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

HRD - Essay Example One aspect that has to be considered is the utilization focused evaluation (UFE) approach that seeks to maximize ownership, understanding, and use of findings by the intended user (Stetson, 2). All stakeholders have to be involved in all stages of an evaluation, raging from sensitizing an outsider evaluator about the program context, improving accuracy of reported findings, and finally identifying any feasible recommendation that has to be implemented (Stetson, 3). Below is a case study of an evaluation process in Global Net Inc., a giant IT Organization. After visiting the human resources department for the intended interview, a representative from the department was obligated to answer to our questions and take us through the detailed intervention program. According to the representative, a program that had been reviewed in the last one year was the graduate recruitment program. The graduate recruitment program according to the representative was critical to the company; it is a strategic program through which the company outsourced quality graduates from leading universities to join the organization family. The graduate recruitment program according to the representative was strategically designed such that it included representatives from all departments who responsible for taking the graduates through a detailed and vigorous orientation program in two weeks; the program involves close observation of each graduate’s abilities, knowledge, ease to learn, and assimilate content, effective communication, and attitude, and a re port prepared on each graduate. The graduates who score the highest on both genders are thus selected to join the organization from the training school coordinated by the human resources department. According to the representative, the primary purpose of carrying out the evaluation was a demand by the organization departmental heads to evaluate the recruitment program and determine if it corresponded to the

Bussines environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bussines environment - Assignment Example I will try to provide the information as per my knowledge and understanding. LO 1.1 Generally, business organisations can be broadly segregated as public sector organisations and private sector organisations. The organisations that are owned and run by the government are termed as public sector organisation (Adams & Periton, 2006, p.86). The organisations where the ownership lies with private owners are called the private sector organisations. These private sectors organisations can run the business either with the motto of earning profit or they can be non-profit making organisations that do not conduct the business for monetary gains (Beamish & Ashford, 2006, p.256). Before discussing different type of profit making organisations, I would like to explain the main purpose of non-profit making organisations. Generally, these organisations intend to provide services. While organisations like clubs and societies provide facilities and entertainment services to its members, charities of fer services to a particular group of people in the society who need help and assistance. These charities may also be involved with environment related issues (Lunt, 2010, p.9). The private organisations can be segregated into four broad categories. These are: sole proprietorship, partnership, private limited company and public limited company. The organisations and their purposes are explained as followed: Sole proprietorship: Such a business is owned by a single person, so he/she is the ‘Boss’. The owner of the business is solely responsible for raising capital and combining all the resources required for production. Thus, the owner enjoys the profit earned by the business. This business is not a legal entity, so the owner has unlimited liabilities. Due to limitation in availability of capital, these businesses are comparatively smaller in size. The main purpose of sole proprietorship is to earn profit and thus it has limited role in social development (Minars, 2003, p.6). Partnership: As per the definition provided by Uniform Partnership Act, â€Å"the association of two or more persons to carry on as co-owners of a business for profit, forms a partnership, whether or not the persons intend to form a partnership† (Spadaccini, 2007, p.5). Such business organisation enjoys immense freedom and simplicity in terms of starting and operating the business. The partners may agree to start a partnership firm even with an oral agreement but this often results in misunderstanding and dispute. Therefore, it is advisable to maintain a formal written agreement that specifies all the terms and conditions. This type of business firm diversifies the business risk and the partners enjoy certain tax benefits. As the business does not result in formation of a separate entity, therefore the partners have unlimited liability. Such businesses do not contribute much to the society because the main purpose is earning profit (Spadaccini, 2007, p.5-6). Private lim ited: A private limited company is a legal entity which has limitation on the number of owners. Restriction is also on transfer of shares. The company cannot raise fund by public subscription (equity shares and debentures). The firm has to specify its area of activity in the article of association. However, it enjoys certain degree of liberty as it does not have to disclose all the financial information publicly (Morse, 2007, p.58). The main purpose

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Functionalist And Conflict Theory Sociology Essay

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Functionalist And Conflict Theory Sociology Essay Social and cultural theories are often used when studying and applying knowledge to sports. The theories in society often provide a framework for asking research questions, interpreting information and being able to uncover the deeper meanings and stories that are associated with sports, they also enable citizens in the society to become more informed so that we can apply what we have learned from the research and being able to apply it in the world that we live in. Theories also enable people to see things in new angles and perspectives and give us the ability to make informed decisions about sports and how sports participation can be used in our lives, communities, families and societies. The six main theories used in sport have many points and can overlap with each other but only two are going to be discussed in this study. The two theories chosen to compare are functionalist theory and conflict theory. Functionalist theory is a macro sociological theory that is based on the characteristics of social patterns, structures, social systems and institutions such as family, education, religion, leisure, the economy, media, politics and sport. If all these social institutions are organized and co-operate with one another around a set of core values functionalist theorists assume that the entire social system will function properly and efficiently. Society in functionalism has a view that it is an organized system of interrelated parts that are held together by shared values and established social arrangements that help maintain the system in being in a state of equilibrium and balance. When sociologists use functionalist theory they split it into two parts, the first concept of interdependent parts is all of the social institutions (media, religion, sports, politics and economics) and how they are linked together. In the tradition of Talcott Parsons and his conception of functional imperatives (goal attainment, adaptation, latency and integration) functionalists argue that there are four basic system needs for any society in sports (team, clubs etc) to run smoothly and that everyone will benefit. The four principles are Adaptation In order to survive in a society it is essential that members learn to adapt to changes in the social structure and culture. Another important element to survival is the emphasis on being physically fit as it is required for most sports. Goal Attainment This is the motivation of individuals to achieve societys goals through socially accepted means. Sport is preoccupied with tracking the success and failures of its participants however it also teaches participants that if they work hard enough it will lead to victory meaning success. Integration Sport promotes social connections between people and gives them the opportunity to co-operate with each other in a group and a community. It also provides a feeling of social identification as well as a source of personal identity. The society must keep itself together. Latency (pattern maintenance and tension management) Each system must maintain itself in a possible state of equilibrium for as long as it can without any outside disruptive influences. Many forms of pattern maintenance are provided by sport primarily through participation where the participants are taught to accept an authority structure that is well defined for example athletes knowing that referees have the authority over them to make sure they stick to the rules of the sport. Functionalist theory in sport generally leads to the conclusion that it is popular in society because it can maintain the values of character that help to preserve stability and order in social life. Functionalist theory also supports sporting policies that help and recommend the growth of competitive sport programmes, developing coaching education programmes, in the case of youth sport there is an establishment on criminal bureau checks and qualification checks on coaches before working with younger children. The theory also supports the establishment of training centres for elite athletes so they can maintain their top-level performance and making sure to have increased surveillance and drug testing so they are able to supervise and control the actions of athletes by preventing those taking drugs so they cant cheat their way to attaining a better sporting performance. People in society who have positions of power tend to favour functionalist theory as it is based on the assumption that society is organised for benefiting the people in that society of equality and that in any dramatic way it should not be changed. While functionalist theory is a popular approach it does have some weaknesses. The weaknesses of functionalist theory is that it tends to lead to exaggerated accounts of positive consequences of sports and sports participation however it mistakenly assumes that there are no conflicts of interests between the different citizen groups in society such as women, people with disabilities, racial groups and people who are economically poor in society yet it doesnt recognise that sport can privilege or disadvantage people more than others. The theory also ignores the powerful historical and economic factors that have influenced social events and social relationships. Functionalist theory is centered on the idea that there is a consensus in the values and norms of society and that social institutions found within a society are integrated and function together. In contrast conflict theory looks at the role of power and the inequality found throughout society and how sport is shaped by these economic forces and used by people with economical power to increase their influence and wealth. Conflict theory is based on the ideas of Karl Marx (1818 1883) which rose to importance during the 1970s because of the growing disenchantment with functionalist theory. This theory of Karl Marx views sports as being built on the foundations of economic power. In societys that are capitalistic you see that relationships and social arrangements are organised around wealth, money and economic power for example in the United States its easy to point out the owners of the sport teams as they are benefiting financially from the expense of elite athletes, the coaches that work alongside the athletes and the spectators who watch the sport. Like functionalist theory conflict theory is based on the assumption that society is like a social system however conflict theory focuses on the needs of capital rather than the general system needs. Theorists of conflict theory explain that a society which is capitalist will not be able to survive and grow without exploiting any workers for the sake of boosting financial profits; they also suggest that if radical changes are to be concluded in sport and society by prevailing justice and fairness they need to identify the negative consequences that sport has. Once these changes are made sport will become a source of creative energy, expression and physical well-being. People who live in capitalist economies are generally not comfortable with the assumptions and conclusions of conflict theory because they say it has a negative effect and does not fit into their ideas about society and sport as they feel uneasy with the conclusions of calling for radical change in the current organisat ion and structure that they already have. Much of conflict theory is directed at sports which are dominated by spectators. Conflict theorists if they had the choice they would increase the control that athletes and other sporting participants have to promote sport at local community level so that it benefits all classes of people rather than just all elite athletes. Meaning the working class would have more influence of sport than the rich class giving them more motivation for participation and eliminating profits. Many conflict theorists favour players unions that confront pro-team owners and are supporting organisations that help to guard against public tax money being used to benefit wealthy people. Ideally any public resources would be used to help aid sponsoring sports that are designed to improve physical fitness, political awareness and include placing the element of fun into activities. Conflict theorists (Leonard 1980; Rigauer2004) would also campaign for athletes at all levels to have representation with making dec isions about sport in organisations so Olympians would be able to vote on policy questions that concerned the staging of the Olympic Games. Conflict theory also has three major weaknesses. The first weakness is that the theory tends to ignore the possibility that sport in capitalist societies can and may involve experiences that give individuals and groups power. Conflict theorists talk about how sport is organised to maximise the control that wealthy people have over other members in a capitalist society. The conflict theory approach doesnt acknowledge that sport can take many forms of serving interests in the have-not society and denies that any participation in sport can be a personal creative and liberating experience that will inspire members of society to make economic changes that will help to promote equality in exiting capitalist societies. Secondly conflict theory ignores the importance of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age and many other factors when it comes to explaining how people want to identify themselves, how they relate to other members in the society and how they organise the social world in whi ch they live. Often its leading people to overlook the possibility that inequalities and power in any society are based on factors other than economic and social class differences. Thirdly the theory assumes that all aspects of social life are determined economically and is shaped by the needs of having capital in society and profit motive. Theorists of conflict theory focus on the assumptions that of economic factors when studying sport however they tend to overlook participation and recreational port for healthy living. Functionalist theory and conflict theory both focus on the needs of society and how sport can relate to the satisfaction of the system needs. The theories dont inform us about sport in everyday life and the ways in which people are active agents who are participating in the processes of sports and societies that are organised and changed. They both also ignore that sport and social constructions emerge in peoples everyday life when they struggle to decide what is important and how they are going to collect organisation in their lives.

Shakespeares Othello - Troubled Iago Essay -- Othello essays

Troubled Iago        Ã‚   Unquestionably the most perfidious character within the cast of Shakespeare’s Othello is the cunning Iago. He spends his life, it would seem, taking revenge on the general and destroying nearly everyone around himself. Helen Gardner in â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune† elaborates on Iago’s exact function and place in the play: . . . Iago ruins Othello by insinuating into his mind the question, ‘How do you know?’ The tragic experience with which this play is concerned is loss of faith, and Iago is the instrument to bring Othello to this crisis of his being. His task is made possible by his being an old and trusted companion, while husband and wife are virtually strangers, bound only by passion and faith; and by the fact that great joy bewilders, leaving the heart apt to doubt the reality of its joy. The strange and extraordinary, the heroic, what is beyond nature, can be made to seem the unnatural, what is against nature. This is one of Iago’s tricks. (143) Iago’s very language reveals the level at which his evil mind works. Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† describes the types of base, loathsome imagery used by the antagonist Iago when he â€Å"slips his mask aside† while awakening Brabantio: Iago is letting loose the wicked passion inside him, as he does from time to time throughout the play, when he slips his mask aside. At such moments he always resorts to this imagery of money-bags, treachery, and animal lust and violence. So he expresses his own faithless, envious spirit, and, by the same token, his vision of the populous city of Venice – Iago’s â€Å"world,† as it has been called. . . .(132) Iago is the â€Å"perfect† bad guy in the sense that his type is just what ... ...is. â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare: The Pattern in His Carpet. N.p.: n.p., 1970. Gardner, Helen. â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from â€Å"The Noble Moor.† British Academy Lectures, no. 9, 1955. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos. Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.

Panera Bread Case Analysis

Panera Bread Company is a leader in the easy casual restaurant industry with multiple cafà ©-bakeries located in 36 states, of the United States. Panera operates under the banner of Panera and Saint Louis Bread Company. Almost 400 of its 1,027 bakeries are company-operated and the remainders are franchisees. Panera Bread’s core competencies are in their market niche, offering a premium specialty bakery and cafà © experience to suburban and urban residents. Penera’s focus is offering their customers with better than their rivals, making the dining experience so attractive to their customers will pass up their competitors in outlets of other easy casual restaurants to dine at the nearest Panera Bread A strategic issues is substitutes and threats of substitutes in Penear Bread Company’s distinctive competencies, their menu. Penera’s menu is being substituted by new rivals. New restaurant chains, in fast-casual and other categories are becoming more competitively fierce and are drawing customers by imitating Panera’s menus at a lower cost. To address this strategic issue, I recommend Panera to employ an offensive strategy to increase sales during prime times such as lunch and dinner, continue to be more innovative by implementing in-depth surveys to customers, employees, via text messages, e-mails, etc., and execute a plan for managers to manage by walking around (MBWA) communicating and listening to employees and customers. Example, this technique has worked successfully for companies like Wal-Mart who have been very successful in using the (MBWA) strategy. This will draw and boost their customer base giving them a sustainable competitive advantage.

Determination of % Composition of Pennies Using Redox and Double Displacement (Precipitation) Reactions Essay

Introduction: Oxidation involves the gain of electrons of hydrogen or the loss of oxygen or decrease in oxidation state. If zinc completely reacts with HCL, then the theoretical yield of copper should be equivalent to the actual yield. Purpose: In this lab, we will determine the percent composition of a modern (post-1982) penny by using a strong acid to react and dissolve the zinc core, leaving only the copper coating. Once only copper remains, we will compare its mass to the entire mass of the penny to determine how much of a penny is copper and how much is zinc. 1. Obtain one 50.0 mL beaker, and label the beaker with your NAME and HOUR. 2. Obtain a penny dated 1982 or later. Wash the penny with soap and water to get it clean. 3. Using a triangular file to make FOUR oppositely-placed small grooves into the edge of the penny (the marks with be approximately 90 degrees apart. The grooves must be deep enough so that the zinc is exposed, but not so deep that the penny’s mass is greatly affected. 4. Clean the top and bottom surface of the penny with steel wool until it’s shiny. Rinse the penny in acetone and dry it on paper towel. 5. Determine the mass of the penny on the balance, and record the mass in the table on the bottom of the page. Removed the penny from the balance using tweezers and place it in its beaker. 6. While wearing gloves, carefully pour 50 mL 3M HCl into the beaker. 7. Place your labeled beaker under the fume hood to react. Observe the effect the acid has on the copper outside of the penny. Questions to answer to help guide the development of procedures for the determination of the percent copper and zinc in pennies through titration and gravimetric techniques: 1. What is the weight of a post 1982 penny? 2.5 grams 2. What is the percent copper and zinc in a post 1982 penny? 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper 3. How many grams of copper and zinc are in a post 1982 penny? 97.5 grams zinc, 2.5 grams copper 4. How many moles of copper and zinc are in post 1982 pennies? 5. Write a balanced reaction of zinc with HCl. Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) –> ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g). 6. How many moles of HCl are needed to react completely with all of the zinc in a post 1982 penny? 2.5 7. In a procedure developed to determine the percent zinc in post 1982 pennies, 50 ml of an HCl solution was used to react (dissolve) all of the zinc in the penny. To ensure complete reaction, the solution contains twice as many moles of HCl that is actually needed. What concentration of HCl should be used? In the scenario described in problem 7, what is the amount (in moles) of excess (unreacted) HCl in solution? 9. How many moles of NaOH would be needed to completely react with all of the excess HCl determined in problem 8? 10. As described in problem 7, a procedure was developed to determine the percent zinc in post 1982 pennies. In that procedure 50 ml of an HCl was used to react (dissolve) all of the zinc in the penny. To ensure complete reaction, the solution contains twice as many moles of HCl that is actually needed. To determine the percent zinc in the penny, the excess (unreacted) HCl was titrated with NaOH. Determine the concentration of NaOH needed if you want to use approximately 25 mL of NaOH to titrate the excess HCl. 11. Write the balanced chemical reaction of zinc with HCl (same as problem 5). Is the product of this reaction soluble in aqueous solution? 12. Write the balanced chemical reaction of the product of the reaction described above (problem 11) with NaOH. Is the product of this reaction soluble in aqueous solution?

Seven elements of art essays

Seven elements of art essays There are seven elements that are used in art. These seven elements are line, shape, form, value, texture, space and color. These seven elements are used to help artists create beautiful work. In some pieces of art it may be difficult to recognize these elements, but if you look closely you can find them. Some artists only use some of the elements at a time instead of all of them at once. The first element of art is the element of line. Lines are continuous marks made on some surface by a moving point. Lines could be used to show different feelings and moods. Composition is how the elements are arranged. Horizontal lines make a piece of art seem like it is calm and peaceful. Diagonal lines are used to create a sense of movement and tension. Vertical lines create a sense of everything being in order. Horizontal and vertical lines both have different qualities in different pieces of art. The next element is the element of shape. When lines join together they form shapes. Some shapes are geometrical like squares and rectangles. All the shapes are not three dimensional or in other words flat. Shape is an area clearly defined by one of the other visual elements. They are limited to only two dimensions which are height and width. These two dimensions of shape distinguish it from form. The next element is the element of form. Form is a three dimensional shape. The form of a sculpture is symmetrically balanced. Forms consist of height, width, and thickness. Unlike shapes, forms are not flat. An example of form would be a sculpture. There are two important features to form, and they are mass and volume. Mass is a quantity or aggregate of matter usually of considerable size. Volume is the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object. The next is the element of value. Value is the lightness and darkness of a color. You can get different color values by mixing tints and shad ...

How to Get Rid of Christmas Tree Insects

How to Get Rid of Christmas Tree Insects Theres nothing like the smell of an evergreen tree to get you in the holiday spirit. But when you bring a live or cut Christmas tree indoors, some of the insects that have called your Christmas tree home might be joining you for the holiday season. Heres what you need to know about Christmas tree insects. Holiday Bugs Pose a Very Small Risk   You really dont need to worry about bringing any dangerous or destructive pests inside with your Christmas tree. Your home isnt an appropriate habitat for insects that inhabit coniferous forests, and they arent going to move in for good. Lacking food and adequate humidity to survive, most Christmas tree insects die soon after moving indoors. Just keep an eye out - if you find insects, they wont bite or sting and wont travel far from the tree. Insects that Live in Christmas Trees Coniferous trees attract a variety of small insects that may be visible only in large numbers. Aphids are common pests of evergreen trees, and the warm conditions of your home may cause overwintering aphid eggs to hatch. Some conifers host adelgids, which produce cottony secretions over their bodies. Mites and scale insects also inhabit Christmas trees. Larger Christmas tree insects include bark beetles and praying mantids. Adult mantids will be long gone from the cold temperatures, but mantid egg cases can hatch when introduced to the warmth of your home. If that happens, youll have hundreds of tiny mantids wandering in search of food. Christmas trees often harbor spiders, too. Check for Insects Outside Harmless or not, you probably dont want to spend the holiday season with bugs crawling around among the presents or flying into your windows trying to escape. You can minimize the chance of Christmas tree insects wandering around your living room, though, before you get it inside. When choosing a tree, inspect it carefully. Look for signs of aphids or other small insects. Theyll likely appear as little brown or red dots. Adelgids resemble a dusting of snow. And dont forget to examine the undersides of branches. Check each branch for egg cases, which could contain praying mantises. Prune out any you find because your warm home will feel like spring and induce eggs to hatch. Brown cocoons may harbor sawflies. Look at the trunk, too - small holes with sawdust trails are a sign of bark beetles. Reject any tree that seems heavily infested with pests. Before bringing the Christmas tree in the house, shake it vigorously to dislodge insects and spiders. Remove any bird nests, as these can contain mites. If you want to be sure that you found all the bugs, putting the tree in a five-gallon bucket of water in the garage for a few days can serve your peace of mind. If you do want to go after bugs found on the tree, dust it with diatomaceous earth, which dries out any bugs it comes into contact with. Wear eye and face protection when applying, as its actually pulverized rock that you dont want in your eyes or lungs. Shake the tree to remove excess before bringing it inside. Christmas Tree Insects Indoors Whatever you do, do not spray aerosol pesticides on your Christmas tree, as these products are flammable! Insects require humidity to live, and most will desiccate and die within a matter of days. Additionally, they will be unable to survive without food. It is much safer, and better for your health, to simply vacuum up any dead insects you find.

Carbon Fibres and Composite Material Free Sample for Students

According to Goodman et al. (2011), a composite material refers to a combination of two or more materials that are of different composition, physical property, and morphology. These materials are often combined on a microscopic scale. Depending on the constituent properties, composites are in many cases designed to (or â€Å"intending to†) producing materials with materials aimed at fulfilling specific mechanical, physical, or chemical requirements. As a result, Hofmann (2016)   points out that the use of composite materials have progressively increased for the past 40 years and have many uses in the automotive, aeronautic, medical, and naval fields among other industries. Consequently, different composite biomaterials have been tested and studied for use in the medical field and are often commercialized for their advantages of the traditional composite materials that were used before. In the medical field, most human tissues such as skin, bones, tendons, teeth, and ligament are composites made up of single constituents whose distribution, morphology, amount, and properties are the major determinants of the final behavior of the resulting organ or tissue according to Paknikar and Kumbhar (2015). The same study denotes that human-made composite materials can as well be used in making prostheses that are used to mimic these biological tissues with the aim of ensuring thy match their mechanical behavior and restore the mechanical functions of the body tissues that have been damaged. This paper presents the history, structure and synthesis, mechanical properties, possible uses, as well as pros and cons of the carbon-fiber-reinforced,   peek (CFR-PEEK) composite material whose use have been studied, tested, and proven fit for medical purposes. Carbon Fiber, a polymer that is also known as a graphite fiber, is a very strong material and light in weight. Though stiffer than steel, its light weight makes it suitable for use as a raw material in the manufacturing of other materials (Garry, 2013). The composite material was discovered back in 1879 by Edison Thomas. The scientist backed bamboo silvers and cotton threads at high temperature carbonizing them into a fiber filament of all-carbon. His invention led to the use of high-performance carbon fibers in 1958 in Cleveland. CF-PEEK was then introduced as a matrix where long and short PEEK fibers were used as the composite matrix to ensure the end product had the qualities of both fibers. Despite the fact that they were inefficient, the fibers contained approximately 20% carbon with low stiffness and strength properties. However, the carbon fiber’s strength potential was realized in 1963 through a new manufacturing process at British research center (David et al., 2014). In the medical field, carbon-fiber-reinforced peek materials range from large scale components such as x-ray application materials to most invisible bolts internally used to support the bones in the body according to Paknikar and Kumbhar (2015). CFR-PEEK materials have for a long time been adopted for use in the medical field in different facets. They are widely used in the orthopedic processes mainly for bone crafts, bone cementing, hip joint replacement, and in the fixation of the bone plates in the body. Hofmann (2016) points out that CFR-PEEK can be fabricated with tensile strength or stiffness in the capability of the bone they replace in the body. As a result, the materials are successfully finding their way into the medical devices as implants to replace the internal body organs and tissues. Historically, many challenges have been faced by implant designers in achieving acceptance from different regulatory agencies globally. However, the uses of carbon-fiber-reinforced peeks are on the rise as a result of technological advancements and innovations. New medical applications and composite materials are gaining popularity and approval in many parts of the US food and drug administration (Garry, 2013). CFR-PEEK are used in the formulation of bone growths for implants such as temporary bone supports and bone screws mainly adopted in the orthopedic repairs. These materials have been adopted for use in the bioresorbable polymers that can safely break down and be absorbed by the body in the rebuilding process of the bone. In the medical industry, the first synthesis requirement is a performance parameter indicating the relative merits of different designs of CFR-PEEK with the primary knowledge that the growth and micro-motion of bones can be used for different purposes in a clinical view. What follows is a finite element code that determines the strains in the bone used as essential parameters in evaluating the performance of the carbon fiber. The CF-PEEK composite is manufactured by the use of a hybrid fabric composing of PEEK and carbon fiber as a matrix that is then modified and treated by low temperature and oxygen plasma. The process is then followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transformation attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) that are essential I relating the functionality and roughness of the carbon fiber surface with the PEEK interfacial adhesion strength.   The plasma treatment is aimed at increasing the roug hness of the carbon fiber surface while the prolonged treatment results into the smoothing. According to Duraccio, Mussano, and Faga (2015), the structural properties of a composite material are determined by the length, volume, and alignment of the carbon fiber it contains. Apart from being strong, carbon fibers have high tensile strength and stiffness but with low weight. It also has a high chemical resistance and is often tolerant to high temperature and excessive heat but with a low thermal expansion as denoted by Garry (2013). According to Cano and Guilemany (2016), the mechanical property of a composite material can be determined by the mechanical properties of CFR-PEEK. Carbon fibers consist of strong and thin crystalline carbon filaments for the strengthening of other materials. David et al. (2014) denote that the fibers can be thinner than the human hair but gets its strength when the fibers are twisted and laid over a coated and molded into plastics or resin. For these mechanical properties, carbon fiber is adapted for use not only in the medical field but many industries such as the military, automotive, and aerospace. There are two main forms of carbon fiber incorporation used in composites for medical applications. Short CFR-PEEKs that consist of short carbon fibers randomly aligned and are mostly less than 0.4 mm, used as producers of the homogeneous material property for the implant. Long CFR-PEEK consists of carbon fibers essentially running the entire width of most composite materials. The long CFR-PEEK has a tensile strength that is greater than 2000 Mpa when compared to the 170 Mpa which is of the short carbon fiber (Aspenberg, 2014). As a result, their controlled alignment of these carbon fibers hence helps in providing a broad range of anisotropic properties that can be controlled for specific functions depending on there the composite material that needs to be made and the use.   Ajioka et al. (2016) denote that carbon-fiber-reinforced peek material is engineered to produce a varying degree of stiffness and strength based on the number and orientation of the carbon fibers used. It is hence easier to help the manufacturer match the elasticity of the bone to be replaced with the composite implant material that will be fixed. On the other hand, Paknikar and Kumbhar (2015) also denotes that using carbon fibers as composite materials is easier since, before their innovations, manufacturers were facing challenges from modulus mismatch of the then used metal implants. For instance, the mismatch was often producing stress shielding; alter loading, and a periprosthetic bone remodeling process that was often detrimental. Commercially available carbon fiber composite materials have been tested in several ways for fatigue cycles but have always proven to be effective and resistant. Nayeri (2014) denotes that the average strength for a 4.5mm implant plate is 19.1 Newton meters while that of a similar 4.5mm stainless steel compression plate is 17.8 Newton meters. The bending strength of available 10-mm CFR-PEEK is averagely 80.3 Nm, while an 11-mm titanium tibial plate bending strength is 43 Nm. This has proven that the testing for wear debris of the implants is significantly lower than the wear debris strength of titanium plates made from the steel as pointed out by Goodman et al. (2011). The same study denotes that the healing and fracture reduction are available for a standard radiograph. The absence of both MRI and computed tomography means that CFR-PEEK for the composite implants has applications for infections, spine, and for oncologic cases. Even though there are several advantages of using the carbon-fiber-reinforced peek composite implants for medical reasons, there are also some specific disadvantages. For instance, they cannot be contoured hence making their use in fracture fixation limited to straight diaphyseal hence calling for a specific locking screw technique anatomically designed for the specific fracture Utech and Boccaccini (2016). At the same time, stiffness can be beneficial to the receiver, but the too much flexibility is as well dangerous as it can lead to pseudarthrosis. The increased fatigue strength of the implants helps in decreasing any possible risk to fatigue failure. However, the radiolucent nature of the carbon-fiber-reinforced peek used in the manufacturing of the implants precludes directly hence visualizes radiography. In his study, Hofmann (2016) denotes that all biomaterial composites intended for use in the body of any living organism have to meet certain conditions, regulatory requirements, and criteria. These include; Carbon-fiber-reinforced peek have found a wide application and use in different facets of the medical sectors. These include bone cementing, bone grafting, hip joint replacements, bone fixating plating, and other forms of bone replacements (Asghari et al. 2017). In the manufacturing and design of prosthetic composite implants used for the replacement of the central bone and the combined joint, the primary objective is often to arrive at an implant with a higher bone growth stimulus but slightly lower that the titanium alloys implants that are currently used (Egger et al. 2017). From the CFR-PEEK innovations, patients can easily get access to rapid and easier proper implant fixation and bone replacement. Achieving these objectives requires the synthesis and structure of the composite implants to consist of three primary elements. In his study, Soboyejo (2017) points out that CFR-PEEK includes bio-glass-ceramic, xenograft, and allografts often used in joint replacements and tissue engineering. They are often made of different layers of long and short carbon fibers; the final product often combines the properties of both the materials used. The resulting product is often mechanically strong but lightweight at the same time. Saleh (2016) also denotes that the materials have low density and can easily resist corrosion. The use of composite body implants has several advantages when compared to the metallic devices that were used before their inventions. It modules if elasticity and fatigue strength makes the CFR-PEEK an ideal composite implant material for bones plates and nails. The disposal of CF-PEEK is becoming a major issue since the different carbon fiber reinforced composite materials are reaching the end of their live services. According to Schinner, and Brandt (2011), over 27 000 tons of CF-PEEK have produced annually. As a result, grinding up the waste material and sending it to landfills or disposing of it through incineration has little appeal to the environment since it is non-biodegradable.   With global warming and climate change policies affecting every global industry, incineration is not the best method of disposal of the material as it will lead to the production of greenhouse gasses as well as smoke, thus leading to pollution. Disposal into landfills also reduces the aesthetic value of the environment turning the areas into wastelands and creating environments for disease-predisposing factors such as stagnant water collection points for mosquito and bilharzia breeding when it rains. As a result, different recycling methods such as pyroly sis have been adopted that strips away the epoxy resin from the fibers while leaving the original properties undamaged. The medical industry is driven and guided by the demands of the medical profession that seeks constant improvements and device innovations for better medical care. Consequently, different composite biomaterials have been tested and studied for use in the medical field and are often commercialized for their advantages of the traditional composite materials that were used before. Carbon fibers have found a wide application and use in different facets of the medical sectors. These include bone cementing, bone grafting, hip joint replacements, bone fixating plating, and other forms of bone replacements. Ajioka, H., Kihara, H., Odaira, C., Kobayashi, T., & Kondo, H. (2016). Examination of the Position Accuracy of Implant Abutments Reproduced by Intra-Oral Optical Impression.  Plos ONE,  11(10), 1-12. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164048 Asghari, F., Samiei, M., Adibkia, K., Akbarzadeh, A., & Davaran, S. (2017). Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers for tissue engineering application: a review.  Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine & Biotechnology,  45(2), 185-192. doi:10.3109/21691401.2016.1146731 Aspenberg, P. (2014). Alendronate-eluting polyglucose-lignol composite (POGLICO).  Acta Orthopaedica,  85(6), 687-690. doi:10.3109/17453674.2014.979724 Bailey, S. R. (2009). DES Design: Theoretical Advantages and Disadvantages of Stent Strut Materials, Design, Thickness, and Surface Characteristics.  Journal Of Interventional Cardiology,  22S3-S17. doi:10.1111/j.1540-8183.2009.00449.x   Cano, I., & Guilemany, J. (2015). Cold spray as an emerging technology for biocompatibility of Carbon Fibers: state of art.  Journal Of Materials Science,  50(13), 4441-4462. doi:10.1007/s10853-015-9013-1 David, J., Cyril M., Seligson,   D., Bennie L. (2014). Use of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composite Implants in Orthopedic Surgery, Journal of Orthopedics, 37 (12): 825-830 Duraccio, D., Mussano, F., & Faga, M. (2015). Biomaterials for dental implants: current and future trends.  Journal Of Materials Science,  50(14), 4779-4812. doi:10.1007/s10853-015-9056-3 Egger, J., Gall, M., Tax, A., ÃÅ"cal, M., Zefferer, U., Li, X., & ... Chen, X. (2017). Interactive reconstructions of cranial 3D implants under MeVisLab as an alternative to commercial planning software.  Plos ONE,  12(3), 1-20. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0172694   Garry, P. (2013). Self-tapping ability of carbon fibre reinforced polyetheretherketone suture anchors.  J Biomater Appl. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1177/0885328214535274   Goodman, B., Stuart, S., Kelsey, G. & Deborah, J (2011). Composite Implant for Bone Replacement. Journal of Composite Material, vol. 261, pp.  63-81. Hofmann, A. (2016). Surface Functionalization of Orthopedic Titanium Implants with Bone Sialoprotein.  Plos ONE,  11(4), 1-23. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153978 Kumbhar, J. (2015). Applications of bacterial cellulose and its composites in biomedicine.  Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology,  99(6), 2491-2511. doi:10.1007/s00253-015-6426-3 Paknikar, K., & Kumbhar, J. (2015). Applications of carbon fiber and its composites in biomedicine.  Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology,  99(6), 2491-2511. doi:10.1007/s00253-015-6426-3 Saleh, M. M. (2016). Biodegradable/biocompatible coated metal implants for orthopedic applications.  Bio-Medical Materials & Engineering,  27(1), 87-99. doi:10.3233/BME-161568 Schinner, J. & Brandt, H. (2011). Recycling carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, J Thermoplast Compos Mater, 6(9), pp. 239–245 Soboyejo, W. (2017). Polymeric composite devices for localized treatment of early-stage breast cancer.  Plos ONE,  12(2), 1-11. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0172542 Utech, S., & Boccaccini, A. (2016). A review of carbon-based composites for biomedical applications: enhancement of hydrogel properties by addition of rigid inorganic fillers.  Journal Of Materials Science,  51(1), 271-310. doi:10.1007/s10853-015-9382-5

Management and Leadership in Higher Education Essay

Management and Leadership in Higher Education - Essay Example To be able to achieve this, it is necessary to have a way to measure the quality of service in order to ensure that this can be used in order to compare how quality of service is improving. Above all, the most important thing in implementing continuous quality improvement as a way to achieve overall quality of service is to educate and sensitise the employees about the need for quality management. While most medical staff has an inherent desire to take care of their patient. In this regard, the issue is not about the employee’s duty to serve the customers but actually the fact that the quality of service has to be continually increased. According to McLaughlin and Kaluzny (2006)4, the nature of quality is that if it is not improving, it is deteriorating and, therefore, it is necessary to make sure that the quality of service in any healthcare institution is well monitored and continually improved. Once all the players understand this, it becomes even easier for quality to be m anaged and made easier. As Chalice5 (2007) says, using the continuous quality improvement strategy is the best way to guarantee that the hospitals will be able to benefit from the improved quality in patient care delivery. Using Software to manage collaboration and quality management Just like many other businesses healthcare organisation are realizing the need for using software technology as a way to improve the quality of service and also increase customer service6. There are a number of dentistry software, which is geared to help dentists and their staff to be more productive, to better manage their finances and to increase the quality of care to their patients. In a modern world, software is not a choice for many businesses... This paper approves that this means, only one important thing, that the department should be able to have a good priority settings in order to help in making sure that it is able to utilize the resources in the most economical way. This will, however, also require the leader to collaborate closely with employees in order to understand their needs. Leaders should not just assume that they know what is best for their department and what the priority is; they should work with their juniors in order to understand what their juniors need and what they want in order to make sure that every need is well captured. Doing this will also motivate the employees and make them feel that they work environment issues are being addressed in the right way. Managers should combine a number of leadership strategies in order to make sure that they are able to achieve the highest quality. This essay makes a conclusion that many have turned to strategies such as continuous quality improvement in order to overcome the various challenges and hurdles, which are present in the industry especially due to the nature of the industry. This combines together with other strategies such as working together with the community and collaborating with patients and their families will be a good way to make sure that the dentist department is able to serve the needs of their patients and those of the community at large in a way that guarantees quality. The most important thing to note is that in managing quality in a hospital setting, the issue at stake is not how to maintain quality, but how to continually improve the quality.

HRM CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HRM - Case Study Example Wal-Mart stores, Target corporations and toys for us were the retailer out lets through which most of the revenue the company had in 2000. The company has gone through many ups and down for many reasons. The growth by acquisition strategy adopted by CEO Jill Barad had failed showing an 82.4 million loss in 1999. following the heavy loss Jill Barad was replaced by Robert Eckert, who decided against a cost cutting strategy to amplify the profit. He better focused on work force management, giving its managers sophisticated training which included the global leadership program and seminars on leadership. How did the strategy of training managers to become leaders ultimately turn out to be The workforce strategy was aiming at developing effective teams. Trying to foster teamwork and brake down the silo mentality with in the organization was a Herculean Task for the prevailing corporate set up of Mattel. What were the challenges they came across during the process The purpose of this paper is to go beyond the information given by Mridu Verma (2007) and to analyze and critically evaluate the strategy in the light of today's human resource management capabilities and limitations in the corporate circumstances. In order to understand the intensity of the developments and the fruitfulness of the out come close look at the company background is essential. Mattel's was founded by Elliot and Ruth handler in the year 1945. Gaining from the absence of quality and verity in the toy's market the company had recorded a $100,000 sale in the first year even with the least experience they had. The company made use of the popularity of television westerns when they have introduced toy replicas of the classic western guns and holsters in 1957. Later on they introduced Barbie Doll with its clothes and accessories, the company kept on conquering the market with its sale on the increase hitting the $100 million mark in 1965. By the end of the decade they were the world's number one toy makers. It was the time when the company established and developed itself with diverse operations into a world wide enterprise with a host of acquisitions. Some of those major acquisitions are Dee & Cee Toy in 1962, Standard plastic Products Hong Kong Industrial and Precision Moulds in 1966, Rosebud Dolls in 1967, monogram models and A&A Die casting in 1968, Ratti Vallenscasca, Mebetoys, Ebiex, H&Hpalstic Company and Met frame in 1969. However, in spite of the acquisitions by the year 1985 Mattel fell behind the Hasbro as the world's largest toy Maker. The 70s have seen many financial irregularities and finally a new management under former vice president Arthur S. Spear had take control of the organization in 1975, by when many of the business acquisitions the company had were running on loss. "John W. Amerman, who became the CEO in 1987 moved to quickly to cut Mattel's overhead by closing 40% of the company's manufacturing capacity, including plants in California, Taiwan and the Philippians. He laid of workers at Mattel's corporate headquarters in California saving at least 30 million annually. He turned the company around by focusing on brand names with staying power such as Barbie and hot wheels and by making selective investment in the making of new toys. Despite a

Child Brides Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Child Brides - Essay Example Doll represents the child - dolls are often used as puppets or symbols. Children are very often manipulated like dolls by their parents at a still young age as they are too young to be able to understand what is really happening. The female characters in â€Å"A Dolls House† by the author and playwright Henrik Ibsen project the idea that women are merely self-sacrificing entities of society. A woman can only justify her existence on earth by dedicating herself to others. It is a reality in most societies, where child marriages are still practised, that women practically have no rights whatsoever and are held in a condescending or patronizing manner by the men. The husband in the play â€Å"A Dolls House† treated her wife as a mere object or plaything, that made his wife feel depressed and trapped in the marriage (Ibsen, 2009:50). This â€Å"burka dolls† idea came from my last video project and how women are manipulated. This doll represents Islam although I am looking for a symbol towards my work; however my intention is not against Islam. According to my peers and my audience, its seems this is against Islam because I have been looking at Sara Maples works (haram or forbidden painting) who is against Islam and shown holding a pig, in which it is considered a sin to hold a pig because it is a dirty animal and therefore forbidden to cradle or handle it.

Business Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Intelligence - Essay Example to make maximum utilization of the information in hand to produce at the utmost capacity. Furthermore, with continuous advancements in the business environment, managers are facing increased stress to develop their credibility (Khan & Quadri, 2012). With this regard, the essay intends to develop the specifications that are associated with the needs of developing business intelligence. In correspondence to the above stated facts, the essay also focuses on developing an in depth understanding towards the challenges that may crop up in the course of implementation and helps in maintaining dashboards. The essay intends to develop a better understanding towards maintaining dashboards and includes the management of diverse challenges that could surface during the management of different needs. Managing business intelligence has been of complex and dynamic nature that imposes a challenge for enhancing the scenarios that are prevalent within the social domain. In this respect, the overall management of the business has been imposing enormous level of complexity that could initiate diverse needs of the system and enhance effectiveness of the managers to meet with the needs of the business. Dashboards help in developing a better insight towards the issues and enhance the ability to meet with the complexes that are associated with the business operations. Dashboards enable a business to monitor the needs of managing business intelligence and increase the effectiveness through successful development of the business operations (Bara & et. al., 2009). With the increasing amount of complexities, there has been a huge shift within the management of the diverse business strategies. This could be identifiable that management of information system has been a complicated job for the pe ople who are managing the diverse approaches within the system for enhancing the effectiveness of the business (Khan & Quadri, 2012). The

Senior Portfolio Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Senior Portfolio Project - Research Paper Example Therefore, this analysis will make a reference to the industry PESTLE analysis in which case it will analyze the political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, legislative and environmental issues. Moreover, the threats to the industry can also be viewed from the perspective of porters five forces analysis in which case according to Amrollahi and Akhgar (2013), all the threats to all stakeholders in the industry are analyzed. Therefore, this section will make an integration of these factors as far as the market is concerned. This gives an effective chance to view opportunities existing in it. It has also to be noted that America is a large region and there are some companies that can only provide their services to one state only while others serve a quite a number of states in the country. 1.1 Political and Environmental Factors The political system of the USA has had a very substantial control over the telecommunications industry. ... This, according to the state government is done for the public interest. Control of the media is done through a given number of ways among them censorship in which speech is suppressed depending on the perceived effects on those receiving this information. Censorship has always been done through the Federal Communication Commission. Many political factors have affected this industry to such an extent that some of the companies are wholly dependent on the government legislations. One of the legislations is that of taking care of the environment. The American governments are basing more emphasis on environmental issues. Disposal and care of wastes as well as care of dangerous radioactive waves have to be governed effectively so that the environment remains green. Moreover, some of the companies’ sources of raw materials are overseas nations that have different environmental rules. The companies have the obligation to take care of the environment or risk being removed from such m arkets. Another political issue is the trade regulations and tariffs laws. The communications companies are not supposed to charge beyond a given level of tariffs for their services. For instance, Verizon Inc. operates on the basis of low tariffs to all its customers because it operates on the basis of economies of scale in creation of the new technologies which make it close out any threat of entry into the same area of production. The company is not however allowed to have its rates go so low that they are below the market rates (Bukofsky, Marco and Espindola). Therefore, the telecommunications industry has been regulated by the government for a reason.

Adapting to Changes and Situational Leadership Assignment

Adapting to Changes and Situational Leadership - Assignment Example The researcher further delivered some of the insinuations, findings and study limitations of integrated leadership roles in the public subdivision. One of the strengths presented in the article is increased morale due to better communication whereby the leader needs to constantly remain aware of the needs of his followers. Pauliene (2012) argues that’s successful leaders should examine the ability of employees and communicate effectively. This can enable the leaders to lead the followers successfully; hence enabling them to perform their task effectively. Secondly, situational leaders should develop a positive and sizeable effect on the performance level of the federal agencies; hence achieving success (Fernandez, Cho and Perry, 2010). However, situation leadership creates confusion; thus it is likely to impact the work performance. Lastly, leaders might lose credibility and trustworthiness by their followers; hence poor work performance in the public sectors. One of the examples of that applies to situation leadership is an example of a director that was working in one the HR department in one of the clothes industry in U.S. The director was involved in a situation whereby he was about to leave for a holiday and his task was to be handled by an experienced assistant director. The assistant was very familiar with his responsibilities; thus he was excited to perform the task. However, instead, the director could trust the knowledge and skills of the assistant director; he decided to spend hours drafting a detailed list of work tasks for the assistant director. Therefore, in this situation, the work will be done perfectly, but the director damages a good relationship with the assistant director due to lack of trust and not being confidence towards the assistant director. Therefore, based on Hersey and Blanchard theories, the situation leadership applies to the above example of the director and his assistant. This is because situational leadership according to Hersey and  Blanchard focus on adapting managerial styles vital for meeting the distinct requirements in a given situation (Gong, Jia-Chi, and Jiing-Lih (2009).  

Senior Portfolio Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Senior Portfolio Project - Research Paper Example Therefore, this analysis will make a reference to the industry PESTLE analysis in which case it will analyze the political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, legislative and environmental issues. Moreover, the threats to the industry can also be viewed from the perspective of porters five forces analysis in which case according to Amrollahi and Akhgar (2013), all the threats to all stakeholders in the industry are analyzed. Therefore, this section will make an integration of these factors as far as the market is concerned. This gives an effective chance to view opportunities existing in it. It has also to be noted that America is a large region and there are some companies that can only provide their services to one state only while others serve a quite a number of states in the country. 1.1 Political and Environmental Factors The political system of the USA has had a very substantial control over the telecommunications industry. ... This, according to the state government is done for the public interest. Control of the media is done through a given number of ways among them censorship in which speech is suppressed depending on the perceived effects on those receiving this information. Censorship has always been done through the Federal Communication Commission. Many political factors have affected this industry to such an extent that some of the companies are wholly dependent on the government legislations. One of the legislations is that of taking care of the environment. The American governments are basing more emphasis on environmental issues. Disposal and care of wastes as well as care of dangerous radioactive waves have to be governed effectively so that the environment remains green. Moreover, some of the companies’ sources of raw materials are overseas nations that have different environmental rules. The companies have the obligation to take care of the environment or risk being removed from such m arkets. Another political issue is the trade regulations and tariffs laws. The communications companies are not supposed to charge beyond a given level of tariffs for their services. For instance, Verizon Inc. operates on the basis of low tariffs to all its customers because it operates on the basis of economies of scale in creation of the new technologies which make it close out any threat of entry into the same area of production. The company is not however allowed to have its rates go so low that they are below the market rates (Bukofsky, Marco and Espindola). Therefore, the telecommunications industry has been regulated by the government for a reason.

Depression and African-American Men Essay Example for Free

Depression and African-American Men Essay First of all it is important to understand what really constitutes depression. All of us feel down from time to time perhaps based on having a bad day. However when feelings of sadness last for several weeks, months, or years, and are accompanied by other symptoms such as change of appetite, isolation from family and friends, sleeplessness, etc. these are symptoms of depression. In 1999 Dr. David Satcher, Surgeon General of the United States, and an African-American, released a Report on Mental Health that was a landmark moment for America. This was the first comprehensive report on the state of the nations mental health issued by Americas physician-in-chief. It is both an inventory of the resources available to promote mental health and treat mental illness, and a call to action to improve these resources. It paints a portrait of mental illness, filling the canvas with the faces of America, revealing that the effects of mental illness cut across all the nations dividing lines, whether gender, education, economic status, education, or race. However, the 2001 supplement to the original 1999 report indicates that it probably affects African American men more adversely than it does the general population.Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity, which is the title of the supplement by Dr. Satcher, says that racial and ethnic minorities collectively experience a greater disability burden from mental illness than do whites. The supplemental report goes even deeper in that it highlights the disparity that exists for black men in mental health as it does in relation to most health problems. For example, African-American men are more likely to live with chronic health problems, and studies show that living with chronic illnesses increases the risk of suffering from depression. In a 2002 report, The Burden of Chronic Diseases and Their Risk Factors, the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that African American Men have the highest rates of prostate cancer and hypertension in the world. The report also says that black men are twice as likely as white men to develop diabetes, and suffer higher rates of heart disease and obesity. The American Cancer Societys report entitled Cancer Facts and Figures, and written in 2003 found that black men are more than twice as likely as white men to die from prostate cancer. We are also more likely than others to wait until an illness reaches a ser ious stage before we seek treatment. Often times treatment is not sought until we are in emergency rooms, homeless shelters, or prisons. According to a report by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in 2003, men in general are three times less likely than women to visit a doctor, and African-American men specifically are less likely than white men to go to a doctor prior to them being in poor health. This is the case for physical ailments. When one factors in the stigma attached to mental illness, and other barriers that keep us from getting help, it is easy to see why black men are even less likely to seek treatment for depression. Yet, the nation, including the African-American community is often silent on this issue. The silence on the subject among blacks is due, in part, to our lack of vocabulary to talk about depression. We call depression the blues in the black community. We have been taught, at least in the past, and, to a certain extent even now, to shrug off this mental state. For many of us, it is not just a fact of life; it is a way of life. When bluesmen used to sing, Every day I have the blues or It aint nothing but the blues or similar words from hundreds of songs, they do more than mouth lyrics. They voice a cultural attitude. They state an accepted truth at the heart of their music: Having the blues goes along with being black in America. In addition, from the time we are young boys, black males have ingrained into us an idea of manhood that requires a silence about feelings, a withholding of emotion, and ability to bear burdens alone, and a refusal to appear weak. The internal pressure to adhere to this concept of masculinity only increases as we sometimes experience various forms of racism in a society that historically has sought to deny us our manhood. The internal wall that often keeps black men away from psychotherapy goes along with external barriers built just as high, if not higher. Mental health practitioners are overwhelmingly white, with the proportion of black psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychoanalysts estimated at less than three percent of the nations total. This would mean that even if black men were to break through the self-imposed barriers and seek professional help for mental issues, it may be difficult to find someone with whom they can build a rapport, and whom they feel can relate to them, and they can trust. This feeling of comfort is what allows a patient to reveal his most intimate secrets. As Dr. Richard Mouzon, a prominent black clinical psychologist puts it, Many of us grow up feeling that it is dangerous to give up too much of yourself to the white man. Theres no denying that access to mental health care is restricted for Americans in general. In private health insurance policies and government medical assistance programs, psychotherapy is too often considered a luxury rather than a necessity. It has been said often times that the only people with a guaranteed right to health care are the inmates of our jails and prisons. That is even more true of mental health care.Unfortunately, this is a right that is of marginal value; while many black men receive their first treatment for mental illness behind bars, that treatment is likely to be directed at keeping them under control rather than alleviating the effects of their illness. Our health care system assures preventative measures and early intervention for mental health problems only to the privileged, just as it does for physical health problems. The disparity is so great in minority communities that for many, mental illness receives attention only when it reaches a florid stage, in public hospitals emergency rooms and psychiatric wards, or worse, in its aftermath, when people with mental illness may end up behind bars and in morgues. According to a new study reported on by the Health Behavior News Service, jobless African-American men appear to be at a greater risk of suffering from depression. While the issue of unemployment offers at least one possible explanation for why the symptoms of depression might be experienced, more puzzling is the fact that African-American men who were making more than $80,000 per year were still at a higher risk for depression. In order to come to their conclusions, Dr. Darrell Hudson, Ph.D., and his fellow researchers carefully screened the data provided by the National Survey of American Life. During their analysis, they took into account how much various factors such as social class, income, education, wealth, employment, and parental education level related to depressive symptoms. After measuring depression in a very comprehensive way, the results were not very consistent. We need to figure out as a general public: Is there a cost associated with socioeconomic position or moving in an upward trajectory? said Dr. Hudson. For the purpose of the research 3,570 African-American men and women who experienced depressive episodes within the past year of their lives were studied. Men who made over $80,000 per year reported more symptoms of depression than those making less than $17,000 per year. However, unemployed black men were more likely to report depression during that year compared to employed men. Men who completed some college or beyond were less likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who did not complete high school. Women, on the other hand, did not appear to suffer the same rates of depression. Females who earned between $45,000 and $79,000 were less likely to report symptoms of depression than those with the least income. The study appeared in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. According to Dr. Hudson: One thing could be going on with African-American men with greater incomes. The more likely they are to work in integrated settings, the more likely they are to be exposed to racial discrimination. Racial discrimination can undermine some of the positive effects of socioeconomic position like the increased benefits of more income. Some black men who suffer from depression may think suicide is the answer. It is not. Men that become suicidal dont realize that they are repeating the cycle, burdening their children with the same loneliness the father had endured. Their kids would grow up with the knowledge that their father had taken his life. Depression can be very paralyzing to African-Americans. This vile illness affects men from all walks of life, from the black executive to the young street hustler. In many documented cases, several socially advanced black men have suffered from depression for many years and refused to receive treatment. This is a very disturbing undercurrent. If educated, accomplished, and highly informed black men refuse to seek treatment for depression, just imagine how difficult it is for uneducated or poor black men to seek help. Some experts believe that depression is likely a key factor in a 233 percent increase in suicide in black males ages 10-14 from 1980 to 1995. According to Dr. Satcher: Black men feel that they have to be twice as good as other people, that you cant be weak because people will take advantage of you. Those pressures work powerfully against a black male seeking treatment for depression and other mental illnesses. About one in four African-Americans is uninsured, compared with about 16 percent of the U.S. population overall. African-Americans are less likely to receive antidepressants, and when they do, they are more likely than whites to stop taking them. Particularly troubling to those who study and treat mental illness in black men is their disproportionately higher rates of incarceration than other racial groups. Nearly half of the U.S. prison population is black, and about 40 percent of those in the juvenile justice system is black. It is a very difficult and very serious situation for these young men and for society. Psychiatrists who work with the homeless as well as with black youth say they see dozens of black males each year head to jail or juvenile justice when they should be in treatment centers.They blame,in some form or another, depression, or other related mental illnesses. It happens all the time and its very alarming, said Dr. Raymond J. Kotwicki, Medical Director of Community Outreach Programs, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at Emory University School of Medicine, in a recent statement. While all mental illnesses often come wrapped in some sort of stigma or negative connotation, mental illnesses in black men are even more entangled. Historical racism and current cultural biases and expectations all play a part, mental health advocates say. Nearly two-thirds of African-Americans believe that mental illness is a shortcoming that can be overcome through prayer and faith, according to a study by the National Alliance for the mentally ill. Certainly prayer and faith may be helpful to someone suffering from mental illness, but is not a replacement for treatment by a professional. The neglect of emotional disorders among men in the black community is nothing less than racial suicide.Many experts argue that the problem of depression in black America can be traced back to the time of slavery, when it was believed that blacks were unable to feel inner pain because they had no psyche. This myth has damaged generations of African-American men and their families, creating a society that sometimes has defined black men as being violent and aggressive, without considering that depression (or other related mental illnesses) might be one root cause. The consequences of untreated mental illness can be dire. And the tragedy of the worst outcomes can be no greater than when the disorder is depression, one of the most common and treatable mental illnesses. The disease is painful, and potentially fatal, but eighty percent of those who get treatment get better. Yet, quite sadly, only twenty-five percent of those who need help get it. African-American men are especially prone to put ourselves in mortal danger because we readily embrace the belief that we can survive depression by riding out the illness and allowing it to run its course. The internal walls we build to keep out the world, along with the walls that society sometimes builds to isolate us, cut us off from the help we need. So we suffer, and we suffer needlessly. Please do not be ashamed of seeking help if you feel that you are suffering from depression, or any mental illness. There are very likely resources right in your own city or town such as a county Mental Health Center, even if you are uninsured. Those who are insured may choose a private hospital or psychiatrist, but dont hesitate to get help. One resource that is available would be to call 1-877-331-9311, or 1-877-568-6230 to talk to a specialist at any time. This could change your life immensely, and could indeed save your life.

Classical Music

Classical Music Classical music seems definitely more comprehensive and soul searching. Classical music seems to be much less accessible than rock since it has become very elitist. Elitism always strips the emotion necessary to inspire any passion. Because rock is not valued as high art there remains room for real emotion. People always like what is natural and real. Classical music has been and still is a major part of American and European cultures. This type of music was my aunts and still is her favorite type of music. She listened to classical music all of her life ever since she was first introduced to it by her parents back in the mid 1900s. Her parents tried to encourage her to only listen to classical music because they said that it brought peace to the mind and helped people concentrate on their work better. Classical music is just so hard to relate to since there are very few or no words and it has been in existence for a very long period of time without much change. This, is one reason younger people, like me, do not quite know what to make of classical music, but on the other hand, the seriousness of classical music could also be an attraction. To me it is as if classical music and rock inhabit different worlds, where people think in entirely different ways. Listening to classical music was seen as a sign of someone who was very well educated and well mannered. Classical music was just so wonderful to her because it brought together so many different kinds of instruments in a beautiful harmony. Classical music almost never talks about such things. Classical music just seems so repetitive and gets tiring to me very fast. She very much appreciated the musical works of composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Haydn, and many others. Some of these benefits include optimizing brain d evelopment, building social and emotional skills, and stimulating creativity and enhancing joy. According to my aunt, classical music has many benefits. Classical music because she was so engrossed in it that she wanted to learn everything about it and more. This music is just so inspirational. The most obvious example is when rock first appeared in 1954, it was an eruption of black music into the white pop mainstream. When I listen to music, I like to hear words in the song. However, in a classical song, one cannot really try to improvise because it might disrupt some of the harmonies of other instruments, and just overall mess up the whole song. Classical music certainly is more complex. HoweverI always wonder why the rock musicians are millionares. Most of them dont even know how to read music. They dont spend years taking lessons and seem to master their instruments. A guitarist in my favorite rock band, only took a couple of guitar lessonsyet now he is considered one of the best guitarists in rock and is a millionaire. I guess the real art in rock, is the creativity of coming up with something that the public likes. I would say that rock music is the dominant music in the western world today. I wonder why that is. Is it because of the strong beat in rock? Or because it is easier for people to listen to? Or maybe because the rock compositions (overall) are shorter? Is the electric guitar easier to master than symphony instruments? Perhaps the real clue is, there are so many different kinds of classical music, that exploring the genre will eventually involve an attempt to understand some sort of music. And this is what, to me, rock music doesnt need: all you have to do is listen to the music, and listen to the words; if it moves you, you like it. Rock music tends to lack the mental effort of comprehension. This does not mean that people who listen to rock music are stupid :). They are people who simply want to enjoy their music. I see them as wanting to relax to it, not wanting to be discerning and analytical. This is why I like to listen to some rock. As the why rock musicians make more money: They play in huge stadiums, where classical music is very hard to perform. Rock music is generally fairly catchy, has singable lyrics, that really hit home to some people, or just something about the ease in listening to it that makes everyone like it.

Medicine in the Middle Ages :: essays research papers

Medicine in the Middle Ages We are very lucky today. When we are sick we go and see the doctor, and he or she can usually make us better with the use of medicine. It wasn‘t like this in the medieval era. People didn‘t live very long at all. Two out of every 10 babies died in the first year of life and most people didn‘t live past 40. Wealthy people, who could afford trained doctors might live up to 10 years longer. There weren’t many trained doctors in Europe in the Middle Ages . In Paris in 1274 there were only 8 doctors and about 40 people practising medicine without any official training and they didn’t really understand how the body worked and why people got sick. When making a diagnosis doctors might consult medical books, astrological charts and urine samples. Some doctors believed disease was caused by bad smells or small worms, or the position of the planets or stars. They also charged very high fees, so only the rich could afford them. Although surgical operations were performed, they did not know about sanitisation and there were no anaesthetics. Most patients died from infection or shock. Many people didn’t believe in medicine at all. The most commonly used treatment was prayer. Ordinary people relied on methods their parents and grandparents used, such as lucky charms, magic spells and herbal cures. Some of the herbal cures were quite useful. The monks who looked after sick travellers in the monasteries were very skilled in using herbs. Some modern medicines are based on the herbs used in medieval times. In the 13th century Kings were believed to be able to cure illness, particularly the skin disease scrofula, just by touching the ill person. During the 14th century most of Europe was struck by a devastating disease called the Black Death, or bubonic plague. This disease was carried by flees which lived on rats. When the rats died, the flees jumped onto humans and spread the disease. Even though the Black Death was controlled in Europe by 1351, it came back regularly over the next 150 years. Dr Medi Evil has kindly agreed to come to the school today to help solve some of your medical problems. Hello everyone. Now Rachel, I believe you have the fever. This is because you have too much blood. I will put blood sucking leaches on you and this should fix your problem.

Theatrical Sound Designer :: Essays Papers

Theatrical Sound Designer The sound designer is responsible for handling the audio requirements of a theatrical performance. This includes the creation of sound effect cues, sound reinforcement, mixing, and possibly Foley. â€Å"Sound designers develop the aural, or sound, cues crucial to play’s mood. Running water, traffic, the murmuring of a crowd or the strains of music are the kinds of sound effects used as an integral part of a production.† (Mauro p.96) Along with the creation of sound, the sound designer must work in concert with all members of the design team from the lighting designer to the set designer, in order to create a total package. One of the first jobs a sound designer has is to read the script and create an effects cue sheet. A cue sheet is a list of the sound effects needed during a performance as determined by stage direction or intuition, such as a telephone ring, thunder, or the sound of a passing train. These sound effects may be created live during the performance using Foley, but more often than not the sound designer will utilize a keyboard and sampler, a CD player, or even a cassette tape deck. Depending on the theater the sound designer may have to employ some sound reinforcement techniques, such as micing the actors with wireless microphones or placing microphone such as PZMs on or around the stage. All of these signals are then routed through a mixing broad, which the sound designer operates during the performance. Although no formal training is required, experience in audio engineering, music theory, and basic stagecraft would be very beneficial. â€Å"Working in radio or for a studio that dubs sound cues in music could provide excellent experience.† (Mauro p.102) Most literature recommends an apprenticeship for breaking into the business, tacking a position as a sound person for example. A sound person implements the requirements but forth by sound designers and might also be expected to place the microphones and speakers. A sound person can expect to make anywhere from $250 to $1250 a week. (Field p.271-273) Depending on the market and venue a sound designer can expect to make $300-$1000 a week, to $100,000 a show for a Broadway production.

Introduction to Ethics & Social

Medicine at Tufts University, wrote a version of the oath that talks about how a doctor should care for the sick with compassion, humanely, and says nothing about working to get rich off of those who are suffering (Lasagna, 1964). In the United States, there should not be anyone who cannot see a doctor because they are poor; a doctor takes an oath to heal the sick wherever he can, not to heal the sick only if they are rich. If being alive is an inalienable right, as documented by the Declaration of Independence, would it not be common sense that healthcare would also be a right rather than a privilege?The United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not make sure that all of its citizens receive proper health coverage. In 2004 lack of coverage is estimated to have caused 18,000 deaths that have been considered unnecessary (loom. Due, 2004). It is common knowledge that if a parent has an extremely ill child, and refuses to take that child to the doctor, the paren t can be charged with neglect. If the child is the healthy one, and her single father is diagnosed with cancer, who will be charged with neglect when he dies for no other reason than he doesn't have insurance?Could you imagine being so desperate for health care that you were willing to commit a federal crime in the hopes of going to prison to get the care you need? Richard James Vernon handed a teller in an ROB Bank in Gaston, N. C. A note, claiming he had a gun but was unarmed (Mousse, 2011). Mr.. Vernon, who had a growth in his chest, two ruptured disks, and no Job said that he asked for only one dollar. He wanted to show that his motives were medical, and not about the money (Mousse, 2011). The charge he was booked on was Larceny and would not give him the prison stay he hoped to get in order to get the treatment he desperately wanted.In a country as wealthy as the United States, why should any citizen even be tempted to do such a thing? It is terrible that a person who was law-a biding beforehand would have to become a criminal in order to save his life. Should health care be something that should only be available to the highest bidder? In 2005 the per-capita health care spending reached $6797, this is 40% higher than any other nation with health care outcomes ranking 37th according to the World Health Organization (Beebe, 2009).Between 2003 and 2007, the combined profits of the largest insurance impasses rose by over 170%, which left their approval rating lower that tobacco companies. This was the resulted as worker's out-of-pocket spending for health care shot into the atmosphere 87% since 2000 (Beebe, 2009). It is estimated that 47 million Americans lived without insurance before our economy fell apart and unemployment's rise did nothing but add to those numbers (Beebe, 2009).It is estimated that half of all personal bankruptcies stem from drowning in the expenses of medical care, and in 76% of those cases, it was the main income that had insurance cove rage for the family (Beebe, 2009). Could there really be a better example that something needs to be done than what Mr.. Vernon did Just to get healthcare? Ethnologists of ethics don't look at the consequences of actions before coming up with an idea. One way they might see the healthcare debate could be that healthcare should be a personal responsibility. It could be argued that healthcare is something is a personal responsibility.It is up to the individual or family to make sure that they have the coverage that they need. A Ethnologist might say that by the government ensuring that there is healthcare available for people, it s government interference into people's affairs. If people want health insurance, than they can but it, or become employed at a Job that provides healthcare. However, when healthcare costs are so high that they are choking on the gases in Supplier's atmosphere, those who may wish to have a family doctor so they can get regular checkups yet cannot afford it.Lo oking at it from a utilitarian point of view, the majority of the public would benefit from healthcare being available for all. For example, a hospital in Costa Mesa, California, dumped Steven Davis in skid row at the New Image Shelter in 2008. The thirty-two year old man was diagnosed as schizophrenic and was considered to be dangerously delusional and paranoid (LA times, 2009). Not only did Mr.. Davis need care and medication, the hospital dumping him on the street could have turned out to be dangerous for someone else. Sadly, his is not the only case in which a hospital negligently dumped a patient for not having insurance.James Booking, a veteran of this country, was dumped in the parking lot of a shelter in California by the Department of Veteran Affairs medical center after his toe was removed due to a bone infection. He was wearing hospital pants, carrying urine bottle, and screaming for help from the wheelchair he was sitting in (Winston According to the 2006 Human Developme nt Report, the life & saves, 2011). Expectancy of someone living in the United Kingdom is 78. 5, France is 79. 5, Canadians can expect 80. 2, with the American expecting around 77. 5 (Watkins, 2006).The only major difference between these countries is that all but one ensures that their citizens have healthcare. The only one would be America that doesn't. Common sense should indicate that if we as Americans had access to preventative care, we might be able to save some change in our pockets by avoiding costly ERE In 2004, retiring representative Billy Taught of Louisiana stepped down visits. Early with the intention of taking a Job as the new president and CEO of the drug industry top lobbying group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (Welch, 2004).According to watchdog groups such as the Center fro Responsive Politics, prior to this event, Taught received $218,000 in campaign contributions from those in the pharmaceutical industry with contributions reaching $91 , 500 for 2002 which was the year he first became chairman of the committee with jurisdiction over the drug industry (Welch, 2004). There have been so many arguments over the separation of church and state, how about we start the argument over the separation of corporations and the state? In Cuba, 75% of the people are feeling positive regarding their education and healthcare systems (Worldpublicopinion. Rig, 2011). While many may not be so happy with their individual freedoms, they are happy with the fact that they can be seen by a doctor when they feel like it, considering their healthcare is universal. If a dictatorship which our government sees as an enemy will ensure that its citizens have healthcare, what goes that say about the government of a free country like ours? Should a woman be forced to choose between buying groceries and paying for her prescription medications in the United States? In a personal interview, Melissa Tearful shared her story about how she lost her health insurance, Just when she needed it the most.In 2006 she was diagnosed as having bipolar depression and post- traumatic stress syndrome. She started going to therapy once a week and got on medication which she said greatly improved her situation. â€Å"It was unbelievable, the difference I felt after I got on the right medications. It was like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. For the first time in years I was able to think clearly' (M. Tearful, personal interview September 21, 2011). She was on state health insurance and was kicked off of it because of a political decision by former Governor Blunt.Previously, single mothers were allowed to get state health insurance until their child became 18, but a recent bill passed saying that after the child turned one, the mother would lose the insurance. This meant more money for the state of Missouri, but it also meant that single mothers like Melissa were left without healthcare. She stated that she tried to apply for disabilit y insurance so that she could continue with her therapy and medications, but was rejected. Because she was able to maintain a Job, she was not considered eligible for any assistance. L felt like I was being punished for actually trying to better myself. You hear all the time how people with the same condition I have are not able to hold down a Job, or care for their kids, but because I am trying and making it, I cannot get any help. † (M. Tearful, personal interview, September 21 , 2011). Soon after losing her healthcare, she had to abandon both the medications and the therapy. Melissa stated that it was very difficult going off of the medications â€Å"cold turkey. † She shared that it was a very emotion-filled time for her.According to Melissa, her moods fluctuated frequently and she experienced many panic attacks in the first months afterwards. She said that as time went on, it became easier for her to cope, but that there are times when it is extremely difficult. Me lissa stated that she â€Å"can handle herself when she is manic by keeping herself busy, but when I am depressed, I can't think straight. Right and wrong sometimes go out the window when I get really into that state. It's like what ever feels good at the time seems so logical† (M. Tearful, personal interview, September 21, 2011).We tell our children that money is not everything, but yet when it comes down to the choice of more money or the well-being of a human, more often than not it is the money that wins out. Melissa Tearful went on to share with me the story of her coworker of seven years, Bruce Patterson. According to Ms. Tearful, Mr.. Patterson has been on high-blood pressure medicine for quite sometime, but when his hours got cut at work, he had to make some drastic changes n his lifestyle to be able to stay on his pills. Just to stay on the medicine that he very much needs, he stopped paying his electric bill for months in his trailer.Melissa said that it was during the winter of this year when he lost power for his home and would do things like stay at his Job at Burger King for many hours after his shift, sometimes even napping at the store in order to sleep some place warm (M. Tearful, personal interview, September 2, 2011). Via electronic communication Ms. Patti Hollies shared her sister's story of how she was left in pain because of lack of healthcare overage. According to Ms. Hollies, her sister had been experiencing pain in her leg and hip so she went to the ERE in Gerard, Ohio.The doctors did a CAT scan, which revealed nothing that would cause her to be in so much pain. They gave her a shot and sent her home. Over the next days she her condition did not improve, even after going to the ERE three more times. Because she had no insurance, the doctors refused to continue to seek out the cause of her condition. Her sister then brought her to SST. Elizabeth Free Medical Clinic in a wheelchair because, by this time, her sister was not blew to walk. Here X-rays were conducted, which also revealed nothing, so her sister was told that there was nothing more that they would do.She asked if maybe and MR. would help, but the nurse practitioner refused to order that test. Seeing her sister crying in pain, and knowing they were running out of options, she placed a phone call her own doctor (P. Hollies, electronic communication, September 26, 2011). This doctor recommended her sister be taken to the ERE in SST. Elizabethan Clinic by ambulance. She followed her doctor's advice, and her sister was admitted into the hospital. After getting an MR., her sister learned she had a herniated disc and had to have surgery. They also learned that she was diabetic.Once the surgery was performed, the pain went away and was doing very well. However, even after diagnosing her with having diabetes and prescribing her insulin, at no point was she taught how to take the medicine. A phone call was placed to the director of the hospital about the po or treatment her sister received at SST. Elizabethan and she was assured that her sister would be taken care of. It is the firm belief of Ms. Hollies that her sister's suffering was totally unnecessary. Had her sister had health insurance, she believes that the doctors would have been much more inclined to order tests.

Dietary Supplement

Dietary Supplement Report Ebony M. Dean SCI/241 January 27, 2013 Joseph Casico Dietary Supplement Report Dietary supplements are vitamins, minerals, herbs and other substances meant to improve your diet. They can come in pill form, capsules, powders and liquids. Supplements do not have to go through testing that drugs do. Some supplements can play an important role in your health. For example, pregnant women take the vitamin folic acid to prevent certain birth defects in their babies.Taking any kind of supplements can also be a type of complementary or alternative medicine. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not regulate dietary supplements in the same way that it regulates medicine. A dietary supplement can be sold without research on how well it works. The benefit of taking dietary supplements is that they are designed to augment your daily intake of nutrients. Normally, you should be able to get all the nutrients you need from a well balanced diet.However, taking supp lements can provide additional nutrients when your diet is lacking or when certain health conditions cause you to develop an insufficiency or deficiency. Multiple-vitamin supplements provide all the basic vitamins and minerals your body needs. These vitamins are generally safe because they only contain small amounts of each nutrient. Individual nutrients can also be sold as a dietary supplement, but in larger amounts than what’s found in a typical multiple-vitamin.These supplements may be used to treat a simple deficiency, such as an iron deficiency, but sometimes they’re used therapeutically to treat specific health conditions or risk factors. For example, large doses of niacin may be used to raise good cholesterol, and folic acid has been used to reduce the risk of a birth defect called spina bifida. The risk of taking dietary supplements is that some contain active ingredients that have strong biological effects in the body. This could make them unsafe in some situa tions and hurt or even complicate your health.Using dietary supplements could lead to harmful and even life-threatening consequences such as using supplements with medications whether prescription or over the counter and substituting them for prescriptions medicines. Taking too much of some of these supplements, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and iron. Some supplements can also have unwanted effects before, during, and after surgery. Always inform your health care provider, including your pharmacist about any supplements your taking especially before surgery.The FDA regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients under a different set of regulation than those covering â€Å"conventional† foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement or dietary ingredient manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement or ingredient is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market.Manufacturers are required to produce dietary supplements to minimum quality standards and ensure that they do not contain any contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get approval before producing or selling dietary supplements. Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading. The manufacturers are required to report all serious dietary supplement related adverse events or illnesses to the FDA as of December 2007.The FDA can take dietary supplements off the market if they are found to be unsafe, adulterated, or if the claims on the products are false and misleading. Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that is normally found in foods such as dried beans, peas, lentils, oranges, whole-wheat products, liver, asparagus, bee ts, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and spinach. Folic acid is used for preventing and treating low blood levels of folic acid as well as its complications, including â€Å"tired blood’ (anemia) and the inability of the bowel to absorb nutrients properly.Folic acid is also used for other conditions commonly associated with folic acid deficiency, including ulcerative colitis, liver disease, alcoholism, and kidney dialysis. Women who are pregnant or might become pregnant take folic acid to prevent miscarriage and birth defects such as spina bifida that occur when the fetus’s spine and back don’t close during development. Folic acid is likely safe for most people. Most adults do not experience an aide effects when consuming the recommended amount each day, which is 400 mcg.High doses of folic acid might cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, rash, sleep disorders, irritability, confusion, nausea, stomach upset, behaviors changes, skin reactions, seizures, gas, and excitabi lity. There is some concern that taking too much folic acid for a long period of time might cause serious side effects. Some research suggests that taking folic acid in doses of 800-1200 mcg might increase the risk of heart attack in people who have heart problems. Other research suggests that taking these high doses might also increase the risk of cancer such as lung or prostate cancer.For folic acid deficiency: the typical dose is 250-1000 mcg per day. For preventing neural tube defects: at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day from supplements or fortified food should be taken by women capable of becoming pregnant and continued through the first month of pregnancy. Women with a history of previous pregnancy complicated by neural tude defects usually take 4 mg per day beginning one month before and continuing for three months after conception. References: www. nih. gov/medlineplus/dietarysupplements www. wedmd. com/dietarysupplements www. fda. gov/food/dietarysupplements