A Study about The Impact of Parental Separation

This study explores the impact of parental separation/divorce can have on a child's learning and development in the primary school classroom. The broad aim of the study was to explore teachers' classroom experiences of parental separation/divorce and its effect on teaching learning and development. The researcher aimed to gather an in depth and rich account of these experiences in the primary school classroom. This current chapter critically explores the most appropriate methods and tools that were used to gather data for this study. The researcher evaluates and outlines the design method undertaken, the participants that were involved and the materials that were used to gather the information and data relating to this study. Ethical considerations are also outlined in this chapter.3.2 Aims of the studyHaving reviewed the literature on the topic of ‘the effect parental separation/divorce can have on a child's learning and development' it is evident that there is a lack of Irish research conducted on the area. A breakdown in a family structure is becoming more common with 1 in every 10 marriages in Ireland ending in separation/divorce (Rainbow, 2018) with the figure of marriage separation rising from 116,194 in 2011 to 118,178 in 2016 (CSO, 2016). For this reason this study aims to provide an insight into the effect this breakdown in family structure is having on a child's learning and development. This study aims to investigate to what extent does parental/separation divorce has on a child's learning and development and if it has an effect on a child's emotions, behaviour, capacity to learn and concentration in the classroom and whether teacher's feel they have the adequate training to aid and help children during this change in their lives.3.3 Research DesignIn deciding on a research design for the study, the researcher considered both quantitative and qualitative approaches. According to (Patton ; Cochran, 2002) qualitative research ‘is characterised by its aims, which relate to understanding some aspect of social life, and its methods which (in general) generate words, rather than numbers, as data for analysis and seeks to build a holistic and narrative description of a social or cultural phenomenon (Gall, Borg & Gall, 1996). Qualitative approaches to research involve emerging questions and procedures, typically collecting data in the participants' setting, and analysing data inductively (Creswell, 2014). However, quantitative research ‘generally produces objective numerical data that are generated without influence on behalf of the researcher' (Denscombe, 2010). It emphasises precision and sets out to explain phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods, and seeks to minimise bias and maximise objectivity (Rubin ; Babbie, 2010). Therefore taking both methodologies into account the researcher decided on a mixed- methods methodology approach for the purpose of this research. The qualitative data provided an insight into the various ways children may be impacted by parental separation/divorce and the teachers own experiences and views in this area. On the other hand the quantitative data provided a numerical data insight into the extent of the way a child may be impacted by parental separation/divorce and the teachers own views and opinion's on the key area it can have an impact on and how prepared they feel they are to help a child through this change in their lives. In conclusion a mixed method approach enabled the researcher to gain rich and valuable information for the research and facilitated the research to achieve a full picture of the impact parental separation/divorce may be having on a child's learning and development in the primary school classroom.3.4 Data collectionIn order to collect the data the researcher interviewed 3 teachers who each taught different levels in the school; junior, middle and senior ends of the school. The interviews were face to face and semi-structured using open ended questions and all 3 interviews were voice recorded. In order for the research to be fully representative of the sample the researcher conducted the interviews on teachers who taught in 3 different schools incorporating both town and country schools. One participant was a teacher in a country school in 5th and 6th class, another participant was a teacher in a populated town school in 3rd and 4th class and the final participant was a junior and senior infant teacher in a small country school. The class sizes varied from 21 pupils to 32 pupils with each participant stating they had a variety of ethnicities and learning support needs in the class. The aim of the interviews was to focus on the participants' own experiences of the impact of parental separation in the classroom, and the researcher decided on an unstructured interview approach. The intention of the researcher was to build a rapport with the participants create a narrative about their subjective experiences of this area. During the interviews, many of the questions were spontaneous and built on the experiences of the teachers and their own opinions surrounding the area of parental separation/divorce and its effects it can have on a child's learning and development and the questions came as part of the natural interaction between researcher and participants. The unstructured approach allowed the researcher to ask questions as and when they were appropriate, and to further explore particular themes of interest the participant had. In order for the researcher to encourage a degree of consistency during the interview process among the 3 participants the researcher employed the use of an aide memoire to help guide the focus of the interview without disrupting the natural course of the discussion. The interviews were recorded and were later transcribed for analysis. The recording of the interviews enabled the researcher to interact fully with the participant through the full interview and also permitted the researcher to provide a full textual account of the entire interview and everything that was said and highlighted. In the same context the survey's created employed a non bias approach, using a broad array of questions in order to not direct or lead the participant and also to ensure that a full rich picture of the teacher's opinions and experiences are gathered. The survey was created online and included 8 questions. These 8 questions ensured to not be misleading and aimed to reflect a teacher's own views understanding and knowledge around the area of parental separation/divorce and the impact it can have on a child's learning and development.3.5 Data analysisThematic analysis was used in this study to analyse and interpret the data. This section provides an overview of th e thematic analytical method and outlines its procedural application to the data collected in this study. Thematic analysis is a comprehensive process where researchers are enabled to identify numerous cross references between the data and the research's evolving themes (Hayes, 1997). An inductive approach was therefore used to identify the themes. Similarly, (Marshall and Rossman, 2006) recommended that immersion in and familiarity with the research is an essential stage. Following this recommendation, the researcher transcribed each interview, thus familiarising herself with the data. Inductive analysis involved the process of discovering patterns and codes in the data (Patton, 2002). The researcher developed patterns by keeping notes on the transcripts that related to a fascinating and relevant point and used highlighters to link these codes together. It was important for the researcher to not have pre conceptions when conducting the interviews and analysing the surveys, consequently the researcher â€Å"has to explore and understand the social world through the participants' and their own perspectives; and explanations can only be offered at the level of meaning rather than cause† (Snape and Spencer as cited in Ritchie and Lewis, 2003, p. 23). As a result the researcher ensured that all the data collected was reliable and dependable to provide clear, concise and meaningful conclusions from the data.3.6 Ethical considerationsPrior to undertaking this study, ethical approval was sought and granted by the HiberniaCollege Ethics Committee. This study was therefore conducted to the highest ethical standards in line with the Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (BERA, 2011). When considering the ethical considerations, data protection guidelines were taken into account by the researcher. The researcher ensured that all data will be stored safely and securely in encrypted data files and hard copies of transcripts will be kept in a locked filing cabinet and all other identifiable data such as the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of participants will be stored separate from other data collected in order to ensure anonymity and confidentiality is upheld. The participants were also informed in their consent letter that they had access to the data. Keeping in line with the guidelines the researcher ensured that each participant received a clear information letter about the research area and their role. It stated that anonymity and confidentiality will be ascertained at all times. Before each interview, the participants signed a consent form and also informed that they were permitted to end the interview process at any time they wished. The prospective participants were then given time to consider their participation, without any duress, and were later contacted by the researcher for their decision. Throughout the data collection process, all interactions were carried out in a respectful and considerate manner. Interviews were conducted in the spirit of partnership, without manipulation. The names participants were not used on interview recordings and transcripts, and any identifiable information was stored separate from this data. Throughout the data collection and data analysis the researcher ensured complete commitment, reliability and integrity. In accordance to Hibernia College Dublin the data will be kept for three years after the completion of the dissertation. The researcher will ensure that the data collected is only used for the purpose for which it was gathered and will not be shared with a third person.3.7 LimitationsFirstly, the lack of experience the researcher had on conducting interviews arose as a possible limitation for conducting the research and collecting the data. In order for the researcher to gain experience and confidence in conducting interviews the researcher performed mock interviews with 3 student teachers. The mock interviews ensured that the researcher would not highlight opinions or response through facial expression and also show no bias towards the interview questions and topic (Bryman, 2004; Cohen et al., 2005 ; Reynolds, 1979). This aided the researcher when conducting the interviews with the 3 teachers to collect the data. Secondly, the interviews were semi-structured and conducted with teachers from 3 different schools. This took up a lot of time and had additional drawback on travel costs. Finally the online surveys also had its disadvantages. As the surveys were online a lot of people (teachers) tend not to take the time to complete them in comparison to a hardcopy. As a result it took longer than expected for the researcher to get back the quota of answers that was needed to give an accurate representation of the data.3.8 ConclusionIn conclusion, this chapter provided an analysis on how the researcher collected the data, taking into consideration the most appropriate methodology for this study. The researcher chose to use a mixed methods approach to collect and analysis the data collect during this research as it gives a layer of depth and validity to the research. The data collection methods complimented each other and provided valuable findings which will be presented in the next chapter. The interview process and survey analysis will allow the researcher to gain an insight into the opinions and experiences of teachers from different backgrounds, various areas and different class levels. Following the chosen appropriate methodology, the researcher took into consideration the participants, materials, method design, ethical considerations and data analysis. The participants in the study gave their informed consent to the research, their anonymity and confidentiality maintained, and they will have access to the data and findings if desired. The participants of the interview were made feel comfortable during the interview process using the appropriate interview skills. The next chapter will outline the main findings of the present research which utilised a mixed-methods approach.

A Letter To Myself

What about family? Hope you're all well and you have a handsome husband – military officer, caring about you and your children. And you have two kids: a son – footballer and a daughter – ballerina. If not, do not worry! Whole life Is ahead, because you Just have got your dream Job and going to get a second degree. And have you learned the most beautiful language In the world? For so many years It Is quite possible . And If you still have not vaulted France, I'll be very disappointed!It's our dreams what about other places? Rome or Madrid? New Zealand? If not, run and pack your suitcases' If you've got all these things done, then you can be proud of yourself! Now, put before yourself other goals, dream a lot and strive to it! And most importantly, never lose hope! All in all, you only live once, and you should try to experience everything in life: to try to achieve something, to conquer the top, test yourself, your character, strength of will and spirit.I believe that you've done it, or to no end, you'll do it! Hope you have a great future. I love you z)) Take care, From the Real You.. Takes a lot of time and efforts. That's why it is very important to have a good teacher. I am very grateful to my English teacher – Easel Montanan, who was also our curator on the first course. The door opened and pleasant woman with kind smile entered the classroom. She greeted the students and introduced herself to us. It was the first time when we met her.We were studying on the first course when our first acquaintance with Easel Montanan happened. I remember my first impression of meeting with her. When our teacher looked around us silently, with smile on her face, I had a feeling that she could penetrate the soul of every student. Easel Montanan is a competent and professional teacher. She has a good command of the English language. From lesson to lesson we have improved our knowledge, have earn more and more new words, grammar structures and put t hem into practice of speaking.She patiently corrected our mistakes and explained us everything, what we could not understand. Our lessons sometimes were full of fun. She always looked perfectly, and we never saw her face being angry or unfriendly. She helped us to develop our intellect, our attitudes to life and to other people. I thank her for that. No matter how many teachers we had through our life, we will always remember them and all the good things which they made for us. We were lucky to have such a nice teacher as Easel Montanan. Thank her very much.

Chinese Economy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Business Performance and Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Performance and Strategy - Essay Example Details of the global market share by percentage are given in the figure below. In terms of revenue measure, GSK’s global rating as of the end of midyear 2014 was given as 6th largest pharmaceutical company (Palmer, 2014). This was accounted for with average annual revenue of  £25.602 billion. The company’s operating income for 2014 was given as  £7.771 billion, of which  £5.237 billion was realised as net income (Palmer, 2014). The major need for a competitive strategy at GSK can largely be said to be based on an ever increasing global competitiveness which has always made the company a 4th force in terms of market share and market capital. This situation is better exemplified in the table below which shows the direct competitor comparison of GSK since 2005. For the past ten years, GSK has strived to either maintain its market position or improve on it. This need is what has informed the use of a peculiar strategy that seeks to make the company competitive and set it apart from its major competitors. An important area of the strategy has been the need for the company to become economically sustainable. This is because the extent to which the company can competitively participate in the global pharmaceutical industry is largely dependent on its capital force (Flyvbjerg, 2003). In the following section of the paper, what has gone into the company’s strategy in the past 10 years and how the strategy can be explained by theories of positioning and resources are analysed. Based on theory, GSK’s current strategy can be said to have been selected based on the application of Bowman’s strategy clock. This is because the strategy clock outlines 8 major competitive positions that may be used by companies in gaining competitive advantage (Barton, 2004). On the whole, the competitive positions can be said to be largely focused on pricing, segmentation and value

Project and Programme Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Project and Programme Management - Essay Example ue that the scope as well functions of project and operations often overlap, hence our analysis will be presented mostly within this grey area – when do we draw the line, when do they complement, and so on – and in the process outlining the support for our thesis. Thien is a project manager in his organization. Vice Presidents, directors and managers in other departments approach him daily whenever there is a new product or project to be investigated, initiated or launched. For instance, yesterday the Marketing Manager requested him to direct a campaign involving an invitation for clients in their database to visit the organization’s web site and see their new product lines. However, part of this project requires the website to be updated on a daily basis. The campaign sounds just like a job for the project manager but the cyclical aspect of maintaining the website seems to be a facet of an on-going operations. How was this possible? Let us outline the nature of projects and operations and, henceforth, eliminate the grey area. According to Marion Haynes, project management differs from other management schemes in two significant ways. â€Å"First, while department managers or managers of other organizational units expect their departments to exist indefinitely, project managers focus on an undertaking with a finite life span. Second, projects frequently need resources on a temporary basis, whereas permanent organizations try to utilize resources full-time.† (p. 3) As its name connotes, project management concerns itself with a project but only one. It has a beginning and an end – a time-bound process - since it is a one-time endeavor. According to Baum, evaluation caps the five stages of project management so there is a closure to the cycle. (Cracknell 2000, p. 95) It may be employed within the scope of an operation or other business processes. Most stakeholders in this management strategy believe that it is a linear process where operations management

Microorganism in food industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Microorganism in food industry - Research Paper Example Understanding these will possibly lead to much of the food production processes becoming shorter and less time consuming and will lead to less waste being produced. Some examples of foods that are produced using microorganisms include wine, cheese and bread. This paper will attempt to take a look at the microorganisms used in each of these foods and attempt to explain some of the mechanisms they utilise to achieve the result that humans desire. Winemaking Yeast in Wine Wine is a popular beverage where microorganisms play an important part. Wine has been consumed by humans for thousands of years (Okamura et al,1596) and the exact science of the wine making process is still being decoded. The quality of a wine is determined by whether the taste of that wine is original, the finesse, intensity of taste and by the microbiological and physicochemical stability (Dubourdieu, 1986; Noble, 1988; Rapp and Mandery, 1986; Schreier, 1979 of Colagrande, Silva and Fumi, 2) (Refer fig1). The microbi ology behind the wine making process was only established less than 2 centuries ago by the work of Louis Pasteur (Bakalinsky and Penner, 1993 from Okamura et al,1596, Colagrande, Silva and Fumi,2). Yeasts are used extensively in wine making. There are approximately 700 species of yeast and sixteen of these species have been used in the process of making wine. These include Brettanomyces, Dekkera, Candida, Cryptococcus, Debaryomyces, Hanseniaspora, Kloeckera, Kluyveromyces, Metschnikowia, Pichia, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Saccharomycodes, Schizosaccharomyces, Torulaspora and Zygosaccharomyces (Pretorius et al, 1999 of Swiegers et al, 142). Saccharomyces cerevisae is one of the most commonly used organisms for producing wine though other such as Pleurotus ostreatus, Flammulina velutipes and Agaricus blazei have recently been exploited (Okamura et al, 1596). A specific variety of grape can be exploited to produce some qualities of wines such as the distinctive smell (Dubourdieu 2000, Lambrechts and Pretorius 2000, Guth and Sies 2002, Swiegers and Pretorius 2005 of Swiegers et al, 142). Some of these distinctive volatile compounds which cause properties of a wine like smell arise from grapes. However, several are due to the action of yeast and bacteria during the production of wine. Taste is also greatly affected by the bacteria and yeast used during wine (Schreier, 1979; Simpson, 1979; Williams et al, 1989; Etievant 1991, Guth, 1998; Boulton et al, 1998; Rapp,1998; Dubourdieu, 2000; Ferreira et al, 2000; Lambrechts and Pretorius, 2000; Ribereau-Gayon et al, 2000a,b; Ortega et al, 2001; Guth and Sies, 2002 of Swiegers et al, 141). Grapes can only support the proliferation of few microorganisms (Henschke, 1997 of Swiegers et al, 142). This has been attributed mainly due to the selective pressure on the microorganisms due to the high content of sugar and the low pH of grape (Swiegers et al, 142). In addition, sulphur dioxide is usually added to the mixture during wine making and this adds even more selectivity to the microorganisms that can grow. Usually, oxidative microorganisms that may be harmful are limited due to the sulphur dioxide (Swiegers et al, 142). Once anaerobic conditions start to predominate during the winemaking process, even more microorganisms find the conditions unfavourable for growth and the production of ethanol further limits the types of microorganisms th

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Medical Image Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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English 1010 (Argument Essay) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English 1010 (Argument ) - Essay Example for the victim and their families.’ Those opposed to capital punishment do not believe that the government should be vested with the power to put any of its citizens to death. Opponents also maintain that the practice is racially biased, overtly costly and does not achieve the intended outcome. Capital punishment opponents argue that the practice does not deter crime, which statistics reprove. Opponents also deny that the death penalty is a deterrent to crime because of the nature of the reasons people commit homicide. People cannot conceive their own demise therefore cannot contemplate or appreciate the consequences. In addition, these crimes are usually committed as a result of impulsive actions and not carefully considered beforehand. Therefore, â€Å"the deterrent case has no validity† (Donohue, 2006). If the person committing the murder does contemplate the consequences, they may kill not only the victim but any witnesses as well rather than risk being caught. Fear of capital punishment potentially increases capital crimes. Many studies have been performed to determine if the death penalty is indeed deterrence. All prevailing research indicates capital punishment is as much of a deterrent to crime as a life sentence. Further, statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice show states that do not have the death penalty actually have lower murder rates. â€Å"The average murder rate per 100,000 people in 1999 among death penalty states was 5.5 and the average murder rate among non-death penalty states was 3.6.† (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2001). The State of Texas is widely acknowledged as executing more prisoners than any other state, a title it holds on an annual basis. A study conducted from the years 1984 through 1997 demonstrated homicides were not deterred as a result of the practice. â€Å"The murder rate (in Texas) was steady and there was no evidence of a deterrent effect. The number of executions was found to be unrelated to murder rates (Sorenson,

Corporate social responsibility Essay Example for Free

Corporate social responsibility Essay CSR is about how companies manage the business process to produce an overall positive impact on society Achieving commercial success in ways that honor ethical values respect people, communities natural environment CSR OF WALT DISNEY COMPANY â€Å" CSR is not a cosmetic, it must be rooted in our values, it must make a difference to the way we do our business† WALT DISNEY CO. The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest and most well-known corporations practicing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) all the way down the line in their business model. As the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world, and aside from its constant â€Å"Imagineering†, Disney has a tremendous responsibility to give back to those who have helped it become the powerhouse that it is today. Volunteerism is a major focus for Disney, offering free tickets to a million people in exchange for a day of volunteer service from an organization of their choice. This encouraged over one million people in the United States to commit to service efforts to volunteer in their communities. The environment continues to be at the forefront of what Disney strives to protect. Their goal is to benefit their guests, employees and businesses, while making the Company a desirable place to work through their consumer social responsibility efforts. CSR ACTIVITIES: Animal rescue effort. Project green. Recycling ïÆ'   decreased in solid waste by 28.645 tons. $230 million contributed to children hospitals , relief funds. $ 1,471,700 to NGO’s over 33 countries ïÆ'   Disney worldwide conservation fund PROJECT GREEN The Disneys Friends for Change: Invites young people to join together to help the environment across four key areas: (a) climate (b) water (c)waste and habitats. With Disneys Friends for Change, were empowering kids to tap into the potential that lies within each and every one of them to make a difference, said Bob Iger, president, The Walt Disney Company. If 500,000 kids participate in Disney Friends for Change Project Green events, together they can: Prevent approximately 1,00,000 tons of CO2 per year from polluting the air by adjusting their home thermostats. Save 5 million gallons of water in a single day by reducing shower times. Prevent 1 million pounds of waste from entering landfills by bringing trash-free lunches for a week. Create new habitats for local animals by planting 500,000 trees Disneys New Paper Sourcing and Use Policy Disney, one of the world’s largest media companies, made a big announcement that can help the company move in a more sustainable direction when it comes to paper sourcing and use. Disneys new paper sourcing and use policy is an encouraging step towards better forest management and environmental stewardship. According to the policy, Disney will minimize paper consumption in its day-to-day operations and increase the recovery of used paper and packaging for recycling. Disney commits to maximize the use of paper made from wood sourced from sustainably managed forests, and maximize the use of paper products processed without chlorine or chlorine compounds. Eliminate the use of paper made from â€Å"unwanted† raw materials Illegally-harvested wood. Wood from high conservation value areas that are being degraded by poor land use practices. Wood harvested in violation of internationally accepted instruments and treaties that protect the rights of indigenous or forest-dependent peoples. Wood from areas that have been converted from natural forests to forest plantations or other land uses. Wood from plantations using genetically modified trees. Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Established in 1995 on Earth Day (April 22) to date has contributed more than $20 million to conservation efforts worldwide. In 2012: DWCF—and Disney guests—supported 80 projects with annual grant funding of more than $1.8 million to nonprofit organizations working in 40 countries . 100% of every dollar goes directly to the projects. The Walt Disney Company additionally matches all guest contributions to the DWCF covers all overhead costs associated with the Fund. DWCF and The Walt Disney Company Foundation have contributed more than: $5.6 million to protect birds $2 million to conserve primates $1.4 million to study lions, tigers, leopards, and other cats $1.2 million to research and protect elephants $1.1 million to conserve sea turtles $1 million to protect rhinos The Walt Disney Company Foundation Donates $1 Million to UNICEF UNICEF has been the worlds leader for children, working on the ground in 155 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The donation will help UNICEF continue its progress behind five key priorities for the worlds children: child protection, immunization, early childhood support, fighting HIV/AIDS and girls education. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) has recognized 14 recipients of every years Disney Conservation Hero award. The award recognizes local citizens for their tireless efforts to save wildlife, protect habitats and educate communities. Individuals were nominated by non-profit environmental organizations. Each award recipient and their nominating organization will share a $1,500 award from DWCF. Since 2004, Disney has honoured 85 leaders around the world for their extraordinary conservation efforts. UNICEF Launches Play Initiative with $1 Million Grant from Disney: Some of our fondest childhood memories involve time spent with friends on the playground. Time on the playground could turn any day into a great day. With Disneys support, UNICEF is helping to bring the magic of play to kids who need it most. The P.L.A.Y. initiative is a pilot program created by UNICEF – and supported by a $1-million founding grant from Disney – that brings portable playground units to children living in disaster-recovery conditions and extreme poverty. We recently caught up with Caryl Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, to learn more about the program and the impact its having. THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY COMMITS $2 MILLION FOR HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF AND REBUILDING EFFORTS: DISNEY ANNOUNCES $2.3 MILLION IN GRANTS TO SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAMS: Disney announced $2.3 million in funding to supply chain programs in India, Brazil, and China. The grants are designed to address systemic issues and global efforts to improve workplace conditions. The initiatives funded include: Business for Social Responsibility – Disney’s investment will help develop and implement a financial literacy program for female factory workers in India. Social Accountability International – Disney’s support will help launch initiatives to improve health and safety in Brazilian factories. Verite – Disney’s funding will help train and educate workers on occupational health and safety, and establish a grievance mechanism for workers in China. In addition to the commitment announced today, Disney continues to support other projects around the world that contribute to improved labor conditions. 2013 ACHIEVEMENTS: Disney Receives Top Honor for â€Å"Social Good† at 2013 PR News’ CSR Awards THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY sets new standards for advertising food to kids.

Stamp Duty: Policy Evaluation

Stamp Duty: Policy Evaluation EXAMINING STAMP DUTY: AN IDEAL GOVERNMENT REVENUE MACHINE AND A BURDEN TO BRITISH CITIZENS Stamp duty can be a costly part of any number of common transactions in Britain – from buying a home to investing in a U.K. company. In order to truly understand the degree to which this tax impacts a transaction’s bottom line, it is important to understand all the scenarios in which stamp duty is payable as well as determine what type of relief and exemptions are available. Before determining if stamp duty is an ideal tax, it is also vital to gather expert opinions on the various types of stamp duty, the reasons these taxes were created, and how recent changes are affecting British citizens and businesses. While the government may find stamp duty a perfect fulfilment of taxation principles due to its simplicity and the considerable revenue generated, stamp duty seems to be burdensome and impedes the financial success of many residents who dream of homeownership and to those companies who want to increase their market value through the stock exchange system. There are three types of stamp duty: stamp duty, stamp duty land tax, and stamp duty reserve tax. Stamp duty is â€Å"a charge on instruments† (Thomas 2003). Stamp duty is a general term for a tax that is levied on the purchase of shares and on property. While there is a flat rate for the purchase of shares, the rate for property has a range tied to different home purchase price thresholds. Considered a new tax in its own right rather than an offshoot of stamp duty, the stamp duty land tax went into effect on 1 December 2003 (Thomas 2003). This tax is charged to all land transactions whether or not it is actually stamped, or recorded, in a document (Thomas 2003). Included in these transactions are all types of property, including houses, flats, other buildings and land. What it really is considered is a land transaction but it retains the reference to stamp duty to link its activities to the original taxation system (Thomas 2003). The tax must be paid by the person buying the land and it is calculated as a percentage of the total purchase price. No stamp duty land tax is paid on any transaction under  £125,000. One per cent is paid on anything valued between  £125,000 and  £250,000. From  £250,001 to  £500,000, the tax is three per cent and anything valued at  £500,001 is taxed at four per cent (DirectGov 2006). The stamp duty land tax has been â€Å"founded on an entirely new set of concepts† and is â€Å"directly enforceable against the purchaser under a strict new self-assessment regime† (Thomas 2003). While some of the same relief provisions have been carried through from the stamp duty tax, other changes have been made to discourage certain types of transactions. For example, if the purchase price of a property is  £150,000 and the government has designated that area as disadvantaged, no stamp duty land tax is required (DirectGov 2006). Relief provisions that are retained from stamp duty include all the major provisions except that â€Å"group relief, reconstruction and acquisition reliefs, and charities relief† are now designed in a manner that prevents exploitation for â€Å"tax planning purposes† (Thomas 2003). Relief is now available for builders who make purchases in part-exchange as well as for â€Å"transactions not made for chargeable consideration † (Thomas 2003). The stamp land duty tax was designed to achieve a number of purposes. As with any tax, it was created as a way to raise more revenue for the government. The tax does this by stopping the loopholes in the stamp duty that were â€Å"exploited for planning purposes† (Thomas 2003); requiring the purchaser to file a tax return and pay the tax within thirty days of the close of the land transaction (Thomas 2003), and introducing a new upfront levy on the value of the rental stream over the â€Å"full term of the lease instead of on the average annual rent (Thomas 2003). The last of the three types of stamp duty is the stamp duty reserve tax. This tax is paid on any U.K share transactions when a person buys shares in a company that is incorporated in the UK or in a foreign company that maintains a share register in the UK (DirectGov 2006). These shares can be bought through a stockbroker and completed on paper forms or electronically through CREST, the electronic settlement and registration system (DirectGov 2006). The tax is a flat rate of 0.5 per cent based on what is paid for the shares, not what they are worth (DirectGov 2006). A higher rate of 1.5 per cent is paid when shares are transferred into a depository receipt scheme or a clearance service (DirectGov 2006). The fees are paid through the CREST system if a person uses a brokerage but are paid directly if this system is not used (DirectGov 2006). Even if a person does not pay cash but provides something else of value in exchange for the shares, the stamp duty reserve tax is based on the value of what the person gives for those shares (DirectGov 2006). Other situations that require payment of stamp duty reserve tax is when a person buys an option to buy shares, rights arising from shares and an interest in shares (DirectGov 2006).The only time the stamp duty reserve tax does not have to be paid is when shares are given to a person for nothing or a person buys foreign shares. One area where stamp duty revenue tax has been causing some dilemmas is with unit trusts, open-ended investment companies, and the structure of stakeholder pension products. The best example of this is with companies that provide CAT-marked investments: Stamp duty reserve tax arises when investors buy or sell units in the fund, and is generally paid for by the fund. It cannot be forecast accurately in advance, for the ultimate liability will depend on factors beyond the fund managers’ control. Yet this tax must be included in calculating whether charges to investors meet the CAT standard of 1 per cent a year, despite the fact that it is not a charge made by the ISA provider, but a government tax. This has led providers to question the commercial liability implied by offering a CAT-market product (Warland 2000). The net result of the stamp duty reserve tax is that it is â€Å"complex to administer, very difficult for fund investors to understand,† and did raise significant revenue (Warland 2000). It has been argued by the figures within the City of London, including the London Stock Exchange, that stamp duty reserve tax should be scrapped because â€Å"it undermines the competitiveness compared with other financial centres and distorts securities trading† (Wighton 2006). The National Association of Pension Funds says that stamp duty increases transaction costs, which are then passed onto employers (Brown-Humes 2006). Stamp duty reserve tax is also considered controversial because â€Å"it accounts for a greater proportion of overall share transaction costs†¦because broker commissions and other costs have fallen† (Brown-Humes 2006). In looking at the complete stamp duty tax scheme, the changes in the Finance Act of 2003 were intended to bring reform that was considered long overdue as well as infuse the government with much-needed revenue. Prior to that, legislation had been considered outdated and inadequate especially considering the real value that revenue from such a tax could yield (Thomas 2006). Prior to the Finance Act of 2003, the HM Revenue Customs (HMRC)did not have the power to enforce the stamp duty on any transaction that was not properly stamped (Thomas 2006). To the HMRC, â€Å"clamping down on perceived avoidance was the dominant motive for change† (Thomas 2006). To them, it was â€Å"unfair for well-advised taxpayers to avoid paying tax through good planning, as this puts an unfair share of the tax burden onto everyone else† (Thomas 2006). From this philosophy was born the most recent stamp duty requirements. In looking at the principles of taxation, stamp duty is ideal in that it is â€Å"easy to administer and collect† (Brown-Humes 2006). To everyone else outside of the government, the tax is considered less than ideal. As one of the most hotly debated government schemes and deemed a tax on the masses (Barrow 2006), it has been acknowledged by the chancellor that stamp duty land tax does place a burden on the average British citizen. According to figures released in May 2006, stamp duty is raking in revenues of  £1 billion per month (Barrow 2006) between residential and commercial transactions as well as share investment. These figures far surpass any tax amount ever demanded from citizens in Britain’s history (Barrow 2006). . In fact, one writer went as far as to say that the stamp duty has been one of the most lucrative stealth taxes developed by New Labour (O’Kelly 2006). As one economist noted, â€Å"We have now got to the level where it is hitting mainstream home-owners. It’s only going to get worse† (Barrow 2006). According to Halifax, Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, 2.6 million homeowners had to pay stamp duty land tax (Barrow 2006). That equates to fiv e out of six homeowners feeling this burden (Barrow 2006). Another way to slice and dice the figure comes from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. They found that 55 per cent of first-time buyers and 86 per cent of home-movers paid the tax in September. The government has retorted that there are a number of relief provisions in place. It was recently announced that new – no pre-existing dwellings – that are considered â€Å"zero-carbon† homes sill be completely exempt from stamp duty (Goff and Harvey 2006). While attractive to new homeowners, this is not very realistic as many first-time buyers are not prepared to inhabit in such a revolutionary dwelling or they live in an area where there is not enough renewable energy to power these homes (Goff and Harvey 2006). Another move intended to decrease the burden was the announcement last year to increase the threshold at which stamp duty is triggered (Batchelor 2006). As one finance expert noted, â€Å"If stamp duty had kept pace with rising house prices since 1993 the threshold would have been set at  £190,000† instead of  £125,000 (Batchelor 2006). It seems as if the rising house prices are making the new threshold rate seem ineffective as a relief. As Matthew Wyles of the Portman Building Society said, â€Å"Stamp duty continues to be a deeply unfair tax to all who pay it. The burden of this tax will continue to increase unless the government undertakes a radical alteration to its policy in this area and abandons its current strategy of making the occasional cosmetic tweak to the threshold to keep criticism at bay† (Houlder 2006). The chancellor decided to end â€Å"seeding relief,† which was intended to help on â€Å"transfers of property into a unit trust with immediate effect† (Batchelor 2006). Revenue from taking away this relief is expected to raise  £50 million annually (Batchelor 2006). Recent changes also involved not making partnerships that are involved in a trade or profession responsible for stamp duty for land transactions owned by that partnership (Batchelor 2006). It seems as though the government could still use this lucrative tax to levy sellers instead of buyers since it is usually the sellers who are involved in investment schemes. It might even make sense to still gain this revenue from non-residents who tend to speculate in the property market, making home ownership less feasible for the first-time resident buyer (O’Kelly 2006). While it may seem like an ideal tax in the minds of the government and a solution to stopping investors from exploiting the system, it certainly does nothing to help citizens who are already struggling to buy a home let alone pay the stamp duty required on the transaction. Recent announcements to raise interest rates alongside the intense housing price inflation only exacerbate a domestic problem that has been brewing for as long as the stamp duty policies have existed. Homeownership and investment should not create a financial burden for citizens in Britain because the government wants to resort to an overuse of its taxation powers. The concern, however, is that if stamp duty was ever scrapped and the government continued to overspend, whatever tax scheme replaced stamp duty might be a jump from the frying pan into the fire. REFERENCES Barrow, Becky 23 May 2006, Stamp Duty Rakes in  £1bn a Month, Daily Mail. Batchelor, Charles 23 March 2006, Stamp Duty, Financial Times. Brown-Humes, Christopher 21 October 2006, Stamp Duty’s Hidden Benefit: It’s the Devil-you-know Tax, Financial Times. DIRECTGOV 2006, Tax on Buying Shares, Available at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/TaxOnSavingsAndInvestments/TaxOnSavingsAndInvestmentsArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10013514chk=Tac6CP. Goff, Sharlene and Harvey, Fiona 9 December 2006, Exemption from Stamp Duty Seen as Token Gesture, Financial Times. Houlder, Vanessa 7 September 2006, Amount Paid in Stamp Duty Up 30%, Financial Times. O’Kelly, Sebastian 12 March 2006, How Brown is Still Coining It with His Unfair Stamp Duty; the Chancellor is Milking Homebuyers. But Shouldn’t His Stealth Tax Target Sellers Instead? The Mail on Sunday, p. 13. Thomas, Michael 2003, Introduction to Stamp Duty Land Tax, Cambridge University Press. Thomas, Michael March 2006, Stamp Duty Land Tax, 2nd Edition, London: Cambridge University Press. Warland, Phillip 17 February 2000, How Stamp Duty Reserve Tax Threatens Low-Cost Savings, Financial Times. Wighton, David 27 July 2006, Balls Faces Calls to Scrap Stamp Duty, Financial Times. Clinical Psychology: History, Influences and Applications Clinical Psychology: History, Influences and Applications Myrto Giannakopoulou â€Å"Each student is expected to select info and produce an information pack targeted at a field/career of his/her interest in Psychology (e.g. Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Cognitive Psychology – for example, you can select information via observing or/and interviewing a professional [preferable] or secondary reading). The above package will be accompanied by an academic, reflective essay supporting the choice above (e.g. explain your interest on this scientific area of Psychology, describe the basic issues of the professional’s interest in this field, refer to the basic taught psychological terms and concepts that you noticed to this scientific area, etc.)†. Nowadays, applied psychology has four main sub-categories which are clinical, educational, occupational/industrial and criminological/legal. Clinical psychology refers to treating emotional and behavioral disorders. Educational psychologists work with children and adolescents and their families and they give more importance in the efficacy of teaching and learning methods. Occupational psychology is applied into workplaces in order to improve the productivity of the employees and to increase the levels of job satisfaction. Criminological psychology is involved in the criminal and legal system and facilities such as prisons and courts or the police force. It has two branches, forensic and investigative psychology. In this project we are going to analyze the field of Clinical psychology. Clinical Psychology is a part of applied Psychology and it focuses on the treatment and understanding of behavioral and psychological problems. Clinical psychology is often confused with psychiatry because clinical psychologists also work with people with mental disorders and they use the same methods of therapies. Their difference is that psychiatrists can give medicine, thus clinical psychologists are forbidden to do so. Clinical psychology was developed in 1896, when Lightner Witmer, who is regarded as the father of Clinical psychology, established the first psychological clinic in the University of Pennsylvania. The clients of Witmers clinic were children with learning difficulties and with behavioural disorders. Next, in 1904 Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon created the Binet-Simon scale which is a test that can identify children with mental disablement and children with normal mentality and it influenced the development of clinical psychology in USA. Witmer denied the helpfulness of this scale and this is why he disappeared from the scene of clinical psychology. Later, in the early 20s, the psychiatrist William Healy established the Juvenile Psychopathic Institute, the worlds first child guidance clinic. Additionally, Healy in his clinic used the Binet-Simon scale for the children and adapted Freuds theory for the unconventional behaviour. Clinical psychology has been influenced from human physiology. For example, the term psychopathology includes the words pathology (disease) and psyche, which means that mental disorders have a biological basis. In other words, a mental disorder is considered as a dysfunction in the physiology of a person that appears in his behaviour. According to the medicine, the causes of a mental disorder are separated in three general categories: the infectious diseases (e.g. encephalitis which is an inflammation of the brain and its symptoms are familiar with those of dementia, such as memory loss), diseases that are related with the dysfunction of a human organ (e.g. diabetes) and traumatic diseases that arise from external or environmental causes (e.g. a hit in the head can cause cerebral hemorrhage and can also provoke problems in behavior such as coma, memory loss, and personality disorder). Clinical psychologists do more than talk to people who are distressed about personal matter. They often do different types of activities from teaching to psychotherapy to laboratory research and this is why they need to have a special training program in clinical psychology. After obtaining their degree, they can apply for a master course in clinical psychology, which usually lasts three years and at the same time do their apprenticeship, in order to gain experience in their field. Furthermore, research is the basis of all clinical psychology activities. Research programs, help to understand which approach could be more effective for a clinical problem such as depression, anxiety, eating, or panic disorders, personality disorders, phobias, etc. They can also focus on various populations like families, couples, ethnic minority groups such as gay, lesbians, etc. Although not all of the clinical psychologists are involved with research, they should be informed about other researches, in order to improve their own clinical work. Most of them use various tests or questionnaires to help them to their work or to their research. These tests have many measures, such as cognitive, behavioral, neuropsychological etc. On the other hand, in research there are certain problems. The most important is the fact that the researchers and the participants are human and the results are not solid, because the participants behave in a different way than their ordinary life, for example they are too defensive because they try to hide their thoughts from the researchers or they behave too normal, because they know how the experiment works. This happens because the participants are part of the society and n this way they try to be socially accepted and it is known as the Hawthorn effect. Despite all that, psychologists try to use multiple ways of reducing such effects, for example by using double-blind questionnaires. Another important practice that is used in the fields of Psychology is the Evidence-based practice (EBP). It is a process that involves â€Å"the conscientious, explicit, judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients† (Sackett, Rosenberg, Gray, Haynes, Richardson, 1996). Specifically, this practice gives to therapists a general guidance for addressing any given disorder in the best possible manner, based on research that they can use, but even if they don’t follow it to the letter is not wrong as long as they act in accordance to their professional experience. Although, it must be pointed out that these guidelines are general and do not take into account each person’s individuality and uniqueness. Another approach to EBP is the Ideograpdic one that takes into account each individual person and its singularity and is used by most health professions. Furthermore, there are three circles of Evidence Based Clinical practice, also known as the† three -legged stool†. The first circle represents the best available research proof, the second circle represents clinical expertness and finally the third circle includes the patient values, the preferences, the characteristics and the circumstances. Those three have to be combine in order to achieve the best clinical practice. Overall, Clinical Psychology is a complex field that parallels the complexity of human behavior and emotion and it combines and links human behaviour to stimulus created by people external environment such as everyday human relationships and interactions, health etc, and it explains the way it affects us. References: Barker M. (2003). Introductory Psychology: History, Themes and Perpectives, Crucial Kendall D., C., Norton Ford J., D. (1982). Clinical Psychology: Scientific and professional dimensions. New York: J. Wiley. Plante T., G., (2005). Contemporary Clinical Psychology, New Jersey: J. Wiley Sons, Inc. Sackett, D. L., Wennberg, J. E. (1997). Choosing the best research design for each question. British Medical Journal, 315, 1636. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol (2007). Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Psychology: What It Is, Why It Matters; What You Need to Know. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 611-631

Building Cyborgs in He She and It Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Mo

Building Cyborgs in He She and It Wouldn't you love to create your perfect man or woman? How about if they were a machine built only for you? The idea of artificial intelligence and cyborgs (human-like machines which can think) is not as far away as we might think. In the novel, He She and It, Marge Piercy brings this interesting aspect of future technology to the forefront. The hero of this exciting novel is a cyborg named Yod. He was built with the hope of protecting a small independent Jewish town from being destroyed by the surrounding large corporation cities. He was built by a man but programmed by a woman. This dynamic is shown even in the title, He She and It. Yod is built biologically like a man, programmed by a woman, and not actually human. Although Yod was programmed for protection, he was also given the ability to learn, think, and feel. Because of these abilities he thought like a human would. He had human-like qualities and emotions but none of the rights that go along with being human. Because Yod was built for protection this is the only job he was expected to do. No one thought about him falling in love, wanting to be a husband and a father, and wanting a life for himself; "I had only been fully engaged or bored. I had been puzzled. I had been frightened. I had been angry. But I had never been happy until we came back here with Ari and you told him I was his stepfather."(pg 364) Yod said this to his lover in a passionate moment in the novel. Does this sound like a being that thinks and feels? It sure does. So the real question that this novel brings up is now that artificial intelligence is on its way, how far should we go with it and if we do create a sentient being what rights does it have. Piercy sho... ... personal cyborg, I think I would program it to be compassionate and with a thorough knowledge of message. This way I could come home at the end of a long day and tell it all of my worries while having the stress massaged out. (I hope my husband doesn’t get jealous!) Ah, the simple dreams of a middle class American. Again, however, the issue becomes if they are more then robots programmed to do our bidding and they have human-like qualities, then they deserve more then a slave’s life. If we create a being able to make choices it is then unfair to place them in a position of servitude. Until we are able to truly say that any being with a conscious deserves rights and are willing to give them those rights, we need to stick to our computers and robots. Artificial intelligence is more then creating a technology, it is creating a being and that is an awesome thought.

John Steinbeck The Pearl Essay -- essays research papers

The Pearl John Steinbeck Kino, is a poor Indian fisherman who lives on the Gulf of California with his wife Juana and baby son Coyotito. They are very poor but happy family. When he finds the â€Å"pearl of the world† he believes that wonderful things will come from selling it. As he tries to sell the pearl he realizes that the local businessmen will cheat him and decides to travel to sell it. When it is realized that Kino has murdered the man who tried to steal his prize possession the family is forced to run from their village. Trackers are sent to find them and, in desperation and rage Kino kills the men, not realizing that their gunfire has killed his son. The pearl was supposed to bring him happiness and money but instead it brings death and evil. In spite of being poor, Kino is happy,...

Cyrano De Bergerac is Aristotles High Minded Man Essay -- essays rese

Le Haut Homme Occupà © D'Aristote In Cyrano De Bergerac, written originally by Edmond Rostand in French and translated to English by Brian Hooker, Cyrano de Bergerac stars in an epic of his fictional life as a high minded man. Aristotle, a great philosopher, states that a high minded man must have a mind that is concerned with all great things. Now, what are these "great things"? There are plenty of great things that a high minded man must value. I have chosen to explore three of them to show that Cyrano is an example of Aristotle?s high minded man. The first great thing is honor, Cyrano is a very honorable person. The second one is helping people but not asking for anything in return, Cyrano likes to help those in need, even when he does not receive any credit. The third one is bravery, courage, and never asking for help, Cyrano, even at the edge of existence, does not ask for any assistance from others to stay alive. Therefore, Cyrano is a great example of Aristotle's high minded man. Defined in the ?Webster?s II? dictionary, the word ?honor? means respect and reputation. Conseque...

Bacillus Cereus

B cereus has been discovered since 1955 as a cause of food poisoning (Luna etal 2007). 52 cases of food borne diseases connected with B cereus were reported in the interval between 1972 and 1986 and only two cases were reported in 2003 which represent about 2 % of the actual cases due to underreporting and many of the case go undiagnosed(Benenson 1990) . According to the south Carolina department of Health and Environmental control and CDC,close to 25% of state public health laboratory do not carry out B cereus testing routinely (Kramer& Gilbert 1989).The Centre for Disease Control estimates that 97% of all cases of food poisoning come from improper food handling; 79% of cases result from food prepared in commercial or institutional establishments and 21% of cases result from food prepared at home (Terranova & Blaker 1978). The most common etiologies are as follows: (1) leaving prepared food at temperatures that allow bacterial growth, (2) inadequate cooking or reheating, (3) cross-c ontamination, and (4) infection in food handlers (Blaker 1978).Cross-contamination may occur when raw contaminated food comes in contact with other foods, especially cooked foods, through direct contact or indirect contact on food preparation surfaces. Bacteria cause approximately 75% of the outbreaks of food poisoning and for 80% of the cases with a known cause in the United States (Blaker 1978). As many as 1 in 10 Americans has diarrhea due to food-borne infection each year. The 2 syndromes associated with B cereus food poisoning include short incubation or emetic syndrome with I.C=1-6 hours and the long incubation or Diarrhea syndrome with I. C=6-24 hours (Kramer 1989). Fried rice is the leading cause of emetic syndrome in the US (Bean 1990; Terronova 1978). Heat stable emetic toxin (ETE) is responsible for the short incubation period syndrome while the heat labile enterotoxin is responsible for the long incubation syndrome (Bean etal 1990) Syndrome Types of Bacillus Cereus food poisoning Bacillus cereus food poisoning has two varieties namely the emetic syndrome as well as the diarrhea syndrome types. B.cereus has some toxins responsible for its pathology and such toxins produces diseases that tally more with intoxication than absolute food poisoning. The emetic type can usually be confused with staphylococcal food poisoning due to its short incubation period (Luna etal 2007). However staph aureus being an important cause of food poisoning produces infection following growth in protein and carbohydrate foods. The enterotoxins of S aureus are super antigens and are heat stable making them resistant to the action of gut enzymes .As small as 25 microgram of enterotoxin B can produce diarrhea and nausea (Luna etal 2007). The emetic effect of this toxin is believed to be as a result of central nervous effect following the action of the toxins on the gut neural receptors (Ficker etal 2007). Some strains of staph aureus produce enterotoxins during their developme nt in meat, dairy foods and other food products and characteristically, this food usually has been recently prepared but has not been properly refrigerated. Almost 6 distinct types of staph enterotoxins exist.Following the swallowing of the preformed toxin, it is taken in by the gut mucosa and subsequently stimulates neural receptors and this stimulus is transferred to the vomiting centre in the brain and this projectile form of vomiting usually occur after few hours and it is less frequently associated with diarrhea and staph food poisoning is regarded as the commonest form. The food poisoning due to staphylococcus are usually associated with a smaller incubation period when compared with B cereus (from 1 to 8 hours).It is also associated with a very violent, copious nausea, diarrhea and vomiting all occurring in the absence of fever(Benenson 1990). It should be noted that with the emetic type where the incubation period is 2-8 hours, the prominent symptom is vomiting whereas in th e diarrhea type with incubation period of 8-16 hours the prominent symptom is diarhoea. Other species of bacillus are infrequently associated with human pathologies and difficulty arises in differentiating superficial contamination with B cereus from the authentic disease caused by this same organism .About 5 species of the Bacillus are aetiologic agents in insects and they include: B larvae, B lentimorbus,B sphericus,B papillae and B thurigiences and some of them have been taken advantage of by their use as insecticides(Fricker etal 2007) . Incorporation of the gene from B thuringiesis into some commercial plants has been recently achieved and this subsequently has generated a lot of controversies among the activists on environmental issues about the safety of these genetically fashioned food and plants products (Guerrant and Bobac 1991).Food types associated with food poisoning While the emetic type is associated with foods like fried rice and in fact the leading cause in the US ( Black low &Greeberg 1991), the diarrhea syndrome is associated with the likes of sauces and meat. The short incubation type is linked with fried rice that is cooked and kept warm for many hours and is also often associated with Chinese foods. A previous outbreak has revealed macaroni and also cheese from milk being the source of the bacterium.Incubation Period of the two syndromes of B. cereus that causes Food poisoning In the emetic type the diarrhea usually last for about 24 hours and it usually start 1-5 hours after the ingestion of the food substance like rice and it may also follow the ingestion of pasta foods. Food poisoning of the long incubation period i. e. 10 to 24 hours is the diarrhea type and this type may be confused with clostridia food poisoning. Mechanism of action ETE-forms small molecules, channels and holes in membranes.HBL-stimulates intestinal fluid secretion by various mechanisms including activation of adenylate cyclase and pore formation. Toxin of B-cereus i nclude emetic toxin (ETE), Nhe and EntK. Only 2 of the 3 enterotoxins participate in the causation of food poisoning and they consist of 3 different protein substitute acting together. HBL is a haemolysin while Nhe is not . EntK is a single component protein and not associated with food poisoning (Terranova&Blaker 1978). The 3 enterotoxins of B cereus have cytotoxic effect and they act on cell membranes forming holes and channels in them.People at risk of developing food poisoning The high risk population for food poisoning includes the older adults and this is due to the fact that as you get older, your immune system may not respond as quickly and as effectively to infectious organisms as when you were younger (Blacklow & Greeberg 1999). The Similar explanation goes for Infants and young children because of the immaturity of their gastrointestinal tract and also their immune systems haven’t been so fully developed.People with chronic diseases are also at risk of food poisoni ng because having a chronic condition, such as diabetes or AIDS, or receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer reduces your immune response. Clinical features The clinical symptoms produced by the emetic type include abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and self limiting type of diarrhea. The clinical symptoms of the diarrhea or long term incubation syndrome include fever and vomiting in rare cases but most prominent symptoms are profuse diarrhea and abdominal pain.The intestinal toxin is usually preformed but it can be produced inside the intestinal tract (Kramer &Gilbert 1989). To make a meaningful diagnosis of this organism, one will require that a load of about 105 of the organism is present in the feaces and just the presence of the organism not up to this maximum concentration is not enough to diagnose. Also importantly, B cereus is an important aetiologic agent of eye diseases such as panopthalmitis, endopthalmitis and infection of the cornea too .This organism during a traumatic event is usually inoculated into the eye and it usually does this via the foreign body introduced into the eye. Both local and system problems have been reported associated with B cereus and it’s been associated with medical foreign devices such as braces, prosthetic valves, and some invasive procedures like passage of urinary catheter, nasogastric tube and chest tubes. Some of the associated systemic problems caused by the organism include meningitis and encephalitis, pneumonia, osteomylitis, as well as endocarditis.The use of intravenous drugs also predisposes to infections by B cereus (Bean &Griffith 1990). The organism lives inside the soil and it is a common finding that it contaminates foods like rice (Jones and Blicslayer 2002). The toxins production usually occur when large amount of rice is prepared and then allowed to cool down which subsequently lead to the growth of the spores and the vegetative form now synthesize the toxins and all these occur in th e log phase growth period or during the process of sporulation.Clostridium is the third leading cause of bacteria food borne epidemics following salmonella and staphylococcus aurues The enterotoxin it produces causes a self resolving gastroenteritis and it does this by binding to the brush border membrane receptor and therefore binding to abdominal wall mucosa, interrupting the exchange of ion and the resultant effect is the loss of ions and low molecular weight metabolic products (Benenson 1990). The time of onset of the clinical manifestation is usually between 8 and 16 hours i.e. earlier than that of B cerues and it follows the ingestion of the organism itself. Although it is also associated with abdominal pain and diarrhea but less commonly with systemic problems. Another species of the clostridium family is clostridium difficile is usually associated with over 25% of antibiotic associated diarrhea and 95% cases of psedomembraneous enterocolitis and the organism produces two ent erotoxins (exotoxin A&B). Some of the precipitant antibiotics include clindamicin and ampicillin.However the diarrhea of B cereus infection does not follow antibiotics use. The clinical picture of C difficile diarrhea includes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain as well as greenish voluminously large amount of diarrhea (Blacklow and Greeberg 1991). Protoscopy will show pseudo membranes and microabscesses with an erythematous mucosa and the diagnosis is confirmed by demonstrating toxins in the stool and the current treatment of choice includes oral metronidazole (Fricker etal 2007). Other aetiologic agents of food poisoningOther bacteria organism toxins that have been implicated to cause food poisoning include those of Vibro cholera, Yersina enterolitica, and Aeromonas species. However the exact role of the organism and their toxins in pathogenesis is not well delineated except for V cholerae. C perfirigens is another aetiologic agent responsible for food poisoning (Jones&Blikslaker 200 2). Case Study 1 Father, mother and 2 children with respective ages 34, 28, 6 and 4 presented in a hospital because of passage of watery stool and fever all of 6-12 hours duration.There was history of eating green salad beans, ground meat and tortillas prepared by someone else in an encampment because they are migrant farm worker family. It was also found out later that another 7 month old child in the family had not taken the food and was found to be well. The children started having abdominal discomfort, diarhoa and fever 24 hours later and the symptoms have been continuous since the previous 12 hours and both affected children have been having bloody stool.The parents also started having similar symptoms 5 and 7 hours ealier excluding visible bloody stool. There was history that some other persons in the encampment had similar symptoms in the past 2 weeks and that the camp’s hygienic state is poor. Both children are warm to touch on examination as well as the parents and h ave increased heartbeat and the children also appeared to lack fluid . A mount of their stool revealed white cells that fight infections and the faeces of the children were blood stained. Comments and explanationGenerally speaking, vomiting, nausea, fever abdominal pain and diarrhea are the major key symptoms of infection of the gastrointestinal tract and the main symptom will depend on the cause whether it is a toxin or invasive or a combination of the two (Guerrant &Bobak 1991). Usually, nausea and vomiting are often related with preformed toxins in food. For instance, B cereus and staph aureus can generate enterotoxins in food and this usually happen few hours after the ingestion of the food substance (Guerrant &Bobak 1991).The likes of enterotoxins of enterotoxigenic E coli and Vibrio Cholera usually affect the superior aspect of the bowel to cause watery and massive diarhoea. As in the above scenario, invasive bacteria penetrate the colonic mucosal and cause abdominal pain with blood and mucous associated with fever and dehydration and this constellation of symptoms are regarded to as dysentery and the implicated aetiologic are for dysentery are:Entamoeba histolytica,Clostridium difficile ,enteroinvasive E. coli,salmonella ,campylobacter jejuni.The above children were admitted in the hospital and treated and parents were also treated as outpatients with fluids and drugs and this is followed by public health sanitary measures in the camp. In conclusion, food poisonings are very common most especially in the developing parts of the world with high morbidity and mortality most especially among infants and children (Kramer &Gilbert 1989). Therefore of value are public health preventive measures by the provision of good water supply as well as sanitary and hygienic water and food supply.(Guerrant RL, Bobak DA: Bacterial and protozoa gastroenteritis. N Engl J Med 1991; 325:32). Case study 2 A reported incidence of acute gastrointestinal infection occurred in Ju ly 21, 1993 among the members of staff as well as the pupils of a co-owned child day care school after a catered lunch. This lunch was served for eating to 82 pupils of the day care centre to children between the age of 6 and less and the children are 82 in number along with 9 staff members. Past dietary history was gotten from 80 individuals and 67 were said to participate in the lunch.An individual at the day care made a case definition of vomiting. Among those served and who ate at the lunch, 21 %( 14) became sick and 13 did not. The symptoms observed ranged from diarrheal in 14 %,pain in 30% case and nausea in 71% case. 12 out of the 14 instances occurred among the children from ages 2. 5-5 and 2 other members of staff. Stastical analysis reveals that the median incubation period was 2 hours(the range is 1. 5-3. 5 hours). The resolution of symptoms took place over median interval of 4 hours following the onset(range 1. 5-22 hours).Among the dishes served in the local restaurant, only chicken fried rice was linked with notable illness and the problem occurred among 14(29%) out of the 48 individuals who ate the chicken fried rice in comparison to none of the 16 individuals who did not eat. The implicated rice was prepared the night preceding the incidence on July 20 under room temperature before it was refrigerated. The report also confirms that the rice was heated in oil with the slices of the cooked chicken on the morning of the lunch, then handed over to the daycare centers at around 10:30 am without refrigeration and served at noon without rewarming it.As a subsequence to the outbreak the advice by the health personnel to the restaurant officials and daycare staff was to stop the custom of cooling of rice or any other food at room temperature henceforth and that food should be kept at appropriate temperature of 5 degree or above 60 degree and that the temperature should be confirmed by a thermometer. Analysis of the case study 2 This short incubation syn drome variety of the disease which featured in this outbreak is overseen by highly stable toxin that can withstand enzymatic effect as well as extremes of temperature and PH.The diarrhea syndromic type is mediated on the other hand by an acid and heat labile intestinal toxin affected by the effect of the proteolytic enzymes like pepsin, trypsin etc. To make a diagnosis of Food poisoning, it is essential to isolate more than 10 5organisms per gramme from the epidemiologically implicated food substance . The self resolving as well as the lack of severity in most cases account for the reason B cereus is underreported(qtd in Todar 2004). Moreover recent research reveals that close to 20 % public health laboratory do not have the facility for the routine test for B cereus.In the United States, the leading cause of the emetic syndrome type or the â€Å"Short incubation syndrome† type of B. cereus is fried rice. As discussed before that B cereus more often than not is found in uncoo ked rice where the heat resistant spores also withstand and survive cooking. The survival of the vegetative form is a possibility after cooked rice is placed in an incubator as it generates heat stable toxin substance which can withstand heating(Kramer &Gilbert 1989). In this described scenario, the vegetative form must have proliferated at the food joint and also at the day care centre while the rice was being kept at room temperature.The problem is the unawareness of the restaurant food workers that certain danger is associated with cooked rice potentially. It’s imperative from the report the need to properly inform food handlers about fundamental rules and customs for hygienic healthy and safe food management and handling (Benenson 1990). Web Review of Todar's Online Textbook of Bacteriology. â€Å"The Good, the Bad, and the Deadly†. (SCIENCE Magazine- June 4, 2004 – Vol 304: p. 1421). Retrieved from www. textbookofbacteriology. net on May20, 2009. Bibliograp hy Bean NH, Griffin PM.Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States, 1973-1987: pathogens, vehicles, and trends. Journal of Food Protection 1990; 53:804-17. Benenson AS, ed. Control of communicable diseases in man. 15th ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1990:177-8. Kramer JM, Gilbert RJ. Bacillus cereus and other Bacillus species. In: Doyles MP, ed. Foodborne bacterial pathogens. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc, 1989:21-70. Terranova W, Blake PA. Bacillus cereus food poisoning. N Engl J Med 1978;298:143-4. Luna, V. A. , King, D. S. , Gulledge, J. , Cannons, A.C. , Amuso, P. T. , Cattani, J. (2007). Susceptibility of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus pseudomycoides and Bacillus thuringiensis to 24 antimicrobials using Sensititre(R) automated microbroth dilution and Etest(R) agar gradient diffusion methods. J Antimicrob Chemother 60: 555-567 Fricker, M. , Messelhausser, U. , Busch, U. , Scherer, S. , Ehling-Schulz, M. (2007). Diagn ostic Real-Time PCR Assays for the Detection of Emetic Bacillus cereus Strains in Foods and Recent Food-Borne Outbreaks. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 1892-1898Blacklow NR, Greenberg HB: Bacteria gastroenteritis Engl J Med1991; 325:252. Guerrant RL, Bobac DA: Bacteria and Protozoal gastroenteritis. N England J Med 1991; 325:327. Mckay DM intestinal inflammation and the gut microflora. Can J gastroenterocol 13:509, 1999. Jones SL, Blikslaker AT: the role of the enteric nervous system in the in the Pathophysiology of secretory diarhoea. J Vet Intern Med 16:222, 2002. Guerrant RL et al: Practice guidelines for the management of infectious diarrhea. Clin Infect Dis 2001;32:331. Guerrant RL, Bobak DA: Bacterial and protozoal gastroenteritis. N Engl J Med 1991;325:327.

Earned Value Management System Essay

Earned Value Management System (EVMS) guiding principles incorporate top business practices to give strong benefits for program or enterprise planning and control. The process includes the incorporation of program scope, schedule, and cost objectives, establishment of a baseline plan for success during the execution of a program. The structure provides a solid foundation for problem recognition, corrective actions, and management replanning if required. This system helps program management integrate the work scope of a program with the schedule and cost elements for most favorable program planning and control. There are three basic elements of earned value management which are: Planned Value (PV) Actual cost (AC) and earned value (EV) each of these elements are used on a standard basis as of a reporting date. Planned value (PV) is the total cost of the work schedule calculated as PV or BCWS=Hourly Rate* Total Hours Planned or Scheduled. Actual cost (AC) is the cost taken to complete the work as of a reporting date calculated as AC or ACWP=Hourly Rate* Total Hours Spent. Earned value (EV) is the total cost of the work completed/performed as of a reporting date calculated as EV or BCWP=Baseline Cost* % Complete Actual. Some of the principles involved with earned valued management system (EVMS) are as follows: * EVMS information is used in the organization’s management processes. * Create a plan for all work scope in the program– from beginning to end. * Have a structured breakdown of the program work scope into set pieces that can be assigned to a liable person or organization for control of technical, schedule, and cost objectives. Utilize actual costs acquired and documented in accomplishing the work performed. * Incorporate program work scope, schedule and cost objectives into a performance measurement baseline plan against which accomplishments may be measured. The fundamental nature of earned value management is that, providing a stage of detail appropriates for the amount of technical, schedule, and cost risk or uncertainty connected with the program, a target planned value (i. e budget) is created for each scheduled element of work. As work is completed, their target planned values are â€Å"earned†. Summing up the earned value management system– it is an efficient project management process used to find variances in projects based on the comparison of work accomplished and work planned. The Gold Card is individual-sheet reference that provides definitions of common Earned Value (EV) terminology. It lists EV metric equations, and labels the most common EV graph. It also summarizes the EVM policy and EVM contracting requirements. At the bottom contact information to the EVM home page is provided. Other elements located on the Gold Card are variances, overall status, DoD metrics, baseline execution index (BEI), estimate at completion number, and complete performance index (TCPI). A structured breakdown of contract prices that branches off all the way down to work packages and planning packages is displayed on the Gold Card. The earned value management Gold Card is a handy reference tool for project managers to use for their own personal use.

Chinese history Essay

250 Word Essay One of the most important aspects of ancient Chinese history is the formation of the Silk Road, a trade route which spanned two continents and put China on the map as one of the most important import/export countries in the ancient world. It’s beginnings were smaller in scale as it only encompassed the Chinese Empire itself but it became apparent, after Zhang Qian made contact with Central Asian tribes, that the expansion the trade route would benefit both China and other Asian nations. It continued to expand under the Han dynasty and into Roman times (Beauty).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most important reasons for its formation as a major trade route was fear of marauding gangs that were eager to obtain the many goods that Chinese merchants filled their caravans with: silk, gemstones, incense, spices, and blue and white porcelain were just some fo the cargo traveled along the Silk Road. The Chinese army was even beefed up in order to protect this special route that helped to keep China’s economy booming. It’s reach expanded throughout China and Asia and eventually commerce was developed between the Roman Empire and China (Newton).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The long-term impact of the Silk Road on Chinese culture and history were that it literally brought a strong economy to China, and brought the goods and customs of other cultures into its borders. The traders, including Zhang Qian in 138 B.C.E., were able to learn economic, military, and geographical information that would help in the roads expansion and with Chinese military success. The Silk Road was so important to the culture of both the Eastern and Western world because during Roman times, even the lower socioeconomic classes depended upon the goods that were imported from China on the Silk Road, and even the religion of Buddhism was spread by way of the Silk Road. Its impact on the world was huge and its impact on Chinese culture even more prominent (Newton). Works Cited â€Å"The Silk Road.† Beauty, the Land of China. ThinkQuest. 19 Jan. 2007 . â€Å"The Silk Road.† Newton Public Schools. 19 Jan. 2007 .       100 Word Assignment  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most surprising aspects of my research about the Silk Road was the vast expanse of space which is encompassed. It’s amazing how far the caravans had to travel and how large they were. From all accounts the Silk Road was dangerous to those traveling it because of the terrain and yet it was such an integral part of Chinese history and lasted for many years, even expanding. The images of the Silk Road that I could find reminded me the regal images of Chinese royalty, for some reason. It’s as if everyone is perceived as being clothed in silk from head to toe, even the camels! I definitely see how difficult the trip must have been because of the limited means of transportation that the merchants had access to, and how they could easily become victims of a raid for their goods. I also thought that it was interesting that Buddhism itself was virtually spread by way of the Silk Road. I was surprised to see that the Silk Road is being revitalized for tourism purposes and that there are many tour groups that specialize in trips just along the route that used to be traveled by Chinese merchants in ancient times.

Edward Bloom

Who is Edward Bloom? By: Michael Preciutti Edward Bloom is a hero. He is a man driven with optimism, cares for others and makes their lives better, and he is a man that wants only to be remembered when he passes away. It is his charming good looks and his ability to create a friendship with whomever he becomes acquainted with, which enables Edward to stay a remembered hero. But what keeps him most separated from the usual person is his astounding ways in which he tells his stories. Blooms stories tell of a man filled with courage, honor, leadership, and great strength, all of which are characteristics of an epic hero.As a child he began to show signs of such characteristics when he was pressured by his friends to sneak into an old witches house to steal her glass eye. Of course, the witch took a liking to him and he found himself a new friend. Such an act most vividly displays an immense sense of courage and honor towards his word. In another scene, the young man is asked by his town to ward off of an evil creature that has destroyed several buildings. Bloom realizes thought that the creature was only a man†¦ a very large man living in a very small town.The man’s name was Karl and he found it hard to fit in as Edward points out, â€Å"Most things considered evil are just lonely. † Such leadership as Edward Bloom creates in the scene is also found throughout the rest of the film. Edward Bloom is a hero not only because he helps people like Karl, or journey’s through scary woods barefoot, or even because he was hit by a carnival ride that sent him flying three hundred feet in the air and survived without a single injury, but also because he is remembered for more than a lifetime.His stories live forever, as well as his life’s adventures. Edward Blood exemplifies what it means to be a hero. A hero is supposed to be courageous, strong, loyal, and most importantly, remembered. Edwards’s stories had been told so many times that they had allowed him to become immortal. He was a perennial figure amongst those he knew his stories.

Preparing Research Questions and Hypotheses Assignment

Preparing Research Questions and Hypotheses - Assignment Example Alvesson and Sandberg (2011) suggest that identifying and constructing gaps in existing theories is one way of generating research questions. Additionally, Toledo, Flikkema, and Toledo-Pereyra (2011) suggest that a necessary ingredient of a well-developed and sound research study is a research hypothesis since it contributes to solving the research problem. Variables requiring full-value assessment and close correlation leads to the formulation of a complex hypothesis. On the other hand, the hypothesis can be very simple hypothesis is formulated depending on the undertaken protocol.   Bansal and Corley (2012) state that in quantitative research, careful and adequate preparation is vital to the plan that is laid down at the commencement of the research can be faithfully executed. In qualitative research, idea exploration is the main activity. Bahà §ekapili, et al., (2013) say that scientific research, which is a quantitative research, is a process that usually starts with a problem and the willingness to solve that problem before generating a research report on a particular topic. This explains why it is inappropriate to formulate hypotheses for a qualitative study.   In conclusion, appropriate research questions generation together hypotheses formulation in relation to topic scope is the starting point of an effective research study. It is also important to remember that hypothesis formulation is appropriate for a quantitative research study.   

Marketing to Uncle Sam- Contract administration and management Essay

Marketing to Uncle Sam- Contract administration and management - Essay Example A good example of an aspect that has been developed for vendors by GSA is the Vendor Toolbox. This entails a collection of resources that assist the vendors in deciding whether having a GSA Schedule is their priority (Stanberry, 2012). A Vendor Toolbox is made up of three major steps. These include research, analyze and decide. One of the notable methods that I would use to market my products or services to the US government is through internet. In its effort to ensure effective communication and coordination among its agencies, the US government has ensured that every federal agency has a website. Thus, as an owner of a small business I should as a first step visit such websites. In this way I will become aware of the services that are demanded by the agencies. Through the use of FedBizOpps, I will be in a position to identify the federal procurements that are available. My preference for websites and FedBizOpps is based on the fact that each business day, large numbers of notices are posted on the agencies

Psychological Assessment of Breast Cancer Patient Essay

Psychological Assessment of Breast Cancer Patient - Essay Example This paper carries out a psychosocial assessment of Irene’s case, a 51-year old female who is diagnosed with breast cancer. After identifying major psychosocial issues using Spade’s framework a treatment plan is formulated and discussed. Psychosocial Vital Signs Perception: Due to her age Irene may overestimate her current illness. According to the profile, she is already experiencing some levels of anxiety due to the absence of counselling. Perhaps due to the absence of her two children, and the limited support that her husband can give her, Irene perceives her health condition as life-threatening and something extremely depressing. Personality Style: Irene shows needs for protection and support. Yet she shows a degree of determination and optimism. She assures herself every now and then that she will be okay. But then relapses to depression when she thinks of her relationship with her husband after the surgery. She afterwards becomes bitter because of the thought that her husband will be disappointed of her and see her unattractive after the surgery. Irene displays efforts to hide or repress her emotions. Support: The current support that Irene has comes from her husband, whom she lives with, her surgeon, and her breast care nurse. Later on, after the surgery, Irene will be supported by a multidisciplinary team. Other possible sources of support are her children and other close relatives. Due to the constant support from her husband, Irene’s perception of her health condition erratically shifts from lack of concern to anxiety. Coping: Irene seems to be coping with her health illness by seeking for social support and controlling her emotions. Anxiety: Irene is experiencing four major anxieties. First is the thought that her husband will be dissatisfied of her after the surgery; second is the possibility of surgical failure; third is her belief that old age brings many infirmities; and fourth is the thought that due to her age she will be e xperiencing other illnesses aside from breast cancer. Cultural Issues: The diagnosis evidently affects Irene’s self-worth as a woman. She obviously adheres to the assumption that women’s breasts are marks of womanliness and beauty. Hence Irene seems to be having second thoughts about seeking treatment. Lifestyle Information: She currently lives with her husband .She works as a receptionist at a plumbing supply store. She is a non-smoker and drinks two glasses of wine each week. As shown in the profile, there seems to be no indication that Irene will develop breast cancer. Major issues risked by the current health event for Mike: Irene’s diagnosis has perhaps the same psychosocial effects on her as those of Mike. Mike, early on in the diagnosis, displays signs of distress and despair. Irene’s health condition may also lead to marital problems, severe financial or resource constraints, and family maladjustments. Based on Irene’s psychosocial vital si gns, three major psychological needs are identified, which are (1) support for psychological distress, (2) appropriate coping strategies, (3) and psychosocial support for Irene’s husband and entire family. The psychosocial assessment identifies anxiety and despair as the most obvious