MPTP and Its Role in Toxic Parkinsonism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MPTP and Its Role in Toxic Parkinsonism - Essay Example The degeneration of the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia coupled with intracytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies is the pathological characteristic seen in patients afflicted with PD. "The primary biochemical defect is the loss of striatal dopamine" which is the neurotransmitter produced by the neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra (Braddom, 1164). The basal ganglia "assist in the regulation of voluntary movement and the learning of motor skills" (Snell, 320). It also functions in the initiation of movements. It is because of this that patients present primarily with motor affectations with the cardinal signs for PD which include bradykinesia (characterized by a slowness and sudden pause in movement), resting tremors (uncontrolled shaking or movement), muscular rigidity (stiffness) and postural instability. The specific cause for Parkinson's disease is still unknown. Genetic factors such as defects in or mutations of several genes are known to cause PD, but these mutations actually result in only a very small number of cases of PD, in as little as 5% of the total number of PD cases. The two most important genes are "called parkin (autosomal recessive) and LRRK2 (autosomal dominant). Other genes that, when mutated, are known to cause PD include alpha-synuclein, DJ-1, PINK-1, and UCHL-1" (American Parkinson Disease Association). Envirionmental factors, such as exposure to toxins like pesticides/herbicides, industrial chemicals, trace metals, cyanide and carbon monoxide, are also thought to be a likely cause of Parkinson's Disease. 'The most compelling evidence for an environmental factor in PD relates to the toxin 1,2,3,6-methyl-phenyl-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)" (Olanow & Tatton, 124). In the late 1940's, MPTP was first tested for its possible therapeutic use tested as a possible anti-pa rkinsonian agent. Conversely, the drug was abandoned soon after the 6 humans given the drug developed PD symptoms and 2 of them died (myDr.com). The surge in the numbers of the MPTP-induced Parkinsonism came in the 1980's when it was being sold in the streets as synthetic heroin. The case study done by (Ballard, Tetrud & Langston, 949) wherein the subjects, seven patients in total, developed permanent chronic and severe parkinsonism after repeatedly injecting MPTP intravenously. MPTP is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and react with the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) (Hauser et.al). The interactions of MPTP with monoamine oxidase (MAO) was studied by Singer, Salach, Castagnoli & Trevort in 1986. (785) (Last Name) 3 l-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), a thermal breakdown product of a meperidine-like narcotic. The nigrostriatal toxicity is not due to MPTP itself but to one or amore oxidation products resulting from the action of monoamine oxidase (MAO) on this tertiary allylamine. Both MAO A and B catalyse the oxidation of MPTP to the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyridinium species (MPDP+), which undergoes further oxidation to the fully aromatic 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium species (MPP+). These bio-oxidations are blocked by selective inhibitors of MAO A

Iran and Iraeli Current Situation Research Paper

Iran and Iraeli Current Situation - Research Paper Example Iranian Nuclear Program - Historical Background Being launched in the 1970s under the Shah, the series of Iran’s ambitious nuclear projects heavily relied on the U.S. and European assistance – Iran had struck a deal with the West-German company, KWU, to build two 1Â  200 megawatt reactors and negotiated the construction of another two 900 megawatt reactors with the French ‘Framatome’ (Iran Watch, 2012). The goal set by the Shah had been for the country to produce over 20Â  000 megawatts of electricity from nuclear power stations within the next twenty years (Iran Watch, 2012). Following the revolution in 1979 and the war with Iraq that started in 1980, the nuclear energy program had been abandoned and the existing infrastructure – considerably damaged. However, since the late 1980s, Iran’s nuclear program had been revived and given a fresh impetus via the assistance from Russia and China (Iran Watch, 2012). ... Q. Khan (Iran Watch, 2012; Cronin, Kronstadt and Squassoni, 2005). Both actual progress and probable scope of Iran’s nuclear program became clear, to a degree or another, in 2003, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted a series of safeguards inspections, along with verification of Iran’s activities in the area of uranium enrichment, intended to set off implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the country (IAEA, 2003). Having found no evidence of activities related to development of nuclear weapons by then, the Agency emphasized the necessity of further inspections, enough time and Iran’s full cooperation, in order to be able to conclude that Iran’ nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes (IAEA, 2003). In 2004, however, Iran was rebuked for failing to cooperate with IAEA’s inquiry and agreed to suspend most of its uranium enrichment activity under a deal with the EU; nevertheless, uranium conversion was resu med at Isfahan plant in 2005, and Iran was accused of violation of NPT (Aljazeera, 2012). From 2005 to 2009, there were a series of breaches in Iran’s promises and the agreements with IAEA concerning the uranium enrichment activities, accompanied by sweeping U.S sanctions against the country, Iran’s rocket-test launches, including such of a of a long-range missile capable of reaching Israel, and a UN Security Council resolution on Iran’s uranium enrichment program (Aljazeera, 2012). Following the new disclosure of an underground enrichment facility at Fordow, nearby Qom, and Iran’s rejection of the international demand for freezing the project, several important developments took place in 2009, including an IAEA report that suggested for the first time Iran might be chasing

Impacts of Adderall Abuse

Impacts of Adderall Abuse The Abuse of Adderall (Blog Project) By Monisha, Kyle, and Sashwat Ethics of Adderall With the recent surge in illegal Adderall use by students, there has been many concerns with the ethics of illicit use. There is three ways you could look at it. One way is the way that is currently being used now, in which we say this is an illegal aid to memory, alertness, and therefore we ban it. The second way to look at it would be that we use all kinds of aids in helping us be more alert and remember better, such as coffee, which is very useful, but it is not banned. In the future, there is a likely chance that new drugs come on the market, which enable us to be much more intelligent than we are right now, so are we then going to say We have no interest in being smarter?. The third was of looking at it would concern the grading of students. One group of students will be using Adderall and another wont, so does that mean we will be wanting better performance from the group that does use it in order to get an A? Will be then be lenient with regards to the non users in terms of a chieving a high mark? The ethics of the use is not black-and-white, such as its legality and risks involved. Whenever there is a discussion of the advantages of students using Adderall, there will be without a doubt a comparison to steroids. The comparison usually forms this logic: Adderall helps to get ahead in class. Steroids allow you to get ahead in sports. Consequently, Adderall is just like a steroid, and steroids are cheating, which in turn makes Adderall bad. The problem with this argument is that sports and academics are two distinct fields. In sports, the outcome of the match only matters to the players and those directly associated with them. However, cognitive enhancement is different in that it is not a zero-sum game. If a student uses Adderall to further his education, that in no way affects any other student. Furthermore, when discussing research, using cognitive enhancements to develop a breakthrough in cancer research is beneficial to society, unlike when athletes use steroids in a selfish attempt to improve their own statistics. The use of Adderall in research could benefit all of mankind. However, there is still some issues of fairness that arises when discussing the use of Adderall in university. The reason for this is that students are usually not marked in vacuum, but on a curve, so if a student uses the drug to get ahead of her classmates, it will directly affect the whole class. An easy solution to this would be to legalize the use of Adderall and let all student takes it. However, that leads to another issue of fairness, in that drugs are expensive, and the legalization of Adderall will turn into a socioeconomic problem. Wealthy student would be able to purchase more of the drug than poorer students, as a result further widening the gap between the wealth and the non-wealthy students. How does Adderall work? The drug is a combination of two stereoisomers of amphetamine, which is a stimulant, and related to street drugs such as methamphetamine and ecstasy. The chemical structure of Adderall is close to that of family of neurotransmitters called catecholamine, which includes dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Adderalls similarity to these brain chemicals allows it to mimic the same actions. The catecholamine family functions in the area of the brain that is responsible for arousal and emotion. For example, dopamine has a crucial role in the pleasure and reward system, while norepinephrine is involved in the sympathetic nervous system, the same system that controls our flight or fight response. Finally epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, also partakes in the flight or fight response, and is involved in the rush we feel when exited or nervous. By being a catecholamine agonist, Adderall recreates these same sensations by binding to the receptors for epinephrine in the adrenal gland, and norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. In addition, Adderall also blocks transporters the remove catecholamine to end the response, and instead allows for some reverse transport of the endogenous catecholamines out of the neuron and into the receptor so they too can bind. Adderall essentially overloads the brain with chemicals the leave us alert, ecstatic, and ready to take the day. But, like any drugs, Adderall also has some negative side effects. By causing an intense arousal, the drug can lead to anxiety and insomnia, which has the chance to manifest into a schizophrenia like psychosis . The side effects are not only limited to the brain. Adderall can affect the body as well, causing an increase in blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. This is not good for people who already have pre-existing heart problems. Finally, like all drugs, such as caffeine, Adderall has the prospective of being addictive, which is why it is a Schedule II Controlled Substance, in the same group as opium, methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxycodone, which all have a high risk of dependence. WHAT IS ADHD? ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is a very common psychiatric brain disorder. It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 7 and 12. Once it has been diagnosed, there are medications (which will be discussed later) to help deal with it, but there are no found cures to get rid of it. About 50% of people loose it as they age into their adulthood, but there are no ideas as to why this happens. It affects about 6% of children and therefore 3% of adults. ADHD slows the maturation of certain parts of the brain, which help with, strategic thought, making quick decisions and of course focusing. The symptoms first begin to show up as a child or young adolescent. When being clinically diagnosed, it is very hard to do so due to the fact that many people do not like to focus on things that bore them. It is difficult to tell whether someone is not focusing because they can’t or because they don’t want to. With that being said, some other symptoms include: loosing things, not following instructions, and not being organized. Not all of these symptoms always apply, and often times very few of them do. The Stigma There is an existing stigma that people with ADHD are less intelligent than others who do not have it. Intelligence is defined as: â€Å"1) the ability to adapt to the environment and 2) the ability to learn from previous experience.† People who have ADHD often do score lower on tests, but it has nothing to do with intelligence. It is just the fact that a test requires constant mental effort, which is something people with ADHD have trouble with. On a long test, people with ADHD are easily distracted and therefore may lose time on a test that way, or speed through questions without wanting to put in as much time and effort as someone who doesn’t have it. If tests were shorter than there would be very little difference in test scores of people with and without ADHD. When testing for ADHD, kids are given tests, which involve a wide range of problems and it is found that problems that can be answered in one step (math or patterns) are done very well, compared to longer que stions (English based). The Solutions (Drug Free) As with many disorders, there are a multitude of ways to combat it, without the use of drugs. One simple solution is exercise. Exercising is a helpful way to help release stress physically, and to help combat ADHD. By releasing stress, kids are more likely to sit down and focus, whether it is studying or taking a test. Additionally playing sports encourages them to focus on something that they love or are passionate about, and by having this as an example, it teaches them that focusing is possible even if it is on something they don’t like as much. Additionally, there is another method to help people with ADHD focus. This is known as mindfulness based cognitive therapy. MBCT is a therapeutic way to help people with ADHD relax and focus. It focuses on being aware of their surroundings and being one with their body and mind. People who begin this meditation can begin with as little as 30 seconds per day, just sitting somewhere quiet and meditating. This can move upwards past 30 minutes, if it works. When silently meditating, it works best when the person envisions them self succeeding at something whether it is a test, presentation, or just another aspect of their life (staying organized). By imagining themself succeeding in a peaceful environment, it often actually translates to the real world. Adderall Controversies While Adderall can be a very helpful drug to people who suffer from ADHD, it can also be quite harmful as well, especially to people who take it without having ADHD. Because Adderall is helpful when it comes to focusing, some people, who need to focus in their daily lives, take it without the need to. This is problematic because Adderall was designed for ONLY people who have ADHD, not for everyone. Unnecessarily taking Adderall is especially popular with students who are in high school or post secondary learning institutions. Adderall greatly increases the amount of time one can focus at once, and the quality of the focus. Therefore, illegal Adderall distribution and consumption is a problem, especially in high-end universities and colleges. Students, who have trouble focusing, or simply do not want to, may take Adderall to help them focus, when stuffing for a test or exam. In 2006 researches from the University of Kentucky found out that 34% of the people they interviewed admitted t o illegal Adderall usage to help gain an edge in their classes. Additionally, an interview with one student, he said that Adderall not only increased the quality of his study time, but the quantity as well. He stated that he achieved the highest marks in his class and got perfect on his final exam, due to Adderall. The previous year when he hadn’t taken it, he did not achieve nearly as good results. Another study conduced by the University of Southern California stated that of the students they found taking illegal Adderall, 95% of them had simply faked the signs and symptoms in order to receive the prescription. With numbers like this it is clear that Adderall should be harder to get, and the diagnosis should be more thorough. Abuse and Problems If Adderall helps people with ADHD and helps people who don’t have it, isn’t it a good thing? It’s a win-win for everyone and higher test results for everyone. WRONG. Improper use of Adderall can lead to harsh side effects, which may all together counteract the improved studying. Just because it helps with studying doesn’t mean it helps with other aspects of your life as well. Improper Adderall use can lead to severe sleeping problems, including, not being able to fall asleep, not being able to stay asleep, and shortened REM cycles. This would definitely counteract better studying, and would take a toll on the body as well. Additionally, some other symptoms of Adderall abuse include: headaches, stomachaches, sweating, nausea, changes in sex drive, and as mentioned earlier, sleeping problems. Furthermore, with increased consumption of Adderall without a prescription can lead to: blurred vision, seizures, shaking limbs, and paralysis. With all these risks it is clear that Adderall is not a beneficial way to achieve higher test scores.

The Influence of Nature in Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abb

The Influence of Nature in Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth In "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey," William Wordsworth explains the impact of Nature from Tintern Abbey in his every day life. "Tintern Abbey" shows the great importance of nature to Wordsworth in his writings, love for life, and religion. The memories he has of Tintern Abbey make even the darkest days full of light. As a result of Wordsworth's many memories of Tintern Abbey, his life appears to be happy. The recollection of Tintern Abbey influences Wordsworth to acts of kindness and love. Likewise, Wordsworth is influenced from the natural surroundings of Tintern Abbey. Bloom said, "The poet loves nature for its own sake alone, and the presence of nature gives beauty to the poets mind†¦" (Bloom Poetry 409). Nature inspires Wordsworth poetically. Nature gives a landscape of seclusion that implies a deepening of the mood of seclusion in Wordsworth's mind. This helps Wordsworth become inspired in his writings while at the same time he is inspired in his heart (B... The Influence of Nature in Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abb The Influence of Nature in Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth In "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey," William Wordsworth explains the impact of Nature from Tintern Abbey in his every day life. "Tintern Abbey" shows the great importance of nature to Wordsworth in his writings, love for life, and religion. The memories he has of Tintern Abbey make even the darkest days full of light. As a result of Wordsworth's many memories of Tintern Abbey, his life appears to be happy. The recollection of Tintern Abbey influences Wordsworth to acts of kindness and love. Likewise, Wordsworth is influenced from the natural surroundings of Tintern Abbey. Bloom said, "The poet loves nature for its own sake alone, and the presence of nature gives beauty to the poets mind†¦" (Bloom Poetry 409). Nature inspires Wordsworth poetically. Nature gives a landscape of seclusion that implies a deepening of the mood of seclusion in Wordsworth's mind. This helps Wordsworth become inspired in his writings while at the same time he is inspired in his heart (B...

Media Studies †Podcasting and Radio

Ben Hammersley of the Guardian first discussed the advent of podcasting technology only two years ago (Hammersley, 2004). Yet this newly created communications channel has grown from being a small niche market   – with only six thousand hits on Google in 2004 according to Terdimann (2004) as compared to today’s excess of forty-one million (Google, 2006). Podcasting has changed radio with breathtaking speed, removing almost all barriers to access in ways that Internet radio was never able to on its own. This paper will discuss how and why podcasting is the radio of the future because of its convenience, intimacy and ease of access. Podcasting Defined In simple terms, podcasting is a digital music file that is presented to the end user within an RSS feed, where RSS is a grouping of different feed formats used to update and publish web content. Users subscribe to an RSS to listen to audio files, are automatically updated each time a new file is uploaded, and can listen to the podcasts on any MP3 player. What makes podcasting unusual is the automatic updating portion of the system: instead of having to return to a particular website to see if the content has been updated, the users’ subscribed-to feeds automatically deliver the content on-demand. A Brief History of Radio as Related to Podcasting Initially, radio was used in the late 19th century for users separated by geography to communicate. However, other people started ‘overhearing’ these radio transmissions and slowly it became a means with which to talk to a larger populace, evidenced by BBC’s start-up three decades later. It didn’t take long for radio listeners to realize radio’s potential scope as shown by comments made in 1930: â€Å"The radio would be the finest possible communication apparatus in public life, a vast network of pipes. That is to say, it would be if it knew how to receive as well as to transmit, how to let the listener speak as well as hear, how to bring him into a relationship not isolating him (Bretcht, 1993). Interestingly, these comments seem to describe podcasting to a tee, as anyone can transmit information using this technology, with no higher authority monitoring its use. A similar growth pattern is seen when reviewing the advent of Internet radio as well, with the 1995 creation of Real Audio software, allowing radio stations to send transmissions through the Internet instead of through other, more traditional processes (Priestman, 2001). While this was a huge breakthrough in technology and access to mediums previously controlled by geography and cost, it still made Internet radio dependent on positioning: you had to be in front of a computer to listen (Wall, 2004). This lack of portability has somewhat been trumped by new WiFi radio options in the UK (Rose, 2005), but that discussion is beyond the scope of this paper. Podcastings’ Origins Portable music devices first appeared in the late 90’s (Van Buskirk, 2005) but it wasn’t until Apple’s 2001 release of the iPod that podcasting became a household name. At that time, no other commercial venture had successfully sold legally available songs online and then facilitated transferring them onto a digital media device. Podcasting Success Factors We must go back in time to 1996 to determine just why MP3 players such as the iPod and podcasting in general took off at such an alarming rate. It was at this time when The Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed American radio forever by allowing companies to own more than four radio stations in a specific market and more than forty nationwide, both of which were previous limiters (Mann, 2005). This allowed Clear Channel, one of the more infamous radio station consolidators, to merge well over one thousand stations across the U.S. using their tried-and-true content-weak system of providing lots of specifically targeted music to a specifically targeted consumer and the addition of even more commercial time. It seems evident, then, that radio listeners were well primed for an on-demand music service with fewer (or no) commercials without the WalMart of radio forcing listening decisions. How Has, and Will, Podcasting Changed Radio? In a sense, podcasting has changed radio into a new medium entirely. Now anyone, anywhere, with no prior radio, media or telecommunications knowledge can create a podcast for listeners around the world to enjoy, respond to and interact with. Plus, it has provided access to public figures in ways that radio couldn’t previously, as with Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards’ kitchen table talks or President Bush’s weekly radio addresses (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/radio). Future applications of podcasting technology are only limited by the accessibility of MP3 players and the ingenuity of the users. The next step of all-access, user-driven radio is to have the smaller hand-held devices download podcasts (technology which is just become available now) through wireless technology. This will work in tandem with current movement towards Wi-Max networks (where entire cities have wireless access availability instead of merely chosen ‘hotspots’), enabling users to save the costs of downloading content through their cellular phone providers or current fatport company. In fact, the Nokia N91 was to be released earlier this year with this same technology on board (Rose, 2005). Yet as MacFarland stated in 1997: â€Å"The answer will lie not so much in technical improvements to audio reproduction as in improvements to the product the audience is seeking – programming that is responsive to the listener’s needs. Conventional radio stations have already picked up on this trend such as the Boston-based â€Å"Jack FM† which boasts an iPod-like random playlist complete with an â€Å"I don’t care† attitude as shown by the DJ’s frequent mentions of the company’s tag line: Playing What We Want. Although podcasting may not reconnect traditional radio listeners with their radio roots (such as CBC has done in Canada with Radio One), it may add increased interest on the part of listeners, intent on learning more about new media and music not previously available to them. Some media experts may feel that podcasting is the end of radio as we know it, but rather it should be looked at as new way, method, technology and available to connect intimately with an audience hard to pin down and even harder to communicate with. Works Cited B, Brecht. â€Å"The Radio as an Apparatus of Communication’.† Radiotexte. Ed. Neil Strauss . New York: Semiotext(e), 1993. â€Å"SEARCH: Podcasting.† Google. Google. 30 Nov 2006 . Hammersley, B. â€Å"Audible revolution.† Guardian Unlimited: Technology. 12 Feb 2004. Media Guardian. 30 Nov 2006 . Mann, Charles. â€Å"The Ressurection of Indie Radio.† Wired Magazine 13.03Mar 2005 30 Nov 2005. Priestman, Chris. Web Radio: Production for Internet Streaming. London: Focal Press, 2001. Rose, Frank. â€Å"Battle for the Soul of the MP3 Phone’.† Wired Magazine 13.11Nov 2005 30 Nov 2006. Terdiman, Daniel. â€Å"You, Too, Can Be a Podcaster.† Wired News 31 Dec 2004 30 Nov 2006. Wall, T. â€Å"The Political Economy of Internet Radio.† The Radio Journal 2(2004): 27-44. Van Buskirk, Eliot. â€Å"Introducing the World’s First MP3 Player.† MP3 Insider. 21 Jan 2005. CNET Reviews. 30 Nov 2006 .         

Indian Nations Essay

For Centuries, Indian Nations converted their knowledge into wealth and social order through that process of innovation. The purpose of innovation is to create a new value for a society at large. Indian Nations created those new values in the form of advancements in many fields like Mathematics, Architecture and Religion that modern society continues to build on. Divergent Indian Tribes, throughout North and South America, had been thriving and living for generations with a deep reverence for their God or Spirit, and living in symbiosis with the land. As the new settlers arrived, they introduced their own brand of social order, however, they failed to understand the impact their desire to conform or corral the native people would forever alter, and in some instances destroy, the lives of future generations of Indians. One of the most startling examples of this was the decimation of the Lakota Indians by the 7th Calvary at Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890. Their leader, Big Foot, certainly was feeling the hopelessness and frustration of his people living on the Cheyenne River Reservation having to rely on the handouts from corrupt government officials for survival. It is likely, compelled by the desire to create a better existence for his people; Big Foot left the reservation in late December with approximately 300 of his people to meet Red Cloud, the Oglala Indian leader, at Pine Ridge. Previous to their ill- fated journey, their hopes had been temporarily inspired by Sitting Bull’s Ghost Dance; the Lakota Indians would dance tirelessly and endlessly whereby hoping to restore their nation’s personal freedoms and way of life prior to the intrusion of the white settlers on their lands. Unfortunately, their efforts would prove unsuccessful and succeeded only in producing further doubts by the white settlers and, likely, the justification for the actions of the 7th Calvary soldiers at Wounded Knee when the Lakota would be summarily executed even as they stood under the white flag of truce. It is possible that many of the soldiers, like the settlers, simply did not understand the desperation of the Lakota and acted in haste wrought from fear of a foreign people and a misguided or presumed belief of their intentions. However, Nations of Indians existed before these events and their stories are of prosperous civilizations and even vast conquering empires with modern commerce systems, religious and cultural centers and established bodies of governorship and some Nations even had ruling classes akin to a Monarch. For Instance, the Anasazi of the southwest, created Pueblo Bonita in Choco Canyon, near present day Albuquerque. Pueblo Bonita was a central hub or city with 400 miles of trade and mass transit routes extending from its center, wherefore, the Anasazi supplied commerce and food to many towns along that route into Mexico City. Near the Mississippi River, the Cahokia Nation existed under the rule of a single Sun king who spoke simple edicts stemming from never kill anyone except in self- defense, consideration for others above one’s individual self- interests and device- free living habits which are, ironically, similar to many Christian biblical guidelines. The Mayan Empire, present day South America, contained 60 capital cities and stretch over many miles fueled by an Agricultural commerce and trade system. The Mayan’s development of a true writing language, unlike the ancient Egyptian picture hieroglyphs, and their advancements in Religion, Math and Architecture further united and brought prosperity to the Mayan people until their demise in 800 AD. In Mexico, the Aztecs (1330 AD – 1520 AD) had established a tax system, levying and recording the tributes of subjugated villages within its empire, in order to build their own material wealth but, also, to finance public works and services for the Aztec people. Before the discovery of the â€Å"New World† when European settlers would cross the Atlantic and encounter an indigenous Indian people. The â€Å"Native† Indian people were steep with traditions, customs and beliefs different from that of any future, new settlers. They would have societal values, an established social order, and innovations within commerce systems that could easily be the foundation or establishment of modern day society. Alas, for many Indian Nations magnificent stone carvings, pottery and ancient ruins would be the only evidence of their existence and the lasting effigies to their skill as tradesman, artisans and innovators.