assisting people learn to know how to spell. According to a research conducted by the University of Nairobi Phonemic awareness can safely be considered as the basis for learning the phonics. Phonemic Awareness And Phonological Awareness Phonology awareness and Phonemic awareness, more often than not are confused as most of the circumstances they are considered interdependent. Phonemic awareness capability to manipulate and hear individual phonemes. On the other hand Phonological awareness do include this capacity, in conjunction to the ability to hear and then manipulate much larger units of an individual’s sound, these includes the rimes, onsets and syllables. Several Studies by the Vickie Snider have indicated openly that the phonemic awareness possess a more than direct correlation with its students’ capability to read as they tend to get older. In fact it is claimed that Phonemic awareness do build a very strong foundation from which the students to do understand rules of English language. This as a result allows respective student to put in practice the skills and thereby increasing the student’s oral reading eloquence and in understanding of the text. Phonemic Awareness Skills Practiced With Students The above subject matter relates to the capability to differentiate and handle individual sounds, like /?/, /f/, and /t/ just as for instance in pronunciation the foot. Below are some of the general phonemi c awareness skills practiced with students: Phoneme isolation: that necessitates recognizing individual sounds in the respective words, instance, "update me the initial sound heard â€Å"paste" (/p/). Phoneme identity: that requires distinguishing common sound in dissimilar words, for instance, "update me the sound which is similar in boy, bike and bell (/b/). Phoneme substitution: where an individual has the ability to turn words like â€Å"cat† to another like "hat" just by replacing a single phoneme †/h.† for another /k/. The Phoneme substitution may and do take place for initial sounds as in the (cat-hat), the middle sounds such as the (cat-cut) or the ending sounds as in the (cat- can). Oral segmenting: A teacher may say a word like, "ball," then the students go ahead to say the respective sounds, as in /b/, /?/, and /l/. Oral blending: Teacher may say each individual sounds, as in, /b/, /?/, /l/ then the students respond by saying the word, "ball." Sound de letion: Tutor says one word, for instances, "bill," then the students repeat it, he/ she then instructs the students to replicate or repeat the word in the absence of a sound. Onset-rime manipulation: That necessitates identification, isolation, segmentation, deletion blending, of onsets â€Å"single consonant or blend which leads the vowel and behind consonants, for instance, st-op, j-ump, str-ong. For

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Filmography of Matt Damon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Filmography of Matt Damon - Essay Example Apart from being the titular character, he also co-wrote the screenplay of the movie with his friend and actor, Ben Affleck. The movie released in the year 1997 and the world saw the birth of another star. Damon’s career graph rose steadily with other movies like The Departed and the Bourne series where he proved his versatility with different kinds of roles. His ability to emote with his fans and the viewers was accepted by the masses and the critics alike and he remains one of the few actors who have received both critical acclaim and commercial success almost equally. Matt Damon has also received a fair share of the awards that matter. He was nominated for the Academy Award for the best actor for essaying the role of Will Hunting in the movie Good Will Hunting. There were several other nominations that Damon received for the role. Apart from the excellent acting that he did in the movie, it is also not to be forgotten that he co-wrote the screenplay which won the award for the best screenplay at the Golden Globes Awards and the award for the best original screenplay at the Academy Awards. With these feathers in his cap, it was inevitable that Damon would go on to cement his place in the annals of Hollywood. This place that he had cemented became a permanent place in the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. This reflects the tremendous achievements that he had made during the ten years that followed the movie Good Will Hunting. He had received the academy award for the best supporting actor in Invictus in 2009. Apart from this, he had gathered a tremendous following among the masses of America and other parts of the world through his portrayal of the title character in the Bourne series. Damon plays former CIA agent Jason Bourne who is shown to be suffering from a loss of memory. The series was adapted from the trilogy that was written by the writer Robert Ludlum. The series was a part of the action genre and was different from most of the movies that were created in this genre and was noted for this very reason.   Â