Monday, September 30, 2019

Heart Disease

Heart Disease Kayla Tusa Adelphi University Abstract This paper is aimed to view heart disease and show the effects that it can have on the person who has it. The points made in this paper will show what heart disease does to the body. It shows symptoms and treatments that are used with this disease. It mainly shows the facts about heart disease. The illness in my family that I feel poses the greatest threat to me is heart disease. Heart disease has been in my father’s family for a few generations. My father has heart disease and has had two heart attacks during his life.My father had to have quintuple bypass surgery after his second heart attack. My grandfather and great grandfather on my father’s side also both had heart disease and passed away from heart attacks. Since I have all of the knowledge I am aware of this disease and the effects it can have. I also realize the risk I have and take precautions as often as I can. The full name for heart disease is coronary he art disease. This is when there are blockages in the coronary arteries. These blockages are usually cause by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of cholesterol and fatty deposits, also called plaques, on the inner walls of the coronary arteries† (A, 2). When these blockages start to form issues come about. Since the arteries are being blocked, it can result in less blood traveling to the heart. If the blood traveling to the heart is restricted then this can cause problems to arise. If the heart does not get enough blood that means it is also not getting enough oxygen and nutrients. One signal that shows this is occurring is chest pains. The name of these chest pains is angina.Another problem that can occur from this blood restriction is a heart attack. A heart attack happens when the heart needs more energy than can be supplied to it from the blood supply it is receiving. There are many factors and causes that heart disease can have. â€Å"The most common risk fac tors include smoking, family history, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, high alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, stress, and hyperlipidemia† (A, 8). Studies have shown that about 54% of cases are linked to smoking, 20% of cases are linked to obesity, and 7-12% of cases are linked to lack of exercise (A, 9).I have asked my father what the causes have been for his heart disease. The causes of my father’s heart disease were smoking, family history, and stress. My father is not able to control family history. He also cannot control when he has stress but he has made efforts to manage his stress better. One thing he has done is that he quit smoking after his second heart attack. He knew that he needed to do this in order to not make his disease worse. A person can also have a higher risk of having heart disease if they have a history of high blood pressure in their family (A, 13-14).There are symptoms of having heart disease. Unfortunately these symptoms are not always not iceable. Sometimes the symptoms are obvious and sometimes there are no symptoms at all. In the early stages of heart disease it is likely for there to be no symptoms. Angina is the most common symptom of heart disease. This is why chest pains are seen as being very serious. The chest pains are felt when the heart is not getting what it needs to function properly. The pain that one experiences differs depending on the person (B, 14-15).This is very dangerous because when the heart is not getting what it needs there may be pains in other parts of the body. The pains do not always occur in the person’s chest. Pain may be felt in the neck, arms, stomach, upper back, or under the sternum (B, 16-17). This is dangerous because one may not realize what the cause of the pain is and may not get the proper treatment for it. When my dad had his second heart attack he did not have chest pains. He had pains in his upper back and was not planning on going to the hospital. He ended up changi ng his mind and was lucky he did because he needed immediate care. Women, elderly people, and people with diabetes are more likely to have symptoms other than chest pain, such as: fatigue, shortness of breath, and general weakness† (B, 20-23). Heart disease cannot be cured, but it has been proved that people can reduce it by making some changes in their lifestyle. One thing listed is a plant-based diet which was shown by Caldwell Esselstyn and Colin Campbell. It states that this diet is â€Å"effective as a treatment of coronary disease, and generalized atherosclerosis† (A, 16-17). Some other changes that can help are weight control, not smoking, avoiding trans fats, consuming fish il, decreasing psychosocial stress, and exercising. When exercising, it is most helpful to do aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, or swimming because it can help decrease blood pressure. When having heart disease, people may take medications as well. One type of medication that is used i s a daily intake of aspirin. Other medications used are usually ones that lower cholesterol. If someone with heart disease has enough blockages in their arteries, they may need to have coronary artery bypass surgery. This surgery is also known more commonly as open heart surgery.This surgery helps clear the blockages that are in the arteries. Another option for treating blockages is coronary angioplasty. This is more commonly known as stents and it is non-surgical (A, 27-29). Multiple tests must be done before heart disease can be diagnosed. Some of the tests that are done are: coronary angiography, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, electron-beam computed tomography, exercise stress test, heart CT scan, and a nuclear stress test. Coronary angiography is â€Å"an invasive test that evaluates the heart arteries under x-ray† (C, 29). An echocardiogram allows doctors to see the heart beating, and to see the heart valves and other structures of the heart† (D, 14-15). Electr on-beam computed tomography is used to look for calcium. Sometimes there is calcium in the lining of the arteries which increases the chance of getting heart disease. â€Å"An exercise stress test is a screening tool used to test the effect of exercise on your heart† (E, 1). A Heart CT scan is â€Å"an imaging method that uses x-rays to create detailed pictures of the heart and its blood vessels† (F, 1-2).A nuclear stress test is performed to see the blood flow is to the heart both when the body is resting and when it is active. Heart attacks are likely to occur when someone has heart disease. â€Å"Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, the heart is starved of oxygen and the heart cells die† (G, 3-4). The substance that could block these arteries is plaque. This is the most common cause for a heart attack. When someone has a heart attack the cause of the heart attack cannot always be determined.Heart attacks can happen at many different times. Some of these times are, â€Å"when you are resting or asleep, after a sudden increase in physical activity, when you are active outside in cold weather, or after sudden or severe emotional or physical stress, including an illness† (G, 10-15). Heart attacks can come suddenly and can cause a lot of damage, so it is very important that they are dealt with right away. As soon as someone thinks they may be having issues they should get help and not wait. This is because with heart attacks, the patient is more likely to die within the first few hours of having the heart attack.Some other symptoms of a heart attack that have not been stated are anxiety, cough, fainting, light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and sweating (G, 30-37). Heart attacks with no symptoms are known as â€Å"silent heart attacks† and are dangerous because the person has no signs. When someone goes to the hospital for a heart attack they will be cared for in many different ways. The patient is first hooked up to a monitor so that the doctor is able to see how their heart is beating.The patient also receives oxygen because it helps relieve the heart and takes stress off of the heart because it doesn’t have to work as hard. The patient is also giving an IV because this gives medications and nutrients to the patient. Some people may receive a drug such as morphine in order to reduce chest pains. Another medication that can be given is aspirin. The medication that is administered to the patient depends on what is safe for the patient. If the patient has abnormal heartbeats then they may need electric shocks in an attempt to fix these (G, 57-62).Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. Heart disease is deadly and can take someone’s life before they know they are in any danger. My great gr andfather had heart disease and passed away after having a heart attack. My grandfather passed away after having a heart attack as well. He was having a normal day and doing his day to day routine when he had his heart attack. He did not speak of any symptoms and had a sudden deadly heart attack. My father has had two heart attacks in his lifetime. He went to the hospital for his first heart attack because he was having chest ains. He had his second heart attack he went to the hospital because he had pains in his back. Soon after being there he found out he had five arteries blocked and needed to have immediate surgery. The recovery took a very long time for him, but he has made some changes in his lifestyle for the better. Heart disease is a serious illness. It is a disease that has been in my family for generations. I am scared because I feel I am at risk of getting this disease. Although I am nervous I am also very informed on the topic and what steps I can take to try to prevent this disease.I am very cautious and try to shape my life around preventing heart disease from entering it. Works Cited a- http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Coronary_disease#cite_note-Prevent_and_Reverse_Heart_Disease-11 b- http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004449/ c- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007115. htm d- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003869. htm e- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003878. htm f- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007344. htm g- http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000195. htm

Sunday, September 29, 2019

What Is Mercantilism

What is mercantilism? According to the definition in the America Past and Present history book is an economic theory that shaped imperial policy thought out the colonial period, mercantilism was built on the assumption that the world’s wealth was a fixed supply. In order to increase its wealth, a nation needed to export more goods than it imported. Favorable trade and protective economic policies, as well as new colonial possessions rich in raw materials, were important in achieving this balance.During the reign of Charles II English policy makers assumed they established a well-integrated set of concepts about the nature of international commerce and a carefully planned out set of mercantilist government policies to implement them. However, they only were interested in solving their own problems. Since there wasn’t laws or anything to regulate these groups their needs lead to the rise of the English commercial regulations.The Navigation Act was passed in 1660 which sta ted that no ship could trade in the colonies unless it had been constructed in either England or America and carried a crew that was at least 75% English and that certain enumerated goods of great value that were not produced in England could be transported from the colonies only to an English or another colonial port.Thru out the years more and more regulations were set the last major legislation came in 1696. This statute tightened enforcement procedures putting pressure specifically on the colonial governors to keep England’s competitors out of American ports. American colonials thought they were in unity with England that would later prove false.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Android vs. iPhone OS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Android vs. iPhone OS - Essay Example Taking cue from Blackberry manufactures, RIM, Apple has adopted the closed operating system for its smartphones. The main advantage in doing so remains the compatibility of the software with the corresponding hardware. Knowing the hardware specifications, Apple’s engineers have the facility to modify the OS for getting maximum efficiency, in running the iPhone applications. With Blackberry manufactures being the only company that requires iPhones with closed OS, Apple does not need making extra efforts for meeting requirements from varied companies. However, the disadvantage for the closed system lies in the fact that the input is limited, which results in built-in memory card slots, leaving no option for a memory card slot available on the smartphone. Google has left an open option for collaborating with different companies and associates for making a smart phone, based on Android open OS. As the source is accessible to all, any one can make a smartphone, based on Android, without having to pay for any license fee. The software can also be modified to suit the need for making a particular type of smartphone. However, the open system involves extra effort and time, as it tries to meet varied requirements for samrtphones, with different screen sizes, processors, input methods and even the RAM. Hence, modification of the generic version of such OS will always remain a challenge. (Hardy, 2008) Android has an advantage of being closely linked to Google web services. Hence, Google contacts, emails and other services are synchronized with the phone applications. The web search applications are far better with Android than iPhone ‘iPhone’ OS has the interface that gives it advantage of having wide notification area, which is quite dynamic and has a better design. On the other hand, the first time user of Android may not be able to get to the phone ‘Apps’ easily. The widgets in Android give access to user for looking

Friday, September 27, 2019

Making race, sex and empire Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Making race, sex and empire - Assignment Example Challenges of the living in America included racial segregation on different grounds. A point in case is that affluent students undermined the lowly class members. The standard term for the day was â€Å"Check your privileges† developing from a majority perspective of superior individuals. The term had several implications for various people who tried to understand the cause of segregation. As such, the school environment posed numerous challenges that included lack of concentration and an uncomfortable feeling. I remember the majority class members segregating students hailing from poor families. Importantly, teachers also added another element of racism by specific comments. Personal experiences in the American neighborhood inflicted a sad reality of the harsh treatment in the world for minority individuals. As such, growing up had various challenges that served as hard lessons. In conclusion, racism is a despicable matter finding roots to the contemporary societies. As an opinion, civic education is important in fighting the vice within the modern

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Impact of Internship on Graduate Employability Essay

The Impact of Internship on Graduate Employability - Essay Example In doing this, it is good to observe the some of the trends from those who go through internship and those who do not. The main purpose of the internship program is to give exposure on career field, occupation or industry. Internship can also be referred to any career related experience. It can range from community service to semester long assignment. This paper aims at looking the importance of internship and analyzing the trends gone through it and their place in the labor market. The aim of every graduate is to succeed in the labor market (Bossche & Gijselaers 2012). The preparations that go with this success become extremely crucial. This paper exposes the value of internship and explains why it should be taken as a vital ingredient for the success of undergraduates. Companies are increasingly valuing internship. During the experience, skills and knowledge are imparted (Bukaliya 2012). These skills apply to the future career. Internship should be treated like a professional job. It gives experiences and creates room for connections. Internship refers to an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from academic studies in a workplace setting. Internships are part of formal internship program. However, students can create their own internships. Forms internships include volunteer positions and research; it can also be a job during summer (Bukaliya 2012). Internship may pay or fail to. Sociologists are paying growing attention to the stratification of education at tertiary level. This is with regard to the difference between fields of study and labor market (Bukaliya 2012). The horizontal stratification is increasingly bearing direct impact to graduals in terms of employability of graduate, and how the labor market perceives them. Over the last few decades, there have been increased enrollments in tertiary education (Calvo 2011). This has contributed to increase in

Liability for defective construction and design Essay

Liability for defective construction and design - Essay Example However, there are certain stipulations that must be met under different legal systems in order to ensure that the dispensation of justice is fair to all involved parties. The legal code in practice in the United Arab Emirates derives a number of different elements from English law but still has subtle differences when it comes to practice. This paper will look into the various kinds of protections offered under English law and UAE law for tortuous liability on grounds of defective construction and design. The discussion in this paper will be focused on the relationship between the developer (or contractor as applicable) and the end consumer who buys the constructed product or services in order to form a comparison of which legal system provides greater protection to the end buyer. Tortious Liability for Defective Construction and Design A number of legal systems provide for tortious liability for acts of omission and commission practiced by the contractor. It is possible to classify building defects using two clear classifications: patent defects and latent defects. While the former deals with defects that are visible to the contractor, consultant and other involved parties, the latter refers to defects that appear years after the building is complete. As far as patent defects are concerned, the involved parties can detect and deal with the defects as they appear unless the project owner is not satisfied. However, it is possible that latent defects remain and only appear after the building is taken into service. For example, it is typical to find leaking plumbing, easily broken floor tiles and the like once a property is taken into custody. The law does provide for remedies in these situations but such remedies are subject to certain stipulations such as time bars. English Law English law dictates that any defects observed after a takeover of constructed property must be evaluated through the Limitation Act of 1980. It is common practice for the parties involv ed i.e. the contractor and the project owner to agree to a period where any discovered defects would be rectified. It is typical to see contractual agreements between parties that stipulate periods of between one year and two years, after the completion of construction, to deal with any discovered defects1. This would apply solely to latent defects as common practice shows that patent defects are removed prior to building handover by the project owner or end consumer. Another set of circumstances would emerge if there are no such clauses available in the construction contract to deal with defects in the post construction completion scenario. In such circumstances, the aggrieved party has the option to go to a court of law in order to deal with any damages incurred due to the contractor’s actions. It must be taken to note that tort actions for such cases under English law are only possible if the tort claim is brought before the case no later than six years after the damage ha s been caused2. Technically the date that the damage is notice or secured is better known as â€Å"the date of action accrued†3. Here it must be taken to note that the involved parties may reduce or increase the period settled by the Limitation Act (1980) for tort claims to occur. It is common court practice not to interfere with the actions of

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Women during the American Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Women during the American Revolution - Essay Example Many Indian women favored a British victory since they knew a new American nation would usher in: â€Å"land speculators and settlers into Indian territories and governments that backed unfavorable treaties with threats of military force.† 1 Enslaved women faced an unstable family life and often faced having their children or husbands sold from them. Both the British and Americans viewed slaves as chess pawns rather than genuinely believing in their freedom. In seizing loyalist camps, black women were sold for profit. Black women who served the rebel camps were treated as slaves, used for manual labor, and they were also sold to rebel armies. 2 Many black women also faced fraud and trickery by so-called emancipators who promised freedom. Black women faced assault and starvation from the confusion and chaos of the revolutionary war. Those who were fortunate enough to escape were still bogged down by discrimination and lack of advancement. Those who were not fortunate enough to escape, or remained behind due to fear of their children being hurt or reprisal from British and American camps, remained in perpetual bondage in the south and parts of the north. Free, black women n usually worked as domestic servants and were barred from establishing their own households. In European tradition, a woman's place was in the home, but she retained power and respect in running the home. Through racial and economic oppression, free black women would have no such role in having any measure of power or authority. Such status was traditionally reserved for white women. 3 For white, American women, their roles took a slight shift from strictly domestic house maidens to working in the fields and helping in the shops of male family members. In times of conflict, especially in the outskirts of far settlements, women protected their families and communities when their husbands were away or to simply contribute to protecting their homes.     

Monday, September 23, 2019

Aurora, Colorado Movie Theater Shooting Assignment

Aurora, Colorado Movie Theater Shooting - Assignment Example As such, this brief analysis will consider the means whereby a litany of reporters and news agencies have dealt with the situation, the way in which the police and prosecutors have responded to this, and the harmful precedent that this has set for the world of journalism and the furtherance of the trade. Firstly, though the veritable firestorm of media activity surrounding this particular case has somewhat subsided recently, the press ravenously sought to find any and all relevant, juicy, or pertinent information with regard to the case in the early stages after the violence took place. This was primarily accomplished by seeking to engage individuals that experienced the violence firsthand or had lost friends or family in the massacre in the theater. Initial eyewitness reports that were gained by several news outlets sought to portray a situation where a type of coordinated attack involving two or more individuals was something that could likely have happened based upon eye-witness t estimony. However, as key instances of the case were better understood, the media began to more appropriately list the real perpetrator as a lone-wolf acting alone. Moreover, as time has gone on and the trial has been set for Holmes, little if any media attention has taken place. Although it is the expectation of this student that this will change when a verdict nears in the case, such an action may very well be indicative of a press that operates on the very edge and can afford no more than a brief coverage of an event until the viewership/readership is bored and ready for the next story. However, due to the fact that as yet no verdict has been proclaimed by the court, overall coverage of the issue itself has abated and the viewpoints expressed have tended to mirror what was originally discussed once the details of the case were clearer. Secondly, with regard to the sheer shock that the shooting engendered within the nation, it is not a surprise that the media instantly sought to g ain access to the information surrounding the events that led up to and culminated in the massacre at the theater in Aurora. However, what was particularly shocking was the sheer persistency with which the media sought to engage those individuals who had experienced the shooting and survived as well as those individuals who had lost family members in the shooting (Ingold 1). Since the very beginning of investigative journalism there has been the thin line between getting the story and respecting the rights of a traumatized individual; however, these rights were egregiously ignored in the case of the Aurora shooting interview and subsequent attempts to glean information from the ultimate shareholders. This was so much the case that the police and prosecution were forced into the public arena to announce that the actions that were being undertaken by various media representatives and their reporters were unethical at best and downright harmful to the furtherance of the investigation a t worst. Although there was and is no criminal code, other than harassment and filing an restraining order, with regard to keeping an overzealous reporter at bay, the problem that many of these shareholders faced

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Comparing Plans and Programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comparing Plans and Programs - Essay Example For benefits, one must be registered in their reporting system. It offers various health plan choices to convene beneficiary needs and offers two dental plans and other special programs. Both have similarities in their customer base. They use the same federal strategies and have similar rules.For Tricare eligibility one must be retired military and enrolled in DEERS. For CHAMPVA one cannot be retired military, and there is no DEERS enrollment (Moisoi 2010). TRICARE has no disability criteria for eligibility while CHAMPVA veterans must be fully disabled, or died while on duty. Tricare members do not receive medical services by veteran affairs doctors while CHAMPVA veterans and dependents can receive medical care through veteran affairs medical facilities. Managed care models provide quality medical services within a budget to an enrolled population. An example is the Staff Model, where physicians are salaried employees of a Health Maintenance Organization. Medical services are only open to HMO members.The physicians adopt the principles of managed care and the system tries to reinforce high quality and cost effective care with administrative supports. Procedures for implementing insurance plans include: Supervisor training that increases awareness of behavior problems and open channels of communication between staff and managers and Employee orientation that educates employees to understand their benefits and assists them in taking the first step toward benefit utilization. Utilization Review is the process of appraising the medical requirement and employment of resources for care. The principles enhance good ethical conduct, confidentiality of information and data. They ensure that members maintain a level of competency through continuing education. In the managed care referral process medical groups provide training for clinical area staff for new contracts or major changes in

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Galileo Galilei Essay Example for Free

Galileo Galilei Essay Galileo Galilei is an Italian astronomer, physicist, philosopher, and mathematician. He ranks with Archimedes, Newton, and Einstein as one of the greatest scientists of all time. His discoveries, made with the crudest of equipment, were brilliant examples of scientific deduction. Galileo’s studies of natural laws laid the groundwork for the experimental scientists who followed him. Galileo was born at Pisa, the son of a musician who planned a medical career for him. He began studying medicine at the University of Pisa. According to legend, Galileo made his first major discovery at this time. He is said to have used his pulse to time the swinging of a suspended lamp in a cathedral; he found that, no matter how far the lamp swung, the timing has always the same (Drake, 2002). In later life Galileo established the fact that a free-swinging object, or pendulum, moves in uniform time intervals. Pendulum clocks are a common application of this principle. Thesis Statement: This paper scrutinizes the life and contributions of Galileo Galilei. II. Discussion Galileo constructed the first telescope used for astronomical observations; the observations he made supported Copernicus’ theory that the sun is the center of the solar system. In physics, Galileo discovered the principles of motion followed by swinging pendulums, falling bodies, and flying projectiles. Galileo used his heartbeat to time the period of a pendulum. He realized that a pendulum could be used as a standard of time for a clock (Rose 2004). Pendulum clocks are still sold today, more than three hundred years after their invention. Moreover, changing from the study of medicine to that mathematics and natural science, Galileo conducted experiments on gravity that brought him to public attention. In 1589, he became a lecturer on mathematics at the University of Pisa, and began his studies of falling bodies. According to legend, as mentioned earlier, he dropped objects from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to prove his theory that bodies fall at the same speed and with the same acceleration regardless of their weight and size. He also demonstrated that projectiles follow a parabolic path. These discoveries were contrary to the teachings of the ancient Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle, many of whose ideas had for centuries been accepted without question. Galileo aroused such opposition that in 1951 he was forced to resign from the university (Rose 2004). The next year Galileo obtained a professorship in mathematics at the University of Padua, where he remained for 18 years. This was a period of successful research, acclaim, and prosperity for Galileo. In 1609, Galileo received news of the invention, in Flanders, of a device that made a distant objects appear larger. He immediately set out to build such a device for himself. The final result was a 32-power refracting telescope, with which he made series of major discoveries (Poupard 2005). He found by observation that the moon shone only from reflected light; that the Milky Way was formed of a multitude of stars; and that the planet Jupiter was circled by several moons. His discoveries caused great excitement among astronomers; he was besieged with orders for telescopes. In 1610, Galileo left Padua for Florence to become official mathematician and philosopher to Grand Duke Cosimo II de’ Medici. By the end of the year his telescopic discoveries included the rings of Saturn, the phases of Venus, and sun spots. His observations clearly confirmed the theory of the Polish astronomer Copernicus that the earth and planets revolved around the sun. The church, however, had accepted as conforming the Bible the earlier idea of the planets and sun revolving around the stationary earth. When Galileo visited Rome in 1611 he was given a welcome by Church officials befitting one of the greatest astronomers of all time, as he was then acknowledged to be. This gave him the courage to announce his support of the Copernican theory of the solar system. Controversy flared. Although warned by the Church to avoid religious interpretation of his theory, Galileo attempted to prove it by quoting the Bible. He was told by the Church in 1616 to abandon the Copernican theory because it contradicted the Bible. In 1632, however, he published Dialogue on the Two Chief Systems of the World, in which he revived his argument in favor of the Copernican system. Galileo was then summoned to appear before the Inquisition and forced to renounce the view that the earth moves around the sun (Poupard, 2005). Although sentenced to imprisonment, he was permitted to retire to his home, where he continued his studies. III. Conclusion As a conclusion, Galileo Galilei made great contributions to our society through his invention and discoveries. His works are highly acclaimed and made significant impact in the fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy, and in sciences. Reference: Drake, Stillman (2003). Cause, Experiment, and Science: a Galilean Dialogue (University of Chicago) Poupard, Paul (2005. Galileo at work: Toward a Resolution of 350 Years of Debate, 1633-1983 (Duquesne University). Rose, Sidney (2004). Galileo and the Magic Numbers (Little, Brown).

Friday, September 20, 2019

Choroidal Neovascular Membrane Associated with Sildenafil

Choroidal Neovascular Membrane Associated with Sildenafil CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULAR MEMBRANE ASSOCIATED WITH SILDENAFIL Â  Erectile dysfunction is an important problem among men aged 40 years and older. More than half of all men in this broad age group experience some degree of erectile dysfunction. Thus, the provision of an orally administrated efficacious treatment in the form of sildenafil represents a major therapeutic advantage.(1) Choroidal neovascular membrane (CNV) is ultimately the result of a break in a structural layer beneath the retina known as Bruch’s membrane, which separates the nourishing vascular layer called the choroid from the retina. A break in Bruch’s membrane may allow the ingrowth of vessels from the choroid to a position just beneath the retina.(2) Ocular side effects are not uncommon when sildenafil is used. Minor side effects include pupillary dilation, conjunctival injection (redness), sensitivity to light (photophobia), and dryness. Visual function studies in healthy subjects and in patients with eye disease suggest that sildenafil does not affect visual acuity, visual fields, and contrast sensitivity. Transient, mild impairment of color discrimination can occur around the time of peak plasma levels.(3-7) The purpose of the present case report is to describe a patient who developed CNV after ingestion of Sildenafil for erectile dysfunction. CASE REPORT The patient was a 53-year old male who presented with a blurred and loss of vision in the right eye. His physical examination did not reveal any significant signs. The patient was fit and healthy otherwise and had no history of glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension, or other systemic vascular disease. Visual acuity was 4/10 in the right eye and 10/10 in the left eye. Anterior segment examination was normal. Fundus examination of the right eye revealed that the macula upper temporal quadrant was characterized by hemorrhagia and an elevated area (Figure 1A), the left eye revealed an atrophic area outside the macula. The FA of the patient revealed an area of bright hyperfluorescence in the early phase and leaks in the late phase (Figure 1B). A diagnosis of CNV was made. Argon laser photocoagulation was applied on the right eye. The patient did not suffer until 6 months after the laser application and the visual acuity in the right eye had increased up to 9/10. However, 6 months after the las er application, the patient noted loss of vision in the right eye. Argon laser photocoagulation was applied again. The control FA of the patient did not reveal a leakage of the scar on the right eye (Figure 2). The visual acuity of the patient was 10/10 bilaterally and he didn’t reveal any complaints. After 3 years, the patient was referred to our clinic with blurred and loss of vision in the left eye and when the patient underwent rigorous historical questioning, he noted that all his complaints were revealed with the use of 50 mg sildenafil. He said that he had taken 50 mg sildenafil before his complaints were revealed. His visual acuity was 10/10 in the right eye and 4/10 in the left eye. The FA revealed CNV and photodynamic therapy and intravitreal anti-VEGF injection were applied to his left eye (Figure 3). DISCUSSION In this study we present a patient with CNV associated with sildenafil use. CNV is ultimately the result of a break in a structural layer beneath the retina known as Bruch’s membrane, which separates the nourishing vascular layer called the choroid from the retina. A break in Bruch’s membrane may allow the ingrowth of vessels from the choroid to a position just beneath the retina .2 These vessels may then leak fluid or blood, initially distorting or blurring vision, and may eventually lead to scarring in the macula and severe loss of central vision. CNV is associated with many diseases. The most common causes are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), presumed inflammatory and infectious conditions, myopic macular degeneration, trauma, angioid streaks and laser therapy, however many cases are idiopathic.(2) Sildenafil is a potent and selective inhibitor of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), an enzyme expressed throughout the smooth muscle of the vasculature.3 Through this mechanism, sildenafil potentiates the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway that mediates corpus cavernosum smooth muscle relaxation and thereby significantly improves penile blood flow. Basic science and clinical research have effectively documented the effects of sildenafil on the retinal and choroidal vasculature. Sildenafil also has a weaker inhibitory action on PDE6, located in the rod and cone photoreceptors. Modest, transient visual symptoms, typically blue tinge to vision, increased brightness of lights, and blurry vision, have been reported with sildenafil use and occur more frequently at higher doses. Visual function studies in healthy subjects and in patients with eye disease suggest that sildenafil does not affect visual acuity, visual fields, and contrast sensitivity.(5,6) Transient, mild impairment of color discrimination can occur around the time of peak plasma levels. However, we were not able to find any case of CNV associated with sildenafil use in the literature. Sildenafil induces angiogenic response in human coronary arteriolar endothelial growth factor (VEGF).(7) The same mechanism may be available on the retina and sildenafil may increase the levels of VEGF. This issue requires further studies and patients with CNV should be questioned about the use of sildenafil. Patients should consult with an ophthalmologist if there is any question about the health of their eyes prior to using sildenafil. REFERENCES Irwin Goldstei, Tom F. Lue, Harin Padma-Nathan et al. Oral sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction N Engl J Med 1998; 338:1397-1404 Bressler NM, Bressler SB, Fine SL. Age related macular degeneration. Surv Ophthalmol 1988;32:375-413. Michael F. Marmor, Robert Kesler. Sildenafil and Ophthalmology. Survey of Ophthalmology 1999;44:153-162. Alan M. Laties, Eberhart Zrenner. Viagra and Ophthalmology. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research. 2002;21:485-506 DÃ ¼ndar SO. Visual loss associated with erectile dysfunction drugs. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology 2007;42(1):10-12 Zrenner E, Koppiker NP, Smith MD, Constable I, Littlewood R, Stuckey B. The effects of long-term sildenafil treatment on ocular safety in patients with erectile dysfunction. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2000;41:S592. Vidavalur R, Penumathsa SV, Zhal L. Sildenafil induces angiogenic response in human coronary arteriolar endothelial cells through the expression of thioredoxin, hemeoxygenase and vascular endothelial growth factor. Vascul Pharmacol. 2006;45:91-95. FIGURE FOR LEGENDS FIGURE 1A: Fundus examination of the right eye revealed that the macula upper temporal quadrant was characterized by hemorrhagia and an elevated area FIGURE 1B: The FA on the right eye of the patient revealed an area of bright hyperfluorescence in the early phase and leaks in the late phase FIGURE 2: The control FA of the patient did not reveal a leakage of the scar on the right eye after laser photocoagulation was applied. FIGURE 3: The FA on the left eye of the patient revealed an area of bright hyperfluorescence in the early phase and leaks in the late phase

Thursday, September 19, 2019

School Vouchers The Wrong Choice Essays -- essays papers

School Vouchers: The Wrong Choice Susie is a young girl who lives in Florida. Since kindergarten, she has attended a nearby private school. Her parents willingly pay her tuition, even though doing so forces them to cut other corners. They do not mind these sacrifices, since they know that their daughter is getting the best education they can give her. Jesse lives downtown, in the inner city. She attends the local public school and struggles through her classes. Her mother would like to send her to a private school, where there is less violence and a calmer atmosphere, but cannot afford it. Then, Jesse’s mother learns that a voucher system has put into place for the entire state of Florida. Jesse’s inner city, spray-painted elementary school received a failing status, so she can receive a voucher to attend the school of her choice. With the money she receives from the voucher, Jesse’s mother is able to send her daughter to the same private school that Susie attends. Is it fair that Susie’s parents pinch pennies while Jesse’s mother send her on the bus for free? While meaning well, does the voucher system inadvertently discriminate against children like Susie whose parents must work extra hours to put their children through private school? Is the voucher system really the answer to the problems with American education today, or a way to transfer them somewhere else? American public schools have always had their flaws. In the nineteenth century, colleges complained of under-prepared freshmen; students who could not write an essay or even spell. A main controversy was bilingual education for newly naturalized immigrants. As America entered the early 1900s, the debate turned to the use of entertainment in the classroom. Teachers felt that they must put on a show in order to keep the attention of their pupils. The abandonment of phonics in the 1920s and 30s was believed to be the reason why the job market consisted of those with inadequate educational preparation. Social promotion and the replacement of the â€Å"three R’s† with emotional stability and attitude courses were the causes of concern in the 1940s. The 1950s brought an awareness of low standards. It was found that American children were lagging behind the average standards of the rest of the world. Safety in schools also became an issue; incoming teachers were warned of the â€Å"ph... ...(Roberts, Glenn 23). Instead of taking this money away form the nation’s failing schools, it should be pumped into them and put to work. Education tax dollars should be put to work solving the problems in American schools. The voucher system is an escape out the back door. It simply transfers all of the issues out of the public schools, placing them in the hands of the private community. Bibliography: Works Cited Kaczor, Bill. â€Å"Judge Throws Out Florida Voucher Law.† Tallahassee Democrat, 15 March 2000. Roberts, Nanette M. and Glenn, Charles L. â€Å"School Vouchers: Two Views.† Sojourners (January - February 1998): 22-25. Rothstein, Richard. The Way We Were?: The Myths and Realities of America’s Student Achievement. [Online] Available http://www.tcf.org/publications/education/way.we.were/Foreword.html, May 1, 2000. Tyack, David. â€Å"Choice Options: School Choice, Yes - But What Kind?† The American Prospect Online, January - February 1999, 42. [Online] Available http://www.propect.org/archives/42/42tyack.html, May 1, 2000. Whitmire, Richard. â€Å"Milwaukee Voucher study Says Public Schools Not Harmed.† Gannett News Service, 3 February 2000.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

A Great Helper in a Great Educators Educational Reforms, the Late Suza

Suzan Ari (1927 - 2002) - a woman rare among women A Great Helper in a Great Educator's Educational Reforms "...loss of Suzan Ari we are grieving" (Salih CoÅŸar - Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Democrat Party [Minister for Finance and Economy and formerly Minister of Education and Culture -kktc] ~HalkÄ ±n Sesi 26 November 2002) The Prime Minister of North Cyprus attended the funeral of this rare woman among women.. from Canada university teaching & education staff, and others in the USA & the UK who as 'auntie' referred to this extraordinary woman poured in messages, including from persons knighted by Britain and representing this unforgettable woman's nation in Europe, of commiseration... Suzan Ari in social educational cultural reforms and social progress of (especially Turkish speaking) Cypriots was a great helper in education efforts of her husband & educator, the late Orhan Seyfi Ari by the Minister of Education dubbed 'teacher of teachers', and "a vigorous fearless defender of liberties" in his columns -in articles on teachers, educators, and poems a thinker 'himself a school', "whose mark on the nation's history of education is not little", who a street is named after ~in the visionary teacher's, reformer's, successful educational cultural efforts this woman's help was enormous. As the Greek and Turkish Cypriot pupils of her husband's, teachers, and many people of the British Colony of Cyprus do teacher Orhan Ari's teaching and educational and cultural leadership as teacher at elementary then Cypriot and English secondary and grammar schools and head teacher at secondary schools and lecturer at institutes his efforts and also hers, so do many from the later Republic of Cyprus and the still later Nor... ...tory of education of Cyprus, in the education and cultural social progress of a Commonwealth nation now its men and women at its level of teaching, education, culture enjoying the highest percentage of university graduates in the European Union. Suzan Ari had been to prayers on Wednesday night on 20th November, 2002, met, chatted, prayed with her neighbours, friends ~the following morning this great woman contributor to educational cultural social progress was found to have peacefully passed away. These verses of the people's 'teacher of teachers -the Teacher' Orhan Ari apply to the extraordinary woman Suzan Ari -a great helper in educational, literacy, cultural social progress: The pure in heart truly die never Joyous be, in hearts they live forever Tulips representing donations in her honour to the educational trust surrounded Mrs. Ari's coffin.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Essay --

Cancer is a chief health-related stress that requires sufficient coping. The global problem of cancer continues to increase greatly due to aging and growth of the world population and an increase of cancer-causing behaviours, such as smoking, especially in developing countries (Jemal, Bray, Center, Ferlay, Ward & Forman, 2011). More than 40% of people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime with two-thirds of them living for a minimum of five years. Cancer treatment which includes surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, is often strenuous and can last for months or years. Cancer patients and survivors normally experience decreased quality of life, decreased capacity to perform daily activities, and mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety (Meijer, Roseman, Milette, Coyne, Stefanek, Ziegelstein, and ... Thombs, 2011). Cancer is a disease whereby abnormal cells divide without control and attack other tissues. Families of cancer patients face some degree of depressi on, anxiety, and fear when cancer becomes a part of their lives. They feel helpless and eager to find ...

Food Test to Determine the Presence of Reducing Sugars and Non-Reducing Sugars Essay

Apparatus/Materials: – Bunsen burner – Solutions A, B, C, D, E, F and G (unknown) – Measuring Syringes – Stirring Rod – Beakers – Test tubes (7)plus holder and tray – Copper sulphate solution (CuSO4) – White dropping ray – tripod stand and mesh -stopwatch – Biuret? s solution – Sodium Hydroxide solution (NaOH) (or Potassium Hydroxide solution) – Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) – Sodium Hydrogencarbonate (NaHCO3) – Iodine Solution(I2) (or Potassium Iodide solution) – Ethanol (C2H5OH) – distilled water (H2O) Test Method Reducing Sugars 2cm3 of solutions A-G were placed into separate, labelled test tubes using separate measuring syringes. An equal volume (2cm3) of Benedict? s solution was then added to the solutions in the test tubes. The tubes were then gently shaken and placed in a water bath until any possible change in colour was noticed. Observation Inference/Explanation A- changed from a transparent bluish colour to purple. B- changed from a bluish colour to a yellow orange colour from the surface; middle began turning green; then entire solution turned bright orange in colour. C- turned from blue to a dark blue/purple. D- no reaction E- no reaction F- changed from a bluish colour to a yellow orange colour from the surface; middle began turning green;then entire solution turned bright orange in colour. G- no reaction. Benedict? s solution contains copper sulphate. Reducing Sugars reduce soluble blue copper sulphate, containing copper (II) ions (Cu2+) to insoluble red-brown copper oxide containing copper (I). The latter is seen as a precipitate. Therefore, solutions containing reducing sugars were: B and F. Those not containing reducing sugars were: A, C, D, E, and G. Test Method Observation Inference Nonreducing Sugars 2cm3 of solutions A-G were placed into separate, labelled test tubes using separate measuring syringes. 1cm3 of Hydrochloric (HCl) acid was then added to thesolution in the test tubes. The test tubes were placed into the water bath for one minute and were then neutralized with 2cm3 sodium hydrogencarbonate (NaHCO3). The Benedict? s test was then carried out (where an equal volume2cm3 -of Benedict? s solution was then added to the solutions in the test tubes. The tubes were then gently shaken and placed in a water bath until any possible change in colour was noticed. ). A- no reaction B- changed from a bluish colour to a yellow orange colour from the surface; middle began turning green; then entire solution turned bright orange in colour. C- no reaction D-changed from a bluish colourto a yellow orange colour from the surface; middle began turning green; then entire solution turned bright orange in colour. E- no reaction F-changed from a bluish colour to a yellow orange colour from the surface; middle began turning green; then entire solution turned bright orange in colour. G– changed from a bluish/ purple colour to a yellow orange colour from the surface; middle began turning green; then entire solution turned bright orange in colour. A disaccharide can be hydrolyzed to its monosaccharide constituents by boiling with dilute hydrochloric acid. Sucrose, for example, is hydrolyzed to glucoseand fructose, both of which are reducing sugars (and would give the reducing sugar result with the Benedict? s test) 2cm3 of solutions A-G were placed into separate, labelled test tubes using separate measuring syringes. An equal volume (2cm3) of sodium hydroxide solution were added to the solutions in the test tubes and mixed. Approximately two drops of Copper Sulphate solution was added and mixed. Observations were recorded. A- changed from a colourless solution to a purple/lilac colour. B- no reactio C-changed from a colourless solution to a purple/lilac colour. D- no reaction E- no reaction, but solution E floated above the added

Monday, September 16, 2019

Trompenaars vs. Hofstede

Trompenaars vs. Hofstede 1. 2. Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Cultural Dimensions of Hofstede and Trompenaars †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Analogies or identities of the cultural dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Differences of the dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Advantages and Risks seeing the world a nd cultures with dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Effects on practice operation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Personal meaning and consequences of the dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 2. 1. 2. 2. Hofstedes’ Dimensions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Trompenaars’ Dimensions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 1. Introduction Nowadays a lot of companies operate in a multitude of distinct countries.However, if we do a double take, it is evident that multinational enterprises and their strategies differ from country to country. If not, it might be the case that those companies will fail. For example Wal-Mart opted for entering the Japanese market. Unfortunately, they tried implement the American strategy in Japan. Americans were keen on bargain buys in huge amounts 24 hours a day. Whereas the discount strategy in the USA has been very successful, it had adverse effects in Japan. Japanese people equated low prices to low quality and thus didn’t want to buy at Wal-Mart.Moreover, Japanese weren’t used to the fact that a store was open 24 hours per day. Such misunderstandings cause huge trouble. For some situations we cannot prepare. However, it would have been important for WalMart to analyze the Japanese culture in depth before starting business there. If we look at everyday life it is safe to say that all people have the problem how to cope with people’s relationship to time, nature and other human beings. The solutions how to get a grip on these problems differ from culture to culture. Consequently, it is important to be aware of the cultural differences of each country.Trompenaars and Hofstede give some propositions how to classify cultures. 2 2. Cultural Dimensions of Hofstede and Trompenaars 2. 1. Hofstedes’ Dimensions Geert Hofstede filtered out 5 dimensions which indicate how people are influenced by their culture especially in the workplace. The first dimension refers to identity. The dimension Collectivism vs. individualism reflects the relationship between an individual and the group. In more individualistic societies the emphasis is put on freedom, personal achievement and individual identity. Consequently, ties in a group (e. g. he family, workgroup) are loose. People manifest a higher incentive for self -initiative and try to take care of themselves. In contrast, collectivistic cultures place great value on the common interest of a group, harmony between members and taking care of each other. There is a clear distinction between inand outsiders. If an outsider takes face of one group member the entire group feels offended and avoids contact with the troublemaker. Secondly, Power Distance deals with hierarchy and the degree of inequality between members of a society which is adopted as a natural state of affairs.In high power distance countries inequality in physical and intellectual capabilities is considered to be normal. Subordinates are in for displaying obedience to the boss. There is a pronounced sense of hierarchy and people enjoying a high status reveal their power. Whereas societies that rank low on power distance play down hierarchy and stress equality. There is no focus on titles and positions and leaders do not exhibit their skills obviously. Masculinity vs. Femininity i s about relationship between gender and work roles. In male-dominated cultures sex roles are sharply differentiated.There is a clear role distribution which suggests itself in the fact that men are superior to women and men normally occupy management positions. Hence, the focus is on achievement, competition and ‘fighting’. However, in female oriented cultures genders are less distinguished and both genders play the same role. These cultures stress care, compromise and harmony. The fourth dimension called Uncertainty Avoidance aims at the way people try to get a grip on unpredictable and ambiguous situations. People living in a culture with strong uncertainty avoidance have fear of the unknown.Therefore elaborate rules, regulations, and clear orders exist. Cultures with a low uncertainty avoidance tolerate differences, unanticipated situations and are more open toward change. People make decisions which are subject to individual discretion and which are based on more un iversal rules. Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation relate to the choice between future and present virtue. In other words, Hofstede’s last dimension can be seen as an indicator for a society’s attitude toward time and tradition. Values associated with Long-Term Orientation are thrift, filial piety and perseverance.Young people should sacrifice their pleasures of their life at their young age for the sake of the benefit of their future. Values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting one's ‘face'. Consequently, this orientation is more oriented toward the past and the present. 3 2. 2. Trompenaars’ Dimensions Trompenaars explored how people relate in private, business life and moral conflicts. Afterwards he extracted seven dimensions. The first dimension Universalism vs. Particularism can be prescribed with key words as rules vs. elationships. In universalistic cultures peopl e are supposed to strictly adhere to standards and rules. Consequently, infringing the right (regardless of the reason) is equivalent to undermining morals and should be punished. There are no exceptions. In particularistic societies obligations to the closer surrounding enjoy highest priority. Protecting your members (e. g. family, friends) is more important than observing law. In case of Collectivism vs. Individualism the question arises if people attribute more importance to oneself or to the group.In individualistic cultures there is a clear distinction of individuals within a group. It is common that personal achievement is rewarded and people are motivated to improve their individual performance in order to be promoted. Representatives of a group or a company are allowed to make binding decisions on their own. In collectivistic cultures people identify themselves with the group. High achievement of one person is put down to the good performance of the entire group and thus suc cess is shared within the group. Only the whole team or at least a certain number of members make decisions and take responsibility.The dimension Neutral vs. Affective deals with the range of expressed feelings. Neutral societies avoid to demonstrate feelings and strong gestures and hence try to display controlled behavior. If someone reveals anger or aggression this behavior is tantamount to unprofessionalism. Discussions are lead on a factual level. However, in affective cultures expression of feelings either verbally or nonverbally is normal. People expect direct emotional answers and appreciate vital and animated expressions. In the fourth place, Diffuse vs.Specific relates to the strategies and approaches for getting to know each other. People living in a specific/low context culture pursue a purpose in relating with another person, thus prefer direct and to the point communication. People clearly distinguish between private and business life e. g. titles are used in the job wo rld not in private life. As the private sphere is relatively small only few people take part in one’s private life. In diffuse/high context cultures every life space permeates all others which means that everything is connected to everything.Even employers can take an active part of the worker’s private life. Achievement vs. Ascription refers to the accord of status. Achieved status is equivalent to success because of taking action. Managers are of different age and gender as they have reached the position due to performance, knowledge and skills. Ascribed status represents the opposite side. High status does not have to be justified. It is rather independent of task or specific function. Often external factors like age, gender, connections, education and family background decide on the status.The sixth dimension Sequential vs. Synchronic deals with time management. In synchronic cultures the emphasis is on the number of activities taking place in parallel. People plac e great value on the targets and not on the way and sequence an objective will be reached. Consequently, deadlines are untypical as the schedule is open for unplanned incidents. In general, relationship is more important than tight schedules. In sequential societies events which are often slated in a plan pass step by step. Tight order, punctuality and deadlines are of paramount importance.As a result, people are unable to act in turbulent environments and dislike unanticipated situations. Relationships serve as instruments and thus are inferior to schedules. 4 Last but not least the dimension Internal Control vs. External Control is about human’s relation to nature. This can be transcended to human’s relation to an organization, government and the market. In internal controlled cultures people have the conviction to be able to control their environment even if they have to use aggressiveness. Nature is equivalent to a complex machine which can be controlled if someone could develop an expertise.Therefore success and failure should be put down to the individual endeavors rather than to environment and general-set up. However, in external controlled societies environment is taken more into account because people consider themselves to be a part of nature. As external forces can strongly influence one’s life people try to be in harmony with their environment. They adapt to their surroundings, e. g. to customers, to their colleagues or they react flexibly to market forces. Afterwards they try to react in an appropriate way. 3.Analogies or identities of the cultural dimensions Trompenaars and Hofstede filtered out the same dimension Individualism vs. Collectivism. These ideologies are the platform for political and economic systems. China is a textbook example for a collectivistic country whereas the United States represent an individualistic country. In China ‘we’ occupies center stage and members of a group experience improvemen t of their life by taking care of each other and by maintaining harmony. Consequently, pay-for-performance of a single person is rejected in collectivistic cultures.Bonus payment to one person does not reflect the fact that the whole group contributes to success of each single group member. Reward of a single person would only destroy harmony within the group and would demotivate essential teamwork. However, in the US people rather concentrate on their own life. Each person takes the responsibility to improve one’s situation by working hard on one’s own. Bonus payment stimulates the propensity to perform better and to stand out against workmates. Trompenaars dimension Universalism vs. Particularism goes hand in hand with Individualism vs. Collectivism.Americans being universalists and individualists emphasize equal treatment of everyone according to the law. E. g. If the best friend killed someone the universalist giving testimony would tell the truth in order to adher e to the law. The relationship to the friend would be neglected just to restore order as killing someone is immoral. As opposed to this, in China relationship is superior to law. The Chinese friend would lie to protect the friend who is in real trouble. The dimension Specific vs. Diffuse reveals some analogies with regard to the dimension Individualism vs. Collectivism.In specific countries or low context countries, e. g. America, business is done even if both parties haven’t established a relationship. Long communication is not necessary as the contract contains every little detail. This demonstrates that the emphasis is put on the task and on the achievement of the individual representing the company rather than on the relationship. Whereas in China companies would only strike a deal if a relationship was established successfully. In diffuse/high context cultures privacy sphere is only marginal and confidence decides on business operation.In other words, relationship and gr oup orientedness is superior to task. 5 Individualism vs. Collectivism also correlates with Short-Term-orientation/Long-Termorientation. In East-Asian countries, e. g. China, Hong Kong, Taiwan the relationship between workers and management in a company is vital. This fact can be put down to Confucianism and the concept of reciprocal obligation. Bosses protect their workers and offer them a life-time employment. In return, their subordinates are loyal and respectful. Everyone (the whole group) is responsible to contribute to the long-lasting success in the company.In Western countries, e. g. the United States people are not keen on life-time employment. They want to change their job if they have an opportunity for a better career. Managers siphon off high bonus (short term) payments if the company’s profits and numbers in the last business year are excellent. As a result, managers are not interested in sustainability but in short-term profit. Individualism vs. Collectivism in fluences Trompenaars dimension Internal Control/External Control. The political system collectivism goes hand in hand with the economic system command economy.Even if China is a mixed economy government controls life of its citizens and of each individual e. g. via censorship. Consequently, Chinese people are externalistic as government (metaphor for environment) actively shapes their lives and people haven’t had control over government. Contrary to this, Germans living in individualism and market economy are internalistic. Companies can function as lobbyists and can actively influence governmental activities. Another two dimensions which have similarities are Hofstede’s Power Distance and Trompenaars Achievement vs. Ascription.The Indian Caste system reflects High Power Distance. If someone was born into the lowest group (Shudra) of the caste system (let alone the Untouchables) this person will always belong to this caste. Shudras have to accept the fact that they wil l always be inferior to people belonging to the upper castes. The caste determines the quality of life including the profession. A Brahmin, belonging to the highest caste, will always be respected and occupies the most powerful standing in society. This fact equates with Ascription as the Indian cadre originates from a renowned family background and has normally reached a decent age.Subordinates are loyal and respectful as they can only survive with the help of the upper castes and thus are highly dependent on them. Hence, superiors dictate the conditions and take responsibility for everything. The hierarchy within the caste system is reflected in a steep hierarchy in companies and institutions. Germany being a Low Power Distance country can be considered as the opposite. Family background could help to find a job but doesn’t decide on the career track of a person. If someone distinguishes oneself from the mass because of excellent performance and great talent this person wil l probably climb up the career ladder.This example can be clearly associated with Trompenaars dimension achievement. It is also very important to remark that both staff and bosses should be treated almost equally as the roles and positions can be changed very fast due to achievement. Even if some analogies match with my example this doesn’t mean that the two dimensions compared have similarities in all areas and situations. I extracted some points of intersection. 6 4. Differences of the dimensions The other dimensions not mentioned in the prior passage may sometimes have minor similarities which are notwithstanding outweighed by the differences of their meanings.I deliberately turned my back on the analogies between the dimensions of the same author. Geert Hofstede concentrated on the subject how cultural differences influence organization, management and relationship between people whereas Trompenaars shed some light on people’s relationship to time, nature and other human beings. Trompenaars neglected the topic gender which deals with a substantial question how the roles in the family are defined. This also manifests itself in the management structure of a company. In female oriented cultures, e. g. n Scandinavian countries men go on parental leave and women equally occupy leading positions. Whereas in a male- oriented culture like Germany a dog-eats-dog society has been generated, in Norway a woman striving for her own benefit and thus threatening cooperation and harmony will be looked down upon. Trompenaars did not deal with search for Truth. Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance indicates how people try to grapple with unstructured situations. United States e. g. ranking low on Uncertainty Avoidance are not risk averse. The current financial crisis was triggered by hazardous behavior.American banks granted credits to people who couldn’t afford them. Germany ranking high on the uncertainty avoidance is often criticized for its burea ucracy. Elaborate rules and regulations should avoid uncertainty, can however cause a lot of paper work. One can also find some topics Hofstede did not have a focus on. Firstly, Hofstede did not consider the range of feelings expressed (neutral vs. emotional) which of course determine communication and behavior of people. Secondly, Hofstede did not describe the dimension dealing with range of involvement (diffuse vs. specific).Last but not least Hofstede did not mention explicitly time management (sequential vs. synchronic). 5. Advantages and Risks seeing the world and cultures with dimensions It is safe to say that dimensions can help people (that have never been to a certain country) to become more sensitive for intercultural understanding. Not until people are aware of idiosyncrasies of their own culture they can easier get to know other cultures. If someone (e. g. an expatriate) is undetermined in which country to go dimensions can help to get a first impression and contain the number of possible destinations depending on the criteria.After having chosen a country the expatriate should acquire theoretical knowledge about important symbols, rituals and common manners. Being abroad he/she can try to apply dimensions practically especially during the first days in the new surrounding as the person does not know how to behave properly. Most notably at the first meeting people need a first point of orientation to avoid big no go’s. 7 However, getting to know other cultures means learning by doing and trial by error. According to the iceberg model visible and expected occurrences account for only 10%. Consequently, 90% of our experiences with other cultures happen unsuspectedly.That’s why we should not overestimate and read too much into dimensions. A risk which arises when applying dimensions is to misunderstand and misuse them. The peculiarity of a dimension is highly dependent on the situation and on the counterpart’s personality. Dimensi ons do not reflect individual cultural preferences but convey an average and general behavior of the population living in a culture. An adverse effect is also that stereotypes are created and reinforced. Another problem point is that Hofstede carried out his studies (which serve as basis for the dimensions) at the end of the 60s.These studies are only a snapshot and did not take into consideration that culture evolves over time. Especially changes in economic or political environment, e. g. the demise of Communism in Eastern Europe or globalization, heavily affect transformation of cultures. Apart from that, both authors assumed that there is a one-to-one correspondence between culture and nation state which is sometimes not the case. In some countries, e. g. Canada, more than one culture can be found. There are even major differences of behavior between regions of a country. 6.Effects on practice operation Before going abroad expatriates should grasp how much preparation is require d to cope with the difference between the own and the foreign culture. Even if an expatriate cannot prepare for the unexpected situations abroad preparation should lead to willingness of flexibility and adaption while interacting with foreigners. However, an expatriate should know the future task in the foreign country which indicates the role and needed appearance of the expatriate. This depends on the target and the way of the company how to expand internationally.If a company opts for setting-up a new subsidiary abroad, the so called greenfield start, optimally a group of expatriates is sent to a foreign country. The task of the expatriates is to find out whether the strategy and the culture of the company can be reconciled with the foreign culture. They experience intensively foreign norms and values and try to recruit suitable locals in order to build up the new plant together. The difficulty is to decide if it is worthwile to establish a company in this country. It is evident that this decision should not be made on the basis of the dimensions.Secondly, the foreign members should be conscious of the fact that national values and norms have to be brought in line with the native corporate culture. This will only happen if the expatriates and the foreign workers could successfully build confidence so that the foreigners feel also loyal to a foreign company. My initial example with Wal-Mart showed that the company failed to apply a right strategy. If a company plans an acquisition with a foreign country expatriates should first analyze the business culture of the own and the future company. Moreover, expatriates should consider also the foreign culture!There is a high potential of conflicts as normally the managers of the foreign company are made redundant and are superseded by expatriates. The question is if those expatriates will be accepted by the national workers and if they are capable of doing successfully business in the foreign surrounding. 8 Irrespe ctive of the distinct possibilities to enter a foreign market intercultural sensitivity (both of the own and the foreign country) is the be-all and end-all. Therefore it is of paramount importance to go abroad as prepared and unprejudiced as possible.If expatriates succeed internalizing these facts they can close the distance gap between two companies operating in distinct countries. 7. Personal meaning and consequences of the dimensions My next job abroad will be as an intern not as an expatriate. That’s why I will refer to my internship in China. Generally speaking it would be easier for me to do my internship in countries where I can speak the language (German, English, French, Polish, Spanish). It is obvious that mainly Western countries are involved (e. g. America, European countries). All of them embrace democracy and in large part stress individualism. The frame’ would be alike and I could concentrate on concept of time, privacy, and way of life. However, in cou ntries were political and economic systems are at odds with democracy almost everything is different like in China. Dimensions confirm this statement. I deliberately chose a country which is unfamiliar to me as this poses a considerable challenge. The problem point is that I am permanently influenced by Western media. This leads to the fact that my subconsciousness would like to dictate that the opposite culture is different and thus ‘wrong’.I personally do not think that the other culture is ‘wrong’. I am more afraid of putting my foot in it in momentous situations. Firstly, I am used to sharing my experiences with others and of being in a group, but in a smaller one. The size of the group (especially the quantity of people on the street) will be a change. Secondly, I am used to voicing my opinion freely and saying ‘yes or no’ even in team work. This will not be possible anymore as I should not take someone’s face and indirectly the fac e of the group. I should get used to going around in circles particularly during discussions.Apart from that it is normal for me to solve problems when they arise. However, I have to adapt the fact that I should circumvent it. Ignoring these factors could lead to tensions which would have detrimental effects on the relationship between the staff and me. I am dependent on their explanation! Even if I think that in a special case the ‘German’ way of doing it would be more appropriate and efficient these thoughts should not prevail! My individual target and opinion should not be on top anymore! In general, I am a optimistic person and I like it to smile.In China people smile even if they are angry. It will be a challenge for me to estimate the feelings correctly and to deal with it. Also the perception of time and structure pose risks to me as I will certainly be confused if deadlines are not met and order is neglected. These are only few situations and points which could cause trouble and uncertainty. My examples reflect some of the dimensions, e. g. individualism vs. collectivism, diffuse vs. specific, uncertainty avoidance,†¦ Despite everything I look forward to my experience abroad and consider this seminar paper as a minor part of my preparation. 9

Sunday, September 15, 2019

IT Project Implementation Failures

Before an IT project can begin, the acquisition process must be successful. Once the implementation process beings, however; many things can start to go wrong because there are many factors and people involved that may not work together. Although the acquisition process is very stressful and important too, the implementation of planning a project and choosing the right team to do the job is not always as easy as it sounds. As hard as it may be to effectively navigate through these potential failures, project failures such as the ones illustrated in the case study, Memorial Health System CPOE Implementation, can be evaded. At the beginning of the implementation process, Fred Dryer and Joe Roberts agreed and established a plan to get the CPOE system effectively enough for the staff and other employees to use. Stakeholders did not agree with Dryer and Roberts that this system would be meaningful and eventually disagreed with them. This must be a common problem with the implementation process, because it is very difficult to get so many people to work together cohesively. The organization undergoing the IT process must be a cohesive unit in believing in the project as well as being on the same page about what needs to happen. Since the stakeholders have too much power in the process, Roberts and Dryer left the project. The other project failure demonstrates the difficulty of choosing the right team members and management personnel to effectively run the project. The interim CIO, Melvin Sparks, was, to put it mildly, the wrong person for the job. He illustrated many of the project failures. He was unable to effectively communicate with his staff, made decisions that negatively affected the project and ultimately committed a huge mistake by changing the scope of the project during the implementation process. The project manager in the case study was yelled at to give good news or no news at all to Sparks. Not only is it completely inappropriate for CIO to yell at staff, but communication is integral in the implementation process, whether it is good news or bad. Changing the scope of the project during the implementation process creates chaos. A good acquisition process will create an environment where large deviations from the initial project scope are not accepted. Another vital problem in the case study was the lack of testing done on the system. Testing assures the team of the functionality as well as the problems that may arise from the system, and gives time to fix it. Sparks created no confidence in the team and showed none in the initial project. Conclusion: The case study’s project failures could have probably been avoided. The main job of the implementation team, besides implementing the project, should be to create a strong team with strong management and staff. Without this backbone, the process is doomed from the start. There are steps and procedures that can be implemented in order to avoid these types of failures in the future. I would recommend cross-training between management to insure everyone knows what steps to take in order to have a successful IT project. It Project Implementation Failures IT Project Implementation Failures Barbara Ratcliff HCS/483 March 16, 2013 Donna Lee Lewis IT Project Implementation Failures Introduction Memorial Health System is an eight-hospital integrated health care system. The Memorial Health System implemented an IT system which failed. When an organization implements an IT system every one of its employees needs to be on the same page. This includes the stakeholders, CEOs and managers. When an organization has made the decision to implement an IT system it is important for the organization to have an IT staff that knows how to work with the system.When the organization that is implementing the system does not have the IT staff properly trained then the system could fail. This is main reason that the Memorial Health System implementation failed. Why the process failed In this case Memorial Health Care system failed. Four years ago the board of directors of Memorial Health Care Systems agreed to a multi-million dollar implementation of an org anizational clinician provider order entry system (CPOE) that would reduce the medical errors within the organization. Since the implementation four years ago the system is still not totally functioning.The system is only working fully for one out of the eight hospitals within the organization. Fred Dryer (CEO) and Joe Roberts (CIO) were in charge of the project. Even with some of the stakeholders not sure of this the go ahead was given. There were others complaining that the new system would double the workloads. In an effort to prove their timeline could be met Dryers and Roberts rushed the requirement analysis, had a RFP issued, selected a vendor, and signed the contract in just six months leaving 12 months to do the implementation of the IT system.It was a short time after that the two leads on the project Dryers and Roberts left the organization. The then chief medical officer, Barbara Lu was made CEO and put in charge of the implementation even though she was opposed to it. Th e board of directors still supported the project and did not want to lose the large down payment to the vendor so Lu was instructed to proceed with the implementation of the system. Dr. Melvin Sparks was appointed CIO of the system and hired Sally Martin as project manager. In working on the project Sparks and martin had an argument which caused a breakdown in communication.When the project launched it was obvious what the analysis missed, that the software was flawed and user-end training was not done. Doctors could not sign in to the system and the nurses could not enter the doctor’s orders. The patient ended up waiting for tests and their medications. What should be done different? The process should not have been rushed to ensure that the requirement analysis was through and that important steps were not missed. Some of the missing steps were training of the user staff, the cost of the whole project and the time frame of the project.The staff should have had more complete training for using the system. The cost should have been better explained so the organization could budget for all the costs. The time frame needed to be realistic not rushed. Conclusion All in all, this implementation of the system failed due to the rushed requirement analysis the lack of training for the staff using the system, and the lack of communication during the implementation of the system. It did not help that the key project managers changed during the process of implementing the system. The end result is that only one out of eight hospitals is using the system. It Project Implementation Failures IT Project Implementation Failures Barbara Ratcliff HCS/483 March 16, 2013 Donna Lee Lewis IT Project Implementation Failures Introduction Memorial Health System is an eight-hospital integrated health care system. The Memorial Health System implemented an IT system which failed. When an organization implements an IT system every one of its employees needs to be on the same page. This includes the stakeholders, CEOs and managers. When an organization has made the decision to implement an IT system it is important for the organization to have an IT staff that knows how to work with the system.When the organization that is implementing the system does not have the IT staff properly trained then the system could fail. This is main reason that the Memorial Health System implementation failed. Why the process failed In this case Memorial Health Care system failed. Four years ago the board of directors of Memorial Health Care Systems agreed to a multi-million dollar implementation of an org anizational clinician provider order entry system (CPOE) that would reduce the medical errors within the organization. Since the implementation four years ago the system is still not totally functioning.The system is only working fully for one out of the eight hospitals within the organization. Fred Dryer (CEO) and Joe Roberts (CIO) were in charge of the project. Even with some of the stakeholders not sure of this the go ahead was given. There were others complaining that the new system would double the workloads. In an effort to prove their timeline could be met Dryers and Roberts rushed the requirement analysis, had a RFP issued, selected a vendor, and signed the contract in just six months leaving 12 months to do the implementation of the IT system.It was a short time after that the two leads on the project Dryers and Roberts left the organization. The then chief medical officer, Barbara Lu was made CEO and put in charge of the implementation even though she was opposed to it. Th e board of directors still supported the project and did not want to lose the large down payment to the vendor so Lu was instructed to proceed with the implementation of the system. Dr. Melvin Sparks was appointed CIO of the system and hired Sally Martin as project manager. In working on the project Sparks and martin had an argument which caused a breakdown in communication.When the project launched it was obvious what the analysis missed, that the software was flawed and user-end training was not done. Doctors could not sign in to the system and the nurses could not enter the doctor’s orders. The patient ended up waiting for tests and their medications. What should be done different? The process should not have been rushed to ensure that the requirement analysis was through and that important steps were not missed. Some of the missing steps were training of the user staff, the cost of the whole project and the time frame of the project.The staff should have had more complete training for using the system. The cost should have been better explained so the organization could budget for all the costs. The time frame needed to be realistic not rushed. Conclusion All in all, this implementation of the system failed due to the rushed requirement analysis the lack of training for the staff using the system, and the lack of communication during the implementation of the system. It did not help that the key project managers changed during the process of implementing the system. The end result is that only one out of eight hospitals is using the system.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Because I was first Adam

Adam was the first human being to inhabit the earth; he had total authority over every living creature and was free to roam about The Garden of Eden as he pleased. As the story unfolds Eve is created as Adam’s counterpart and they are to live together as one. Many Christians believe that Eve was created inferior to Adam; therefore, man has the authority to rule the relationship. This is not the case – the following will show nature’s natural act of compensation. Men are habitual and as a woman having analyzed the opposite sex I’ve found at they are quite predictable.Men and the television – even though this topic is cliche, it’s always a great place to start. I’ve never known a man that didn’t like The Three Stooges. Curly, Mo and Larry – all three have their quirky habits. Within seconds, the man’s attention is drawn to the television and it stays until the movie’s end. To analyze – the storylines ar e simple, take little concentration and there’s no real point to the story. Women are drawn to the complicated stories with emotional and dramatic story lines – often called â€Å"chick flicks.† We are hoping for the happy ending because we understand how necessary it is to think positive and have an open mind. Thousands of years ago the world was far from discovered and what lied ahead for Adam and Eve was complicated, dramatic and required a positive outlook. Eve’s natural instinct to consider the details and the implications was necessary for the discovery of the world as we know it. Another commonality between males is the love for driving, of course if he takes a wrong turn or loses his way he will not admit it.In the male brain, it’s a sign of weakness to admit failure – it’s far more masculine to drive for hours making that dominant attempt to reach his destination. A woman takes the logical approach; she pulls into the nearest gas station and asks for directions. Looking back thousands of years, again the world was young and there were many miles to discover. Eve’s logical approach to the world was needed. Thousands of years later, we’re still discovering the world. Can you imagine where we would be if we didn’t have the female brain to stop and ask for directions?Men are dominant, they’re instinct is to challenge and conquer. Driving hundreds of miles in one stretch, Football and boxing attract a man’s attention because of that instinct. The female was created to look at the world through a different perspective. We look at the details, consider the implications of our actions and consider the emotional context of certain situations. Neither Adam or Eve were superior to the other, their thought processes were simply different. The male and female complete each other, which explain the necessity of two genders.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Wooden Baseball Bats Are Better than Metal Bats Essay

Wooden Baseball Bats Are Better than Metal Bats - Essay Example But, it is important to let the reader know beforehand that using a wooden bat is a tradition in major league baseball (MLB). For reasons, the reader must refer to the advantages of wooden bats described in the coming lines. Halter (1981, p. 22) asserts that â€Å"big-league rules say a bat must be wood, round, and no more than 42 inches long†. As one goes from little leagues to major ones, the use of wooden bats becomes a tradition keeping in view their material, weight, safety and affordability as compared to aluminum (metal) bats. Wooden bats are heavier than metal bats because they are solid and metal bats are hollow from within, and that is why they require more effort to sway than aluminum bats. They also have a smaller sweet spot due to which the hit remains within range, that is, the hit zone is small. In other words, the weight in wooden bats is concentrated far from hands, or in other words, the center of gravity lies in the barrel. Thus the â€Å"swing weight† (Nathan, 2007, p. 1) is higher which keeps the ball within range. A metal bat is lighter because of a larger sweet spot (Zumerchik, 1997, p. 52) and the weight is concentrated very close to the hands which will have the hit swing much higher as the swing weight is lower. Wooden bats are safer than metal bats because the exit speed of the ball is much slower in the case of wooden bats. Thus, the ball comes off with slow speed which is good as it reduces the danger of injury if the ball hits another player or pitcher. This is why MLB endorses the use of wooden bats considering the hit power of the professional players. Metal bats, as they are lighter, can easily get tossed away to injure another player. Also, the larger sweet spot in case of metal bats causes larger exit speed of the ball, that is, the ball will â€Å"jump off† (Wolff, 1997, p. 23) faster which could injure anybody within the hit zone very seriously. There have been unfortunate events in past, like, as Chandler (2010) states,

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Icons in the past and in the modern world Essay

Icons in the past and in the modern world - Essay Example bject that is easily identifiable by many. It may also mean a symbol that is used by different cultures to for purposes of historical value or having a known significance to such community or groups of communities. In the modern times however, icons of places are mostly represented by beautiful architectural buildings. Though past icons such as monuments, statues and historical buildings are still recognized as icons of different places, there is a rapid change in the way icons are perceived and this has been brought about by the construction of amazing pieces of architecture. This paradigm shift has been driven by the demand for popularity and instant fame as well as for business purposes. Different regions are now in competition with one another in the construction of stunning architectural buildings. This paper aims to detail and discuss the meaning and use of icons in the past and modern in the United Kingdom and give a comparison of the same. This will be done via researching th e major icons in the UK and detailing their use. The paper will also make a general conclusion of the history of the icons. Most specifically, the paper will focus on the bulky-Scottish Castle, the St. Pauls Cathedral, the Nelson Monument, and the small retail liver building. Background Information In the medieval times, icons were mostly represented by historical monuments and buildings. It also included paintings and carvings that were done on stones and caves by hunters or artists in the community. Such icons represented a particular history or symbol of power in the community. A good example of icons that represented symbols of power included palaces of the royal family in the kingdom. Buckingham palace in Great Britain is an example of such palace that was and still is home to the royal family. Religious shrines and buildings were also known icons in the past due to their revered status. Rome for example was a society that was deeply engulfed in religious practices and as such had several places of worship within the region (Lynch, 1960). Such places were known icons within and beyond the boundaries of Rome since they were not only revered by many, but also had influence on the political administration at that time. Great emphasis was also placed on the erection and curving of monuments and statues by several communities in the past. This was done to honour individuals for their great contribution to the society and as such, places where these monuments and statues were erected become known icons within the region both in the medieval times and up to date. From the twin towers in Malaysia to the Five Star hotel, Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the emphasis has been placed on tall and aesthetical pleasing building designs. Two dimensional form of art such as

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

SMOKER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SMOKER - Essay Example He has noticed a recurrent morning cough and increased production of mucus over the past 2 months or so. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an obstructive lung diseases that is characterised by inadequate airflow which is chronic in nature. The disease arises when the bronchi are scarred and inflamed as well as the damages of the alveoli. This process occurs after several years and is usually caused by cigarette smoking. In essence, several scholars incorporated emphysema and bronchitis in defining COPD. Bronchitis is defined as presence of chronic productive cough for a period of 3 months in 2 consecutive years. While emphysema is an abnormal enlargement of the air spaces that are distal to the terminal bronchi with obvious destruction of the bronchiole walls (Decramer, Janssens, & Miravitlles, 2012). Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD accounting for 80%-95%; however, some factors have also been associated with the disease and they include air pollution like in poorly ventilated cooking places. Occupational exposure to irritants such as dust, fumes and other chemicals, which are found in textile industries, gold mines among others. Genetics have  been noted to have  a major role in the development of COPD, whereby those individuals who lack alpha 1-antitrypsin are likely to develop COPD (Barnes, 2014). Shortness of breath: This is the most worrying symptom to most people with the disease; occasionally patients complain that they cannot inhale enough air. This symptoms is usually worsened by exertion, however in the advanced stage of COPD it can occur during rest. The pathological changes in COPD usually occur in the lung parenchyma, the bronchi as well as the bronchioles. Several causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease occur due to exposure to the noxious substances or stimuli such as cigarette smoke. The Pathophysiology is not very clear and is most likely to be diverse. However, elevated numbers of activated

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Valuation of TESCO PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Valuation of TESCO PLC - Essay Example Tesco has also entered the US market in 2007 under the name Fresh and Easy and is planning to invest about $500 million for starting a network of 150 stores in the US West Coast. Its retail operations include groceries and food items which accounts for almost 80% of its sales and also has a very profitable online trading business. The company also sells non food items like clothing, electronics, pharmaceuticals, books, insurance, alternative medicines, certain legal services, petrol etc. In terms of turnover Tesco Plc is the fourth largest retailer in the world, the 1st three positions being held by Wal Mart, Carrefour of France and The Home Depot of the USA respectively and ranks 59 in the Fortune Global 500 according to CNNMoney.com. The group has around 3000 stores and employees around 400,000 people worldwide. It is at present the largest employee in Britain in the private sector. The turnover of the company for the twelve months ending December 2007 was  £46 billion and it has increased profit every year except in 1987. As in the case with most fast growing companies Tesco has had its share of accusations and criticism which includes undercutting the competition, exploiting suppliers and workers and of employing child labor in certain markets. Early Days and later expansion: In 1919 John Edward Cohen started a small grocery shop in East London with a thirty pound stipend he received from the Royal Flying Corps. One of the products he sold was a private brand of tea named Tesco, derived from the name of his supplier Mr. T E Stckwell (the first three letters of his name TES and CO from his surname) and he used this as the name of the his store which he opened in 1929 in North London. The company was incorporated as a private limited company in 1932 named Tesco Stores Ltd. His business flourished and a new headquarters was built on a