Antisocial Personality Disorder: Causes, Effects, Treatment

Antisocial Personality Disorder: Causes, Effects, Treatment Antisocial Personality Disorder Crystal Fulp Antisocial Personality Disorder Personality disorders affect many people in society, but are understood by few. Personality disorders are defined as a deeply ingrained, maladaptive and specific problem behavior or pattern. Such problem patterns typically manifest themselves by early adolescence and have an impairing impact on the person’s functioning in life with a particular emphasis on the impact that such disorders have on their relationships and quality of life (Comer, 2014). There are a total of ten personality disorders that have been categorized into three distinct clusters. Disorders under the first cluster (cluster A) are said to be odd personality disorders because they cause people to exhibit behaviors that can be seen as â€Å"odd† or â€Å"eccentric†. Disorders listed under the second cluster (cluster B) are said to be dramatic personality disorders because they cause people to exhibit overly dramatic, emotional, or aggressive behaviors. Disorders listed under the final cluster (cl uster C) are said to be anxious personality disorders because they cause people to behave in overly anxious or fearful ways (Comer, 2014). All ten of the personality disorders can be devastating, but the dramatic personality disorders are marked by behaviors that are overly dramatic, emotional, and/or aggressive. The dramatic personality disorders are more commonly diagnosed than any other personality disorder. However, the antisocial personality and borderline personality disorders have gained more attention from researchers because the actions of those diagnosed tend to effect more people (Comer, 2014). The remainder of this discussion will cover the Antisocial Personality Disorder in detail. The disorder will be defined along with the most common symptom configurations, which will lead to a discussion about the historical and current etiological causes of the disorder. The final portion of the discussion will cover treatment modalities. Definition of Disorder Symptom Configuration Antisocial personality disorder is defined as exhibiting a pervasive pattern of behavior where someone disregards and violates the rights of others (APA 2013). This disorder can only be diagnosed if the patient/client exhibits behaviors that satisfy certain criterion. The criterion used to diagnose this disorder is as follows: Source: (APA, 2013) The essential feature of Antisocial Personality Disorder is exhibiting a complete disregard for the rights of others that lead to a violation of the aforementioned rights (APA, 2013). People with Antisocial personality disorder are very deceitful and manipulative. They will go to extravagant lengths in order to control others or get them to do what it is they want them to do. These people also exhibit an inability to plan ahead and a lack a moral conscience. Simply put, these people do not feel remorse if their actions cause any harm or discomfort to other people. They tend to rationalize their behaviors by saying, â€Å"They were stupid for doing that, so they deserved what they got† or something similar (Comer, 2014). People with this disorder may also exhibit consistent irresponsible behaviors such as failing to obtain and keep employment, paying child support, paying off debts, or even appropriately caring for themselves or others (including their own children or spouses). It’s important to note that these behaviors must not be confused with the antisocial behaviors exclusive to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (APA, 2014). It’s also common for people who suffer from this disorder to be more likely to exhibit criminal behavior than others. In fact, a study found that at least thirty percent of incarcerated individuals exhibit symptoms consistent with Antisocial Personality Disorder (Comer, 2014). They are also much more likely to abuse alcohol or other controlled substances. In fact, people with Antisocial Personality Disorder are much more likely to participate in risky behaviors than the average population (Comer, 2014) Antisocial Personality Disorder: A Case Example It can be hard to imagine what this disorder would look like in the real world. Imagine a twenty-two year old man named Jacob. Jacob is currently serving a five year sentence in a minimum security penitentiary for assault and felony larceny. Jacob has a long disciplinary record both inside and outside of the prison. Since he’s been incarcerated he’s been involved in numerous physical altercations and is known to be irritable and prone to exhibiting aggressive behavior when it’s not appropriate. He’s also been cited for possessing drugs and alcohol inside the prison (Black, 1999; Comer, 2014; Oliviera-Souz et al., 2008). Jacob is being referred to the prison psychologist because of his most recent offense. In the past month he has been found guilty of an assault during which he beat a fellow inmate with a lunch tray. When the psychologist asked Jacob why he reacted that way he said, â€Å"He shouldn’t have been in my way. He got what he deserved.† Jacob didn’t exhibit any guilt or remorse for what he had done. Fallowing this discussion Jacob told the psychologist about his actions as a teenager. Jacob admitted to being involved in criminal activities and consuming alcohol while underage. He also admitted to breaking into places and selling controlled substances. He went on to talk about how he used to hurt animals. When asked if he felt bad about it he responded that he didn’t and viewed it as more of a game than anything else (Black, 1999; Comer, 2014; Oliviera-Souz et al., 2008). Over the next few months, the psychologist notices that Jacob often acts without thinking of the consequences and treats his criminality as a game of wit. He’s also highly irresponsible and lacks a moral conscience as indicated by his past and present crimes. The psychologist concludes that Jacob is exhibiting behaviors consistent with Antisocial Personality Disorder and refers to him to the prison’s treatment program (Black, 1999; Comer, 2014; Oliviera-Souz et al., 2008). Causes of Antisocial Personality Disorder General Information about Causes There doesn’t seem to be a single cause of Antisocial Personality Disorder. In fact, there seem to be many different possibilities presented from many different angles, especially in relations to genetics and certain environmental factors. For the sake of time, this discussion will focus on the behavioral/cognitive and biological perspectives on this disorder. However, it seems important to note that lower socioeconomic status has been correlated with the development of this disorder (APA, 2013). Common Biological Perspectives Genetics plays an important role in the development of Antisocial Personal Disorder. People who had parents who were diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder are much more likely to develop the disorder themselves (APA, 2013). Researchers have also found serotonin levels to be correlated with Antisocial Personality Disorder (Black, 2014). However, this finding really isn’t that surprising when one considers that significantly lower serotonin levels have been found in regards to other psychological disorders such as depression (Comer, 2014). Behavior/Cognitive Causes of Antisocial Personality Disorder There are many possible behavioral causes of Antisocial Personality disorder. However, behavioral researchers believe that there is a correlation between antisocial personality behaviors and modeling. Simply put, these researchers believe that children can learn antisocial behaviors from their parents (Comer, 2014). After all, children learn from watching the people around them and then imitating that behavior (as indicated by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory). Furthermore, researchers have also found a correlation between antisocial behaviors and people who had lived in violent households. It has been found that children who lived in households where violence and aggression was a common occurrence are more likely to exhibit antisocial behaviors than children who didn’t grow up in violent and/aggressive households. Children who lived with parents who abused alcohol and/or controlled substances have also been found to be more likely to exhibit antisocial behaviors (Black , 2014). It’s also important to note that child abuse has been correlated with the development of antisocial personality disorder. Simply put, children who are abused are much more likely to exhibit antisocial behaviors than children who weren’t abused (Black, 2014). This research indicates that parental modeling and disturbed or volatile environments could be connected with the development of Antisocial Personality Disorder. Cognitive theorists point to society’s individualism and egocentrism as a possible cause. People with Antisocial Personality Disorder have attitudes that continually trivialize the needs of others (Elwood et al., 2004). There is an argument among cognitive researchers that these attitudes are much more prevalent in society than people believe them to be (Comer, 2014). Differential Diagnosis Considerations for Antisocial Personality Disorder Personality Traits People with Antisocial Personality Disorder exhibit very specific personality traits. These personality traits serve to help them achieve their ends at whatever cost as they are only concerned with their own wants/needs. People with this disorder have been known to exhibit a complete lack of empathy (APA, 2013). They may also be callous and cynical. People with this disorder may also have an inflated or arrogant self appraisal along with being cocky and opinionated. These people tend to have a superficial charm that draws people and can appear to be very intelligent and informed to others (APA, 2013) Ages and Populations Effected In order to be diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder one must be at least eighteen years of age, however, antisocial behaviors consistent with conduct disorders must be present prior to fifteen years of age. Antisocial behaviors consistent with conducts disorders include aggression towards people or animals, theft, deceitfulness, destruction of property, or rule violations (APA, 2013). These behaviors violate the social norms of adolescence’s aged fifteen and under and as such a history of such behaviors is required to diagnose someone with Antisocial Personality Disorder. This disorder typically develops by late adolescence or early adulthood. One interesting phenomena related to this disorder is that the symptoms usually even out by forty years of age. That would mean that this disorder begins to develop in one’s adolescence, peek in their mid-twenties and thirties, and decrease in intensity by age forty. It’s also important to note that men are much m ore likely to be diagnosed with this disorder than women (APA, 2013). Dual Diagnosis Patterns Diagnosing Antisocial Personality Disorder can be very tricky under the best circumstances. A diagnosis is only given to someone who is at least eighteen years of age and has a history of behaviors indicative of conduct disorders. In the event that an adult doesn’t meet the criteria to be diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder they may be diagnosed with a conduct disorder (APA, 2013). Diagnosing this disorder is made even more difficult when substance abuse is involved. In these cases, a diagnosis is only given if there is a history of antisocial behaviors in the client/patient’s adolescence and childhood. If both the substance abuse and the antisocial personality behaviors existed together in childhood then it’s necessary to evaluate the client/patient for both substance abuse disorder and antisocial personality disorder (APA, 2013). Clinicians should also keep in mind that the features of Antisocial Personality Disorder are similar to that of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. This diagnosis can only be given if the antisocial behaviors aren’t exclusive to either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. To that end, the criterion for this disorder can be easily confused with other disorders, so it’s important to pay close attention to the patient’s history (or lack thereof) of antisocial behaviors (APA, 2013). Treatment Modalities for Antisocial Personality Disorder Treating personality disorders can be very difficult to do. In relation to Antisocial Personality Disorder the available treatments range from being completely ineffective to only moderately effective, this doesn’t result in an overly positive prognosis (Comer, 2014). There are currently three treatments available for this disorder. One form of treatment is medications. Certain therapies have also been shown to be somewhat effective in treating this disorder, specifically cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and psychotherapy (Comer, 2014). Using medications to treat any psychological disorder is a trial and error process at best. Using psychotropic drugs to treat Antisocial Personality Disorder is no different. At this point, the Food and Drug Administration (ADA) has not approved any drug to be used to treat this disorder specifically (Mayo Clinic, 2013). However, psychiatrists have found that some drugs can help alleviate the symptoms of this disorder. These drugs tend to be the atypical (newer) antipsychotic drugs. These drugs have been found to be moderately effective in some clients/patients (Comer, 2014). Psychotherapy, otherwise known as talk therapy can also be used to help treat this disorder; however, this treatment approach isn’t effective in all situation and patients/clients. In fact, this treatment approach will only be effective if the patient/client realizes and/or admits that they contribute to their own problems. This type of therapy can be administered in a clinical one-on-one setting or in a group setting (Mayo Clinic, 2013). Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be moderately effective in the treatment of Antisocial Personality Disorder (Hoermann, Zupannick, Dombeck, 2014). Cognitive/behavior theorists argue that the only way to change dysfunctional behavior is to change the dysfunctional thought behind it. After all, according to cognitive-behavior theories one’s cognitions lead to their behaviors be them good or bad. CBT not only focuses on changing dysfunctional thoughts, but it also seeks to challenge the dysfunctional core beliefs underlying their dysfunctional thought patterns (Hoermann, Zupannick, Dombeck, 2014). CBT therapists work with people on accurately interpreting the world around them and then changing or redirecting dysfunctional thought patterns (Hoermann, Zupannick, Dombeck, 2014). For people with Antisocial Personality Disorder, CBT would involve trying to help these patients/clients develop impulse control and a moral conscience (Comer, 2014). The problem with treating this disorder is that the people who have it aren’t very likely to seek treatment out for themselves because they don’t see their behavior as a problem (Comer, 2014). In fact, most people with this disorder that are in treatment originally went to see a mental health professional for a different reason entirely. There are also a large number of people with this disorder who don’t receive treatment until forced to by the criminal justice system as a part of their probation/parole or incarceration programs (Comer, 2014). Antisocial Personality Disorder Construct Antisocial Personality Disorder is one of the most commonly researched personality disorders, but there is still much to be discovered (Comer, 2014). For instance, the DSM-V states that the symptoms of this disorder tend to level out by forty years of age (APA, 2013). Why does that occur? Do certain neurochemicals, such as serotonin behave differently by age forty? The DSM-V also states that the criminality present in those with this disorder can sometimes be confused with â€Å"normal† criminal behavior (criminal behavior not associated with this disorder specifically). Other than the criterion listed, what criterion can clinicians use to help differentiate the two? This may be my own point of view only, but the criterion used to diagnose this disorder seems convoluted and easily confused with the criterion for other mental disorders (APA, 2013). Conclusion Antisocial Personality Disorder is a very serious personality disorder that can have devastating consequences for those who have it. This disorder makes it hard to do basic things, such as form and maintain healthy relationships and stay within the boundaries of both society and the law (APA, 2014). Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that it’s a problem until they are either incarcerated or forced into treatment by judges. Even then most people don’t consider it to be a problem and the disorder in general is made difficult to treat because of the personality traits and attitudes of the people who have it (Comer, 2014). What is clear is that more research needs to be done in the hope that further research can uncover a more suitable treatment method that will greatly increase the quality of life for people who have this disorder. References American Psychiatric Association, American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association. Black,D.W., Larson,C.L. (1999). Bad boys, bad men: Confronting antisocial personality disorder. New York: Oxford University Press. Black,D. (2014). What Causes Antisocial Personality Disorder? RetrievedApril15, 2014, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/what-causes-antisocial-personality-disorder/000652 Comer,R.J. (2014). Abnormal psychology. New York, NY: Worth Pub. Elwood,C.E., Poythress,N.G., Douglas,K.S. (2004). Evaluation of the Hare P-SCAN in a non-clinical population. Personality and Individual Differences. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(03)00156-9 Hoermann,S., Zupannick,C., Dombeck,M. (2005). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Personality Disorders (CBT). RetrievedApril15, 2014, from http://sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=docid=41578cn=8 Mayo Clinic (2013, April 12). Antisocial personality disorder Treatments and drugs. RetrievedApril15, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder/basics/treatment/con-20027920 Oliveira-Souza,R.D., Moll,J., Ignà ¡cio,F.A., Hare,R.D. (2008). Psychopathy in a Civil Psychiatric Outpatient Sample. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(4). doi:10.1177/0093854807310853

Nabokovs Spring in Fialta :: Essays Papers

Nabokovs Spring in Fialta Spring in Fialta’s opening line, â€Å"Spring in Fialta is cloudy and dull,† (Nabokov 413) is quite an atypical beginning for Nabokov. This line, coming from a man who is overly concerned with trifles, brings up many questions. Is Nabokov intentionally leaving out the trifles of Fialta here at the beginning? If so, why? Perhaps the answer to this question is that Nabokov intends for the line in question to be a double entendre referring to both the town and the story itself. On the narrative level, Nabokov leaves little to the reader’s imagination. The story is dull and commonplace. Moreover, I found Douglas Fowler’s criticism of the story to be off the mark and reaching. Fowler is looking too deeply into a cut and dry romantic parody, which bears a striking resemblance to Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin. Nina’s imminent death is mentioned all over this story. These statements are so direct that it cannot be called foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is much more subtle, like seeing a dead bird or something. Foreshadowing is definitely not like what is in Spring in Fialta, which is more like, â€Å"Yup, she’s gonna die.† For example, the lunch with Nina where, â€Å"for the last time in her life, was busy eating the shellfish of which she was so fond,† (Nabokov 427). There are many more statements, some not quite as direct as these, but direct nonetheless such as when Victor is imagining her: Had I to submit before judges or our earthly existence a specimen of her average pose, I would have perhaps placed her leaning upon a counter at Cook’s, left calf crossing right shin, left toe tapping floor, sharp elbows and coin-spilling bag on the counter, while the employee, pencil in hand, pondered with her over the plan of an eternal sleeping car. (Nabokov 417) Also, very early on, Victor says he â€Å"cannot imagine any heavenly firm of brokers that might consent to arrange me a meeting with her beyond the grave,† (Nabokov 415). Statements such as these makes the reader so used to Nina’s death that at the climax of the story when she finally dies, the reader feels no sadness towards this event. There is no tugging at the heartstrings.

Junk E-Mail is Abusive to the Internet and its Users :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Junk E-Mail is Abusive to the Internet and its Users    With in the past decade, the term â€Å"junk mail† has transformed from a pile of flashy advertisements and unnecessary coupon books to an intruding, pervasive, and even offensive collection of electronic messages. Though, the distribution of postal mail for the purpose of advertisement is governed by effective laws, distribution of unsolicited email runs free across the internet at the expense of others. The solicitation of â€Å"junk e-mail† fosters profit for few, at the inconvenience of many. Though the solicitors of junk email are to blame for the mail itself, the government is to blame for the continuing flow and lack of response to this dilemma. Email is one of the most popular means of communications today. According to our textbook, Media Now, â€Å"Obviously, the ‘killer’ electronic application these days is email. Its presence is all but inbiquitous among computer users and its growth skyrockets day by day† (LaRose, 362). In fact, email is even more widely used than the United States Postal Service (LaRose, 362). If email circulates more mail than the post office, then why is email less regulated? The internet and email is a new technology which Congress is unsure on how to regulate. Email has become popular only within the past few years, but regulation must be enacted. According to the Final Comments to the Federal Trade Commission on Unsolicited Commercial Email which was compiled in June of 1997, the burdens of junk email is expected to grow. In fact, most people do not want this unsolicited mail sent to them. World research reports that over one half of the people they surveyed â€Å"hated† junk mail, and another one fourth found it â€Å"bothersome†(Semilof, 1). Something must be done. One might ask, however, why email needs to be regulated. The core of the problem is the extra costs and intrusions of privacy which junk email provokes. Senders of junk email slow the processing and quality of Internet Service Providers, intrude privacy by harvesting email addresses, and unfairly distribute mail to uninterested consumers. Junk email incures storage costs, productivity costs, bandwidth or telephone line costs, and processing costs (Simmons, 24). Senders of this mail benefit from the burden on others. Though the senders of this mail need to be stopped, action must be taken to stop them.

Mechanism of Transfer in Gene Therapy Essay examples -- Gene Therapy

Mechanism of Transfer in Gene Therapy Abstract: Gene therapy is the transfer of â€Å"normal† genes into the body to replace defective or undesired genes. The transfer may be in somatic or germline cells and may take place in vivo or in vitro. The DNA may be inserted in a retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, herpes simplex virus, or liposome, or it may be naked DNA. The vector travels to a target cell and inserts the gene, which goes to the host cell’s nucleus and may integrate into the genome. In cells with dominant negative genes, resulting protein must be prevented from translation or transcription using oligonucleotides or antisense technology. Though many obstacles delay the development of gene therapy, this new field will surely improve the future of medicine. Mechanism of Transfer in Gene Therapy Gene therapy is a method of replacing defective or undesired genes in the body with â€Å"normal† genes. A vector is re-engineered to deliver the gene to a target cell. Then the gene is transferred to the cell’s nucleus and must be activated in order to function. The gene must be integrated into the cell’s genome in order for it to continue to function and be replicated. Side effects are possible because the vector may be detected as a foreign substance by the body’s immune system. Gene therapy may take place either in vivo or in vitro, the transfer may be in either somatic or germline cells, and a variety of viral and non-viral vectors may be used. In vivo gene therapy is done inside a living organism. This is accomplished by inhalation, oral administration, intramuscular injection, or intravenous administration (Brooks, 24). Currently, most in vivo experiments have taken place in animals other than humans. Most gen... ...ocated, ensure that gene therapy will be a revolutionary aspect of medicine’s future. Bibliography Brooks, Gavin. Gene Therapy: The use of DNA as a drug. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2002. â€Å"Gene Therapy.† Human Genome Project Information. 18 November 2005. U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. 28 July 2007. â€Å"Gene Therapy: Molecular Bandage?† Learn.Genetics. 2007. The University of Utah, Genetic Science Learning Center. 28 July 2007. Januario E. Castro, Thomas J. Kipps. â€Å"Chapter 26. Principles of Gene Transfer for Therapy.† Williams Hematology, 7th Edition. United States of America: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2006. 28 July, 2007.

Mathematics in Cryptology

Cryptology is the procedure of writing by means of a variety of methods to keep messages secret and includes communications security and communications intelligence. The cryptologic (code making and code breaking) and intelligence services provide information to both tactical forces and Navy commanders. Shore-based intellect and cryptologic operations engage the compilation, handing out, analysis, and reporting of information from a lot of sources, from communications intelligence to human intelligence. This information is used to assess threats to the Navy and to the protection of the United States. Tactical intelligence, more often than not provided by ships, submarines, and aircraft, gives combat commanders indications and warning of impending opponent activity and assessments of ongoing hostile activity and capabilities.The start of the 21st century is a golden age for applications of mathematics in cryptology.   The early stages of this age can be traced to the work of Rejewsk i, Rozycki, and Zygalski on breaking mystery. Their employment was a breach in more than a few ways.   It made a marvelous realistic input to the conduct of Word War II.   At the same time, it represented a major increase in the sophistication of the mathematical tools that were used.   Ever since, mathematics has been playing a progressively more important role in cryptology.This has been the result of the dense relationships of mathematics, cryptology, and technology, relationships that have been developing for a long time. At the same time as codes and ciphers go back thousands of years, systematic study of them dates back only to the Renaissance.   Such study was stimulated by the rapid growth of written communications and the associated postal systems, as well as by the political fragmentation in Europe. In the 19th century, the electric telegraph provided an additional spur to the development of cryptology.The major impetus, despite the fact that, appears to have come with the appearance of radio communication at the beginning of the 20th century. This technical development led to growth of military, diplomatic, and commercial traffic that was open to non-intrusive interception by friend or foe alike.   The need to protect such traffic, from interception was obvious, and led to the search for improved codes and ciphers.   These, in turn, stimulated the development of cryptanalytic methods, which then led to development of better cryptosystems, in an endless cycle.   What systems were built has always depended on what was known about their security, and also on the technology that was available.Amid the two world wars, the need for encrypting and decrypting ever-greater volumes of information dependably and steadily, combined with the accessible electromechanical technology, led many cryptosystem designers towards rotor system.   Yet, as Rejewski, Rozycki, and Zygalski showed, the operations of rotor machines created enough regularities to enable effective cryptanalysis through mathematical techniques.   This was yet another instance of what Eugene Wigner has called the â€Å"unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics,† in which techniques developed for abstract purposes turn out to be surprisingly well-suited for real applications.The sophistication of mathematical techniques in cryptography continued increasing after World War II, when attention shifted to cryptosystems based on shift register sequences.   A quantum jump occurred in the 1970s, with the invention of public key cryptography. This invention was itself stimulated by technological developments, primarily the growth in information processing and transmission.   This growth was leading to explosive increases in the volume of electronic transactions, increases that show no signs of tapering off even today, a quarter century later.The large and assorted populations of users that were foreseen in developing civilian settings were leading to probl ems, such as key management and digital signatures that previously had not been as severe in smaller and more tightly controlled military and political communications.   At the same time, developments in technology were offering unprecedented possibilities for implementing complicated algorithms.   Mathematics again turned out to provide the tools that were used to meet the challenge.The public key schemes that were invented in the 1970s used primarily tools from classical number theory.   Yet as time went on, the range of applicable mathematics grew.   Technology continued improving, but in uneven ways.   For example, while general computing power of a personal computer grew explosively, there was also a proliferation of small, especially wireless devices, which continued to have stringent power and bandwidth limitations.   This put renewed emphasis on finding cryptosystems that were thrifty with both computation and transmission.At the same time, there was growth in th eoretical knowledge, which led to breaking of numerous systems, and required increases in key sizes of even well trusted schemes such as RSA. The outcome of the developments in technology and science is that today we are witnessing explosive growth in applications of sophisticated mathematics in cryptology.   This volume is a collection of both surveys and original research papers that illustrate well the interactions of public key cryptography and computational number theory.Some of the systems discussed here are based on algebra, others on lattices, yet others on combinatorial concepts.   There are also some number theoretic results that have not been applied to cryptography yet, but may be in the future.   The diversity of techniques and results in this volume does show that mathematics, even mathematics that was developed for its own sake, is helping solve important problems of our modern society.   At the same time, mathematics is drawing valuable inspiration from the p ractical problems that cryptology poses.The recent breakthrough discovery of public key cryptography has been one (but not the only) contributor to a dramatic increase in the sophistication and elegance of the mathematics used in cryptology. Coding theory enables the reliable transmission and storage of data. Thanks to coding theory, despite dramatic increases in the rates and volumes of bits transmitted and the number of bits stored in computers or household appliances, we are able to operate confidently under the assumption that every one of these bits is exactly what it is supposed to be. Often they are not, of course, and the errors would be catastrophic were it not for the superbly efficient detection and correction algorithms clever coding theorists have created.Although a number of incessant mathematics has been employed (notably, probability theory), the bulk of the mathematics involved is discrete mathematics. Nevertheless, in spite of the strong demonstration that cryptolo gy and coding theory provide, there is little understanding or recognition in the mainstream mathematics community of the importance of discrete mathematics to the information society. The core problems in applied mathematics after World War II (e.g., understanding shock waves) involved continuous mathematics, and the composition of most applied mathematics departments today reflects that legacy.The increasing role of discrete mathematics has affected even the bastions of the â€Å"old† applied mathematics, such as the aircraft manufacturers, where information systems that allow design engineers to work on a common electronic blueprint have had a dramatic effect on design cycles. In the meantime, mathematics departments seem insulated from the need to evolve their research program as they carry on providing service teaching of calculus to captive populations of engineering students.However, the needs of these students are changing. As mathematicians continue to work in narrow areas of specialization, they may be unaware of these trends and the appealing mathematical research topics that are most strongly connected to current needs arising from the explosion in information technology. Indeed, a great deal of important and interesting mathematics research is being done outside of mathematics departments. (This applies even to traditional applied mathematics, PDE's and the like, where, as just one example, modeling has been neglected.)In the history of cryptology and coding theory, mathematicians as well as mathematics have played an important role. Sometimes they have employed their considerable problem-solving skills in direct assaults on the problems, working so closely with engineers and computer scientists that it would be difficult to tell the subject matter origins apart. Sometimes mathematicians have formalized parts of the problem being worked, introducing new or classical mathematical frameworks to help understand and solve the problem.Sophistica ted theoretical treatments of these subjects (e.g., complexity theory in cryptology) have been very helpful in solving concrete problems. The probable for theory to have bottom-line impact seems even greater today. One panelist opined, â€Å"This is a time that cries out for top academicians to join us in developing the theoretical foundations of the subject. We have lots of little results that seem to be part of a bigger pattern, and we need to understand the bigger picture in order to move forward.† However, unfortunately, the present period is not one in which research mathematicians are breaking down doors to work on these problems.Mathematicians are without a doubt needed to generate mathematics. It is less clear that they are indispensable to its application. One panelist pointed out that there are many brilliant engineers and computer scientists who understand thoroughly not only the problems but also the mathematics and the mathematical analysis needed to solve them. â€Å"It's up to the mathematics community,† he continued, â€Å"to choose whether it is going to try to play or whether it is going to exist on the scientific margins.The situation is similar to the boundary where physics and mathematics meet and mathematicians are scrambling to follow where Witten and Seiberg have led.† Another panelist disagreed, believing it highly desirable, if not necessary, to interest research mathematicians in application problems. â€Å"When we bring in (academic research) mathematicians as consultants to work on our problems, we don't expect them to have the same bottom-line impact as our permanent staff, because they will not have adequate knowledge of system issues.However, in their effort to understand our problems and apply to them the mathematics with which they are familiar, they often make some unusual attack on the problem or propose some use of a mathematical construct we had never considered. After several years and lots of honing of the mathematical construct by our ‘applied mathematicians,' we find ourselves in possession of a powerful and effective mathematical tool.†During the late 1970s, a small group of bright educational cryptographers proposed a series of elegant schemes through which secret messages could be sent without relying on secret variables (key) shared by the encipherer and the decipherer, secrets the maintenance of which depended upon physical security, which in the past has been often compromised. Instead, in these â€Å"public key† schemes, the message recipient published for all to see a set of (public) variables to be used by the message sender in such a way that messages sent could be read only by the intended recipient. (At least, the public key cryptographers hoped that was the case!)It is no exaggeration to say that public key cryptography was a breakthrough â€Å"of monumental proportions,† as big a surprise to those who had relied on conventional cryptog raphy in the sixties as television was to the public in the fifties. Breaking these â€Å"public key† ciphers requires, or seems to require, solutions to well-formulated mathematical problems believed to be difficult to solve. One of the earliest popular schemes depended on the solution of a certain â€Å"knapsack† problem (given a set of integers and a value, find a subset whose constituents sum to that value).This general problem was thought to be hard (known to be NP- complete), but a flurry of cryptanalytic activity discovered a way to bypass the NP-complete problem, take advantage of the special conditions of the cryptographic implementation and break the scheme, first by using H. Lenstra's integer programming algorithm, next using continued fractions, later and more effectively by utilizing a lattice basis reduction algorithm due to Lenstra, Lenstra and Lovasz.Although many instantiations of public key cryptographies have been proposed since their original discov ery, current cryptographic implementers seem to be placing many of their eggs in two baskets: one scheme (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman, RSA), whose solution is related to the conjectured difficulty of factoring integers, the second, (Diffie-Hellman, DH), which is related to the conjectured difficulty of solving the discrete logarithm problem (DLP) in a group. The discrete logarithm problem in a group G, analogous to the calculation of real logarithms, requires determination of n, given g and h in G , so that gn = h.Each of the past three decades has seen momentous improvements in attacking these schemes, although there has not yet been the massive breakthrough (as predicted in the movie â€Å"Sneakers†) that would send cryptographers back to the drawing boards. The nature of these attacks leads some to suspect that we may have most of our eggs in one basket, as most improvements against RSA seems to correspond to an analogous idea that works against the most common instantiations of DH (when the group is the multiplicative group of a finite field or a large subgroup of prime order of the multiplicative group) and vice versa.Asymptotic costs to attack each scheme, although each has declined as a consequence of new algorithms, continue to be comparable. These innovative algorithms, along with improvements in computational power, have forced the use of larger and larger key sizes (with the credit for the increase split about equally linking mathematics and technology). As a result, the computations to implement RSA or DH securely have been steadily increasing.Recently, there has been interest in utilizing the elliptic curve group in schemes based on DLP, with the hope that the (index calculus) weaknesses that have been uncovered in the use of more traditional groups will not be found.It is believed, and widely marketed, that DLP in the group of points of non-super singular elliptic curves of genus one over finite fields does not allow a sub-exponential time solut ion. If this is true, DH in the elliptic curve group would provide security comparable to other schemes at a lower computational and communication overhead. It may be true, but it certainly has not yet been proven. There are connections between elliptic curve groups and class groups with consequences for the higher genus case and extension fields. In particular, Menezes, Okamoto and Vanstone showed how the Weil pairing gave a better method for solving DLP for a particular class of elliptic curves, the supersingular ones.These are curves of order p+1, and DLP is reduced to a similar problem in GF(p2), where it can be more effectively solved. Work continues in an effort to extend these results to the general curve group. A related problem in elliptic curve cryptography focuses attention on another possible exciting interplay between theoretical mathematics, computer science (algorithms) and practical implementation. Calculation of the order of the elliptic curve group is not straightf orward. Knowing the order of their group is very important to DH cryptographers, since short cut attacks exist if the order of the group factors into small primes.Current elliptic curve cryptosystem proposals often employ a small class of curves to circumvent the counting problem. Even less progress has been made on the more general problem of whether there exist any groups whose DLP is exponential and, if so, characterizing such groups. Another interesting problem is whether solving DLP is necessary as well as sufficient for breaking DH. There are some groups for which this is known to be true, but determining whether this is true for all groups, or characterizing those groups for which it is true, remains to be done. A third interesting general DH problem is â€Å"diagnosis† of the DH group (when one has intercepted both ends of DH exchanges and does not know the group employed).For this reason, cryptology is a traditional subject that conventionally guaranteed (or sought t o undo the guarantee of) confidentiality and integrity of messages, but the information era has expanded the range of applications to consist of authentication, integrity and protocols for providing other information attributes, including timeliness, ease of use of service and protection of intellectual property. Cryptology has at all times been a charming and an exciting study, enjoyed by mathematicians and non-mathematicians the same.

Holocaust

When did the Holocaust begin? I. January 1933- Hitler sworn in as the chancellor of Germany A. Whereas before it was only a plan (one which people though Hitler would forgo when actually in office) was now set into motion. B. April of the same year would see the beginning of Hitler’s implementation of such anti- Semitic legislation, starting with the prohibition of Jews from the Civil Service. II. November 1935- Nuremberg Laws enacted A. Jews are now subject to a myriad of prohibitions, aimed at their disemancipation. B. Anti-Semitism takes on a legislative form III.November 1938- Kristallnacht A. 7500 Jewish businesses destroyed B. 267 shuls burned C. 91 Jews killed D. 25000 arrests E. Much legislation is made against Jews. They are now banned from public schools, cinemas, etc. F. The Anti- Semitism is brought out from the parliament and into the streets and homes of the Jews. IV. September 1939- Germany invades Poland A. Aditionally, there is the outline by Heydrich of Jewis h policy. 1. Einzatzgruppen 2. Complete census of Jews in Poland 3. Judenrats 4. General Gouvernment 5. A-B Aktion B. Forceful, violent anti-Semitism is made into official policy. V.June 1941- Germany invades Russia A. Slaughter intensifies. 1. Babi Yar 2. Mass ghettoization VI. January 1942-Wannsee Conference A. Defined and outlined the â€Å"Final Solution† 1. Mass murder is employed-institutional murder. VII. These changes both reflect a pre-determined policy which was being implemented in steps, but situations- both military and social- which were presented to the Nazis forced them to reexamine or restructure policy based on need or opportunity. A. Though much legislation was pre-planned, Wannsee, for example was a response to Nazi failure to fully implement Holocaust goals.This meeting was not necessarily planned before the war, but necessity brought about such an increase in the mass murder. VIII. It is impossible to designate a single moment as it is more like a snowba ll, building up from ages of anti-Semitism and slowly becoming the Holocaust. Question 2- Emigration I. Jews decided to remain in Germany prior to 1938 for three main reasons: A. They and their families have been Germans fro generations and they were not prepared to leave their homes and businesses. B. They were nationalistic and felt pride and connection to Germany. 1.Central Union of Germans of Hebrew Faith -â€Å"No one can rob us of our home and our fatherland. † 2. Rabbi J. Layman, reform rabbi- political change had not affected their commitment to Germany as Germans of the Hebrew faith. Most Jews should stay in Germany because this is their homeland. C. They thought this was only temporary an that the storm would pass. D. Additionally, they really had no where to go. As many hundreds of thousands of Jews did emigrate, the Evian Conference in Evian, France saw many Western European and American countries basically close their doors to Jewish emigration. II. Nazi stance o n Jewish emigrationA. In 1934, Hitler was advised that emigration would be the answer. 1. Adolf Eichmann bought land in Equator to send the Jews there. B. But in 1937, Nazis changed their minds and emigration wasn’t the answer. C. Nov 1940- Polish Jewish emigration is prohibited. D. October 1941- All Jewish emigration is prohibited out of German occupied territory E. However, Transfer Agreement was enacted in which Jews could buy German products, ship them to Palestine and sell them through the Jewish Agency there. 1. Through this agreement, over 50,000 Jews immigrated to Palestine. Question 3- Jewish Responses to Nazi Law I.Stages of Anti- Jewish Laws A. There were three stages: 1. Removal from Public Life a. Removal from entertainment and press (1933) 2. Anti-Semitism as Policy of State a. Expelling Jewish Immigrants (1934) b. Nuremberg Laws (1935) 3. Deemancipation a. Out of Economic Life (1938) b. Ousted from Public Schools (1938) II. Jewish Reactions- as the needs arose due to various legislation, the Jews responded in various ways. A. April 1933 the Central Committee for Help and Reconstruction- coordinated welfare activities B. September 17, 1933, the National Representation of the German Jews- political representation C.Jewish organizations focused on social work and aid to the needy. D. They established a Jewish educational system for children who had been ousted from the German educational system E. Disseminated information about various countries of destination, and they offered language and vocational classes. Question 4- Raul Hilberg’s Schemes I. Stage One- Identification, Marking, and Concentration A. Nuremberg Laws of 1935 identified someone with three or more Jewish grandparents as a ‘full Jew'- these laws were applied to Poland basically as soon as it was taken over. B.September 21, 1939- Conference led by Heydrich, Chief of the Reich Central Security Office in Berlin discussing long-term future of Polish Jewry. States that there is an â€Å"final aim. † Calls for concentration of Jews in cities, and the formation of ghettos. C. November 23, 1939 Jews were required to be in public with external markings, a white band with the Star of David D. Laws 1. Jews can not relocate without Nazi permission 2. Spatial separation from Poles 3. Other racial Laws E. Concentration of Jews into the General Government and into Ghettos. 4. Most famous ghettos were in Warsaw and Lodz II.Stage Two- Mass Murder A. 1941- Einzatsgruppen employed to kill Jews B. December 1941- Chelmno- first use of gas C. 1941- Babi Yar D. January 1942- Wannsee Conference established â€Å"Final Solution. † E. Use of Concentration Camps and industrialized murder (Auschwitz, etc. ) Question 5- Jewish Resistance I. There was definitely more Jewish resistance than is popularly mentioned. A. Western Europe- fought in mainstream resistance movements B. Eastern Europe- formed their own partisan units C. April- May 1943- Warsaw Ghetto Uprising 1. ZOB, ZZW- Warsaw Jewish fighting units D.There were many other small uprisings in other ghettos. E. Some concentration camps had uprisings. 1. Auschwitz (1944) 2. Sobibor (1943) 3. Treblinka (1943) II. Additionally, there was unarmed resistance A. In Warsaw, leaflets were distributed urging people to avoid deportations, as they were in fact trains to death camps. B. Yehuda Bauer also defines resistance as any activity that gave the Jewish people dignity and humanity in the most humiliating and inhumane conditions. Hence, most of such acts of ‘resistance† went undocumented. Bauer comments how much resistance there really was, despite the conditions they had to endure. stt Holocaust When did the Holocaust begin? I. January 1933- Hitler sworn in as the chancellor of Germany A. Whereas before it was only a plan (one which people though Hitler would forgo when actually in office) was now set into motion. B. April of the same year would see the beginning of Hitler’s implementation of such anti- Semitic legislation, starting with the prohibition of Jews from the Civil Service. II. November 1935- Nuremberg Laws enacted A. Jews are now subject to a myriad of prohibitions, aimed at their disemancipation. B. Anti-Semitism takes on a legislative form III.November 1938- Kristallnacht A. 7500 Jewish businesses destroyed B. 267 shuls burned C. 91 Jews killed D. 25000 arrests E. Much legislation is made against Jews. They are now banned from public schools, cinemas, etc. F. The Anti- Semitism is brought out from the parliament and into the streets and homes of the Jews. IV. September 1939- Germany invades Poland A. Aditionally, there is the outline by Heydrich of Jewis h policy. 1. Einzatzgruppen 2. Complete census of Jews in Poland 3. Judenrats 4. General Gouvernment 5. A-B Aktion B. Forceful, violent anti-Semitism is made into official policy. V.June 1941- Germany invades Russia A. Slaughter intensifies. 1. Babi Yar 2. Mass ghettoization VI. January 1942-Wannsee Conference A. Defined and outlined the â€Å"Final Solution† 1. Mass murder is employed-institutional murder. VII. These changes both reflect a pre-determined policy which was being implemented in steps, but situations- both military and social- which were presented to the Nazis forced them to reexamine or restructure policy based on need or opportunity. A. Though much legislation was pre-planned, Wannsee, for example was a response to Nazi failure to fully implement Holocaust goals.This meeting was not necessarily planned before the war, but necessity brought about such an increase in the mass murder. VIII. It is impossible to designate a single moment as it is more like a snowba ll, building up from ages of anti-Semitism and slowly becoming the Holocaust. Question 2- Emigration I. Jews decided to remain in Germany prior to 1938 for three main reasons: A. They and their families have been Germans fro generations and they were not prepared to leave their homes and businesses. B. They were nationalistic and felt pride and connection to Germany. 1.Central Union of Germans of Hebrew Faith -â€Å"No one can rob us of our home and our fatherland. † 2. Rabbi J. Layman, reform rabbi- political change had not affected their commitment to Germany as Germans of the Hebrew faith. Most Jews should stay in Germany because this is their homeland. C. They thought this was only temporary an that the storm would pass. D. Additionally, they really had no where to go. As many hundreds of thousands of Jews did emigrate, the Evian Conference in Evian, France saw many Western European and American countries basically close their doors to Jewish emigration. II. Nazi stance o n Jewish emigrationA. In 1934, Hitler was advised that emigration would be the answer. 1. Adolf Eichmann bought land in Equator to send the Jews there. B. But in 1937, Nazis changed their minds and emigration wasn’t the answer. C. Nov 1940- Polish Jewish emigration is prohibited. D. October 1941- All Jewish emigration is prohibited out of German occupied territory E. However, Transfer Agreement was enacted in which Jews could buy German products, ship them to Palestine and sell them through the Jewish Agency there. 1. Through this agreement, over 50,000 Jews immigrated to Palestine. Question 3- Jewish Responses to Nazi Law I.Stages of Anti- Jewish Laws A. There were three stages: 1. Removal from Public Life a. Removal from entertainment and press (1933) 2. Anti-Semitism as Policy of State a. Expelling Jewish Immigrants (1934) b. Nuremberg Laws (1935) 3. Deemancipation a. Out of Economic Life (1938) b. Ousted from Public Schools (1938) II. Jewish Reactions- as the needs arose due to various legislation, the Jews responded in various ways. A. April 1933 the Central Committee for Help and Reconstruction- coordinated welfare activities B. September 17, 1933, the National Representation of the German Jews- political representation C.Jewish organizations focused on social work and aid to the needy. D. They established a Jewish educational system for children who had been ousted from the German educational system E. Disseminated information about various countries of destination, and they offered language and vocational classes. Question 4- Raul Hilberg’s Schemes I. Stage One- Identification, Marking, and Concentration A. Nuremberg Laws of 1935 identified someone with three or more Jewish grandparents as a ‘full Jew'- these laws were applied to Poland basically as soon as it was taken over. B.September 21, 1939- Conference led by Heydrich, Chief of the Reich Central Security Office in Berlin discussing long-term future of Polish Jewry. States that there is an â€Å"final aim. † Calls for concentration of Jews in cities, and the formation of ghettos. C. November 23, 1939 Jews were required to be in public with external markings, a white band with the Star of David D. Laws 1. Jews can not relocate without Nazi permission 2. Spatial separation from Poles 3. Other racial Laws E. Concentration of Jews into the General Government and into Ghettos. 4. Most famous ghettos were in Warsaw and Lodz II.Stage Two- Mass Murder A. 1941- Einzatsgruppen employed to kill Jews B. December 1941- Chelmno- first use of gas C. 1941- Babi Yar D. January 1942- Wannsee Conference established â€Å"Final Solution. † E. Use of Concentration Camps and industrialized murder (Auschwitz, etc. ) Question 5- Jewish Resistance I. There was definitely more Jewish resistance than is popularly mentioned. A. Western Europe- fought in mainstream resistance movements B. Eastern Europe- formed their own partisan units C. April- May 1943- Warsaw Ghetto Uprising 1. ZOB, ZZW- Warsaw Jewish fighting units D.There were many other small uprisings in other ghettos. E. Some concentration camps had uprisings. 1. Auschwitz (1944) 2. Sobibor (1943) 3. Treblinka (1943) II. Additionally, there was unarmed resistance A. In Warsaw, leaflets were distributed urging people to avoid deportations, as they were in fact trains to death camps. B. Yehuda Bauer also defines resistance as any activity that gave the Jewish people dignity and humanity in the most humiliating and inhumane conditions. Hence, most of such acts of ‘resistance† went undocumented. Bauer comments how much resistance there really was, despite the conditions they had to endure. stt

Reaction to Hills Like White Elephants

Throughout this school year, we analyzed and discussed several awesome poems, novels and stories. One that I particularly liked would have to be â€Å"Hill Like White Elephants† by Ernest Hemingway. The first thing about it that caught my attention would have to be its title, â€Å"Hills like White Elephants'. To be honest, I really thought that it'll be about some elephants in Africa or something but I was wrong. There were no elephants! The story is about an American man and woman having some beers as they wait for the train to Barcelona. So, just through the title, I guess you could say that this is an ambiguous text. To decipher it, you need to read it again and again! The text of Hemingway appears to be simple but then again his works are ambiguous, so his text may be further from the truth. The story makes use of sparse dialogue some even say that the way Hemingway's characters speak is sometimes more important than what they say so when reading his text you really have to take in the dialogue and decode it. At first, when I just went through the story, I really didn't get what the couple were talking about and then after several readings I found out that it was about abortion. It's really beautiful how Hemingway could subtly bring about a message without even having it written directly. The powerful writing of Hemingway definitely has made a huge impact in me. Aside from me discovering a beautiful story, I learned not to take everything too literally and to have patience in order to understand.