Saturday, August 31, 2019

American Nurses Association Essay

According to American Nurses Association website, nursing- sensitive indicators are defined as the structure, process and outcomes of nursing care (nursingworld.org). Quality care for patients in the hospital is important to their healing process. It is important to know what the nursing-sensitive indicators are and how they affect patients. The indicators are intended to focus plans and programs to increase quality and safety in patient care. In this scenario with Mr. J, many members of the healthcare team were not doing enough to make sure he was safe and that his needs were met to the fullest. Knowing what the nursing- sensitive indicators are could have helped prevent Mr. J from developing a pressure ulcer and making sure he was getting the correct diet. The healthcare team responsible for Mr. J did not advocate for him like they should have and let things slip when they should have been reported and taken care of. Understanding nursing-sensitive indicators can help nurses deliver the best care possible to their patients and help minimize complications and increase patient satisfaction. Some of the issues that happened with Mr. J’s case could have led to more serious complications. Restraining Mr. J when it was not necessary increased his chance of developing a pressure ulcer and could also have led to further serious complications such as developing post surgical complications such a deep vein thrombosis which would increase his stay in the hospital. Another example that could have been avoided was making sure that Mr. J was receiving the correct food for his diet. The healthcare team did not address Mr. J’s incorrect dietary meal in a timely manner which could have led to a more serious event. Not addressing patient needs will decrease patient satisfaction, which is one of the nursing-sensitive indicators.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Down East Spud Busters

As a manager, one of the many aspects of your role is to â€Å"control†, which as you know, means periodically (or continually) checking on the status of production, operations, staffing, budget, quality, etc. Now, employees often react negatively to this, communicating actively or passively resentment about the manager's actually or figuratively â€Å"looking over their shoulders† or trying to catch them doing something wrong or always â€Å"making corrections† about the way things are being done. What re some strategies you can use to do a good Job controlling, but avoid the employee backlash In attitude?This really would depend on what type of Industry and the structure of the company. From my past working experiences I used deferent methods were needed to control quality and production. As a project manager In the telecoms Industry an on-hands style was needed In order to get each station physically approved from the vendor. The relationship between managemen t and supervisors,'leads could be anywhere In the range of tense to cordial depending on he quality of the job the supervisor's crew produced.There were other elements that also had to be taken into consideration. Such as, weather, equipment availability, and deadlines. A looking over the shoulder strategy is needed, and is part of some job specification. Another strategy I have had to use was daily receiving, production and shipping reports. While using these methods a minimum interaction is needed with the employees. These types of reports can tell you if production is down from absentee, bad products from vendors or equipment failures.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Jazz Concert Reflection Essay

Jazz is a musical style that began in African American communities in the southern United States around the beginning of the twentieth century. It was a new style of music that brought together music traditions from West Africa and Europe. Some of its West African musical influences give jazz its unique sound. Jazz has many different elements, which are improvisations, swinging, using blue notes, and combining different rhythms. I attended The Bill and Helen Murray Jazz Residency Program featured Ellery Eskelin on the Saxophone with Susan Acorn on the pedal steel guitar and Michael Formanek on the acoustic bass and The Towson University Jazz Faculty Ensemble Featuring Dave Balloy on the trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet, Jim Mc falls on the trombone and baritone, Tim Murphy on the piano, Jeff Reed on the bass and last but not least, Frank Russo on the drums and cymbals. At each concert about four songs were performed. The musical elements in both performances that classify the music I heard as jazz were the swing rhythms and improvisations. The Jazz Residency Program was based on improvisations. Each player at this concert; had the ability to instantaneously compose, revise and perform their parts amazingly. As Ellery played the Sax, Susan and Michael played their instrument spontaneously creating fresh melodies. At the Jazz Faculty ensemble, the musicians played songs that were previously written. Their musical styles were mostly bebop and swing with lots of call and respond. Jim Mc falls would play his trombone and all group members would follow after him. The song â€Å"Moodly† sounded like bebop, because there were a lot of bass drum bombs and tonal clashes. â€Å"Marsch der freien Sound Fur Funf Instrumente† was also a bebop song that was played with extended harmonies and tonal clashes. Some of the non-traditional jazz elements that I heard were played at both of the Jazz Concerts. Susan Acorn played the pedal steel  guitar, which I found to be a non-traditional element. The sound was completely different from what I had ever heard before. At the Jazz Faculty Ensemble, Dave Ballou played the Piccolo Trumpet for the last piece â€Å"Conversion†. The high-pitched sound made the song slur and blend with soft melodies. Listening to each concert, gave me two totally different experiences. The Jazz Residency concert was all improvisations, so it didn’t remind me of any of the music I had heard before. The Jazz Faculty ensemble was a reminder of music styles like Art Tatum, John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington. When they played Hamster in a bucket it’s reminded me of â€Å"In a Mellotone† by Duke Ellinton. Then Dave Ballou played the trumpet in the song â€Å"Cry Baby† like Miles Davis played the trumpet in the song â€Å"So What†. In conclusion, the quality of both performances was outstanding. Each performance was completely different and that’s what I loved. The jazz residency program was completely improvised, leaving me opened and surprised at every note each player chose to play. The Jazz Faculty Ensemble’s songs had a distinctive vibe. They made the sounds of their music come together and I felt the rhythm. I would defiantly pay to see each performance again. I left the concerts smiling, because I felt as if I knew exactly what they were trying to accomplish with their music. The two ensembles I attended featured some of the most talented musicians I ever heard performing at Towson University.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Creative intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creative intelligence - Essay Example It accentuates accomplishment, struggle, rationalism, past experience, and present mindedness. Experiences play important role in intuitive style because individuals make decisions by comparing the present situation with a past one. This style is commonly preferable for managers and politicians (Lewis, 1995). Innovative style focuses on questioning the traditional customs, they believe in determination, and experimentation. They make complete analysis of the data and they prefer willingness to work rather than hard work. Mostly people who like to experiment and believe anything to be true after experimenting possess this style of intelligence such as engineers and scientists. Mostly, peoples’ virtues are persistence in the face of complications and people can find these virtues in their method of handling any complex situation with ease. Though work place plays a huge role in deciding how people perform but people with innovative style somehow convert their discomfort into opp ortunities and still manage to make out the best from them (Rowe, 2007). These kinds of people can contribute largely in the success of any organization because they possess the talent of molding the situation in their own favor however, they lack experience like intuitive ones. Combination of intuitive and innovative people can brighten the name of any organization. People possessing third style that is imaginative are able to envisage and make out opportunities, they are artistic, open-minded, and they are not afraid of taking risks and always think in a unique manner. This style describes astuteness and it belongs particularly to musicians, leaders, artists, writers and the ones who make their imagination and creativity their professions. These kinds of people are very elementary for an organization as they like to take risks and organizations mostly lack these kinds of people. They give huge importance to their creativity and always make decision creatively rather than unexcitingly (Proctor, 2010). The last style is inspirational intelligence, which has influences of change in community. They are willing to accept change and bring change, which is for the good of others. This style is mainly for individuals who have some visions and missions in their minds such as teachers, leaders, and writers. If one compares four styles one finds that the intuitive people have insight in solving functional problems, Innovative individuals mostly take a long time to reach to a solution of problem because they analyze every aspect. Imaginative individuals use value judgments to make their decisions and the inspirational ones totally take into account the welfare of other people to make the decisions. When an organization has to make a decision urgently then it should approach intuitive individuals, however, when they have to identify the effects of certain problems in long term, they should contact imaginative individuals. Although each of these styles describes a definite creative intelligence style, a mainstream of people have more than one creative intelligence style (Rowe, 2007). The level of strength for each style results in a conduct for each individual. This approach to creativity expands the possible number of creative intelligence styles. No one denies that it is beneficial to have more than one creative intelligence style be cause it would help to treat different types of problems at different

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The approach of English law towards duty of care has been Case Study

The approach of English law towards duty of care has been inconsistent, illogical and unfair on the claimant - Case Study Example The author is of the belief that it is when one looks at the cases involving gender orientation discrimination that one sees best how English law is inconsistent, illogical and unfair on the claimant. The cases examined will demonstrate not only legal contortionism at play, but language contortionism as well. After all, as stated by Andrew Altman in the article Legal Realism, Critical Studies and Dworkin, (1986) the law is infused with irresolvably opposed principles and ideals, and this legal indeterminacy, as it is called, compels the judge to make a choice that is not dictated by law. Once-sacrosanct legal precepts are being dismantled, stare decisis as a doctrine is being reexamined, and the infallibility of the courts as repository of truth and justice is being questioned. The law is no longer a fabric of clearly-defined spectrums, but is rather a patchwork quilt of various shades of gray. Taking this view is important in that it stimulates self-interrogation. It does away with the all-too-convenient givens of a legal system - that there is but one set of "correct" rules and that legal decisions are but logical outcomes of tested principles that are empirically-replicable. It aspires to expose the ideological content of the law obscured by layers upon layers of social conditioning by demonstrating how the large areas of legal indeterminacy provide fertile ground for the cooptation of the legal system to reinforce existing power arrangements. This brings us to our discussion on tort cases involving gender discrimination. Conaghan (1996) states: From a social perspective, feminists have argued that women suffer particular harms and injuries as women: their experience of pain and injury is indistinguishable, to a large extent, from the experience of men. This claim has at least two dimensions. On the one hand, pregnancy and childbirth, menstrual and/or ovulation pains are obvious examples of gender specific "harms". Men do not/cannot experience these traumas directly. On the other hand, the concept of gendered harm can also embrace those harms, which, although not exclusive to women in any biological sense, are risks which women are more likely to incur than men - the risk or rape, incest, sexual harassment, spousal abuse, or, more contentiously, the risk of harmful medical intervention. By and large, there is no dearth of legislation prohibiting discriminatory practices against women. However, in practice, jurisprudence has made it difficult for women to raise tort-related claims. Certainly, there are cases that are cut-and-dried; for instance, when it is patently obvious that there is discrimination on the basis of gender. However, in this day and age, it is less likely to find a case wherein the discrimination is so obvious that it unquestionably amounts to an illegal act. One would be hard put to find an employer who would dare violate the stringent regulations against workplace-related discrimination, instance. There is a greater likelihood that the discrimination would be insidious, perhaps having to do with a careless statement loosely made that betrays the

Specific Behaviour Problems Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay

Specific Behaviour Problems Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Essay Example An explanation given for this kind of disparity is the psychological view that female gender is able to learn how to direct the behaviour issues they experience and have more control over them as is opposed to males. However, the likelihood that females will still exhibit criminal behaviours after having developed ADHD is still as possible as that of the male gender. One of the most important points to note is the fact that not all people who have been diagnosed with this disorder have to develop criminal behaviours. The only thing is that the rate of this criminality occurring is higher than it is for normal children (Siegel & Senna, 2004). ADHD has been widely covered in terms of research due to the interest it has elicited in many behavioural outcomes in society. The fact that criminal practice is of greater interest to society has made this disorder receive much attention as forming the basis of explanation given to future criminal practices by these individuals that exhibited th e behaviour in their growth stages. This could be attributed to the aspect of co-morbidity that has been established with this disorder as having a link to other external behaviours (Johansson, et al., 2005). This paper takes a critical look at ADHD, its implications for schools and schooling environment, intervention measures, and how this behaviour is likely to be applied in the current and future educational practices (Ghodsian-Carpey & Baker, 1987). Review on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Some form of dysfunctions in the brain or abnormalities on the cerebral structures does affect people leading to them experiencing explosive rage which could be in form of violence episodes. Such explosive rage is thought to cause antisocial behaviour. The ADHD levels in children who pose antisocial behaviours in class have been established to be higher. In addition to that, ADHD has been linked to some conditions known to be risk factors in carrying out offenses, and they cou ld be exhibited as neuropsychological deficits, poor cognitive and academic skills, defiance, aggression, psychological problems, and truancy (Moffitt, 1993). Indeed a real cause of ADHD has not been fully established and all the explanations available are merely based on some intuitions derived from known biological and psychological developments (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Many think it is as a result of chemical imbalance within the central nervous system which is caused by exposure to certain environmental factors such as exposure to toxin at pregnancy, additives taken in food and allergies, including reactions to sugar, caffeine and other foods and colourings, or genetic factors. For those in favour of biochemical imbalance explanation, they pose that this results from a neurotransmitter deficiency and where this imbalance is not treated, such a child develops and shows maladaptive behaviours and these could be followed by long periods of emotional and physical pr oblems (Reiss, 1997). The most common way of identifying ADHD is observing a student in the way he or she behaves. This student will have difficulties in being attentive in class, could be very active and thus hyperactivity, or may carry out an action before thinking, a condition known as impulsivity (Babinski, et

Monday, August 26, 2019

Assistant VP OF Development at Al-Saif Trading Agencies Company Assignment

Assistant VP OF Development at Al-Saif Trading Agencies Company - Assignment Example Achieving of the targets will ensure the guaranteed profitability of the company and that will enable the company to gain market dominance over its competitors (Den 2000). Al-saif Company is a company that intends to specialize in utensils that would suit households in Saudi. The company aims at developing local utensils that were used in the past by modernizing them without any form of deformation (Al-saif.biz) .The Company is one of the biggest retailers in the country and it has a reputation that is suitable for most of its suppliers. The company is also considered to have a financial position that is unique because of the independence and strength that exists in the administrative structures of the company. My plans and strategies My strategies will be aimed at adding more coordination in the administration department. I will also ensure that the customers are satisfied with our services and the suppliers are comfortable with the payment terms. I will also strive to ensure that t he staff of the company is properly coordinated to ensure increased efficiency and productivity (brandhouseadv.com). Strategies aimed at customers The customers are the most important assets to the business. The customers should be the first priority when the company is coming up with any strategy. I will liaise with the management of the company so that we can establish a 12-hour respond time. This strategy will ensure that we respond to the customer’s requirements before 12 hours. Therefore, the customers will not repeat calls to follow up on the progress of their requests. That will lead to customer satisfaction. Satisfaction is a critical thing that customers want from their suppliers (Buhler 2002). I will also request for the establishment of a feedback system in which the customers can give their feedbacks in regard to the services provided by the company and the way that they thing that the company can enhance its service provision. I will also recommend that the manag ement come up with classes on communication skills. The lessons on communication skills will ensure that the customers are properly attended to (Lamont 2003).The class will also enhance communication among the staff and that will ensure that company policies are perfectly communicated and executed and that will result in efficiency. Strategies aimed at the administration department I will ensure that there are policies that will ensure that the administrative department is properly streamlined. I will do that by ensuring that the files of the customers and suppliers are updated on a daily basis to avoid any instances of backlogs or wrong entries. Updating of the company files will ensure that the company has up to date records on the items that are demanded most and the items that are out of stock (Day 1994). The policy will ensure that there are no instances of stock outs in the business and stock out costs will not be incurred in the company. The administration department will als o be responsible in ensuring that that office supplies are available when they are required. Strategies directed towards suppliers Suppliers are another important part of the business. The suppliers of Al-Saif Company are from all over the world. That means that there should be effective communication between the company and the suppliers. My experience in working in different places will enable me coordinate with the suppliers who are from a

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Annotated Bibliography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Annotated Bibliography - Assignment Example This makes the amount of medicine and their effect in patients more difficult to monitor. A study to determine if warfarin is safe was conducted in 25 nursing homes. Patients INR value was ≠¥ 4.5 and suffered no damage, but there was an error in warfarin management. The errors mostly occurred at prescription and observation stages in warfarin management. Observation errors include inadequate laboratory tests to check warfarin level leading to delay response to high INR levels. Prescription error was mostly in dosage in respect to INR levels and drugs interaction. To avoid such instances, there should be frequent communication between nurses and doctors. According to Wu et al. (2011), there should also be upgrading of information technology to incorporate a modern computerized provider order entry program with clinical decision support in nursing homes and hospitals (p.160). This information helps to know the information technology needed to improve monitoring of warfarin therapy in patients leading to better warfarin management. Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee - Warfarin Therapy Management. (n.d.). Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee - Warfarin Therapy Management. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from http://www.bcguidelines.ca/guideline_warfarin_management.html. This report was written by physicians and is intended for other physicians. The guidelines given in this report focuses on management warfarin therapy in patients within an office setup. In this report guideline is given on how to begin administering warfarin, on international normalized ratio (INR) and dosage. It is written that before starting warfarin treatment one should consider various reasons why it should not be used. Warfarin should not be used; if the patient has severe or active bleeding diathesis, if the patient has some doses not taken or taken incorrectly, if the patient

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Health care - Essay Example A concept entailing a well designed marketing offers guidance to the development of comprehensive marketing initiatives, which assists in attracting individualized markets. The target market of health care organizations comprises of group of customers through their services and goods. This creates the need for a good strategy, and the target market is evaluated the well thought-out in order to develop a plan for targeting surrounding community. Therefore, health care organizations position themselves in a way that separates themselves from the competitors. In this case, heath care organizations offer the similar services and products, thus by providing unique services the organization leads attraction of new customer’s base and development of a substantial relationship between customers and organization. Moreover, the organization target market is considered unique through the services and products that they offer in order to attract new customers. Competitive health care indu stry requires a periodic examination of products and services in order to ensure that the products and services offered to the patients are of high quality. ... The hospitals have also been conducting periodic surveys in order to identify target segment within a certain area. The hospitals provide unique services in order to part themselves from the competitors. On the other hand, there is a need to understand the fundamental dimensions of differentiation and position in order to explore the marketing strategies of Cleveland Clinic and CVS Minute Clinic. According to Spencera, Joinerb and Salmonc (2009), differentiation relates to the process of adding a set of substantial differences that are valued by customers in a way that can distinguish the organization products and services from competitors’ offerings. Therefore, the health care institution differentiate their market through offering an along five dimensions, which include; products, services, channels, image and personnel. However, services dimensions in health care field are significant through the relations between the employees and patients. In this case, a positive experie nce concerning the employees and patients can create the difference of one hospital from the competitors. The hospital applies a well-planned marketing and branding tactic in order to establish a course of action for the maturity of effective marketing campaign. Moreover, they have marketing and branding strategies, which are key components of consideration through the development of their marketing plan. Cleveland Clinic and CVS Minute Clinic have an approach that offers incentives for the process of expansion through marketing initiatives, which attract distinguished market. Therefore, they are able to offer services that are desired by a certain group of consumers in the target market. The target customer refers to people who have a high likelihood

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Pathophysiology and evidence-based practice of Research Paper

The Pathophysiology and evidence-based practice of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Research Paper Example ve disorder is an anxiety disorder, a compulsive ritualistic behavior driven by irrational anxiety such as fear of contamination, thereby repeated washing of hands and cleaning or articles is performed by the patient. The treatment of such disorders generally involves an amalgamation of psychological approaches as well as drug treatment (Katzang, 2009; Kaushik, 2011). OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is characterized by repetitive anxiety- provoking thoughts (obsession) or repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety (compulsions). If such thoughts or actions are prevented or interrupted, the patient becomes anxious. It is chronic, prevalent as well as disabling condition that persists throughout life, hampers normal life of an individual and those who are associated with the OCD patient (Katzang, 2009; Kaushik, 2011). The disease is a chronic condition and no absolute reason could be formulated till date. Noteworthy contribution of studies involving OCD highlight the perception of the phenomenology and pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) prevalent both in children as well as adults, affecting 1-3% of the population (Torres et al, 2006). Epidemiological understanding about OCD suggests that OCD has emerged as the fourth most common mental disorder across the world irrespective of cultural differences. Considering the condition to be of paramount significance, World Health Organization (WHO, 2001) has graded OCD as one of the most debilitating disorders. An estimation carried out in 2000, enumerated OCD amongst the top 20 causes of illness related disability of individuals belonging to the age between 15 years and 44 years. In most of the cases, symptoms onset around the age of 10 years, prepuberty onset is observed in boys while in girls onset of symptoms usually occur during adolescence phase (Tukel et al, 2006). OCD patient displays significant distress that results in impaired psychosocial performances. Obsessions are recurring,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Narrative Communities in Translation Studies Essay Example for Free

Narrative Communities in Translation Studies Essay An elaborate network of translators, called Babels, volunteers from all over Europe, sat in little boxes translating the cries against imperialism, capitalism, colonialism and occupation into English, French, Spanish, German,Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic and Ð ° plethora of other languages including Euskera. It has been suggested by the Fisher that communication transactions are responsible for the co-constitution of the communities, in which a story with the coherence and fidelity for the life is co-authored by the participants. In this regard, two types of community have been suggested by the Fisher. Concession or conformity creates the first type of community, and election or conversion creates the second type of community. In this regard, in the world of translation, concession or conformity has created a number of examples of communities. Today, several professional and academic associations are boasted by most countries, whether in professional or academic circles, by which different types of platforms for the conduction of communication transactions for the support of such communities are provided by it. See more: what is a narrative essay However, the most urgent needs of our time are responded by the emerging pattern of communities arguably, as civility, intellectual, and moral forms of community are sustained by their potential. Members of these translation communities recognize that the concrete experiences of our lives cannot be changed without simultaneously changing the narratives that underpin them. Such translators also recognize that the intersections between the narratives of our lives and those of other peoples in other parts of the world are much denser and more heavily mediated today than at any other time in history. Today s conflicts reverberate across the planet and, almost without exception, are played out in the international arena. The Middle East and Chechen conflicts, for instance, cannot be resolved by appealing only to local constituencies in the United States, Israel, Palestine, or Russia, to suggest obvious examples. Competing narratives of such conflicts circulate in all the widely spoken and many of the less widely spoken languages of the world-largely in and through translation. Already Ð ° number of communities by election or conversion are operating in the world of professional translation and interpreting, as І noted at the beginning of this article. For example, Traduttori par la Pace/Translators for Peace describes itself as Ð ° free association of translators from all countries and of all nationalities . . . established in order to publish, as tar as possible in every language and by whatever channel, every message against: war in general; and in particular, against the use of war as Ð ° means of resolving international disputes. The association is based in Italy with some 3UO members, mostly Italian; Italian is the main language of the discussion group. It was founded in 1999 at the start of the war in Kosovo. one of the founding members, Andrea Spila, explains the origins of the group as follows. Translators for Peace were established with the intent of translating articles and documents which did not appear in the Italian press at the time. Five years (and many wars) later we are working in Ð ° different way. our activity is mainly to help civil society organizations to spread their peace message and we help them by translating their documents/websites etc. and by supplying interpreters for conferences, meetings etc. We also translate documents we believe people should know, for example we translated the documents of the neo-con organization Project for Ð ° New American Century because it describes exactly what is happening now, I. e. US supremacy worldwide by means of preventive war. ECOS, Traductores e Interprets por la Solidaridad, was set up in 1998 by members of the staff at the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Granada, Spain, and is still based there. The association offers volunteer translation and interpreting for NGos, social forums, and other nonprofit organizations, but most of its work comes from NGos in Granada, including anti-cancer groups, the Granada section of the Human Rights Association of Andalusia, and AKIBA (the association of support for Black Africa) The aim of ECOS is to work for Ð ° better quality of life for certain social sectors, and to struggle against the injustices of the established system. Its founders also believe that translators and interpreters must be trained for society and not just for the market. In addition to volunteer translation and interpreting, members of the association also organize talks to raise awareness about contemporary social questions, including fair trade and the situations in Iraq and the Middle East. Babels are Ð ° larger and more structured community of volunteer translators and interpreters. Its activist profile is broader than that of Translators for Peace and other existing associations in the field. The groups agenda is not restricted to the issues pertaining to war, and both the range of activities undertaken and the locations of activity are more varied. Moreover, the composition of the group itself is broader, with members in many different parts of the world. The plural form Babels is meant to underline the supranational character of the association, as their website indicates. Babels was set up in September 2oo2 by Ð ° group of activists linked to the French branch of the alternative globalization network, ATTAC, to meet the translation and interpreting needs of the European Social Forum (ESF) in Florence. The groups debut in Florence featured 35o volunteer translators and interpreters working without Ð ° budget and without even basic facilities such as computers and telephones. The success and dedication of the group and their effective participation in the conferences opposing the G8 in Evian and Annemasse in May and June 2oo3, however, convinced the Paris ESF organizers to give them decent facilities and the relatively large sum of ? 2oo,ooo to prepare for the next forum. This investment seems to have paid off because the Paris ESF held in 2oo3 was serviced by more than 1ooo Babelitos drawn from Ð ° volunteer pool four times that number. By the time the London ESF was held in october 2oo4, the Babels database included over 7ooo volunteers representing 63 languages.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Computers in Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Computers in Healthcare Essay In all aspects of life—home, work, socially—a basic understanding of computer operation is by and large a necessity. Even the medical field has become dependent on computers, both to record vital patient information, but also for billing, researching maladies, and prescribing medicines. This report takes a look at how and why health care professionals use computers, where computers are used in the health care system, and how all this new technology is affecting the medical field for both the patient and provider. Health Care Professionals use computers because they boost productivity. Health care staff, for instance, can more easily keep and access medical records. Specific computer programs also allow physicians to analyze patient data both statistically and mathematically, which leads to the creation of multimedia patient records. A multimedia file is an image, text file, a video clip or audio fileanything that can be displayed or played on computer monitors or speakers. An example, a cardiologist can use a computer to scan a patient’s EKG strip, and then attach that image to the patient’s permanent record for future reference (Spekowius and Wendler 38-39). The ability to store patient data on a computer hard drive reduces paperwork, and the number of staff members needed to maintain that paperwork. Having a patient’s file just a few computer clicks away also cuts down on the time it takes a physician to locate the necessary information. Beyond simplifying office paperwork, computers also open lines of communication between the patient and physician. Physicians who engage in emailing can easier answer patient questions, and cut down on phone calls. Computers are used throughout the Health Care System. Clerical staff relies on computers for reports, memos, patient records, billing, statistics, insurance claims, as well as charting and researching graphics. Nursing stations depend on computers for reports, patient records, along with hospital information systems. And computers are critical in the operation of patient monitors, medication delivery systems and lab equipment (Spekowius and Wendler 76). Also, in medical education, computers are essential for Computer Aided Instruction, Computer Managed Instruction, and Interactive Multi-media systems (Forman and Pomerantz). Beyond all of these uses, the computer has become increasingly necessary for diagnosis, research, publication retrieval (National Library of Medicine), and automated patient interview and history. Computers have become increasingly vital to Pharmacies. With the use of computers, pharmacists can fill prescriptions, control the dispensing, and talk with the patients through a video hookup. People living in remote areas also may use computers to order and receive their prescriptions without having to make a special trip into town or even leave their home. This is a particularly valuable tool for the elderly. Also, physicians now are able to type prescriptions into computers and email them to pharmacists, cutting down on errors because of sloppy doctor handwriting. Computers have become commonplace in Radiology. Radiologists use computers to prepare and store patient case histories, prepare conference talks, and to examine images. Computers are especially important when examining images; radiologists depend on digital radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, and ultrasonic imaging (Trovato). Computers can also enable a radiologist to view an emergency case from home, reducing the response time when dealing with a crisis situation. In radiology it is imperative that the computer system be powerful enough to observe very fine images; faulty screen imaging could lead to a false analysis, and possibly compromise patient health (Leach). Computers are also used in surgery to produce a three-dimensional image of the organ that is being operated on. This technology is especially useful to young surgeons, small clinics and developing countries where such sophisticated imagery has previously been unavailable. In addition, this type of surgery is less invasive on the patient, so recovery time and cost are reduced. Genetics is another area of medicine in which the use of computers has been increasingly useful. Pharmacogenomics, for instance, helps determine what drugs are compatible with a patient’s gene type. Gene information obtained from a patient blood sample is entered into the computer, which then determines which drugs may not be compatible before dispensing. In the future doctors may be able to use a similar method to determine the most effective type of chemotherapy for a cancer patient. This could save a patient from having a series of unnecessary and ineffective treatments (Mandel). Computers also allow access to the Internet, which can be a very useful tool when trying to run an office. Connecting to the World Wide Web can help lower costs, improve patient/member service and assist in the delivery of better-coordinated care. The physician is able to compile and analyze data from a single or multiple number of sources, reveal health problems, and even gains a better understanding of a treatment’s financial performance. Also, the Internet is a great marketing tool for a physician’s medical practice. The Internet is awash with medical information, which is both useful for patients and possibly detrimental. Some patients who should see a doctor instead try and self-diagnose using information gleaned from computer research. So many medical sources exist on computers—much of it valid, good information—that a person might read the symptoms and believe they have a particular disease and try to treat themselves. Faulty treatment of a medical problem could lead to more serious medical problems down the road. Another pitfall to consider is how web sites allow a person to seek medical advice by querying a so-called physician online. The problem: That advice may be coming from an accredited medical personor someone pretending to be a physician. So now with all this talk about how computers can be very beneficial to the medical field, one may wonder if computers do a better job than humans. The answer: Yes, due to a computer’s flawless memory. Even though physicians have the desire to be efficient and thorough when it comes to their patients, they are human and they occasionally make mistakes. Computers accurately remember vast amounts of information, which is especially important these days given all the emerging medical information and technology in the world today (Spekowius and Wendler 439). In conclusion, it is obvious that the medical field has benefited greatly since the advent of computers. Without computers the world would not be as advanced as it is today. New discoveries might never have been made, unnecessary tests and treatments would have been performed, and lives would have been lost. Computers are propelling the medical world into a new dimension where literally anything is possible—including increased longevity, cures for cancer and paralysis reversal. It is indeed a win-win situation for physicians and patients. Works Cited Forman, Lloyd J. and Sherry C. Pomerantz. Computer-Assisted Instruction: A Survey on the Attitudes of Osteopathic Medical Students. JAOA Medical Education (2006): 572-575. Leach, Michelle. Computed Radiography Vs. Digital Radiography. n.d. ehow. February 2013 http://www.ehow.com/about_6836650_computed-radiography-vs_-digital-radiog

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Attitudes Towards Accents: The Scouse Accent

Attitudes Towards Accents: The Scouse Accent Introduction An accent is an oral expression, a precise pronunciation within a particular language. Accents can often be confused with dialects which are varieties of language that differ in vocabulary and syntax. Commonly, people do not believe that they themselves possess one, however it is impossible for anybody to speak without using an accent. Accent variation is an important part of sociolinguistics because people often attach significance to different accents. This study concerns attitudes towards accent variation; the accent at the centre of this study is the non-standard accent of English, Liverpool English, commonly referred to as Scouse. Liverpool English is one of the most recognisable accents in the country, and arguably, the world. The Scouse accent is infamous for its harsh, nasal tones and despite some similarities; it is distinctly different to the accents of the surrounding areas. A famous linguist, Fritz Spiel, once described the accent as ‘one-third Irish, one-third welsh, and one-third catarrh The accent is widely known for its negative stereotypes and the reason for this study is to investigate the hypothesis that Students at the University of Wales, Bangor have a positive attitude towards the Liverpool accent. Accent variation is often most noticeable within the vowels used in pronunciation, however with the scouse accent, both the vowels and the continents are affected by the accent. The accent of an individual can often reveal information such as where they come from. However accents can also invite stereotypical judgements of social class, wealth and levels of education. The Liverpodlian accent has been heavily influenced by the Irish accent, for example Liverpudlians tend to pronounce the letter ‘H and ‘Haitch. The huge success of The Beatles in the 1960s, a band who were all originally from Liverpool, helped to publicise the city of Liverpool in a positive way and encouraging the accent to be perceived as friendly. And a more recent positive change saw Liverpool become Britains favourite location for call centres (Ward, 2000). Despite these positive changes, which succeeded in generating a more positive public image for the city, a significant stigmatic view of the accent still appears to remain in modern society and this study will outline whether these stereotypical viewpoints are held by the students of the University of Wales, Bangor. Theoretical background In 1975 a study was conducted by Giles and Powesland using a method called the matched-guise technique. This technique involved playing a recording of a speaker imitating different accents and then asking participants to rate the speaker on different categories such as attractiveness or social status. The study found that standard accents such as RP were more likely to be associated with a person who is a prestigious and articulate speaker. However, accents associated with urban areas were considered unattractive and thought to be spoken by low-status speakers. Rural accents were regarded as being aesthetically pleasing but inferior to RP in terms of social status. This particular study was repeated by an undergraduate student Sarah Wood (Stockwell 2002) who replicated the study but made some adjustments such as only using native speakers of the accents in her recordings and used all female students in their 20s in order to control gender and age to improve the analysis. Her study c oncluded that southern accents attracted the highest ratings in most categories and the northern accents came out worst, with the urban accents being the most stigmatized. These studies highlight the stigma attached to particular accents and may be an important factor in the attitudes of the students of Bangor, towards the Liverpudlian accent. The Liverpool English accent has been regarded in society as being ill educated and low prestige. This stereotypical view could well be influenced by the medias representation of Liverpudlians, who are often portrayed in a negative or criminal way. In 2004, the BBC conducted an online poll to determine attitudes towards the accents and languages in the British Isles. The poll, of which there were 5000 participants, concluded that Asian, Liverpool and Birmingham accents were â€Å"unpleasant to listen to and lacking in social status† (BBC, 2004). In addition to this, participants were asked to rank celebrities by how pleasant their accents are. The Liverpudlian accents of celebrities Cilla Black and Paul o Grady were received negatively by participants. Another survey of 1000 participants, conducted by Bury Technologies, also concluded that the accent is unpopular, as Liverpool came out at the bottom of the poll of British accents. One third of Liverpudlians who took part in t he nationwide survey admitted to changing or calming down their accent whilst being interviewed for a job in order to benefit their career. Methodology To collect the relevant data, an online survey was conducted, in which participants were asked two questions. In the first question, participants were asked to state which words came to their minds when thinking of the Liverpudlian accent. Secondly participants were asked whether they thought there should be an increase in the amount of Liverpudlian accents within the media, and their reasons for this. The Questionnaire was sent to Students at Bangor University only to complete. A recording of a Liverpudlian speaker was obtained for the study. The person in question was asked to talk for a short period of time about any subject in order for us to provide the participants with a firm understanding of the accent in question. The Individual being recorded held many of the typical scouse accent traits. To ensure that the data was easily comparable, a multiple choice questionnaire was produced for the study. The questionnaire consisted of ten questions concerning personal characteristics and social status, such as ‘polite or impolite of which the students had to tick the statement that they were in most agreement with. The Participants, all students from Bangor University, were each played the recording and asked to complete a multiple choice questionnaire designed to obtain the students personal opinions and expectations of this person based entirely upon their Liverpudlian accent. Results Of the ten respondents to the online survey, the most commonly used words used to describe Liverpudlians were negative words such as ‘chav, ‘criminal ‘thief. However positive words such as ‘friendly were also used more than once. In response to an increase in Liverpudlian speakers in the media, the majority of the participants were in favour of the increase, either due to their being a lack of them in the media currently or because they particularly enjoy the sound of the accent. Two of the respondents remained neutral; however one stated that despite being neutral they find the accent to be ‘one of the ugliest in the country. The final 3 respondents were against the idea, all claiming that the accent was difficult to understand. The recording of the accent received a great deal of negative responses such as ‘generally unpleasant sounding, ‘common, ‘irritating, loud and ‘rough, harsh sounding. On the contrary some participants responded positively, describing the accent as ‘friendly and ‘a nice sound The answers to the questionnaire support the common stereotype of ‘scousers, with the majority of respondents assuming that the Liverpudlian would be untrustworthy, impolite, unfriendly, not wealthy, not educated past GCSE level, not in full-time employment and not have a high IQ level. On the slightly more positive side the majority of respondents assumed the Liverpudlian would not have criminal record, be average looking, and passive. Discussion The study was limited to one particular social community. Only students at the University of Wales, Bangor were asked to participate and therefore the results are not statistically significant. The study only involved 30 participants and is not reflective of a large enough scale for the data to be considered representative on behalf of all of the students at the University. A substantial flaw in the methodology of this survey is that the person on the recording was not reading from a particular script or text. His chosen dialogue may have influenced the opinions of the participants and their results may not have been an accurate reflection of their view of the accent itself, but rather of this particular personality. A more beneficial approach to the study would have been to have the speaker to read a text that was specifically written to contain accent variants of the Liverpudlian accent as this would have provided an accurate representation of the accent being discussed. Within the recording the speaker expresses certain opinions and makes personal comments, this kind of speech could have easily affected the opinion of the students, particularly regarding questions of politeness and friendliness. The individual also made a comment when discussing his accent that ‘no UK residents tend to like it. This information could have influenced a previously unbiased participant who took part in the survey as it shows the accent in a negative light and implies that having a dislike towards the accent is a common response. To have had the speaker read from a given text would have neutralised any alteration in his speech that may have occurred due to the subject or unscripted nature of the recording. Also the study may have benefitted from having a speaker with a broader accent, as although it was clearly a Liverpool accent; it wasnt particularly strong which could be misleading by not presenting the students with a typical, strong Liverpudlian accent. The background of the students could have influenced their level of loyalty towards Liverpool and the accent. The students chosen for the survey should have been restricted to those without a particular devotion towards to city, such as it being their hometown or birthplace. Having impartial participants would have resulted in a more accurate and honest representation of the students point of view as oppose to the student giving a positive view based on blind faithfulness rather than the accent. Conclusion This questionnaire assessed the students levels of expectations regarding the personality and social attributes of a person with a Liverpudlian accent. The following graph interprets the gathered data in terms of the students expectations of the speaker after hearing the recording. An overall view of the data suggests that the students involved in the study, on average had negative opinions regarding an individual with a scouse accent, particularly in terms of honesty and social class. This study was performed using only a small sample of students from one university, which is not a good basis for investigating this hypothesis. The study would have to be repeated and carried out on a much bigger scale for the information to be representative of all the students at the University of Wales, Bangor.

Hester vs. the Community in The Scarlet Letter Essay examples -- Scarl

Hester vs. the Community in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter seems to be created around Hawthorne's obsession with the forbidding quality of the scarlet "A", the symbol from which the novel takes its title. Rrom the rose-bush which Hawthorne selects a flower from as an offering to the reader(1) to the "elfish" child Pearl, every aspect of the story is drenched in this letter's scarlet hue. Perhaps this repetition reflects Hawthorne's own repressed desires, as some critics suggest(2). However, what seems more compelling is the function which the symbol serves for Hester Prynne and the community which has condemned her. For Hester the symbol is clearly a literary one; she fashions the scarlet "A" to fulfill the function of telling, in one solid image, her story of sorrow and strength. For the Puritan community the symbol does not lead to truth, but rather conceals it. They place their fears and darkest imaginings into this brand. Hawthorne's possible artistic obsession brings to l ife a tortured woman, and the torment of the society that inflicts her punishment.    Freudian symbolism must be differentiated from literary symbolism in order to form a deeper understanding of the symbolic scarlet "A" conceived as a punishment by a Puritan society's desire to uphold its truths, but brought into physical existence by Hester Prynne's "fancy."(3) Daniel Weiss embarks on the enterprise of solidifying this distinction in the first chapter of his book titled The Critic Agonistes: Psychology, Myth, and the Art of Fiction.(4). Weiss suggests that "the literary symbol is a concrete and untranslatable presentation of an idea, or an experience that cannot find its way into consciousness except throu... ...Art of Fiction. Ed. Stephen Arkin and Eric Solomon. Seattle: U of Washington P. (1985): 21. 11. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter: Ed. Ross C. Murfin. New York, New York: Bedford Books of St. Martins P., (1991): 74. 12. Weiss, Daniel. "The Critic Agonistes". The Critic Agonistes: Psychology, Myth, and the Art of Fiction. Ed. Stephen Arkin and Eric Solomon. Seattle: U of Washington P. (1985): 21. 13. Brodhead, Richard H. "New and Old Tales: The Scarlet Letter." Hawthorne, Melville, and the Novel. Chicago: U of Chicago P., (1973): 44. 14. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter: Ed. Ross C. Murfin. New York, New York: Bedford Books of St. Martins P., (1991): 58. 15. ibid. 57. 16. ibid. 112. 17. ibid. 75. 18. ibid. 75. 19. ibid. 161. 20. ibid. 154. 21. ibid. 200. 22. ibid. 201. 23. ibid. 134.   

Monday, August 19, 2019

A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell Essay -- A Jury of Her Peers Ess

"A Jury of her Peers" was written by Susan Glaspell in 1917. This short story is entertaining but also tells the story of women in the early twentieth century. Ms Glaspell give you an idea about the hardships that women had to deal with, such as loneliness, lack of beauty, physical labor, and living in a male dominated society. The characters consist of two couples and a lawyer. The men are trying to convict Minnie Foster of murdering her husband while he was sleeping. The story takes place in Minnie's house. Throughout most of the play the men ridicule the women. This is ironic because the women are the ones that end up finding the missing link to the killing. Throughout the play the men are looking for evidence that would give Minnie a motive for the killing her husband. The men look everywhere for evidence; as they do this they poke fun of the women. The men just do not understand the hardships of being a woman at the turn of the century. Loneliness was a major factor for farmwomen in the early part of the century. Elaine Hedges quotes Faragher's statement saying "the single most important distinction between the social and cultural worlds of men and women was the isolation and immobility of wives compared to husbands" (Elaine Hedges 99). The isolation of the houses contributed to the loneliness women felt. The farmhouses were miles apart and could take up to half a day just to visit a friend. Women did not have time in their busy schedule to take such trips. Women were preoccupied with household chores and running the family. The men could combat loneliness because they had the advantage of going into town with the crops. At these visits they could catch up on the news as they sat in the saloons with the gu... ...ause none of them were small. To can fruit there is a lot of effort involved. The fruit must be grown, picked, and still canned. Ms Hedges informs her readers of the physical labor involved by quoting old diaries, "Friday May 27 This is the dreaded washing day" (Hedges 96). One must not forget that there was no running water back then. One load of wash took tremendous amounts of labor: "One wash, one boiling and one rinse used about fifty gallons of water -- or four hundred pounds -- which had to be moved from pump or well to faucet to stove and tub, in buckets and wash boilers that might weigh as much as forty or fifty pounds" (Hedges 96). This reason alone explains why Minnie is worried about her jars while she is in jail. As one can see "A Jury of Her Peers" was not only written for entertainment, but also to demonstrate how rough life for farmwomen was.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Comparison of In Mrs. Tilschers Class and Originally Essay examples --

Comparison of In Mrs. Tilscher's Class and Originally ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s class’ and ‘Originally’ are poems about the journey of life and the change from childhood into adulthood. Although ‘Originally’ is more traumatic there are many similarities between the two poems. They are both about moving on both spiritually and mentally, and explore ideas about identity and emigration. ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ is a poem about the metaphorical journey throughout a young child’s school year. The first verse of the poem has a joyful tone; the narrator of the poem seems happy and full of delight. It is written from a young girl’s perspective on the things that take place in the course of the school year. The young girl who is narrating the poem explains to the reader both the things that she liked and disliked. The poem is written in chronological order and the different verses of the poem represent different periods throughout the school year. The first verse of the poem starts with: ‘You could travel up the Blue Nile with your finger, tracing the route while Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery’. This creates a vivid picture of the children tracing the route of the Nile on a map while Mrs Tilscher described the scenery and surroundings to the children. After learning about the Nile and its surroundings for an hour the children paused for a break to drink a ‘skittle of milk’. A skittle of milk was a small glass bottle containing 1/3 pint of milk. Children used to refer to it as a ‘skittle’ because that is what it looked like. This shows the children’s innocence and immaturity. Verse two describes how much the narrator loved being in Mrs Tilscher’s class. It is described as being ‘better than home’. ‘The .. ... used is very clear as it explains how the parents are feeling. ‘I want my own country, I said’ This line sums up just how young and immature the narrator is. It is written in italics to give effect, to make it stand out because this line has great meaning to it. The third verse describes the girl reminiscing on how she felt adapting to the changes. ‘You forget, or don’t recall, or change, and seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only a skelf of shame.’ She is now starting to fit in but still feels a sense of loss. ‘I remember my tongue shedding its skin like a snake’. This simile is very descriptive and you can vividly picture a snake shedding its skin. This corresponds to the changes the narrator is going through. I think she now feels embarrassed about the way she used to speak. She hesitates when asked where she originally came from.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Bartolome de las Casas: The Devastation of the Indies

The Devastation of the Indies† and was a friar who became famous because he defended the rights of the Indians. He took a brave stand against the horrors and cruel blooded Spaniards, saying he didn't understanding of how God could allow the innocent Indians to suffer. In his document De lass Cases gave his views of the nature and character of the Indians, of the Spanish, and of the Spanish treatment of Indians. De Sis Cases say about the Indians that they don't have malice or bitterness, they are â€Å"humble, patient and peaceable.Physical they can't work hard because they are weak and get sick easily. They don't wont to possess worldly goods and they are not greedy . He says what they really want Is that they just want to learn and Just to learn about God and that they are eagerness and they have goodness† of nature. The Spaniards nature, according to De lass Cases, Is they don't have compassion for anybody they are cruel and blood thirsty people who treat much better horses and cows than a people, and also they are destroying an infinite number of souls and they are just doing it because they are greedy and want to became rich and to acquire De lass Cases views of theSpaniards treatment of Indians was that they type of people they call them as beast because is what they earn all buy their actions that they took, a Capitan order to struggle this Indian nobles just because they disturbed the Capitan sleep because they are screaming, and the person how order the Capitan to executioner did not obey the order that he give you, the Capitan decide to burn them slowly and watch them die.But Hatter comes from Cuba Just to say them that the Christians are coming he Just say this Just for those that are following him The Spanish Capitan he convert as an enemy of the human race, what he do Is that e put a dog as a security so they can escape or try something, the Indians make a mistake they kill some Christians so the Spanish Capitan he take this act us a r evenge so every Christian that they die there goanna kill o capture thousand Indians hatter comes from far away to Cuba to protect the Indians and to fight with them one of the Indians say is that they been struggle them and kill them off just because they don't want be part of them and follow there God hatter say that part of his followers are coming from Haiti ,then they go to see the god the Christians and what happen is hat there was a basket cover a bunch of Jewelry and gold and what they discovered is that if they despaired the gold there goanna forget everything and there goanna stop kill them off so they took the basket and they flung In the river.Then they captured hatter and they kill him Just because he defend those Indians from the cruel and blooding Christians so they tied him to the shake so a friar come to him and he say that he is going to hell just because he didn't be part of the Christian faith go to hell in still of going to heaven because a real God don't not pe rmit. The inclusion is that Bartholomew De lass cases was a man how fight for Justice because there were been cruel with the Indians because they refuse to believe in god so that why they want to kill them of . They couldn't defend them self and then later on the Capitan he made a rules if they kill one Christian there going to kill a thousand Indians so they capture a lot of Indians and they struggle them , with these infernal methods of tyranny they debase and weaken countless numbers of Indians , when Hatter hear about how there been treading the Indians he desire to stand for them ,but later on they capture him and they kill him.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Microsoft’s monopoly Essay

The global market economy includes several market structures. One of these structures is the monopoly. Monopoly happens when only one firm provides a specific good or service to the consumers and generally dominates the whole industry by controlling the market. In this case, the dominant firm has the ability to set the price while there are no other rivals to force competitiveness. In order to keep their domination, firms are likely to grow a behaviour that prevents other potential companies from breaking in the industry (Krugman, P. R.et al, 2012). How firms will behave, especially in a monopoly market where the demand is inelastic, is a very significant factor for the public interest. For a firm having no rivals, consumers run the risks of high prices for low quality and quantity products as the dominant firm loses the incentive to satisfy them. Furthermore you will be provided with a brief description on how firms tend to behave in this market structure, together with some information of Microsoft’s behaviour against public interest. Monopoly is a very crucial position to be. A firm wants to maintain this position and keep controlling the market by using as barriers the advantages the monopolistic power offers. Due to their long existence, established monopolies afford to grow special skills that makes their production and marketing very efficient. Together with the good control of their finance and costs they come to great results and supernormal profit in the long-run. Part of this profit is usually spent researches, investments and generally for their further development. The huge amount of output they produce, gives them the opportunity to reduce their average costs and form a low, but profitable price. These factors make the entrance of new firms almost impossible. A new company has to invest gigantic amounts in order to break in, something that is very risky. Even if they do, the firm owning the monopoly position can start a price war or enormous advertising campaigns which will again bring the new firm in a very difficult position (Sloman, J. et al, 2013). Figure 1: (Riley, G. , College E. , 2006) â€Å"Differences between monopoly and perfect competition markets†. Through the diagram above, the main differences of a firm operating in a monopolistic market rather than a one with perfect competition are identified. As stated before, the dominant firms are able to regulate the price of its product according to its marginal revenue and costs as the market appears to be of inelastic demand. This gives them the ability to operate in a profit maximising point (MC=MR) of Pmon-Q2 rather than Pcomp-Q1. As a result, firms are pushed away from the demand supply equilibrium that might had been set if there was competition, creating inefficiency and consumer surplus is lost because less output is supplied in higher price. This brings the reduction of welfare which is likely to be purely transferred to the producer through higher profits, but part of the loss is never reassigned to any other economic agent, bringing the known as â€Å"deadweight welfare loss† which is equal to the area ABC (Riley, G. College, E. , 2006). Inappropriate use of this power can sometimes be considered as consumer’s exploitation and market abuse in general. In these cases, governmental policies are likely to intervene. These can be departments or organizations that enforce the consumer protection and competition law in order to adjust justice and equality in the market. A good example were the US Justice Department took action is in Microsoft’s case. Microsoft is the biggest software company in the planet holding the reins of the industry for many years. Microsoft afforded to have its operating system, MS-DOS, installed in more than 90% of the world’s computers. For more than the half of its lifetime, Microsoft was taken to the courts by the US Government for exploiting its monopolistic power and trying to obliterate all its rivals. â€Å"Microsoft attempted to collude with Netscape Communications to divide the Internet Browser market. Netscape Communications refused† (Sloman, J. et al, 2010:170). Then, using a series of illegal actions, Microsoft tried to force other computer manufactures to promote and use its web browser â€Å"Internet Explorer† rather than Netscape’s Internet navigator (CNN Money, 2002). Microsoft was also sued for illegally restricting the multimedia player market by bundling Windows Media Player with its operating system and making it mandatory for all clients using Windows. (European Commission, 2007). To defend itself, Microsoft pointed that these actions were part their effort further innovation and development of their product, actions that had nothing to do with market abuse and consumer’s exploitation. This excuse was never accepted by the law. It was in the early 2004 when this case finally and Microsoft was forced to pay a fine of 497 million dollars for abusing its monopoly position (Sloman, J. et al, 2010; Sloman, J. et al, 2013). The main consideration is how were consumers affected by these series of actions across the years, was it against or in the public interest? On the one hand, considering what Microsoft stated in the court, this can be deemed to be a good kind of monopoly operating positively for the consumer’s interest. The continuously process of product innovation through research and development offered the ability to the consumer to enjoy an improved and updated product at reliable prices and satisfying quantities. In a market where the demand is so high, and the technology is growing so rapid this is of great importance. On the other hand, some of these actions might considered to be against them. The way Microsoft tried to promote its product, not only left consumers with no alternative choice in the operating system’s market but also forced them to make use its substitute programs (e. g. Windows Media Player). As a result, the consumer was indirectly ‘locked in’ a one way road consuming specified products produced by a single firm. To sum up, as all market structures monopoly carries both advantages and disadvantages. Whether this structure is deemed to be for or against the public interest is in basis of how firms owning the monopolistic position will behave. As for the market outlined above, my opinion is that Microsoft’s behaviour had a good overall approach towards consumers and should be considered as a good kind of monopoly. Relatively low prices on products with excellent quality and performance I think is a fair treatment for them. Especially now, after the entrance and gradual growth of some new players in the industry such as iOs and Android, the market has reached a fair level for the public interest giving the opportunity to the consumers to choose through a wide range of products that still offer good qualities.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Kanoa K. Essay

Kanoa K. is by far one of the most unforgettable characters of my life. He is not only my boyfriend, he is my best friend, someone I know would help me through difficult times, and someone who has helped me through tough times. If Kanoa were a fictional character, it would be very difficult to determine whether he is a believable character. He is one of the most perfect and awesome people I know, making him unbelievable. Kanoa is always helping his friends and me; he has a kind heart and is a good person, which is something I only truly find in a few individuals. Another thing that makes Kanoa an unbelievable character is his uniqueness. He is not your ordinary boy, Kanoa is masculine yet sensitive; he knows himself very well and is different from most. Kanoa is a â€Å"skater† but isn’t a jerk, punk or fool, I believe that this is because he knows what he is and what he’s not, he doesn’t let stereotypes get to him. It is not typical for a sixteen-year-old to know himself or herself so well. Some things make Kanoa Kruse a very believable character. He is a deep, complex individual who has hopes and dreams just as everyone else does. He has a direction in life; an idea of what he wants to do with his future, a notion of what he wants his lifetime occupation to be. Because Kanoa is a human being, he does make mistakes. Whenever Kanoa makes a mistake, he learns and grows from the experience. Kanoa has changed over the years, as anyone does. At first, he started of as a person I passed by in the hallways. The first day I saw him, I was eleven. I didn’t know who he was, not even his name, the only thing I can remember thinking was, â€Å"oh, he’s cute†. He was 13, an eighth grader. Since I was a sixth grader, the â€Å"lowest class†, I didn’t make a single effort to know him; he was just a pretty face. A year passed and I made some new friends, one of my friends was a fair-haired, English boy named Jacob. Jacob and I began to talk a lot; one reoccurring topic of our conversation was Kanoa. Jacob told me that I would get along really well with Kanoa; the three of use should hang out sometime. I didn’t remember whom Jacob was talking about, I only knew Kanoa by face and not by name. Kanoa and I did not get to meet each other that year. In December 2007, I cut out my horoscope for that month out of a fashion magazine. My horoscope stated that on the twenty-sixth of this month, one of my close friends would try to hook me up with one of their friends. At the time, I just rolled my eyes and tacked the clipping to my corkboard, I didn’t believe, even in my wildest dreams that this horoscope would come true. On December 26, I woke up to the buzzing of my cellphone, it was my close friend Jacob, He told me that his friend Kanoa wanted to be â€Å"hooked up† with me. Jacob had been telling Kanoa about me and Kanoa wanted to give things a chance and see how they end up, I decided to accept his offer and get to know him. Since then, Kanoa and I have been dating. At first, he started of as a pretty face, then he became a friend of a friend and now he is one of the most important people to me, I know he will always be here for me when I need him.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Since it's first introduction in the year 1983, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) has very rapidly become a fundamental tool for improving the health and human life. PCR was developed by Dr. Kary Mullis, who was at the time working for Cetus Corporation as a chemist. PCR is the quick and efficient method for making unlimited copies of each and every inch of DNA. It can also be adapted to allow amplification of RNA samples as well as DNA samples from any type of organism. PCR is simplified into a 3-step process, which is repeated for 30-40 cycles. The procedure begins with the first step called denaturation. In the phase of denaturation, the structure of the DNA is altered. The double-stranded DNA melts and exposes into two pieces of single-stranded DNA at approximately 94 degrees Celsius. Transitioning into the second step called annealing or in other words, pairing up together. At a temperature of 54 degrees Celsius, the primers cool down and join to the single-stranded DNA or â€Å"template†. The double-stranded DNA then attaches to the polymerase and starts to shoot out copies. Finally during the last stage of the PCR process known as elongation or extension, the polymerase works it's magic. At 72 degrees Celsius the DNA building blocks are paired up with the DNA primers, to create a double-stranded DNA molecule. After all the processes are completed in one cycle round, a single portion of double-stranded DNA is finally enlarged into two separate pieces of double-stranded DNA. However, as the cycles repeat themselves, more and more clones are generated and the number of DNA copies are intensified exponentially. The procedure of doing a PCR is more vital than we may fathom. It has been found to cure and diagnose genetic diseases, locate bacteria and viruses, DNA fingerprinting, study paternity, biological relationships, and human evolution. All in all, PCR has become widely known to biologists, DNA labs, and many other forensics laboratories. PCR is also one of the quickest testing methods to many diseases, for example The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as HIV. HIV is a very difficult disease to find and eradicate. The earlier tests depended on the presence of antibodies in the human bloodstream. When performing the antibody test, there may be no results until weeks after exposure to the virus. Nevertheless, when performing a PCR test results appear much faster, and as little as one genome among 50,000 host cells can be easily detected. PCR can efficiently detect the forensics of HIV, rather than the antibodies contained in the blood. The same goes for Tuberculosis, which are also complicated in sampling from patients, PCR tests speed up the results so that precautions may be taken as soon as possible. PCR testing is one of the many ways that can assist in detecting several diseases, and yet PCR is very vital to the human life.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Associate Degree Nursing as Compared to Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Ess

It has been shown that a nurse’s level of education can become a major factor to the safety and quality of care of their patients because of this there has been an increase in studies over the years that directly examine patient outcomes in similar situations between Associate Degree Nursing (AD) and Baccalaureate Degree Nursing further know as (BSN) (Fagin, 2001) The states of New York and Texas conducted separate studies that were done in the year 1996. Both of these studies agree on the point that there is a significantly higher degree in levels of medication errors and procedural mistakes made by nurses that are from AD Degree and Diploma Degree nurses as compared to that of a BSN Nurse and AD degree nurses were destined to be charged nine times more often with violations than those with a BSN degree. These results are equivalent with the results disclosed in the July/August 2002 issue of Nurse Educator magazine (Fagin, 2002, para. 50). Research has also shown that when you have a shortage of registered nurses at the baccalaureate and higher degree it is endangering the safety of the patient. Comparatively in a study done at the University of Pennsylvania they found that patients experienced a significantly lower death and failure to reWhen Care Becomes a Burden: Diminishing access to adequate nursing. Retrieved from Milbank Memorial Fund: http://www.milbank.org/reports/WhenCareBecomesBurden_Fagin.pdf Giger, J. N., Davidhizar, R. E. (2006, December 22). Conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care: associate versus baccalaureate degree prepared nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 15, 1009 - 1015. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1990.tb01980.x Green, (1996). (Survey). State Education Department/University of the State of New York Johnson, J. H. (1988). Differences in the performance of baccalaureate, associate degree and diploma nurses. Research in Nursing and Health, 11, 183-197. Rosseter, R. J. (2010, March 18). Fact Sheet: The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice (Fact Sheet). Retrieved from American Association of Colleges of Nurses: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media/pdf/EdImpact.pdf

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

The right decision Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The right decision - Research Paper Example However, the experiences of teenage life despite its bitterness have imbued me with right concepts perhaps at a later stage. The most vital advantage evolved from the past failures includes my acquired ability to make a self assessment. Today I am well acquainted with the possible ups and downs of life, and can easily envisage the outcome of each personal decision I would make. To begin with, my decision flawed for the first time as I dropped my studies. After I finished my high school, I joined a college for further studies with half-assed ideas of a career life. Since I did not have a proper goal or strategy, I could not pursue my studies well. I was in a hurry to get involved in some sorts of business activities though my situation was not very favorable. It was not because I wanted to win bread for my family, but just thought of proving my mettle in front of my friends and relatives at a very younger stage. Obviously, the academic life was of little relevance to me for I found no relevant things taught in my classes. Subsequently, I quit the studies just after the first semester, thinking that I would better seek some jobs that best fitted my age and interest. As far as the education of my home land is concerned, since the founding of the UAE in 1971, section 17 of the constitution ensures free education at all levels and mandatory primary education. The UAE constitution emphasizes on the significance of education in the overall development of the nation. In addition to free education, all associated requirements including books, uniforms, transportation, and all study equipments are free for students. Education is one of the most important areas of governmental concern that frequently undergoes several policy improvements. The concerned authorities of education include The Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) and The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR). In fact, I cannot blame anyone for my discontinued study. Despite all the ab ove said viable social conditions, I suspended my studies; and that eventually resulted in my getting humiliated by my employer. Soon after my retrieval from college I got employed in a regional bank where I was the youngest among all employees. In addition, I was the individual paid least; and that soon became the part of my identity in my workplace. I spent two years working for the bank expecting better chances in future. Although I requested the manager for increment, he did not heed genuine concern to my need. He said that I did not have sufficient educational qualifications for a better pay or promotion. To add to my grief, I found my friends in better positions earning handsome salaries from their employers. This was indeed the turning point in my life because I decided to leave the job with intent to resume my studies. I was well convinced of the significance of a university degree for the first time in my life. As a result of my sincere effort, I got a scholarship to study in USA. This is the most rewarding challenge I would get because I have been very much curious about visiting the States since my schooldays. Now I have got the chance to visit and stay there until I complete my studies. I am confident that the new academic environment in the States would offer me better educational aspirations. At this juncture, it is important to evaluate the characteristics of the

Monday, August 12, 2019

Catch it Bin it Kill it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Catch it Bin it Kill it - Essay Example The second aspect of NHS, as mentioned earlier, is communicating the problem to the public and making sure that they are aware of the issue in hand properly. Communicating the problem or increasing awareness becomes extremely critical in situations in which the problem at hand is risky, and taking action is urgent. Not dealing with or not communicating such a problem properly can lead to creating a hype among the public, and making the people who are not at risk of the problem worry about the problem, too. This is what has been named as the â€Å"worried well† people. Therefore, an important responsibility that government or any other concerned organization has is to communicate properly (House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, 2008-2009). Let the paper precisely see what does communicate properly mean. Firstly, it deals with deciding upon the target group or the group with the maximum level of risk. Selecting the right target group is critical as the later steps de pend upon it. Next step includes a well researched and a well thought-out script or content to be delivered. For this purpose, the organization needs to conduct a proper research and collect as much information about the problem in hand as possible. This includes deciding upon the research methodology and making sure that the right people conduct the research. The third important thing is to decide upon the communication channels i.e. deciding upon whether to use T.V., newspapers, pamphlets etc. It is important that the communication channels chosen be relevant with the target group selected. A mismatch in the communication channel and target group would lead to a total failure, as the message would not reach where it is supposed to reach. The last and an equally important thing is collecting feedback on the impact or effect of the communication made, and taking corrective measures if necessary. In other words, it includes checking out progress of the campaign periodically. Presence of all the above steps is necessary in order to make the communication effective. This paper specifically details the campaign named â€Å"Catch it, Bin it, Kill it†, which was conducted by NHS/Government in order to bring about public awareness about the sudden outbreak of Swine Flu after the first case was diagnosed earlier in 2009 (Jonathan Van-Tam, 2009, p. 189). Swine Flu was then a new thing; therefore, scientists were put to task of doing research as to what causes it and the ways to combat with this virus. After considerable research was done and some antibiotics were identified that would prove helpful in dealing with this virus; an awareness campaign was launched towards the end of 2009 with the name â€Å"Catch it! Bin it! Kill it!† This campaign had a well-researched content that included information about swine flu, measures taken by government, protective measures, symptoms of swine flu and ways and importance to keep oneself updated with news regarding swine flu (Smith, 2010). This campaign, if seen from a broader perspective, was a success with some loopholes too that can be pointed out. The main strengths of the campaign included its catchy slogan and its simplicity (Stephenson, 2009, p. 126). The slogan was not only simple, but it was functional at the same time. This is

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Vendoline Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Vendoline Company - Case Study Example The management of the organization has invested in excellent service delivery and innovation in meeting the consumer demands. The company is located in Turkey and has a national and international presence in sections of Middle East and Europe. The company is valued at $393, 338. It has a traffic rank of over 500,000 in Europe. As a service provider, Vendoline Company has determined what the consumers expect. The top level management has been investing in real-time access of customers to information like prices and terms of delivery. My role was to ensure that web hosting management systems were functional and effective. I was coordinating a team of IT experts who were had direct contacts with customers. This enabled me to assess the effectiveness of the organizational management practices and systems in the company. Problem statement How can organizational performance in technology-based organizations be enhanced? Technological companies are faced by the challenge of rapidly changing external environments. The management has focused on external competition and environment and failed to invest in the internal competencies of the organization. This has compromised excellence in service delivery. There is a need to research on the factors that affect quality and organizational performance in technology based organizations.... Modern organizations are directly connected to technological systems that affect their performance and appeal to the clients (Andres, 2001). The company has strategic plans to increase reliance on technological innovations in future. Organizations face resistance to change from employees. Technological organizations must be flexible while implementing models. Globalization is forcing many technological organizations to keep reviewing their strategies (Gouge, 2003). This aims at enhancing the capacity of innovations in a bid to remain relevant and competitive in a technologically driven market (Cameron & Green, 2004). The field of technology is advancing as more efficient and powerful discoveries enter the market. Organizations dealing with technological matters are faced with bigger pressure than the rest (Rapp, 2002). The reason is occasioned by the need to upgrade the technological capabilities and remain competitive. On the converse, the technological companies are faced by the th reat to become obsolete (Lennick & Kiel, 2005). The technological innovations are known to have a profound effect on the market. Organizational leadership must be professional, pro-active and visionary in order to keep the technological momentum and remain market leaders (Gouge, 2003). Technological organizations need strategic leadership and management. The management of technological organizations like Vendoline Company needs to either innovate internal technology that can alter the trends in the market. They can also procure external knowledge or expertise. This can happen through outsources or partnerships of strategic nature (Lennick & Kiel, 2005). Internal innovation for technological companies is preferable

Saturday, August 10, 2019

European Court Of Justice and Free Movement of Persons Essay

European Court Of Justice and Free Movement of Persons - Essay Example The move from the European Community to that of European Union was reflected in a number of specific EC Treaty provisions, including the enlargement of competence in the fields of education and culture, and of course the launch of the sacred status of citizenship of the Union2. The Treaty on European Union (here after referred to as TEU or Treaty of Maastricht) has introduced for the first time a systematic concept of citizenship in the Community ambit through Articles 17 to 22 (renumbered after the Treaty of Amsterdam). Article 17 states that Citizenship of the Union is hereby established and that every citizen holding the nationality of the Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. Following the Amsterdam amendment citizenship of the Union shall complement and not replace national citizenship. The rights and obligations emanating from the citizenship of the EU are then specified in the following articles 18-22/ ex-art. 8a-8e. They include the right to free movement and residenc e (art.18), active and passive electoral rights in the municipal elections and elections into the European Parliament (art. 19), right for diplomatic protection (art. 20), petition rights to the European Parliament and right to refer matters to Ombudsman (Art. 21). The actual TEU provisions are contained in a new Part Two of the EC Treaty devoted solely to this topic. However, it is the right of free movement and the right of residence which, as they have been right through the debate on European citizenship, form the foundations of Union citizenship. ... Article 17 states that Citizenship of the Union is hereby established and that every citizen holding the nationality of the Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. Following the Amsterdam amendment citizenship of the Union shall complement and not replace national citizenship. The rights and obligations emanating from the citizenship of the EU are then specified in the following articles 18-22/ ex-art. 8a-8e. They include the right to free movement and residence (art.18), active and passive electoral rights in the municipal elections and elections into the European Parliament (art. 19), right for diplomatic protection (art. 20), petition rights to the European Parliament and right to refer matters to Ombudsman (Art. 21). The actual TEU provisions are contained in a new Part Two of the EC Treaty devoted solely to this topic. However, it is the right of free movement and the right of residence which, as they have been right through the debate on European citizenship, form the fou ndations of Union citizenship. 2 Article 18 EC provides for freedom of movement and residence within the territory of the Member States. Ivo Shlosark refers to the Maastricht Treaty introducing the concept of citizenship into community law as something of a new phenomenon3. Despite the introduction of formal provisions on citizenship the concept itself was hardly a policy innovation of the Treaty of Maastricht4. The concept of citizenship itself was considered from a very early stage in the development of the Communities. Indeed, since the Treaties of Rome (1957) the Community has legislated fundamental rights and provisions inherent in freedom of movement. Historical steps on the way to European citizenship include the Tindemans Report (1975)5, the introduction of direct Parliamentary

Friday, August 9, 2019

The Impact of Globalization on Labour Markets with a Focus on the Gulf Dissertation

The Impact of Globalization on Labour Markets with a Focus on the Gulf Area - Dissertation Example Presentation and Analysis of Data---------------------------------------------p.39 6. Scope and Limitations-------------------------------------------------------------p.57 7. Summary and Conclusions------------------------------------------------------p.58 "The impact of globalization on labour markets with a focus on the Gulf area including Saudi Arabia" Introduction Statement of the problem Labour is an important component of the economic fabric of a society, the other major components being, capital, market, and the state that monitors them (Jessop, 2002, p.11). Jessop (2002) has also come forward to remind the crucial fact that there are also â€Å"non-market mechanisms of various kind† that have a role to play in the inter-relationships between these four components. And any study of any of the components involved has been becoming more complex in the context of globalization. This is so because globalisation is politically, socially, economically and culturally redrawin g national boundaries. Jessop (2002) has described the basic cause of the complexity of globalisation as a social phenomenon in the following lines: â€Å"As capital accumulation expands on an increasingly global scale, its dynamics become more ecologically dominant in shaping the overall evolution of social systems and the life world† (p.11). ... Topics which have an integral connection with labour but neglected until then, came to the fore after the formation of ILO. This also necessitated a new legal framework to be built as well. Such topics include: Fundamental rights (freedom of association, collective bargaining, equality in employment), conditions of work, child labour, protection of women workers, hours of work, labour inspection, vocational guidance and training, social security protection and occupational health and safety (Craig and Lynk, 2006, p.19). From the above discussion, it can be seen that labour, which is a social system by itself, also will not go unaffected by its environment. And labour being a crucial component of the economy, it will need to have a close encounter with globalisation, which is mostly the globalisation of the economy. According to International Labour Organisation, two major concerns in connection with labour and globalisation have now arisen-how mobility imparted by globalisation affec ts labour across national boundaries, and â€Å"whether existing labour institutions would be sufficient to safeguard ...[the]...fundamental rights† of the trans-national migrant labourers (qtd. In Stalker, 2000, p.11 of the foreword). The practical way to address these two concerns is by reforming labour laws and this process has been going on by taking the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which was â€Å"promulgated† in 1998 (Craig and Lynk, 2006, p.19). Some interesting questions in this context can be, is labour making use of new communication technologies to consolidate itself internationally, is domestic and international labour laws really being

Building Services system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Building Services system - Essay Example Distribution of electric power usually entails a complete distribution network. A complete distribution network entails several components including, a distribution substation, primary distribution feeder, a transformer, distributor and the service mains (Fink and Carroll, 2013). The transmitted electric power controlled in substations for primary distribution and use. The distribution system will take the model shown below: This power is then fed to the distribution transformer via the primary distribution feeders. The system will use a voltage of 2,400V. The distribution system to use in this project will take the form shown in the diagram below: The type of distribution system will be ring main electrical distribution system. This is preferred to the radial distribution system in that in case of a transformer failure or feeder failure, power is not interrupted. This is because one ring network of distributors gets power from several feeders. This implies in case one feeder fails to work, the others will still supply power and there would be no power interruptions. Addition this system consists of various section isolates at distinct points in the system. If a problem occurs in any of the isolates, then the others are available to supply power. This system will appear as shown in the figure below For emergency purposes the power system will include an independent reserve power source which will function in case of failure of the primary power source. This power source should be able to function for several hours before the main power supply is rectified. This alternative source of power will consist of an additional independent source of power complete with its independent controls ((Nasar and Unnewehr, 2012). This can be in form of engine driven generators and in this case they will have a voltage of 500 kW. The power system will consist of cables made of copper and aluminum

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Should Stem Cell Research be Unbound Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Should Stem Cell be Unbound - Research Proposal Example Spinal cord injuries and Parkinson's disease are two examples that have been championed by high-profile media personalities (for instance, Christopher Reeve and Michael J. Fox). The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research estimates that stem cell research shows promise to develop cures and/or new treatments for 100 million Americans who currently suffer from a wide variety of diseases and disorders. There are several types of issues to consider as we reflect upon stem cell research. ... Many frame the debate about stem cell research around the question of "when life begins," although the issue is not when life begins, but when personhood begins and ends. Human life began millions of years ago when our ancestors reached a stage of evolutionary development that permitted the separate species, Homo sapiens to arise. Human life will end when our species becomes extinct. Stem cell research is a controversial issue in America as, with the present state of technology, the creation of a human embryonic stem cell line requires the destruction of a human embryo. Stem cell debates have motivated and reinvigorated the pro-life movement. There has been a deep and bitter dispute over the conduct of this research; many pro-lifers, for instance, Roman Catholics and conservative Protestants, have opposed this research. According to them, the embryos from which these stem cells are extracted are actually individual entities and have a soul to them. Since the embryos are killed when the stem cells are removed, or stored for long periods of time, long past their viable storage life, pro-lifers view the extraction procedure as murder. In the United States alone, there have been estimates of at least 400,000 such embryos. However, not everyone is opposed to stem cell research. Many groups that even protest it are comfortable with certain forms of cell research. Plent y of experiments and tests have been carried out to determine improved and more efficient ways of saving lives and replacing organs, without having to kill â€Å"pre-embryos.†