Swot Analyss

Strengths Comar chemicals is regarded as a leader in the tyre and paint industry. This phenomenon is ascribed to the following strengths: †¢Contracts in place with Goodyear, Continental, Plascon, Bridgestone, Dunlop, and Michelin. †¢Product quality of the highest standard. Automated plant control systems in place, constant in-production quality control tests controlled by chemical director, Vernon Redding. Compliant raw materials with specifications are being utilised. †¢Succession planning in place since the appointment of Stefan as operational manager. This person is ear marked to substitute Vernon Redding, in the event of his departure.Buy and sell agreement entered into by directors, Udo Eric Eichrodt and Dieter Roland. †¢Management team is experienced and highly qualified. †¢Udo Eric Eichrodt: 30 years – BComm Marketing Management †¢Dieter Roland: 29 years – Bcomm Investment Management †¢Vernon Redding: 45 years – PhD Chemi stry †¢Stefan: 12 years – BScHons Chemistry †¢May Rossouw: 24 years – BCommHons (Management Accounting) †¢Nicki de Villiers: 15 years – MComm (Transport Economics) †¢Low staff turnover. The company invests in staff morale as it understands it to be its biggest asset. †¢BEE Status 20% black owned, Vernon Redding, Indian.Promotes business in South Africa and abroad. †¢ISO 9001:2008 Certified (International Organization for Standardization. ) Little trouble has been encountered in the past to comply with minimum standards required by this certification. †¢Unqualified annual audited financial statements. This is testament to good governance practiced. Low gearing, although non-current assets are shown at R4m. Market value of plant and property exceeds R20m. Company is liquid, considering current assets to current liabilities ratio of 4:1. †¢Comar chemicals operates from totally owned premises. European Safety & Reliability Ass ociation (ESRA) certified. Toxic waste is dealt with in a responsible and reliable manner. Contamination of ground is highly unlikely as the company places a high premium on â€Å"going green. † †¢Flexibility and research development ensures ongoing sustainability. †¢Product reliability. Order tracking procedure and commitment of staff ensures a good reputation of the company. †¢Absolute advantage, ability to produce specific product more efficiently than any other nation. Factors of production are relatively cheaper than any other country. †¢Zero tolerance for human error.The company has strict rules and procedures that need to be followed to ensure the mainstay of the business. Disciplinary actions are taken against culprits, which could lead to dismissal. Weaknesses The following weaknesses have been identified: †¢Comar Chemicals is faced with multiple taxes due to the fact that it is a multinational enterprise that runs in various different contri es. Operating in various different countries leads to multiple tax jurisdictions. Multiple tax jurisdictions may lead to the overlapping of taxes and the company may end up with a double taxation. (1) †¢The economic model introduces some weaknesses to the company.There are various factors that affect the economic activity of Comar Chemicals. These include the resource limitations placed on the company’s ability to obtain certain chemicals or the availability of chemicals needed in the factors of production. Environmental or geographical constraints can increase their expenses due to extra transportation costs for raw materials and finished goods. The factory could be situated in an area which is prone to seasonal bad weather (Cape Town). This could slow down the process of moving materials and Comar Chemicals will bear the economic impact of a loss of potential revenue and increased costs.Theirs will also be certain institutional and legal requirements that Comar Chemica ls will have to follow and they will vary in the three different countries that they operate in, South Africa, Switzerland and Germany. Comar Chemicals may have to adhere to different legal levels of Co2 production that they create during their production process and will have to regulate these levels in compliance with the legal levels set by the government. †¢Comar Chemicals has no buy and sell agreement supported by life insurance.A buy and sell agreement is a binding legal document that governs the conditions if a co-owner dies or is otherwise forced to leave the business. The fact that there is no buy and sell agreement supported by life cover means that if owner of the company passes way or is forced to leave the business then all the debt or liabilities incurred by the business will be left to the closest relative of the owner. This could lead to a liquidation of the business if there is no insurance cover. Therefore the business is not completely safe in the case of a p ersonal crisis within the business. 2) †¢Promotion for staff is limited due the low staff turnover that Comar Chemicals has. Comar Chemicals has a total of 38 employees that includes two scientists, one accountant and one logistics manager. This can also be seen as a strength however the fact that there are so few employees, there are few promotions to employees. This can cause employees to become less motivated towards their job and company and in turn this could decrease the total production and the total efficiency of production. †¢Employee empowerment is the act of giving more responsibility to workers in the work place. 3) The empowerment of staff can lead to a weakness within Comar Chemicals due to the fact that firstly, the business has a relatively small number of employees. This can lead to an increase in conflict between the employees as to why one employee has been empowered more than another. This can cause bad interpersonal relationships between employees. Emp owerment can also be a weakness if the wrong employee has been empowered to take on a certain task or manage a project that he or she has not been specifically trained for. This could create problems within the managerial and operational sectors of Comar Chemicals.If empowerment of employees is going to be an on-going activity at Comar Chemicals then it has to be carried out in a way that makes sure that the right employees are being empowered for the right reasons. †¢Comar Chemicals has no key man insurance. This is very similar to the absence of a buy and sells agreement, supported by life cover that was previously mentioned. Key man insurance is an insurance policy that is takes out by the business to compensate for financial losses that would arise from the death or extended incapacity of an important member of the business.Key man insurance can cover many insurable losses that include, losses related to the period when the key person was unable to work and insurance to pro tect profits, insurance to protect shareholders and partnership agreements. Without key man insurance, Comar Chemicals is vulnerable to the chance that something happens to the owner and there is no protection or financial security for the business in the future. (4) Opportunities There are many opportunities for Comar Chemicals to utilise to maximise their business productivity and profitability. There are two types of opportunities, external and internal.External opportunities affect the organisation due to independent factors. Internal opportunities exist within the firm. Opportunities, when realised, can have enormous rewards for the business if the opportunities are exploited correctly. An opportunity is indication of positive potential that can help a business increase its success. Possible sources of business opportunities in most industries and markets include: Potential Business Opportunities Technological innovation New demand Market growth Demographic change Social or lif estyle change Government spending programmesHigher economic growthTrade liberalisation EU enlargement Diversification opportunity Deregulation of the market The opportunities that Comar can use to their advantage are: import quotas, developing markets, revising job descriptions/digressions, improving competitive levels, forward exchange cover, Solar power, life policies, association with universities and joint development with customers. An Import Quota is like a form of protection. It fixes the amount of products a foreign producing firm is allowed to bring into a country over a specific time period, which is usually a year.The objective of an import quota is to limit imports into a country therefore encouraging the use of domestic products and services, as the amount of the good being imported is limited the price of the specific good increases therefore domestic firms benefit. Comar, being situated in South Africa, Switzerland and Germany, can use this as an opportunity by increa sing domestic employment. There will be a larger demand for Comar Chemicals because import quotas will make it more expensive to import these goods from international competitors.This will encourage Comar to employ more citizens that are qualified for the job because of the expanding demand of their product and the need for increased labour and skills in the organisation. Comar is a small business, with 38 employees including two scientists, an accountant and a logistics specialist. Comar is 14 years old, which is relatively young compared to it competitors therefore it can be considered an â€Å"infant industry† which is still developing and is not big enough to compete fairly.Import quotas allow Comar to mature onto a same competitive level as international organisations. South Africa is a developing country and the market for metal carboxylates is expanding with the increase of paint and coatings, printing inks and chemical industry, polyester industry, grease and gear oil s industry and PolyButadiene, Isoperene Butadine and Copolymers industry. With the increase of construction and manufacturing in South Africa, these industries are in higher demand than ever before. Comar can improve their competing levels through product quality.Quality relates to ‘appropriate use': how well a product does what it is intended to do. This can include a compliance of raw materials with specifications, detailed manufacturing and quality control test procedures, in-production tests of final products, introduction of automated plant control systems. These quality control methods leave little room for error, positioning the product on a high level of quality which will lead to a smart modern working environment and a reflection of the quality of the business as a whole.Comar’s leading product is COMCAT, which inclueds a rare earth catalyst which is used in the synthetic rubber industry to manufacture advanced rubber tyres – making tyres softer but mor e durable which in turn lowers the level of CO2 emissions from vehicles. This gives Comar a competitive advantage as their products are also helping the environment and decreasing the level of harm through innovative products, which will draw the attraction of buyers.There can often be discrepancies about the actual responsibilities, tasks and duties of a certain position within the organization; this can be managed by revising job descriptions. There must be an accurate reflection of the true functions and responsibilities for a job description to be effective. A comprehensive job description can be used in management to measure employee performance and employees can use the job description as a guideline to comprehend the expectations of the position. This can lead to improved productivity and ohesiveness within the organization to help realize the organizations objectives and goals. Comar can use the opportunity to become involved with universities to further their research and p rovide university departments with their expertise of the product to evolve students into potential employees of their firm or for that specific industry. For example, Comar could give bursaries to deserved students to pay for their studies in a BSC, specializing in COMCAT (PolyButadiene, Isoperene Butadine and Copolymers industry).They could provide all the necessary tools (research, expertise, information) in order to establish awareness of this specific product and market the need for this specific scientist in this field. Joint development with customers involves a good relationship between the manufacturer and the customer. The manufacturer must be enthusiastic and prepared to open up its daily practices and activities to its customers, this will give the customer the opportunity to carefully scrutinize and evaluate the ways in which the manufacturer operates, during the production process, and the quality of the finished products.An important issue when dealing with joint deve lopment with customers is communication. When there is a healthy line of communication between the manufacturer and the customer, there can be am exchange of ideas between parties leading to effective production and customer satisfaction. Threats Threats are conditions in the business environment that are uncontrollable and have the potential to harm business profitability. One of the most common threats is competitors. There are a number of threats that Comar may face, including: future trends in the specific field, social issues, the economy, funding, demographics and the physical environment.When observing the potential threats that Comar may face, the following needs to be determined: the obstacles Comar may face, competitor’s activity, quality standards and changing technology. Threats can be divided into two categories namely, industry threats, an increase in competition or a decrease in the market size, and macro threats, threats that affect all industries in Comarâ₠¬â„¢s area. Possible sources of business threats include Potential Business Threats New market entrants Change in customer tastes or needs Demographic change Consolidation among buyersNew regulationsEconomic downturn Rise of low cost production abroad Higher input prices New substitute products Competitive price pressure A potential threat Comar may face is the diversity. Diversity is often defined as a positive term for a business, but it also comes with threats that have the potential to ruin productivity. Comar has a diverse workforce, co-workers each have different experiences and perceptions as they have all come from different backgrounds. This could cause cultural clashes which can decrease productivity and cohesiveness of the business as a whole.Comar could also experience divisions in staff members due to the formation of cliques and other groups, this can create competition between employees rather than teamwork, a lack of respect amongst one another and this could lead to costly diversity training to resolve diversity issues within the organisation. Comar has a diverse client base as their company is also situated in Switzerland and Germany. It is therefore crucial for Comar have a bi-lingual customer service, if they do not they will lose a massive amount of clientele as there needs to be effective communication between the two parties in order for the business to be successful.Social issues in the business environment may be a threat to Comar. A social system is a pooling of ideas, attitudes and behaviour which are involved in human relations and interactions. Comar is influenced by its customers attitudes and behaviour, if they are negative relationships within the organisation this could dampen productivity and decrease business profitability and if there are social issues external to the organisation, such as political unrest, could affect consumer behaviour negatively and affect the success of the business.The political; and legal system can a lso pose as a threat to Comar, as business have to follow the specific regulations as set out for them by the government, it creates a set of rules and guidelines that business are expected to adhere by, if a business does not there could be serious consequences that could lead to decreased profitability and even as far as a business being banned. The monetary system facilitates business exchange. Monetary activity has distinct basic functions, namely saving, borrowing, spending and earning, which are all linked to business profitability.Comar has to pay careful attention to all these activities because each of these factors can easily turn into a threat for the business. There are many different parties involved when dealing with money, they are financial institutions, debtors, creditors, customers and suppliers. The interest rate is very important when Comar is dealing with its monetary activities, when an interest rate is high, it increases Comar’s costs and will limit the amount of spending that Comar can participate in.Exchange rates are the value of one nation’s currency in comparison to another. It is very important when determining a business’s effectiveness and whether it will serve as an opportunity or a threat. Comar is a company that does business in South Africa and globally, therefore exchange rates will have an enormous effect on the profitability. When Comar exchanges its products over national borders causing another currency to become involve, fluctuations in exchange rates can lead to profits or losses for Comar.Comar is at an advantage when the rand is relatively strong compared to the currency that the organisation is trading with. When the rand is weak compared to the business it is doing the exchange with, Comar is at a disadvantage as it will be more costly to exchange products across borders. A massive threat that Comar faces is import duty, which is a tax on goods imported into a country. This causes prices to be higher because of the tax cost involved. This cost is passed onto consumers at higher prices, which in turn can lead to consumer dissatisfaction and a loss in clients.Trade restrictions were introduced to restrict importing for many reasons, mainly to protect domestic industries. There are two types of restrictions, tariffs and non-tariffs. Non-tariffs include, methods such as embargo, import quota – which is a limitation on the amount of goods a business is allowed to import, foreign exchange control and currency devaluation. These trade restrictions pose a massive threat to Comar because the organisation is continuously trading over borders and having to deal with trade restrictions, which will inevitably hinder profitability.

Do You Believe in Miracles

Ami Denman Dr. Anderson Phil 1043 4/26/13 Do You Believe In Miracles? Do you believe in miracles? I find it rather intriguing that some people still try to use science or any number of other disciplines as a way of explaining, give meaning or rationalizing the question of miracles or the existence of a higher power.I find it hard to understand why humans deny at least the possibility that everyday life presents us with mysteries that cannot simply be explained by human reasoning, rational explanations, the laws of science, or by the laws of nature, but instead just simply acknowledge that some things are unexplainable or justifiable and just miraculous.Although the belief in miracles have seemly been acknowledged as factual for centuries in works such as the Bible, many philosophers and scientists still question the validity of a miraculous event or experience and refuse to ascribe to the reasonable explanation that some things in the natural world cannot be proved by the method of s cience and are explicitly miraculous. A miracle can be de? ned by Hume as a ? transgression of a law of nature by the violation of a particular deity or invisible agent?.For scholars such as Maurice Wiles, Alastair McKinnon, and Steven Bayne a miracle can never occur because the actual concept of a miracle is incoherent. Bayne states, â€Å"Given Hume’s view on the nature of belief and belief production, it seems†¦that we should begin not by asking whether belief in a miracle can be rationally justified, but by asking whether a belief in a miracle is even possible. † However, I will aim to demonstrate why miracles can occur because ultimately the de? nition of miracles put forward by David Hume is archaic and irrelevant to today’s society.David Hume proposed a theoretical and practical case for why it is impossible for one ever to know if a miracle has occurred. His theoretical case begins by stating that all our knowledge comes from sensory experience and empirical evidence and the only proof for a miracle is its testimony. The probability that this is incorrect due to the witness being deluded or unreliable is much greater than the probability that a miracle has actually occurred, that is that the laws of nature have been violated.For this reason it seems clear that a miracle can never occur because the chance of the testimony being incorrect will always be greater than the laws of nature being wrong. For Hume ? a wise man proportions his beliefs?. There are several problems with this proposition, which demonstrate why Hume is incorrect, and miracles do actually occur. The ? rst is that his theory is founded upon Newtonian laws of nature and thus he argues that laws of nature are absolute and ? xed. However, works of Einstein have showed that laws of nature are in fact not absolute and ? ed and much of Newton? s work is to be doubted upon. Furthermore, quantum mechanics has shown that actually laws of nature don? t always have regul arity the study of particles on such a detailed level has shown that movement in the particles is random. The implications of these discoveries in science have meant that theories such as Hume, which base themselves on Newtonian laws, are also invalid like Newton’s work. Miracles can then occur and cannot be explained by science like quantum mechanics.However, there are not just problems for skeptics and scientists with accepting the existence of miracles. Maurice Wiles an American theologian suggested that if we accept miracles then we are lead to the conclusion that God is arbitrary and partisan therefore not a morally good God. Wiles says that this is unlikely, it is more likely that God is morally good and chooses not to intervene. He states that the only intervention God has in the world is creation and now sustaining his creation.Wiles on these grounds reject the notion of a miracle and suggests that they can never occur. What Wiles fails to realize is that God is not h uman, he is a being out of this world with characteristics possessed by no humans and so it is not necessary that this dilemma can be applied to him. As St Augustine said God is beyond human reasoning and it not necessarily that we will understand him or his behavior fully. Also, what Wiles is saying contradicts belief which has been around for over 2,000 years.It seems more likely that Wiles is incorrect than all the philosopher and theologians who predeceased him. For this reason, we can reject Wiles? argument and believe that miracles do actually occur. Swinburne, nevertheless, attempts to answer Wiles? dilemma. He gives that analogy of a child and parent relationship. Just like a parent keeps rules and expects the child to follow them, now and again the parent may agree to break the rules if for example a child pleads a lot. The same way God may violate the laws of nature if he so feels that it is logical.This is a credible suggestion for God? s apparent arbitrary and partisan n ature because religious scripture can be used to back up the belief that a parent and child relationship is analogous to the relationship between us and God and it makes sense. Furthermore, if God decided to constantly perform miracles there would be no such thing as faith and judgement because everyone would believe in God. We would not even make advancements because we would be so reliant on God? s intervention.This suggestions show that there may be other reasons to why God intervenes in such an â€Å"arbitrary and partisan† fashion. Alastair McKinnon went one-step ahead of Hume and stated that miracles are impossible because the concept of a miracle is incoherent. McKinnon begins by de? ning a law of nature, for McKinnon a law of nature is a descriptive sentence which describes a course of event for example, if I drop my pen and say gravity has caused my pen to fall on the ground, I am just describing what happened and nothing more than that.McKinnon goes onto question ho w can one then say miracles, which are violations of laws of nature, occur. It is impossible to suggest that a course events could be violated. McKinnon therefore concludes that the existence of miracles is impossible. McKinnon’s view on this topic is not a popular one and this is because he rests his case in the belief that laws of nature are merely descriptive. Most scholars and nearly all scientists would disagree and explain that a law of nature is more than that, a law of nature explains how things occur nd make predictions and thus it seems perfectly logical for this to be violated, hence miracles to occur. Another problem with all of the arguments explored in this essay is that they seems to categorize miracles are natural events yet there is no proof for that. Miracles may actually be supernatural events caused by something out of this and again leading to the possibility that miracles can occur. My position and the scholarly views presented have been built on the fou ndation that a miracle is a violation of a law of nature when actually this may not be true. The de? ition proposed by Hume suggests we have some kind of God of the gaps that where science cannot be used to explain something we use God when actually in our modern world a miracle is not looked at in terms of the laws of nature it has violated and probability. For most people a miracle is an event which holds religious signi? cance. This de? nition was put forward by R. F. Holland and P. Tillich and seems to be much more realistic. It can be conceived then that miracles can occur because at the end of it Hume? s de? nition of a miracle is outdated and not a clear representation of how people understand miracles today.A miracle is any event whether it breaks the laws of nature or not but holds religious signi? cance for the individual. Bibliography Anghel. Alexandru. â€Å"Hume On Miracles and the Lourdes Phenomenon†. Scientific Journal of Humanistic Studies 4. 6(2012):25-32. Ac ademic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Are Miracles Identifiable? † Web. 10 Apr. 2013. www. thywordistruth. com/Miracles/miracles. pdf Bayne, Steven M. â€Å"Hume On Miracles: Would It Take A Miracle To Believe In A Miracle? †. Southern Journal of Philosophy, 45,1,pp 1-29, Academic Search Complete.Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Corner, David. â€Å"Miracles. † Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. March 24 2005. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. www. thestudentchatroom. co. uk/Wiki/Revision:Miracles Corner, David. â€Å"Philosophy of Miracles. † Continuum Studies in Philosophy. International Publishing Group. Jan 21 2007: p 17. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Cowan, Steven B. , and James S. Spiegel, Loving Wisdom: A ChristianIntroduction to Philosophy. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009. Frost-Arnold, Greg. â€Å"The No-Miracles Argument For Realism: Inference To An Unacceptable Explanation. Philosophy Of Science 77. 1 (2010): 35-58. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. Larmer, Robert . â€Å"Miracles, Divine Agency, And The Laws Of Nature. † Toronto Journal Of Theology 27. 2(2011): 267-290. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. McKinnon, Alastair. â€Å"Miracles and Paradox. † American Philosophical Quartely 4. (Oct 1967):308-14 Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Yurs, Mark E. â€Å"The Ethics Of Preaching On The Healing Of Jesus. † Clergy Journal 85. 1 (2008): 12-14. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2013.

Nurses Notes Essay

Writing stays with you throughout your entire life, though you may not believe so. Hidden in your thoughts about your future career is the idea that writing will be part of your profession. After doing extensive research, I now realize how much writing will be involved with my chosen profession, a registered nurse. Writing in nursing can range from short, concise works to long, detailed, complex works. Writing as a nurse contains nurse’s notes, documentation, written reports, health records, flowcharts, care-plans, narratives, and if desired, professional journals for publication. The position within in the field also plays a role with the amount of writing needed to be done. The head of a department takes part in a lot more writing than a nurse. A head of a department holds a variety of duties when it comes to writing such as: staff proposals, budget proposals, department operations, policies and procedures, and protocols. A nurse must be able to follow the basic writing standards: writing clear, concise, and grammatically correct sentences, use proper punctuation, and demonstrate critical thought. Nurses are also expected to learn how to present information succinctly with their work being accessible to anyone who may read it. Nurses aim to write work that can be used in both clinical aspects of discipline and research. The field of nursing requires a nurse to be able to write swiftly and accurately. Nurses must also always be prepared to define their recorded information and writing. Records must be clear, concise, complete and accurate. The clichà © that is universally known, the job is not complete until the paperwork is completed is more true in health care than in any other profession, referring to the fact that a lot of writing is done in this workforce. Types of Writing: Nursing as a profession contains many different types of writing. Nurse’s notes are records that nurses who directly care for the patient, continuously record information. This includes the patient’s symptoms, medications given, and scheduled procedures or activities. Documentation reflects the care the care the nurse has or has not provided to the patient. Documentation is the nurse’s only form of legal proof that they did or did not do something for the patient. Nurse’s look at documentation as important as the actual care they are providing for their patient. Hands-on care and documentation carries equal importance in the eyes of a registered nurse. Documentation then becomes art of the patient’s medical record after the patient is either discharged or no longer living. Written reports are needed when the care of a patient is given over to another nurse. I interviewed Sharon Doll, a registered nurse at Glendive Medical Center who states that these written reports are very rare. â€Å"It is highly unlikely that you as a registered nurse will have to give the care of your patient over to another nurse.† (Personal interview, November 23, 2012) Health records, or medical records, consist of the accumulation of nurse’s notes. The records are held on file at the hospital and are referred to when needed. Health records consist of prescriptions prescribed to the patient, x-ray results, test results, reports, blood type, allergies and other important information about the patient that the care providers may need to be aware of. Recently, health records have transferred to being electronic, taking away from the writing perspective. Assessment check-boxes go hand-in-hand with health records as well, which are the summary of the symptoms of the patient. Flowcharts simply show the process that has been taken while caring for patients. They show the sequence in which the patient has followed. This is a concise review of the patient’s history and the care that was provided. Care-plans outline the nursing care that is to be provided to the patient. It is a set of actions that the nurse will take to provide the necessary care for the patient in hopes of full recovery. A care-plan consists of three parts: definition of the problem, intervention and/or solutions, and the evaluation of success or intervention and/or solution. Many times, care-plans are set out by the doctor because the doctor is not as available as the nurse. Care-plans are usually completed day-by-day and sort of run on a schedule. Narratives are important in nursing communication and important in the aspect of capturing the patient’s history and also the treatment they received. Narratives use standard abbreviations, are not written in first person, instead they refer to themselves as â€Å"the nurse†, and finally, rely on the communication with others. Professional journals for publication are optional for nurses but are quite popular. Journals are a compiled of the nurse’s experience, clinical practices, and their theoretical approaches and/or opinions. Nurses write journals to inform their audience, primarily formed of nursing students. Nurse’s journals give other people a first-hand look at their point of view and their job. If a nurse rises to the head of a department, he/she will face more writing than that of a registered nurse. Staff proposals and budget proposals are simply directed within the department. A staff proposal consists of the duties of the staff and the expectations they are held to. Budget proposals consist of the budget throughout the department and how it will be distributed. Department operations are the operations the department can fulfill. These include the day-to-day functioning of the department. Policies and procedures review the policies by which the employees must follow and the procedures they take before handling care for a patient. Finally, protocols refer to the steps of the procedures and experiments that are conducted by the department. Reflection: Montana State University prepares students to be successful in their chosen field. MSU offers Writing 101 and also University Seminar that covers the writing aspect. I think the preparation of MSU for nursing students and writing is sufficient due to the fact that the majority of the junior year in the pre-nursing major simply consists of all nursing classes. These classes will also review all aspects of nursing, including the writing that a registered nurse will complete within the profession. Conclusion: Overall, I was unaware of all the writing that was needed in the profession of a registered nurse. I did not think that I would do more than simply taking nurse’s notes. With these findings, I am very grateful for the writing courses offered at Montana State University.

Should Children Be Allowed on Facebook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Should Children Be Allowed on Facebook - Essay Example The content of the article, which is a rather apprehensive note from a parent’s blog, is able to attract much debate. Two perspectives have been presented; one that children under the age of 13 should not be legally allowed to join Facebook and the other one is that children who do join Facebook under the legal age can be monitored through proper parental surveillance. But the question that arises is that to what extent can the parents monitor a child’s Facebook account? (Dellantonia, 2011). Research shows that children are most likely and the first ones to use technology for morally wrong reasons. And thus, when these young children are exposed to such unlimited freedom, results can be debilitating (Junghyun, 2011). On one hand, it is true that Facebook currently has millions of children lying about their ages on profiles (Dellantonia, 2011) and there is no real way to detect it but if Facebook complies with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, it can still have 13-year-olds join Facebook as that is a profitable opportunity for Facebook, but in that case it will have to invest in developing a system which will require parents’ informed consent before the child joins in and that is not profitable for Facebook (Kashmir, 2011). Even when children do not initiate illegal activity, they are often subjects to the illicit behavioral practices of those with deviant purposes and notorious plans. The young children and young adults continue to be victims of many heinous crimes led through the internet including drug trafficking, bullying, stalking, and pornography (Fodeman, 2009). In Waukesha County, Wisconsin, for example, a boy was convicted of having at least 300 nude photos of boys aged 13 to 19. He posed as a girl on Facebook and used the photos were used to blackmail some of those boys to engage in performing sexual acts with him (Marsico, 2010).  

Policy Sciences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Policy Sciences - Essay Example It was more often that the advisors did not have any 'consideration of intellectual underpinnings, honesty, cumulative knowledge or independent evaluations' of the political and social scenario. There were also no recordings of the decisions and the reasons for such decisions written down. Most of advises, according to DeLeon, remained 'particularistic, ad hoc exercises' taken up when something was needed by the prince or the monarch. Documenting the decisions and supporting ideas were done during the later half of the nineteenth century. Subsequent growth of the policy science was based on the foundations and concepts that stemmed from these days. During and after World War II, there were major upheavals that were taking place all over the world. The concept of the nation state had taken firmer shape in the world and so did the concept of independence or freedom. The political economy and the political science itself underwent major changes in the way decisions were made. ... The advisors had to change their color based on the rising trend in these nation states and those states that were coming up just then. The fight against and for separatism is another major change in the thought process to become an independent state or nation! This was a serious motivator for the change in policy sciences in line with the thoughts that entered the circle. Similarly, the changes in the economic scenario and the rise of the new economic and political power in the form of the United States also meant that the entire political scene has to be reworked. While there are some uprisings that were anti imperialistic and others socialistic, all that it meant was that the advisors had a different role to play4. The social requirements and the needs of the people, had to be reflected to the monarch or to the heads of the government through these advisors or duly elected members of the parliament or governing council. Immediately after the World War II, the impact on the advisory policy took a major turn5. With more stress on economic growth and industrial growth, the rights of the labor and the people became more pronounced. In all the nations, the monarchies gave way to socialistic and democratic systems that took its power from the people. The advisory policy made a complete U turn here and slowly but steadily moved away from the monarchy and the power center shifted to the ministers or the advisory boards. And the major turn in the policy is the twist that could be visibly seen in terms of ethics and humanitarian issues6. Equality of human beings, racial equality and equality of nations were the main thrust of most of the policy advisors in this period of the policy making history. War on Poverty up to late 1970s War on Poverty was again

Television Advertisements Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Television Advertisements - Research Paper Example The paper realizes the prevalence of such behavior and in that acts as a measure to find a solution to the previously answered problem. The research question seeks to address the issue on a producer’s and a television company perspective. It aims to ensure that the involved stakeholders understand their social responsibility in protecting the children by developing relevant measures to combat the adverse effects on the children. The question relates to the significant problem of the various impacts of TV advertisements on children but adopts a different approach from the previous studies. This discussion declares that  the concern will not be a regulation by the prevailing regulative bodies, but an undertaking by advertisement houses and television companies meant to limit the effects of these ads on the children. The answer would work towards improving the overall health of the American population since there will be reduced cases of obesity and smoking among the children. Obesity and smoking are some of the primary causes of heart-related diseases and lung cancer in the United States and other areas in the world. Eliminating the negative influence of TV ads on the children will create a direct effect on the reduction in the prevalence rate of the associated diseases such as lung cancer and heart diseases.  The outcome can be included in the commercial television industry code of practice that will ensure the children are not influenced negatively by the ads and that parents are assured of their children’s safety.

Global Warming and it's effects and solutions Essay

Global Warming and it's effects and solutions - Essay Example Finding new sources for electricity is one of the most important ways to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Currently in the United States we use several methods to produce electricity. These include coal, oil, nuclear power, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, wind power, and solar power, among others. Coal is used more than all the other methods. Burning coal produces huge amounts of carbon dioxide, and in order to stop global warming, the use of coal has to stop, or at least be greatly reduced (World Wildlife Fund ,1999). The best solution is to use combinations of the safest types of power. One way to do this is to use more wind and solar power, update existing hydroelectric systems to make them more efficient, and use geothermal power when possible. Another way to reduce greenhouse gas emission is to get industries that cause the most pollution to reduce emissions and power consumption.

Community Foundations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Community Foundations - Essay Example The ACF acts as a connection between donors, and the charitable money from the donors helps to improve the lives of all of the people living in Central Texas. The Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides positions for over two hundred individual charitable funds. The Austin Community Foundation handles over five hundred charitable funds that have been established by non-profit agencies, individual donors, and corporations. Some of these charitable funds include scholarship funds, special project funds, and donor designated funds. The task of the ACF is to help the funds back into the community to help in the supporting of charitable efforts, such as scholarships and grants. These grants support animal-related services, recreation, education, arts and culture, the environment, and health, among others. Some of the projects that the Austin Community Foundation sees to vary in the type of fund that is it, and the fund, or project, itself. Unrestricted funds help the most pressing of needs of the community, allowing the Board of Governors to decide on the recipients. Some of these funds include, but are not limited to, the Austin Community Foundation Fund, the Emily Lake Fund, and Gatewood Newberry Endowment Fund. Donor advised funds are made through the consultation of the donor, which will benefit charitable organizations. Some of these funds are The Austin High School Endowment Fund, Austin Playhouse Endowment Fund, and the Charity Partners of Austin Fund. Donor designated funds benefit the specific organization or fields of interest – a few of these funds include A.I.S.D. Redesigning High Schools Fund, Jeanne Deason Fund for the Salvation Army, and the Sidney Burleson Smith Red Cross Fund. Non-profit endowments are non-profit organizations that provide permanent structure and professional investment

Nursing Informatics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Nursing Informatics - Assignment Example The act defines an e-signature as an â€Å"electronics sound, process or symbol attached to, or associated with a contract and adopted by an individual with the intent to record or sign†. In simple terms, an electronic signature can be a digitized image of handwritten signature or name that is placed on a document for example making a signature on a document using a mouse or using electronic touch pen to make a signature. A major limitation of electronic signature is that they do not have secure coding since somebody can tamper with it easily. Digital signature is described as a type of electronic signature that is more sophisticated and provides permanent information when used. Digital signature employs encryption/decryption technology that provides increased security associated with the signed document since it involves verification of authenticity of the signed record. Digital signature takes the form of the traditional paper-based signing and turns it into an electronic â€Å"fingerprint† or a coded message that is unique to both the signer and the document but its legally binding. Digital signature has helped several organizations and companies sustain the signer accountability, authenticity and integrity of the

Essay#2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

#2 - Essay Example Lapham in this article have been successful narrating the unpredictable and inconsistent ideologies of political party. ( Thesis) The author has been highly creative in laying down his debates on a democratic party which was abandoning their so called liberalistic attitude. The author has been right in blaming the liberals for their waning movement. They did not live up to their ideal value but waivered at the time when people demanded their support. The article has provided many detailed political events which give a credible validity to the arguments stated by the author. The author was showing the fear of people who were expecting a wave of crime and a rise of violence. The entire activities of liberals during the middle of 2oth century has made the article a fact based article. As per (Graham,2008 ) â€Å" The American obsession with self and self-promotion—Lapham had a field day when Francis Fukuyama declared â€Å"the end of history†Ã¢â‚¬â€is one of the reasons Lapham says he’s not more popular in the op-ed columns or the talk show circuit†. The article is a glimpse of the death of the democratic values of a party on which a nation had great hopes. The author has jotted down how a well respected political party with class and value downgraded in materialistic lure. The best part of the article is that the reader can feel the sympathetic transition of a political group which once was a ray of hope. The ebb and flow of democracy, human idealism, social desperation, racial tension all can be seen in the reading. The power machine has taken the advantage of the political party and the author establishes that the right wing was not in the proper direction. As per ( Kimball,2004) â€Å"Mr. Lapham subtended the rubric â€Å"a brief history† to the title of his 7500-word jeremiad; â€Å"a desperate fantasy† would have been more accurate†. The author has a point to make here which is the reluctance to keep trust on parties that is the either wing

The factors that affect success in learning English as a second Essay

The factors that affect success in learning English as a second language - Essay Example Though many ESL teachers may be fluent in several languages besides English, they generally aren't fluent in all of them, and the language background of an ESL class can be diverse. Therefore, explanations usually must be made in basic English, teaching the child or adult at first in simple ways with a lot of demonstration, pictures, and repetition, to understand English, to read it, and to speak it." (Ellis-Christensen. n.d.). It is doubly important for ESL teachers to have considerable mastery of the English language so that they will be able to meet the required standards necessary to impart the best knowledge to their students, especially as their classes advance into grammar discussions. ESL teachers should be able to focus on the most common problems of ESL students so as to help them more effectively and guide them on how to speak and write fluent English. As ESL teachers take up advanced studies, they learn some of the more common mistakes expected from certain language groups such as the tendency for many Asian languages to omit the pluralization of word endings. Some language groups don't need a specific order in sentences, Ms. Ellis-Christensen relates. Most students are even unfamiliar with the English alphabet. Therefore, it is important that ESL teachers are flexible, have considerable expertise in teaching the English language, and are quick to adapt to the learning styles of their students (Ellis-Christensen. n.d.). ESL teachers must continue to strive to learn more English teaching skills. The British Council (http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/transform/teachers/uk-courses-qualifications), claims that "UK training providers offer a range of high-quality pre-service and in-service qualifications for English language teachers, as well as many degree-level and short courses on aspects of English language teaching." Basic skills training are offered for trainee teachers, teachers in the early years of their career, or experienced teachers who are beginning to teach English. Developing skills are offered to more experienced English teachers while Specialist skills are made available for highly experienced teachers who are taking on more specialist, expert roles (The British Council. n.d.). It is obviously important for teachers to have a certain degree of skills in terms of mastery of teaching the English language, especially when it comes to dealing with students who do not speak English as their first language. Teachers need to come up with creative lesson plans that will not only make it easier for their students to grasp the many nuances of the English language but also make learning an interesting experience for them. Teaching Strategies Mr. Kenneth Beare from About.com sums up the best English language teaching strategies in three very practical ways (Beare. n.d.). His first advice is to "keep it simple." He says, "One problem that teachers often encounter is that of trying to do too much, too quickly;" and that "the best way to approach teaching is to choose just one use or function, and focus on that specific point." Mr. Beare's next advice is to "slow down and use easy vocabulary." He explains, "Native speakers are often not aware of how quickly they speak. Most teachers need to make a conscious effort to slow down when speaking. Perhaps more importantly, you need to become aware of the type of

Marketing Environment Essay Example for Free

Marketing Environment Essay Before we start with marketing environment it is important to know what a market is and how can marketing be defined as. A market is any structure that allows buyers and sellers to exchange any type of goods, services and information. †¢The market facilitates trade and enables the distribution and allocation of resources in a society. †¢Markets allow any tradable item to be evaluated and priced. A market emerges more or less spontaneously or is constructed deliberately by human interaction in order. †¢Marketing can basically be looked upon as the interaction between marketing mix variables and environmental variables. †¢It is only with the help of marketing variables, that the market managers tackle the environmental variables. †¢Marketing is an ongoing process of planning and executing the marketing mix for products, services or ideas to create exchange between individuals and organizations. According to Kotler â€Å"Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtains what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others†. The American Marketing Association defines marketing as:- â€Å"The performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producers to consumers or users†. †¢Marketing tends to be seen as a creative industry, which includes advertising, distribution and selling. †¢ It is also concerned with anticipating the customers future needs and wants, which are often discovered through market research. †¢Essentially, marketing is the process of creating or directing an organization to be successful in selling a product or service that people not only desire, but are willing to buy. In the words of Stanton â€Å" Marketing is a total system of interacting business activities designed to plan ,price, promote and distribute want satisfying products and services to present and potential customers†. Therefore good marketing must be able to create a proposition or set of benefits for the end customer that delivers value through products or services. Government agencies, political parties, pressure groups and laws create tremendous pressure and constraints for marketing management. †¢Laws affect product design, pricing and promotion. Irrespective of the political ideologies, intervention in the marketing process has become common in every nation. †¢The legal environment is also referred to as public policy environment. The vast government network of laws and regulation, policy decisions, government bureaucracy and the legislative processes have varied impact on marketing strategies. †¢Multinationals like Coca Cola and IBM had to flee India during 1977 due to a hostile political environment. The positive political situation has permitted these corporations to again operate in the country. The impact of political and legal forces may be summarized as under: ? Substantial amount of legislation regulating business exists to protect consumers from unfair business practices, to avoid unfair competition, to safeguard small firms and to conserve foreign exchange. ?Marketing managers are required to get full knowledge and understanding of political and legal forces for achieving their goals. Political factors include government regulations and legal issues and define both the formal and informal rules under which the firm must operate. For example †¢Tax policy †¢Employment laws †¢Environmental regulations †¢Trade restrictions and tariffs †¢Political stability †¢Study and knowledge of economic forces is essential to preparing effective marketing plans. †¢Anticipation of future economic conditions will enable the firm to devise appropriate marketing strategies. Under economic environment, a marketing manager generally studies the following factors and trends: †¢Trends in cross national product and real income growth †¢Pattern of income distribution †¢Variations in geographical income distribution and trends †¢Expenditure patterns and trends Trends of consumer savings and how consumers like to hold their savings †¢Borrowing pattern, trends and governmental and legal restrictions †¢Major economic variables Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customers and the firms cost of capital. For example †¢Economic growth †¢Interest r ate †¢Exchange rates †¢Inflation rates †¢Economic conditions affect marketing directly because such organizations are themselves a part of the market place. For instance, the costs of all inputs positively respond to upward swing of economic condition. †¢This will affect the output price and consequentially affect the sales.

Genetic and Environmental Factors for Criminality

Genetic and Environmental Factors for Criminality Is a crime committed because the criminal is a rational being, able to make the decision to offend as an act of free will? Does the crime occur because environmental influences – parents, peer group, culture and so on – determined the act would invariably happen? Or is the real clue to be found in the genes: are criminals born not made?† (Hollin, 1989, p.3-4) Discuss each of these perspectives and consider which theory (or combination of theories) is the most plausible and why? Introduction: What motivates individuals to commit crimes, particularly violent crimes against other individuals has been the subject of research in criminology for over two hundred years. Globally the search for the causes of crime continues to form the bedrock of most criminological studies (McLaughlin et al., 2003, p.73).The nature versus nurture debate in respect of criminology has been central to the research, having been especially intense, and often emotional in explaining criminal behaviour (Sarbin and Miller, 1970). The debate regarding the relative impact of genetics and environmental influences continues to inform a considerable body of research. In respect of commission of crime two distinct schools of thought have dominated the debate. Classical criminologists approach the question from the standpoint of individuals having, and employing, a free will. They take no account of the circumstances or environment in which an individual has been formed, taking the view that a criminal commits a crime because he wants to, the deed depending only on the voluntary determination of the individual (McLoughlin et al., 2003, p.53). On the other hand are those who believe that an individual acts in a certain way as a result of the circumstances in which he finds himself. It is only when the circumstances conspire against an individual that he will commit a certain criminal act, but this will not happen simply as a consequence of his wanting to (McLoughlin et al., 2003, p.53). Those approaching the problem from this point of view believe that intervention programmes and improvements in circumstances could reduce levels of violent crime in society. The aim of this paper is to investigate these theories and the evidence in support of each of them. I will conclude with a consideration of which is the most plausible theory, or combination of theories, following on from the arguments given. The Concept of Crime and Criminology: Criminal acts may, in their simplest form be thought of as acts which are prohibited by the law and they can be specific to a particular culture, what is acceptable in one, being unacceptable and unlawful in another. There have been wide ranging definitions of what constitutes crime, but this has been problematic as there is no general agreement on what crime is (Jones, 2006).The fact that crimes do not constitute natural or homogenous behavioural categories poses particular difficulties in identifying the subject matter of criminology and for constructing theories of â€Å"crime† and â€Å"criminal behaviour† (Blackburn, 2000, p.16). Because of the difficulties faced in defining the patterns of behaviour associated with criminality, there is an associated difficulty in isolating the causal effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and the extent to which these exert an influence on an individual’s behaviour. More and more evidence is suggesting that the crimina l justice system is home to individuals with psychological problems. The fact that many of these problems have been shown to have a genetic component suggests that individuals could find themselves engaging in criminal activity (Jones, 2005). In order to address this problem and effectively treat the individuals involved, it is necessary to attempt to establish the causes of these psychological problems. Criminal Behaviour: Criminal behaviour is defined in the context of the legal structure adopted by a society. It is a widely held view that criminal behaviour falls within the realms of anti social behaviour. The influence of genetic components on anti social behaviour has been investigated by Morley and Hall. They suggest three different ways to define anti-social behaviour as follows: Anti-social behaviour can be equated with criminality and delinquency, with individuals involved being liable to arrest and involvement in the criminal justice system which may include prison; Anti-social behaviour can be defined as a result of personality disorders, particularly anti social behaviour problems which lead to an increased risk of involvement in criminal behaviour; Anti-social behaviour can be defined as a measure of personality traits, which can lead to an increased likelihood of engaging in criminal behaviour. These include aggression and impulsiveness, both of which have been associated with increasing levels of criminal behaviour. (Morley and Hall, 2003, cited in Jones, 2005). Genetic Factors: Family studies have been the focus of research for quite some time. While the early studies in this area suggested that there was an inherited basis for a predisposition towards criminal activity, it was shown that environmental influences could modify an individuals characteristics and personality (Joseph, 2001). Research like that carried out by Joseph was questioned largely in methodological terms, but nonetheless raised important questions which became the focus of a great deal of further research (Jones, 2005). In recent years the study of genetics, largely as a result of more sophisticated techniques, has become one of the fastest moving and most significant areas of modern science (Williams, 2004, p.131), giving an enormous insight into the make up and working of the human body, including the mind. Human behaviour patterns are generally accepted to be an interaction of life experiences and genetic predispositions (Mednick et al., 2003, p.77), with an acceptance of biological e xplanations only suggesting that criminals are inherently defective (Blackburn, 2000, p.136). The idea that genetics are a factor in criminal behaviour has existed for a very long time, one of the earliest studies in this area being carried out in 1877 by Richard Dugdale. His work investigated the criminal behaviour of a notorious American family called the â€Å"Jukes†, six of whom Dugdale had encountered in prison. When tracing their family tree over a period of two thousand yeas, Dugdale found a history of poverty, prostitution, and crime. With no scientific basis for his supposition, he attributed this to the â€Å"degenerate nature of the family, and despite the lack of scientific support, the work was very influential at the time. He did not consider the fact that the family members were being impacted upon by the same or very similar environmental factors which could have impacted substantially on their behaviour. By the end of the nineteenth century, scientific theories in respect of heredity had taken on increasing importance and were being supported by empirical evidence, albeit doubtful in validity. Another early writer, Goring, suggested in 1913 that criminal tendencies were basically inherited. He studies convicts from the same families and found that the correlation for criminal behaviour was very similar to that for some physical characteristics such as eye colour, and stature, suggesting that the genetic material passed on by parents was vital in shaping the way their children would turn out. Parents who were criminals would pass this trait on to their children in the same way in which they might pass on any other characteristic (Goring 1913, cited in Williams, p.132). Twin Studies: Twin studies have been important in trying to establish links between genetics and subsequent behaviour. There are two types of twins: Monozygotic twins come from the same egg. They are commonly known as identical twins, although this is, in fact, incorrect. They have the same genetic structure, are the same sex and have a very similar physical appearance. Dizygotic twins occur when two eggs are fertilised simultaneously and are no more genetically similar that any two siblings. It could therefore reasonably be said that if monozygotic twins were to behave in the same way, for example in criminal behaviour, this could be attributed to some sort of genetic influence. If crime is related largely to environmental influences, then it would be safe to assume that all twins would have the same chances of future criminal behaviour. Studies involving twins have been notoriously difficult because of the very similar environment in which they grow up, making it difficult to isolate genetic from environmental influences. The chances of monozygotic twins who are separated would be the ideal for the purposes of research but, due to the fact that twins are not often separated, the sample on which research can be based has traditionally been small. Such studies have nonetheless been carried out, one of the earliest of which was undertaken by the German physiologist Johannes Lang. he studied pairs of criminal twins and found that in 77% of cases concerning monozygotic twins, where one twin had a criminal record, not only did the other twin also have a record, but the patterns of the offences were similar in nature. In a group of dyzygotic twins, the correlation dropped to 12%, falling to only 8% when pairs of brothers were compared. The studies were subject to methodological flaws in so far as the identification process was based on observation only, and many of the twins came from psychiatric clinics which may mean that the chances of criminal behaviour were increased from the outset (Jones, 2006). Christiansen attempted to overcome some of the methodological problems of earlier work when he studied the entire database of twins in Denmark. For both male and female twins he found that the rates of offending were more highly correlated for monozygotic than for dizygotic twins. He also found that the more serious the offence, the stronger was the potential genetic component. He was nonetheless aware of the difficulty in separating genetic and environmental factors which he acknowledged in his work. Adoption Studies: Adoption studies have been central to research which has attempted to establish the relative roles of genetics and the environment in determining an individual’s behaviour. The rationale behind these studies is that if children adopted soon after birth resemble their biological parents more than their adoptive ones, the evidence points towards genetic rather than environmental explanations. One of the earlier studies in this field was carried out by Hutchings and Mednick in 1975. They compared adopted children whose fathers had criminal records with adopted children whose father did not. They reported a higher incidence of criminal behaviour in those children whose fathers had criminal records than in those whose fathers did not (cited in Towl and Crighton, 1996, p.15). These findings have been refuted by a number of subsequent studies which have suggested that these findings are unreliable, as only a very small number of adopted children engage in criminal behaviour in adulth ood. Stott has suggested that it is more likely that the predictor of this criminal behaviour is the result of problems encountered by mothers during pregnancy. Many of these problems are most prevalent in low socio economic groups which is typically the tier to which mothers who have their babies adopted tend to belong. He argues that it this rather than the operation of any genetic factors which accounts for the relationship between criminality in adopted children and their biological parents (Stott, 1982). Family Studies: Studies in this area which have attempted to ascertain the relative influences of genetics and the environment, have been largely unaccepted in academic circles. The most salient problem inherent in research of this nature is the notoriously difficult task of separating the nature from the nurture effects and therefore establishing causal links. While this is a problem that is also inherent in the twin studies, it is more apparent in family studies when the genetic similarity between siblings is less. Mednick and his colleagues tried to address this methodological issue when they investigated rates of criminal behaviour in children of criminal parents who had been adopted and were not therefore exposed to their parents. They found that the children of such parents were indeed more likely than the population in general to engage in offending behaviours, but that the genetic explanation did not account for the types of criminal behaviours these would be. They concluded that there was at least some genetic component in the commission of criminal behaviours (Mednick et al., 2003, p.89-90). Biological Factors: Recent research has suggested that characteristics observable at birth will develop in the context of the circumstances in which an individual finds himself. Manicus asserts that it is brain activity that provides the causal mechanism for behaviour thereby making biological processes as real a cause of crime as social processes (Manicus, 1987). Many studies have suggested that crime does, in fact, run in families. Research conducted by Blair and colleagues has pointed to a genetic component in the development of psychopathic tendencies. They suggest that as well as this genetic component, complications during the birth of some babies are a strong risk factor for later violent and anti social behaviour, but recognise that intervention and helping parents could be an important component of ensuring that such behaviour does not subsequently manifest itself (Blair et al., 2006). Problems encountered by mothers during pregnancy has been attributed to subsequent criminal behaviour. Chromosomes: Recent advances in the field of genetics have led criminologists to look at the role of chromosomes in the criminal behaviour. In particular scientists have investigated the sex chromosomes and their possible role in crime causation. This research began in 1965 when a British researcher, Patricia Hayes, examined chromosomal abnormalities in a group of Scottish prisoners. The blood test employed, a technique called karyotyping, revealed that twelve out of the 197 examined showed abnormalities in their chromosomes while seven were found to have an XYY chromosome. Normal males possess an XY chromosome, and while there are several different permutations of the chromosome, the XYY male was identified as potentially very dangerous and termed a â€Å"supermale.† A number of criminals have subsequently tried to offer this a defence saying that this biological trait was what spurred them on to criminal activity. This defence was successfully used in 1969 in Australia by one Lawrence E. Hannell, judged a â€Å"supermale† and subsequently released on the grounds of insanity. Other attempts have not been so successful. When such an attempt was made in the case of Richard Speck, accused of killing a number of his classmates in the United States, he was not acquitted and it was later revealed that he did not, in fact, have an additional Y chromosome. While a number of studies have subsequently been carried out in this area the majority or the research has suggested that this is a theory with little or no substance. In their study Sarbin and Miller concluded that â€Å"studies done this far are largely in agreement and demonstrate rather conclusively that males of the XYY type are not particularly aggressive† (Miller and Sarbin, 1970, p.199). Genetic Causes: Family studies have been the focus of criticism but research carried out by Brunner and colleagues has made a considerable contribution to the research in this area. Despite the relatively unsuccessful investigation into the role of chromosomes as a possible cause of criminal behaviour, in the 1990s Brunner and his colleagues claimed that they had uncovered a specific gene which was linked to criminal behaviour. They engaged in an extensive study of what was termed â€Å"the Netherland’s most dysfunctional family†. The male members of the family in question seemed to be unable to control their violent tendencies and were frequently arrested. Tracing the family back for five generations, Brunner et al. found fourteen men whom he said were predisposed to criminality, including violence towards members of their own family who were female. Brunner and his colleagues suggested that because men have only one X chromosome they are especially vulnerable to any defective gene. After a decade of intensive research the scientists claimed that they had isolated this defective gene. The gene, they said is the one which is responsible for production of the enzyme â€Å"monoamine oxidase A†, which is involved in the process by which signals are transmitted in the brain. Specifically it breaks down serotonin and noradrenaline which, when found in excess, have been linked to aggressive behaviour in humans. Since men with the mutated gene identified by Brunner and his colleagues do not produce the enzyme necessary to break down chemical transmitters, researchers suggested that they were overwhelmed by stimuli in the brain, a situation that causes uncontrollable urges and leads them into criminal behaviour (Schmalleger, 1996, p.182). While the authors accepted the fact that their research had not been replicated in any other s tudies, they did suggest that this was an area for future research, suggesting as it did, that genetics play an important role in criminal behaviour (Brunnet et al., 1993). Monoamine oxidase has been linked with other neurochemicals which may be linked to criminal and antisocial behaviour (Jones 2005). Eysenck’s personality theory has been used to measure possible factors of personality which may be influential in the commission of crime. Suggesting that within the criminal fraternity different types of crimes are related to different personality patterns (Eysenck, 2003, p.93) Eysenck has pointed out that it is connected to norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, all of which have been linked with personality traits important in psychosis Eysenck, 1996). Biochemical Factors: An increasing awareness of the physiology of the human brain, coupled with more sophisticated techniques, is leading modern criminologists to investigate the effects that certain biochemicals have on behaviour. If it were to be established that certain chemical imbalances were responsible for certain types of criminal behaviour, then this would lend weight to the theory that certain behaviours are indeed not within the control of an individual. The Effect of Serotonin: Current research centres on the role of neurotransmitters, chemicals in the brain which are fundamentally important to all human behaviour. There has been considerable research in respect of serotonin levels and the role this plays in criminal behaviour, where it has been identified as an important element. Serotonin has been shown, in both animal and human studies, to be an inhibitor of aggression, so low levels of serotonin have been linked to violence and suicide in humans (Williams, 2004, p.152). Raine found that individuals who were prone to anti social behaviour had lower than normal levels of serotonin in their brains (Raine, 1993), a relationship also found in research carried out by Virkkunen and Linnoila (1993). This would appear to confirm the findings of the Dutch study described above. Serotonin has been linked to brain development and it has been suggested that a disorder in this development system could lead to an increase in levels of aggressiveness and impulsivity, s uggesting that the individual in this case would not have full control over his actions. While scientists have been able to link a number of neurotransmitters, with various sorts of anti social behaviour, the nature of the relationship is not completely understood. It is unclear whether these neurotransmitters are linked to all aggression or are linked to specific types of aggression and may lead to the commission of certain specific acts and crimes. Williams points out that the role of neurotransmitters is a classic chicken and egg situation. It is not known whether the mood produces the neurotransmitters or whether the neurotransmitters lead to changes in an individual’s mood (Williams, 2004, p.153). Criticisms of the Biological Approaches: Attempts to explain criminal behaviour in the context of biology and genetics have been criticised, often on the basis of methodology. Walters and White have criticised many of the studies carried out on the basis that they have been badly designed, and largely inadequate in addressing the relevant issues. In particular they highlight the following shortcomings: Few biological studies have adequately explained the concept of criminology, often relying on a single arrest as an indicator of criminal tendencies; Twin studies, in particular, have often been inaccurate in identification of monozygotic and dizygotic twins; Biological data has often been based on interviews with individuals which is subjective in its nature and therefore open to a range of interpretations; Methodological problems are common including small sample sizes, lack of control groups and the use of inappropriate data analysis techniques; Results have not shown consistency from country to country. (Walters and White, 1989). Personality Disorders: The term â€Å"personality† is used to describe an individual’s temperamental and emotional attributes that are relatively consistent and will influence behaviour (Jones, 2006, p.398). In recent years there has been an increasing focus on individual personality traits, persistent or stable personality characteristics, and disorders and this focus has been seen as extremely useful in predicting future criminal behaviour. Theories talk about a criminal personality in which it is assumed that individuals possess definable and dominant sets of rules which determine how they will behave in virtually any situation (Williams, 2004, p.178). Many tests of personality have been developed by psychologists over the years in order to test the theory that those who have criminal tendencies have personalities which are different from those of the normal population. Many of the personality disorders which manifest themselves are initially evidenced in childhood. If it were indeed to be the case that these are predictive of later criminal behaviour, intervention with children displaying personality disorders may be a useful preventative measure. Holmes and colleagues have identified three personality disorders which can be diagnosed in childhood and have been shown to be predictive of later behaviour: Oppositional Defiance Disorder – characterised by argumentativeness and non-compliance. As these children become older their behaviour often changes for the worse, with them often starting to engage in petty crime and displaying aggression to their peers and others; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – children with this disorder are unable to stay focused on any one task for anything but a short period of time. These children are unable to analyse the consequences of their behaviour, cannot easily see things from another’s point of view and are generally unable to learn from their previous behaviour; Conduct Disorder – children diagnosed with this disorder are already at the stage where they have begun to break society’s rules. This is the most severe of the three personality disorders as diagnosed in childhood and is often predictive of the development of Anti Social Personality Disorder, a disorder which can only be diagnosed when an individual is aged eighteen, and at which point they have travelled quite far down the road of anti social behaviour and not conforming with the norms in society. (Holmes et al., 2001). With a clear link established between these early childhood disorders and future criminal behaviours, early diagnosis and effective interventions are vital in this area. Tests for determining an individual’s personality and the likelihood for future criminal behaviour have come under considerable scrutiny. The tests themselves have developed considerably in their complexity and the sophistication of their methodology but a study by Arbuthnot and colleagues stated that the doubtful validity of much of the research that had gone on in this area prevented their coming to the conclusion that there was a link between personality and criminal behaviour (Arbuthnot et al., 1987). Problems in respect of personality theories have mainly concerned the way in which personality has been measured, usually on some numerical scale. Personality tests are also problematic in that they require objective attitudes in respect of what constitutes normal. Inherent in the use of personality tests is that those who commit crimes and go against the norm must have something different from that which is viewed as normal. The personality theories that have found the most application in the context of criminality are psychoanalytic explanations and the learning theories. There is some evidence that personality difficulties displayed in childhood are highly predictive of later criminal behaviour and can be inherited. Personality theories have not really seen much application in the predictive context, having been used mainly in respect of treatment after an offence has been committed. The rationale behind using personality tests is that behaviour can be changed by behaviour modification techniques. Criticisms of Personality Theories: Personality theories generally assume that all individuals have a core personality which explain how they will react to a wide variety of stimuli and whether they are likely to become criminal. They take little account of the fact that these could be changed through interventionist or environmental factors. Environmental Influences: Criticisms have been levelled at the approach which considers genetics as being the dominant factor in criminal behaviour, often because the methodology of the research conducted has been questioned. One such study was that carried out in Denmark in 1977 by Christainsen who reported that identical twins inherited some common characteristics that increased the likelihood of their becoming involved in criminal behaviour (Crristiansen, 1977). The criticisms levelled at this and other similar research is the fact that twins may share higher than average levels of shared experiences, thereby making it difficult to isolate the genetic component as a causal factor in such studies. The first real attempts to consider crime in the context of where criminal lived, and their associated environment, took place in the 1820s in France and Belgium. These studies were pioneered by Adolphe Quetlet and Andre-Michel Guerry who collected data about the areas in which criminals lived, and in so doing began a field of research that would continue throughout Europe for a long time to come, eventually being adopted by American and global researchers also. Modern Environmental Criminology: It has been suggested that the impact of the environment on behaviour reduces with age. While adults are able to exercise some choice as to their environment, children have no such choice, so the impact of the environment in more profound (Jones, 2005). Reluctance to consider genetic factors as instrumental in criminal conduct has had political overtones (Haller, 1968), as it suggests a somewhat depressing prognosis for individuals born with the genetic predisposition to become criminals. The idea that there as an inextricable link between crime and the environment has been considered as an alternative and really came to the fore in the UK in the 1970s, with crime figures beginning to rise sharply, and crime being increasingly attributed to young, disaffected males living in areas of social deprivation (Jones, 2006, p.134). Situational Crime Theory: The ideas surrounding environmental criminology have had a considerable impact on public policy in the UK. The Home Office Research Unit was set up in the 1950s and began to work on what it called situational crime prevention, an attempt to reduce the opportunities to commit crime. This approach does not see crime as the result of any physiological or biological impulses but sees it as more opportunity driven which causes individuals to make choices in the context of these situational factors (Jones, 2006, p.138). Situational crime theory does not focus on career criminals who will find their own opportunities to commit crime, but seeks to address the problem of those who may not have been involved in the criminal justice system before. In the context of this theory the key factor is opportunity and the exercise of free will, and proponents of this approach argue that a reduction in opportunities will, in turn, lead to a reduction in the commission of crime. Situational crime theory has its critics who suggest that the theory focuses too greatly on the crime at the expense of focusing on the type of persons involved in the commission of crimes. Tonry has argued that it is likely to increases the fear of crime among the general public (Tonry, 2004). Despite criticisms, recent research carried out in London has added weight to the idea that there may indeed be a causal link between deprivation, crime and a particular area, when a study by Dorling and colleagues in 2001 suggested that patterns of social deprivation in London have changed very little since the turn of the nineteenth century (Dorling et al., 2001). Crime and Poverty: Because large numbers of crimes are committed by people who have very little money, there has long been a school of thought that there is a causal link between crime and poverty. This is a view which has been held for many years and was first investigated in France by Guerry who found that in the more affluent areas there were higher rates of crime against property while in the poorer areas there were higher incidences of violent crime. There were poor people living in the more affluent areas and Guerry concluded that it was not poverty per se that caused higher rates of crime but the fact that there was more opportunity in the wealthier areas for crime against property. Recent research as been inconclusive regarding the role played in criminal activity by poverty. What does appear to be clear is that there is no direct link between crime and poverty as an isolated factor as there are, for example, many tribes who are materially very poor but did not engage in high levels of criminal activity (Williams, 2004, p.286). Research has suggested that poverty only becomes a factor in criminal activity when there is a large degree of social inequality, a large gap between the â€Å"haves† and the â€Å"have-nots†. This leads to the suggestion that if, in the population as a whole, there was a degree of poverty, this would not lead to higher rates of crime. This has been coupled with the suggestion that it is not even the inequality which is the causal factor but the perception that this is unfair which leads to higher levels of criminal activity (Stack, 1984). Recent theories have investigated the link between crime and inequality and it has been suggested by Vold and his colleagues, who refer to a number of studies, that there is a link between inequality and violent crime including homicide (Vold et al., 2002). Family: In terms of environmental factors, none is more important or exerts such an influence in shaping an individual as the family in which he grows up. Famil

Resonance Frequency Analysis Tool for Implant Stability

Resonance Frequency Analysis Tool for Implant Stability Dr. Vishwanath Pattar Dr. Anjana Bagewadi MDS â€Å" Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) – A diagnostic tool for implant stability † Dental implants have become a significant aspect of tooth replacement in prosthodontic treatment. High implant success rates of the order of 78-100 % have been published, with more than 15 years of observation time. Treatment success of dental implant mainly depends on the stability of the implant bone support. Implant stability is a mechanical phenomenon which is related to the local bone quality and quantity, type of implant, and placement technique used. The application of a simple, clinically applicable, non-invasive test to assess implant stability and osseointegration is considered highly desirable. Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) is one of such techniques which is most frequently used nowadays. Aim of this paper is to review the technique of Radio frequency analysis and use of it to check the implant stability. Key words: Resonance frequency analysis, Implant stability, Implant stability quotient(ISQ) Introduction : Dental implants have reported success rates of over 90 % over long periods of time. However failures still occur and seem to be unpredictable. One factor that is being increasingly considered in failure of dental implants is occlusal loading . It has been clinically demonstrated that implant stability plays a significant role in determining treatment outcome (Sennerby Meredith 1998, Esposito et al. 1998). Implant stability can be seen as a combination of: 1). Mechanical stability, which is the result of compressed bone holding the implant tightly in place.2). Biological stability, which is the result of new bone cells forming at the site of the implant and osseointegration. Initially implant stability was measured by Surgeon’s perception while placing the implant (Insertion and seating torque), percussion testing, reverse torque test and radiographs etc. But none of them proven to be effective in measuring the implant stability. Resonance Frequency Analysis (RFA) is a non-inv asive diagnostic tool for detecting the implant stability of dental implants during the healing stages and in subsequent routine follow-up care after treatment. Advantages of Rasonance frequency analysis 1) Optimal loading decisions : It makes it easier for dentists to decide when is the optimal time to load implants. At placement, stability can be difficult to quantify objec ­tively by merely relying on tactile perception. Torque measure ­ments are difficult to repeat once the implant has started to integrate and can therefore not provide a baseline for subse ­quent comparisons. The invasive torque method may even damage the healing if used for monitoring osseointegration 2)  Early warnings – preventing failure : Dentists sometimes encounter patients whose initial stability score is low. The reason could be that they have had to undergo a bone graft. In such higher-risk situations, most surgeons would avoid an early-loading protocol. Similarly, a significant decrease in stability indicates a potential problem and should be considered an early warning. The surgeon may prefer to unload the implant – or perhaps place additional implants – and then wait until stability increases. RFA system makes the treatment of high-risk patients easier and more predictable – allowing more of these patients to be treated and more of their treatments to be successful. 3)  Quality assurance : Because RFA system helps the dentist decide when to load and avoid failure in high-risk situations, it becomes a quality-assurance system for the clinic. Most patients intuitively understand the stability measures and how they govern when to load an implant and when to wait. This increases their sense of confidence, security and quality. 4) Data can be transferable : All the stability records measured from start of the treatment and the follow –up records can be transefered from one clinician to other. It makes easy to the one clinician to communicate with other about the treatment modalities. Implant stability quotient (ISQ) ISQ (Implant Stability Quotient) is a measurement scale for use with the RFA (Resonance Frequency Analysis) method of determining implant stability. It’s a mapping of resonance frequencies (kHz), presented as a clinically useful scale of 1-100 ISQ. 1 is the least ISQ value and 100 is the highest ISQ value. ISQ is used RFA to measure stability because Supports making good decision about when to load Allows advantageous protocol choice on a patient-to-patient basis. Indicates situations in which it is best to unload Supports good communication and increased trust Provides better case documentation Instrument kit: Fig.1 Hand held probe Fig.2 MonitorFig.3 Main plug Fig.4 Data cable Fig.5 Testing device Fig.6 Smart-peg Technique : Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) uses a sophisticated technology with computer-based measurement of resonance frequency (RF), which is determined by two parameters: the degree of bone density on implant-bone interface area and the level of marginal alveolar bone around the transducer Osstell is representative of RFA-technique and was tested first in 1997The apparatus consists of an Osstell transducer and Osstell analyzer connected to a PC or independent. The transducer is L-shaped or bolts-like (smartpeg) and firmly screwed in order to be positioned on the implant and its superstructure (4–5 N/cm ²) and consists of 2 small voltage controlled transducers. High-energy pulse-type oscillations of a continuous sinusoidal pulse excite implant, in order to register the mechanical vibration between the implant interconnection zone and the bone. As soon as the apparatus is activated the first electric transducer applies excitation signal of increasing frequency from 5 to 15 kHz to implant. Other voltage-controlled element registers ultrasonic vibrations response, ie resonant frequency of the implant-bone interface area and transmits a created signal to the amplifier, which amplifies it and to the analyzer which reads, evaluates and compares it with the frequency of the original signal. The measured amplitude of resonance frequency is displayed numerically and graphically on the Osstell analyzer, and the maximum amplitude represents the stability of the implant, quantified through the ISQ units. The ISQ value reflects the rigidity of the system transducer- implant-bone and transducer calibration parameters. Measured on a scale from 0 ISQ (3500 Hz) to 100 ISQ units (8500 Hz), a higher ISQ value indicates a greater stability of the implant. After a while ISQ values rise because of osseointegration where implant–bone the connection becomes stronger. Fig. 7 Fig.8 Fig.9 ISQ values: >60 – >70 Immediate loading can be done This graph illustrates the progress of implant stability over time, expressed in ISQ terms. The converging green curves show the two most likely scenarios: implant stability eventually sets at around 70 ISQ. A high initial ISQ value tends to decrease, as mechanical stability is supplanted by osseointegration. And a low initial value tends to increase, as osseointegration sets in. The scenario to watch out for is illustrated by the red curve. Here, osseointegration is not progressing as planned, and loading such an implant may result in a failed treatment†¦ High initial stability (ISQ values of 70 and above) tends not to increase over time despitethe fact that the initial high mechanical stability decreases and is replaced by increased biological stability. Lower initial stability normally increases with time because the lower  mechanical stability is increased by the bone remodeling process (osseointegration). Values of ISQ 55 or lower should be taken as a warning sign and act ions to improve the stability should be considered (larger implant diameter, longer healing time, etc.)* *(Implant stability measurements using Resonance Frequency Analysis. Biological and biomechanical aspects and clinical implications. Periodontology 2000, 2008. Sennerby Meredith) References: Chang WA et al. A newly designed resonance frequency analysis device for dental implant stability detection ; Dent Mater J. 2007 Sep;26(5):665-71 Rajiv KG et al . Resonance frequency analysis ; Indian Journal of Dental Research, 22(4), 2011

LIGHT BEER vs. FULL FLAVOR BEER :: essays research papers

There are always two sides to every argument. While both sides of any argument generally hold some truths, somewhere in the middle is where each side must meet, if only to agree to disagree. what it really comes down to is the perspective of the individual. The following perspective on this subject of light beer versus full flavor beer is an on-going argument that all beer drinkers have taken part in at one time or another. Once the truth had been discovered about light beer in this age of staying slim, many have traded in their full flavor beer for the light beer. One might bring into question the subject of such trivial importance, but one would think that if people cannot openly discuss a subject as trivial and inconsequential as beer, then how could they be expected to discuss something on a grander and more important scale such as child-welfare or the war in Iraq? The great thing about light beer is that it has the same amount of alcohol as full flavor beer, but it has less than half the calories of its counterpart. That in its self should be enough to persuade anyone. Light beer will not give one that bloated feeling nor does it send one to the restroom as much, which allows one to spend more time drinking his or her beer instead of the toilet drinking it. Full flavor beer is better than no beer at all and one would most certainly drink it if that is all that is available. Full flavor beer tends to leave people with hangovers that will last throughout the following day, while light beer rarely, if ever causes hangovers unless, those light beers have chased down a tequila shot, but then the hangover would have been caused by the tequila and not the light beer which, is the point that is being made.. With the advancement in brewing technology in the last five years, the mega-breweries have been able to produce a light beer with a more full bodied flavor without adding any additional calories. In fact, just recently Michelob has claimed to be able to produce a beer with one third fewer calories of light beer. They have appropriately named â€Å"Ultra†. Most would agree that is an amazing feat. Now that the reader has had a chance to view this subject from another perspective, surely they would agree that the advantages of drinking light beer far out-weigh the advantages of drinking a full flavor beer. LIGHT BEER vs. FULL FLAVOR BEER :: essays research papers There are always two sides to every argument. While both sides of any argument generally hold some truths, somewhere in the middle is where each side must meet, if only to agree to disagree. what it really comes down to is the perspective of the individual. The following perspective on this subject of light beer versus full flavor beer is an on-going argument that all beer drinkers have taken part in at one time or another. Once the truth had been discovered about light beer in this age of staying slim, many have traded in their full flavor beer for the light beer. One might bring into question the subject of such trivial importance, but one would think that if people cannot openly discuss a subject as trivial and inconsequential as beer, then how could they be expected to discuss something on a grander and more important scale such as child-welfare or the war in Iraq? The great thing about light beer is that it has the same amount of alcohol as full flavor beer, but it has less than half the calories of its counterpart. That in its self should be enough to persuade anyone. Light beer will not give one that bloated feeling nor does it send one to the restroom as much, which allows one to spend more time drinking his or her beer instead of the toilet drinking it. Full flavor beer is better than no beer at all and one would most certainly drink it if that is all that is available. Full flavor beer tends to leave people with hangovers that will last throughout the following day, while light beer rarely, if ever causes hangovers unless, those light beers have chased down a tequila shot, but then the hangover would have been caused by the tequila and not the light beer which, is the point that is being made.. With the advancement in brewing technology in the last five years, the mega-breweries have been able to produce a light beer with a more full bodied flavor without adding any additional calories. In fact, just recently Michelob has claimed to be able to produce a beer with one third fewer calories of light beer. They have appropriately named â€Å"Ultra†. Most would agree that is an amazing feat. Now that the reader has had a chance to view this subject from another perspective, surely they would agree that the advantages of drinking light beer far out-weigh the advantages of drinking a full flavor beer.