Assisted Reproduction Essay

Abstract: In this paper I will discuss the ethical issues surrounding surrogacy, egg donation, and discuss exploitations of women who choose to become a surrogate mother. In addition to these moral issues I will also explore the ethics and morals of IVF and the implantation of multiple eggs to one subject that may result in multiple births. In the occurrence of multiple births the subject is faced with the decision of selective abortion or the choice to give birth to all the fetuses with the risk of severe premature infants. With the birth of premature infants there are additional ethical decision involved in the treatment of those infants that may be afflicted with mental defects and a multitude of medical challenges. Surrogacy is the process in which a baby is created in a petri dish from the sperm of a man and the eggs of a woman; the resulting embryo is than transferred into a host or surrogate in order to gestate. The surrogate simply carries the baby to term for couples who are unable to carry their own child. They are helping regular people become parents. Ethics involved in surrogacy are the views of some that believe those that are unable to conceive or carry a fetus should adopt. Also some believe that those who choose to be surrogates may be exploited. The truth is that adoption is a very rigorous process with lengthy applications and waiting lists. The requirements in most cases take age of the adopting parents into consideration and they must interview with a social worker. In many cases once the adoptive parents have jumped through hoops, and attended the Doctor appointments, paying for medical expenses, decorated the nursery face disappointment because the birth mother has decided to keep the child. I believe more people would adopt if the rules were more accommodating for couples who wish to become parents and those children waiting to be adopted in foster homes and group homes (Ethics of Surrogacy). Although surrogacy is not as heavily regulated as adoption it is far easier for couple to use surrogacy to complete their family. I don’t believe that surrogates are exploited because this would imply that only the rich are participating in surrogacy births when in actuality it is the middle classes that choose this process of conceiving a child, they use any financial means necessary even if it means taking out a second mortgage on their home. They are educated people and have steady employment usually as school teachers, military personnel or social workers. They are much like the population of people that choose to be surrogates (Arguments against Surrogacy). Surrogates are compensated but the money gained by surrogates is often used to put a down payment on a house, or pay for their adult child’s college education or their own. They may choose to be a surrogate in order to remain at home with their own young children rather than to work outside of the home. In fact one of the requirements for someone to become a surrogate is they must have children of their own. Other qualifications of a surrogate are she must be at least 21 years of age in order to be able to enter into a legal binding contract. They are provided with their own attorney to go over the contract with them and they undergo a physiological test to be certain they have the correct mindset to be able to carry a child for someone else. These women are not being taken advantage of; in fact they are generous women by nature who are willing to give the ultimate gift. Egg donation and IVF also raise many ethical issues. In the process of IVF the woman’s body is stimulated to produce many eggs that can be fused with her partner’s sperm to create useable embryos for implantation. Some women are unable to produce their own eggs therefore must seek the eggs of others. Due to these circumstances the demand for egg donation is high. Women are donating their own eggs to assist infertile couple in conceiving a child. The issue brought up in egg donation is whether the woman should be paid. Some are compensated for travel expenses and childcare, but further compensation seems viable since these women have to undergo an outpatient surgical procedure in order to stimulate the ovaries and recover the eggs. There is significant health risks involved in the procedure. There are fewer ethical concerns regarding sperm donation because there aren’t any health risks involved and the male can make as many as 50 donations in a six-month period. Woman who chooses to donate their eggs can earn several hundred dollars man of whom use to pay for college. They are of a particular level of intelligence and may possess some physical qualities that are desired. The argument in sperm and egg donation is that males can make a fairly lucrative earning with little risk involved while women have to experience surgical procedures and risks of complications for less compensation than their counterparts’ (Fertility Expert). In the process of IVF eggs are harvested and stored for future use. In most cases multiple eggs are implanted into the womb because the procedure is so costly and the chances of conception are better. The two main ethical questions that arise from IVF are what is done with the eggs that are stored, and the ethical questions surrounding the cases of multiple births due to several eggs being implanted. This leads us to selective abortion. Many of the eggs that are stored for future use do not get used thus face disposal. Many view this as selective abortion even though the embryos are in petri dishes and not in a womb. Some eggs may be used for research which also raises many ethical questions and concerns. Selective abortion often occurs when multiple eggs have been implanted and it results in the possibility of multiple births. The fetuses are selected for abortion to increase the chances of survival for the remaining fetus or fetuses. In some cases the abortion in therapeutic because the resulting pregnancy could endanger the health of the mother. In some countries selective abortion is utilized because of sexual preference of the fetus. Typically this occurs in cultures where male babies are preferred and female babies are aborted. It is usually referred to as female foeticide. It occurs in countries such as India, and some Asian counties. In other cases selective abortion is used when embryos are screened for genetic abnormalities. If a genetic defect is found the pregnancy is terminated (BBC, ). In these cases such ethical questions that arise are the severity of the condition, the quality of life of the child contributions of the child and economic factors. As a result of multiple egg implantation involved in IVF resulting in multiple births, the chance of premature birth is highly likely. Although there have been advances in technology that have allowed neonatologists to provide premies with mechanical ventilation, intravenous nutrition and artificial surfactant there still remains many other uncontrollable complications. The ethical question that arises is at what cost and to what extent do providers take to keep these babies alive. Who makes the decision? The health care provider has a responsibility to the mother’s autonomy but to the beneficence of the fetuses as well in cases of selective abortion (NCBI, ). As defined by World Health Organization prematurity are babies that are born before 37 weeks. Babies that are born at 36 weeks are slow to eat and failure to thrive. Babies at 33 weeks have serious problems usually involving lung function, and babies born 28 weeks have significant problems and a minimal survival rate. They are risk of hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia, respiratory distress syndrome; they are more susceptible to retrolental fibroplasia and blindness. The morbidity of premature babies is inversely related to gestational age. If the babies are discharged they have a higher readmission rate than babies that were born full term (Patient UK, ). Thus with all the complications that occur in a premature births the question that should be asked is what is the quality of life going to be for these children. It is very costly to keep these children thriving and even once they have been discharges from the hospital they are still faced with health, psychomotor, and behavioral problems in the future. In families of multiple births this can be quite burdensome. I do believe that as a community we have a responsibility to what we can for these children that have defied all odds and have survived. Due to medical advances in reproductive technology there has been a huge benefit to couples who have been able to have children due to these advancements. But with technology comes great responsibility and it is necessary to take a step back and look at the history, the technology and the ethics that surround these advancements. As humans we make choices, some good and some bad. But with each choice we affect society.

Microsoft Word

JP Morgan Chase, a financial holding company which merged with Bank One to expand its operations and market for financial products. Their experiences with outsourcing have been bitter and they are on the lookup for better strategies for managing their IT infrastructure. In addition to that, back sourcing did not do much good. It stirred dissatisfaction among employees and senior management. Both the decisions, namely outsourcing and back sourcing, were a drag in productivity and loss in morale for its employees. The above paragraph is drafted for explaining the following features. Thesaurus: This option is exercised to know the synonyms of a particular word and successfully replace a chosen word with a synonym. It is used to find substitutes for a given word. For example: A word namely â€Å"merged† can be replaced with compound, fused or others. Research: It is an option exercised to research the existing text in the document for its proof found at Microsoft Office Online (2007). It is used to review the comments or track changes. Can be cited as pseudo plagiarism software that checks equivalent sentences with others over the internet. Spell check: It is used to check the spelling mistakes in the drafted document and provides options for correcting them. It is a feature which displays several options for the correct spelling and one can either replace or ignore the suggested options. It is used for getting the words spelled correctly according to US English. For example: If the word â€Å"strategies† was written as â€Å"stratagies†, using the spell check it was possible to replace it with the correct word. Grammar check: A feature which evaluates the entire line or a part of the line and suggests the possible best sentence which is alphabetically correct. Ernst (2007) states that it is generally used to replace grammatically incorrect sentences or words with correct ones. For example, if the part of the sentence â€Å"Their experiences with outsourcing have been bitter and they are on the lookup for better strategies for managing† was written as â€Å"Their experiences with outsourcing have been bitter and they is on the lookup for better strategies for managing†, then using grammar check it can be corrected. References Ernst P. Mike (2007).Faculty Strategies for Promoting Student Learning. See:http://www.csudh.edu/titlev/mswordspellinggrammar.htm, accessed on 24th October 2007. Microsoft Office Online (2007), accessed 24th October 2007.            

Aspects of Weston village and HCBD problems

Aspects of Weston village and HCBD problems The ICI chemical plant at Runcorn has been landfilling its unwanted waste by products in the disused quarries in the village of Weston in Cheshire. These by products were the result of the production of a variety of chemical products including polyvinyl chemicals, chlorinated alkanes, chlorinated naphthalene, and many more solvents. However, over the last decade high concentrations of hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD) have been measured close to and inside a number of residences within close proximity to the site. A major concern is that this chemical is not manufactured commercially, meaning that that the presence must be from the landfill. Further investigation into several boreholes revealed that HCBD vapour concentrations were high. The use of these quarries stopped in the mid 1970’s, thus meaning the site was capped and landscaped to fit back in with the environment around it. HCBD HCBD is a man made chemical, which is colourless, oily and does not dissolve in water. This chemical is toxic to aquatic organism and plants, and tends to accumulate and persist in soils and water. This means that it could have global scale environmental effects. Hexachlorobutadiene occur as a by-product during the chlorinolysis of butane in the production of tetrachloride and tetrachloroethene (Berndt and Mehendale, 1979). These two commodities are manufactured on such a large scale that the amount of HCBD can be produced on industrial demand. Toxicity According to the EPA IRIS report the oral slope factor is 7.8 x10 -2 per mg/kg-day (EPA IRIS, 2002). An oral slope factor is used to estimate the risk of cancer with exposure to a carcinogenic, in this case HCBD was tested. It uses a 95% confidence limit for the increased cancer risk from a lifetime of exposure to HCBD via ingestion or inhalation. This estimation uses the units of mg per substance, kg of body weight, per day. The drinking water unit risk is 2.2 x10 -6 per  µg/L, this means level of HCBD in drinking water where the level is dangerous to consume (EPA IRIS, 2018). The quantitative estimation of the carcinogenic risk from inhalation exposure is 2.2 x10 -5 per  µg/m3. Concerns over HCBD relate to limited toxicological studies that show that this chemical is a probable human carcinogen as well as a systemic toxin, being probable to cause liver damage if exposed to humans. Studies on rats have shown high levels of HCBD to cause kidney cancer, although this has yet to be proven within humans. Kociba et al. (1997) found from studies on the rats, the tumour’s to be located in the urinary, this does not differ for either oral exposure or inhalation. Fish species and crustaceans have been found to be the most sensitive, 96-h LC50 values ranging from 0.032 to 1.2 and 0.09 to approximately 1.7 mg l -1 for crustaceans and fish respectively (Toxic substance profile, 2018). Exposure assessment: CalTOX The purpose of this assessment is to undertake a risk assessment on HCBD through relevant toxicological information and applying a multi-media, fate and toxic assessment model (CalTOX) to the Weston site. This model was developed for the Californian EPA for specific use in assessing the human risk through exposure to organic chemicals in environmental media from contaminated landfill sites (McKone, 1993). This model was created using both Excel/Visual Basic and incorporates a dynamic Level III fugacity model to distribute the chemical into 8 environmental compartments and to determine concentrations in soil, air, water (surface and groundwater) as well as plants/crops. A human risk characterisation pathways model is also incorporated within CalTOX to determine human doses for the various pathways of exposure (McKone, 1993). Pathways The exact quantities of HCBD are unknown, however as part of ICI â€Å"Project Pathway† an assessment into the industrial activity around Weston village. This used borehole data and over 2000 indoor air measurements. This occurred in 1993 and was a voluntary assessment of the legacy of almost 200 years of industry. The aim of the project pathway was to explore whether the industrial activity posed an unacceptable risk to people or the environment (Barnes et al., 2002). The Western Quarries are located on a Triassic sandstone, with a depth of 30m below the surface. The ground water level at the quarry 70m. The last quarrying action stopped in the 1900’s but since then it has been for dispersal of industrial and chemical waste. The data provided from the initial assessment, such as geology, contaminants, migration pathway and sources, helped to review the site. This review found that subsurface vapour transport of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons through the relative air-permeable vadose zone in the sandstone as a potentially significant contaminant mitigation pathway (Moss, 2004). Due to this finding, a plan was implemented to assess the significance of this potential contaminant migration pathway. This plan involved installing a network of vapour monitoring wells around the North and South Quarry between the source area and the potentially affected houses. These monitoring stations found hexachlorobutadiene concentrations, these have raised concern over the potential to affect indoor air in the surrounding properties. Dose Data In the following years, a more comprehensive study was undertaken by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), this involved screening 390 properties over 15 months (Moss, 2004). They indoor air value has a guideline if 0.6 ppbv (Parts per billion by volume) for HCBD levels (Barnes et al., 2002). The tests found a total of 29 properties that exceeded this level. All of these houses were adjacent to the quarry. From these findings, the release of HCBD from the quarry is at a dangerous level, action must be taken to prevent human life being put at risk. Risk Assessment: Cancer HCBD has been found to be a carcinogen, studies on rats have proven that the chemical does cause cancer in high doses (Berndt and Mehendale, 1979). This has yet to be proven on humans. Using the cancer potency information taken from the EPA IRIS database, the probability for the additional cancer risk through exposure to HCBD has been calculated at 6.0E-4 (6.010-4). The equation to calculate this reads: P(d) = q * d The P(d) is the lifetime probability of developing cancer, d is the dose (mg/kg per day), q is the slope potency factor (mg/kg per day)-1. The odds of gaining cancer through exposure to any chemical need to be below one in a million. As proven by this equation the conservative low-dose cancer probability is 6.0E-4. This is way above the one in a million, meaning exposure to this chemical is too high of a risk of causing cancer. From this it shows that something must be done to more humans away from the site. As HCBD was found at the quarry and within the air in and around the houses, some action must be taken as it is not safe to live there. Hazard From the CalTOX model a hazard index can be produced. This uses the Exposure dose over the tolerable daily intake. If this value is greater than one, there is an unacceptable risk. From this a hazard index number is calculated, for this exposure it is 7.4 E (7.410). The value of 7.4 E is very high, proving some action needs to be taken. What could be done? As proven by the results the hazard and cancer risk is too high to have no intervention at this site. Something must be done to either stop the outbreak and/or remove residents from living near the quarry. The ICI have many options to try and resolve this problem, however some have concerns over effectiveness and expensiveness of the methods. The first method is to remove the source of the HCBD. This would involve excavating the site, pulling up all the landfill and removing it to a secure location where it can be destroyed or dealt with. This method would ensure no more HCBD and other dangerous chemicals would be released around the quarry (Poblete et al., 2011). This method is useful as the source has been removed, so there would be no new production. However, this will be a large-scale project, that will take months to years to complete. This would cause major disruption to the town with heavy traffic and noisy work. On top of this, it would be the most expensive method. Another method that could be considered is trying to contain the site. This method would involve re-capping the site, by removing what is already there and putting a new layer on. There are three steps to this, a top layer of soil and vegetation, the second is a drainage layer and the third is a low permeable layer (Rittmann et al., 1996; Raghab et al., 2013). This is typically made of synthetic material covering a few feet of compacted clay. The main benefit of this is that no more chemicals would be allowed to escape into the surrounding area. This would also make the local properties livable again after the HCBD has been removed from the air. A problem with this method is that it could become quite expensive and has the potential to cause minor disruption. The effectiveness of this is also questioned, as typically when landfill sites are capped they should be contained and as proven at Weston it does not always work. A method that should be considered is to capture the HCBD released. Siwajek et al. (1998) studied the recovery of gas at landfill sites. This was done for both methane and carbon dioxide, however it’s still unsure if this could be done for HCBD. As stated by Siwajek et al. (1998) this method would require the installation of pipe work all around the site and has the potential to be expensive. A third option is to relocate and rehouse the local residents and demolish the houses. This would mean that residents would not be at risk. However, this would not be favorable to local residents. Management of HCBD risk in Weston The recommendations going forward would be to prevent the further release of HCBD and any other chemicals. This would best be done via containment, if plausible at this site. This would mean that local residents would be able to stay. However, it could be for the best if the house that recorded unsafe levels of HCBD be demolished or evacuated until safe to return. On top of this, a plan should be put in place for healthcare to local residents that were/could have been at risk of ingestion of HCBD. The uncertainties within this approach is the effectiveness of the containment and the potential for future leakage as the source is still nearby. To counter these a safe radius around the site should be erected with any houses within this demolished and the residents rehomed. When resealing the site, an alternative cover type could be used such as asphalt or a bioengineered management cover, however the most effective for preventing further release should be used. Model suitability and validation Like any model, the results are not always accurate, however they are very useful. This is especially true when predicting future outcome. They are also valuable when testing something potentially dangerous, such as the exposure of chemicals. The CalTOX model used was useful as many parameters can be inputted into the model. This is especially true for the landscape as biological, aquatic and soils based properties can be altered (Bonnard, 2006). One advantage of the model is the speed, the model can be changed and run in minutes (Hurtwich, 2000). To make any alteration, the whole model does not have to be run again, this is the advantage of the model being simulated in Excels. However, there are some disadvantages with using the CalTOX model. This includes the uncertainty and sensitivity to the parameters, this also raises questions over the accurate meaning given to the parameters concerning their actual use in the equations (Bonnard, 2006). As much of an advantage having lots of parameters is, it can also be a problem. This is shown if there is a lack of scientific data for many of the limits, the model cannot be run to full potential. To complete the spreadsheet a lot of data collection would be needed. What did happen at Weston village? As the results from the Building Research Establishment were over 0.6 ppbv in 29 houses adjacent to the quarry, it was determined the best course of action was to demolish the houses. This meant there would be no future risk as the land is uninhabitable, and the quickest solution (Barnes et al., 2005). Conclusion The quarry site around Weston village has leaked the carcinogenic chemical HCBD. From inputting the details of this exposure into the CalTOX model, it assessed the human risk to HCBD. From this it was determined the chemical was unsafe and too much of a hazard to allow it to be inhaled. To prevent future incidents, a recommendation to re-contain the site to prevent the further release of HCBD and other chemicals. This method would cause disruption to the local community and force some residents out of their homes, however this seems the best method going forward. Comparing this to the actual outcome, less houses would be demolished and the continued leakage of chemicals out of the quarry would be stopped. However, this would be more expensive and potentially time consuming.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Assistive Technologies for students Research Paper

Advantages and Disadvantages of Assistive Technologies for students with Learning disabilities - Research Paper Example In essence, reading, listening, speech, algebra, and reasoning are the prime areas in which learning disabilities tend to affect on children. Moreover, students with learning disabilities or disorders have a higher potential of succeeding as long as the teaching technique used on them is different from that used on average kids. Ideally, there is no medical symptom that may show that a child has learning disabilities, but this does not mean that the condition is non existent. Learning disabilities are not curable, but the use of certain application tools may be helpful in ensuring that a child with this disability works out the learning challenges that they may have. On the contrary, these tools are technology aides that assist a child to organize, write, spell among a list of other daily activities with ease and they may be complex or common devices. With this, this essay will delve into the advantages and disadvantages of using assistive technologies for students with learning disa bilities. Features of assistive technologies for learning Ideally, assistive technology is a term that describes the family of rehabilitative, aiding, and adaptive technology applying devices made for people living with learning disabilities. ... The advancement in technology has led to the development of equipments that have proved effective for the disabled with any form of shortcomings. For those with learning disabilities, assistive technology products include screen readers and voice recognition devices, which mainly target those with indisputable communication challenges, learning, hearing, and arithmetic needs. Ideally, people have different ways of accessing and communicating in which assistive technologies can be effective using joysticks, touch screens, software, and switches that may be essential for them to accomplish tasks. These tools act as aides to students with learning disabilities through these devices in order for them to keep up with the other normal children. Advantages of Assistive Technologies for students with Learning disabilities As stated above, Assistive Technology is any equipment that when used improves, maintains, or increases the performance capabilities for people with disabilities. The first advantage of using Assistive Technology is that it supports an individual’s strengths hence suppressing the effects that disabilities may bring by. The other advantage is that these technologies give individuals with disabilities alternative ways of performing the required tasks using these technologies, which makes the task execution to be maneuverable. For instance, people that have unreadable handwriting may use word processors to help them improve on this skill, which in turn helps them produce documents are readable and appealing to their eyes of a reader. Other than writing, Assistive Technology (AT) can also be helpful in building their self-esteem as it gives an avenue for the improvement on their written expressions such as spelling and

Organisations and Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Organisations and Behaviour - Essay Example 287). These norms and values determine the way the groups and people in organizationsinteract with each other within the organization and with other stakeholders outside the organization. Different organizations have vast cultures because they depend on the organization’s nature of business. Organizational culture influences a sense of identity to the employees,which in turn enhances commitment to something larger than the usual self. This paper will analyse a summative review of Siemens organizational structure and culture and compare it with organizations. Comparing and contrasting different organizational structures and culture with that of SiemensCompany Siemens is the world’s largest electrical engineering and electronics company whose headquarters is based in Germany and has branches that operates in 193 countries worldwide (Tung 2001, p. 183). Despite that the company has operated internationally, it focused on the German home market until the 1990s when it restr uctured. This restructuring process meant that Siemens had to change its old organizational structure and culture towards a new and ethical one (Phillips & Gully 2012, p. 481). The new organizational structure and culture is complex because Siemens is a diverse company situated in diverse locations in the world. Nevertheless, the company embraces the flow of internal and external communication where semiformal strategy is utilized. More so, the leaders exercise and maintain a semi-formal attitude that encourages employees to communicate especially when considered that the company is diversifying far and wide towards other foreign markets. Wal-Mart is a renowned retail outlet in the world,whosestructure and culture were set by its founder Sam Walton. The founder had clear objectives for the companythat had to be achieved by adhering to values and principles. Wal-Mart’s organizational structure is designed in a way that it enables it to have a wide range of control because it c learly identifies employees and authority roles. More so, Wal-Mart maintains a good working environment that encourages the employees to have trust, which in turn enhances good customer services (Solomon 2004, p. 5).The company also has a strong organizational culture that depicts through its mission statement, which aims at providing better quality products at lower prices than any other competitor provides. This culture affects the company's business because it determines the prosperity of the business. Apple is a world’s outstanding high technology company based in the U.S. The structure of the company could be referred to as nonexistent because the company has no clear set principles. This means that, Apple makes its decision depending on the work at hand. The granted freedom allowed employees to make decisions at different levels and the corporate office had a hard task keeping track of spending and purchasing, an aspect that once affected Apple’s profitability (D ubrin 2012, p. 287). The culture of Apple Inc. is of a rare case because the company has no chain of command that supervises the employees. This means that the employees are self-motivated; hence, pushing them to work hard because they do not have bosses to push them around. In comparison, the three organizational structures have a common similarity of creating a friendly working environme

As instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

As instruction - Essay Example It therefore, can be said that each of us, follow a definite philosophy which guides our actions and our efforts to gain knowledge and accordingly base our judgments of the people or event. J. S. Mills, an eminent philosopher, In his book ‘On liberty’ has extensively discoursed on liberty of thought and discussion and has tried to explain its wider meaning with respect to the control exerted by society on an individual. Through the ages, liberty and freedom of choice has been the most important issue for the rulers and the community at large. The rulers and people in authority have been using their power to exert control over the community and individuals. Mills has argued that no government or individual has the right to suppress the independent thought of other individuals largely because the new thoughts are catalyst to the changes, which are part and parcel of human existence. The extent of the influence of their control on the liberty of individuals is the most vital aspect of interplay of human relationship within the society. The governmental and constitutional paradigms of liberty are important factors in the larger interests of the society. But there are some intrinsic and unarticulated social control over the individuals within the society, which may be defined by the doctrines of the time and religion. According to Mils ‘for a long time past, the chief mischief of the legal penalties is that they strengthen the social stigma’ (Mills, chapter 1). While to some extent, one can agree that excess control does corrodes of moral and ethical values, but some control is necessary to maintain law and order within the social fabric. But Mills theory on liberty of thought and discussion is highly relevant with the issue of teaching the theory of evolution and the theory of intelligent design in public school.

Critical Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Critical Evaluation - Essay Example Focusing too much on Pacheco’s argument that Behn’s novella is ‘Eurocentric’ and ‘class-biased’, the review fails to provide a balanced view of Pacheco’s commentary, and leaves the reader clueless about Pacheco’s objective in writing the essay– exposing the political agenda underlying Behn’s novella, and its failure in achieving an ideological closure. The review begins with a clearly stated objective of exploring the main points of Pacheco’s essay and analysing its strengths and weaknesses; however, proceeds to describe Pacheco’s arguments and illustrations that suggest Behn’s hero as ‘Eurocentric’ and ‘royalist.’ A significant portion of the review is spent on summarising Pacheco’s viewpoints, and presents little attempt to analyse or interpret Pacheco’s observation in the backdrop of her thesis or the primary text. At many places like when describing Pacheco’s comments on ‘Europeanizing the African’ and Behn’s approach to slavery, the reviewer simply repeats Pacheco’s words as in a simple narration of the article, without quoting the author, or interpreting the implications of Pacheco’s observations. The review is totally oblivious of Pacheco’s commentary on Oroonoko’s treatment of honour and its instability withi n the upper-class/royalist discourse due to the religious implications, which according to her eventually leads to the undermining of the novel’s royalist ideology. While the review provides crucial insights into the perspective of Pacheco’s analysis, it does not endeavour to assess or evaluate the strength or weakness of her claims or offer a comprehensive framework for the readers to make the assessment themselves. Though the reviewer make a note of other works that substantiate Pacheco’s thesis such as that by Guffey, the commentary fails to provide a comparative perspective with other works for the reader to assess the merit and significance of Pacheco’s study. The

Corporate governance of Westpac Banking Corporation AUSTRALIA Essay

Corporate governance of Westpac Banking Corporation AUSTRALIA - Essay Example Corporate governance has become the buzz word and has accomplished in drawing a good deal of public interest because of its visible significance of corporations and society with respect to economic healthCorporate governance is a complex concept as it deals with many different economic happenings Looking at a broader perspective corporate governance can be regarded as a set of procedures, customs, guidelines, rules and regulations affecting the way a corporation is planned, directed, governed or controlled. It also includes the relationships among the stakeholders and the aims for which the corporation is managed. The main stakeholders involved are the shareholders, management and the board of directors. Along with employees, suppliers, customers, banks the environment and the community as a whole. As mentioned earlier corporate governance is a complicated and multi-dimensional subject. Corporate governance deals with issues of accountability and fiduciary duty, making sure all the guidelines and mechanisms are implemented for the safe guard of shareholders. Another focal point is to achieve optimize economic through corporate governance to emphasize on shareholders welfare.Westpac Banking Corporation was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1817 as the Bank of New South Wales and merged with the Commercial Bank of Australia and changed its name to Westpac in 1982. Today, it is a leading provider of banking and financial services in Australia, New Zealand, and eight Pacific island nations. It is Australia's oldest bank and offers general banking services to retail, commercial, and institutional customers and provides investment management and insurance. Westpac has strived to reach the position today it has by focusing on such issues only establishing a strong relationship with the stakeholders. "Corporate governance is a field in economics that investigates how to secure/motivate efficient management of corporations by the use of incentive mechanisms, such as contracts, organizational designs and legislation. This is often limited to the question of improving financial performance, for example, how the corporate owners can secure/motivate that the corporate managers will deliver a competitive rate of return." [www.encycogov.com, Mathiesen [2002].] Companies are scored based on specific issues such as board composition, management remuneration, accounting treatment and transparency. [https://www.shareanalysis.com/asp/glossary.asp]. Westpac has always focused upon promoting corporate justice, precision and self-actualization. The corporate governance structure followed at Westpac specifies the proper allocation of rights and responsibilities of the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders and properly defines the rules and procedures for corporate decision making. Increased competition, stringent regulatory standards, and continuous change in customer wants and demands have put pressure on global banking companies like Westpac to develop creative and cost-effective business strategies. Some of the examples of how corporate governance is implemented at Westpac are as follows: (http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WISEWP+Protection) SSL connection Internet Banking system uses a technology called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). This creates a secure connection between the customer and the Westpac. This is a highly beneficial technology developed by Netscape, Microsoft and RSA Inc that is supported by most browsers. Encryption Westpac has employed precise security mechanisms to guarantee that the client's information and accounts are secured. The latest encryption technologies have been used to protect the data when being sent over the internet. Westpac Internet Banking uses certificates which generate security "keys" to verify the connectivity with Westpac banking. Every stakeholder has an account with all the details. As information sent between the browser and the Bank is encrypted, it makes it

Should we place greater faith in the UN as a means for handling global Essay

Should we place greater faith in the UN as a means for handling global conflict - Essay Example II.United Nations Organisation The history of United Nations Organisation started with the wartime alliance in January 1, 1942. Its official existence came on 24 October 1945. This was the time the Charter had been approved by countries like China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States and by a majority of other signatories. The official language of UN is Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. There are 192 United Nations member states. It headquarters in New York City. The name "United Nations", coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was first used in the "Declaration by United Nations" of 1 January 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers. Since 1948 there have been 60 Peacekeeping operations. At present scenario there are 16 peacekeeping operations going on across the world. There a force of around 66,921 as Military personnel and civilian police. 106 Countries are contributing military personnel and civilian police while number of International civilian personnel is 4,475, Local civilian personnel are 7,996 and UN Volunteers are 1,762. The total number of personnel serving in peacekeeping operations is 81,154. Since 1948 there have been approximately two thousand and four fatalities in peacekeeping operations. This fatality figure includes only military and civilian police, civilian international and local personnel in United Nations peacekeeping operations. There approved budget of the UN operations from July 2004-30 June 2005 is about $4.47 billion.

Respnse paper after I observe dental hygienist work in a dental office Essay

Respnse paper after I observe dental hygienist work in a dental office - Essay Example In the process, he nearly held each breath, being certain of the spots on which to fix the needle through and at which correct angle, as if at this critical stage, the worker would not afford any degree of hesitation between the acts of injecting and of coordinating the jaw thereafter. The dental hygienist occurred to exhibit intense focus while he still managed to utter firm but gentle words of command to draw in the patient’s full trust and attention toward the procedures conducted. As I observed, this step is important in order to establish confidence for the patient and the hygienist took control of pre-conditioning the subject under treatment so that positive initial impression is built up before the actual dentist got in charge of the main course of action. Likewise, the patient seemed to have essentially gained insight of the rest of the dental work to be carried out for her welfare and at the time she could have associated the dentist’s quality of practice to th at of the dental hygienist who dealt with her firsthand.

Effect of Service Content Quality Essay Example for Free

Effect of Service Content Quality Essay Introduction: The growth of Internet Mediated Environment (IME) based services has changed the manner in which firms and consumers interact. This paper aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the role service quality dimensions play in developing service enjoyment and loyalty in IMEs. We are in the era of service-based economies. The services sector has grown to dominate economic activity in today’s advanced industrial economies. Interestingly, within the growing service-dominated economies, increased innovation in Information Technology (IT) has dramatically altered services conceptualization, development, delivery and consumption. By extending the definition of an electronic service, we define IME services as being mediated via information technology (IT) where the consumer interacts with an appropriate user interface such as web site, mobile phone, iPhone, PDA, iPad, virtual world environment, tablets, etc., in order to gain a consumption experience and pursue desired benefits for another entity or the entity itself (self-service). Innovations related to IT and novel Internet-based service delivery in IMEs and consumption are fueling extraordinary growth in demand for existing as well as new services. Problem Statement: The study is to investigate the some of the dimensions of online service content quality and service delivery quality such as navigation, visual appeal, timeliness, access, content customization and reliability leading to enjoyment and loyalty. Significance of the research: Both Information Systems (IS) and Marketing scholars have recognized this paradigmatic shift from the exchange of goods toward a service-centered model of exchange in which the consumer plays a pivotal role, specifically in the case of online services. In this context, there is an increasing emphasis on service quality rather than manufacturing quality regardless of the industry. A customer’s willingness to maintain a relationship with a firm is contingent on his or her perception of the benefits of high-quality service that provides a continuous flow of value. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE Review of Literature: Service Content quality: Service content quality is defined as the extent to which complete, accurate, and timely content is provided to online consumers during the interaction process with the user interface in the IME. The user interface is a critical component in the IME service experience. In the context of the online environment, the store layout and design particularly influences the consumer’s service consumption experience. To capture service content quality we have identified the following three antecedents based on the literature: visual appearance, navigation, and preview. These dimensions have been found to be important in the context of online services in past IS studies. Visual Appearance: A consumer’s perception of the visual appeal projected by the service is driven by the design, physical attractiveness, and beauty inherent to the service interface. Visual appearance in IMEs can be defined as an overall output of image or personality generated from website components such as text, style, graphics, colors, logos, themes and slogans. Websites with a more visually acceptable interface often result in greater service quality and can influence a consumer’s IME experience and ultimately his or her long-term service provider relationship. Consequently, the interface appearance is one of the most important aspects of the IME experience. Navigation: Consumers want and demand websites that are simply designed and easy to use. Ease of navigation has surfaced as a critical element, since the IME lacks most of the interactional human elements so vital in offline service delivery. Navigation challenges, such as getting lost is often associated with a consumer’s confusion, frustration, and anger, and thus negative experiences. To negate this danger, IME navigation features have been developed to prevent consumers from becoming lost. A considerable amount of freely available information, if it is well organized and easily accessed, is frequently mentioned by consumers as an important reason to interact with an IME. The ease of navigation in the IME is expected to enhance service content quality. Customized Preview: Customized preview is the ability to tailor products, services and the environment to individual customers. Preview is expected to influence loyalty towards the service by creating the perception of an increased choice set by enabling quick focus, signaling high quality and lead to a better match of what the customer actually wants. Service Delivery Quality: Service delivery quality is defined as the manner in which IME functionalities are made accessible to consumers via the service provider’s website as a delivery channel. IME service providers have realized that consumers are concerned with the service delivery process and outcome. The following dimensions of service delivery quality: accessibility, reliability, and timeliness are taken. Accessibility: Accessibility is related to the actions taken by the service provider to ensure no service interruption. More and more customers now look for company access and support via IMEs. Potential service failures impact future business because they weaken the customer-company bonds and perceptions of service quality. In this research, accessibility is defined as the level of efforts taken to minimize service disruptions. Reliability: In offline contexts, reliability is defined as the â€Å"ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately†. Similarly, IME reliability is concerned with the delivery of the service in good condition, on time, and exactly as it was displayed. A study of online failures stated that consumers noted delivery issues as the most frequently stated problem. Consumers place significant emphasis on service outcome and service quality, which will suffer if a service provider fails to deliver as expected. Such failures can result in significant costs to the firm, such as lost customers and negative word of mouth. Consequently, service failure is a driving factor explaining customer switching behavior. Timeliness: One of the significant IME benefits is the near-time or immediate service delivery. IMEs lack most of the interactional human elements so vital to the traditional service experience which typically lead to service delivery lag times. In terms of online versus offline purchasing, online purchasers’ beneï ¬ t in the fact that they receive timely information directly from the website without having to seek a salesperson. Access speed and performance appear as critical to the assessment of quality in IMEs. Service Enjoyment: Just as shopping enjoyment is important in offline environments, it can be equally important in IMEs. Hirschman and Holbrook introduced the Hedonic Consumption concept which designates â€Å"those facets of consumer behavior that relate to the multisensory, fantasy and emotive aspects of one’s experience with products† to explain enjoyment’s role in the consumer experience. IS research has suggested that intrinsic enjoyment associated with website usage can positively impact a consumer’s web usage over time. Koufaris applied the model of flow and found that the emotional reaction to a website (intrinsic enjoyment) influenced the intention to return. Thus, service enjoyment is suggested to influence the IME consumer experience. Service Content Quality and Enjoyment: Service content quality is a critical component in the IME experience. In the context of the online environment, the store layout and design influences the consumer’s online activity and service consumption. In IMEs, the spatial layout and functionality are especially important since availability of direct human employee assistance is minimal. Mathwick, Malhotra, and Rigdon suggest that in online environments, the use of color, graphic layout and photographic quality combine to influence a desirable consumption experience. Éthier, Hadaya, Talbot, and Cadieux demonstrates that web site content quality has a significant positive impact on the cognitive appraisal including liking, joy, pride, dislike, and frustration. Van der Heijden found that perceived enjoyment affected intended and actual use of the website. Service Delivery Quality and Enjoyment: IME delivered services have increased convenience in terms of time, place and use. For example, consumers can now pay their bills online, setup automatic mortgage payments or track packages at any time of day. Therefore, service delivery quality pertains to the consumer-website interaction during the process when the consumer is looking for information, selecting from available options or carrying out a transaction. According to Luong, â€Å"Service delivery seems to imply service encounters that entail more intense and deliberate use of emotions.† Loyalty: Loyalty is yielded through the process of repeated interaction between consumers and the online service. Achieving customer loyalty is critical for IME service provider economic success. The fear in the online environment is that the inherent low switching costs enable competing online firms to be just a click away. Loyalty can be defined both behaviorally and attitudinally. Behaviorally, loyalty consists of repeated purchases of a brand, whereas attitudinally loyalty includes a degree of dispositional commitment in terms of some unique value associated with the brand. Perceived service quality has been suggested to be positively related to loyalty. According to Garbarino and Johnson, consumer perceived service enjoyment and commitment are believed to summarize consumer knowledge and guide subsequent loyalty actions. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Title: A study on the effect of service content quality and service delivery quality, leading to loyalty in online banking system. Objectives: Main Objective: To study the effect of antecedents of service quality leading to loyalty in online banking system pertaining to South Indian Bank Specific Objectives: * To study antecedents such as visual appeal, navigation and customized preview effect on online service content quality * To study antecedents such as accessibility, reliability and timeliness effect on online service delivery quality * To study service content quality and service delivery qualities effect on consumer’s perception of service enjoyment * To study service content quality and service delivery quality mediated by service enjoyment effect on consumer loyalty in banking websites.

Elder Care Case Study Essay Example for Free

Elder Care Case Study Essay Mr. Trosack is a 72 year old man who fell down a long flight of stairs a month ago, underwent a total hip replacement and is in need of a discharge plan. He completed two weeks of rehabilitation in the hospital for his hip as well as diabetic teaching for his new onset of Diabetes. It was also discovered during this hospitalization that he needed to start taking medication for hypertension. Both he and his family are in denial about what it will take to get him home and deliver the care that is needed. Healthcare Issues and their Importance Discharge planning and management with an elderly person can become very complicated and should be approached with an open mind and the willingness to compromise with the family and patient himself, keeping in mind that the safety of the patient is top priority. Before Mr. Trosack can safely be discharged home several issues have to be considered. It is important that the case manager meet with the patient, his family as well as find out about the details of where he will be going and how much assistance from family and friends is available and dependable. One of the issues that needs attention is his physical preparation to move back home. In his current state, he is not able to take care of himself without help. Based on the interview of his son and daughter in law, as well as taking into consideration their lack of help prior to the surgery, it doesn’t appear that they will be able to visit him often or consistently. That will not work immediately because Mr. Trosack will n eed daily assistance, for several more weeks. A rehabilitation center may be his best option in order to ensure his safety and avoid another fall. He will be able to continue physical therapy sessions in order to continue to improve as well as round the clock help when needed. He would receive more stair climbing training, hip strengthening exercises as well as gait training. Attending the rehab program would also allow him to socialize with people facing similar obstacles and adjusting to a new way of living. An Occupational Therapist (OT) can be consulted to assist with adjusting to his activities of daily living. Continued monitoring of his new medications as well as extra help with blood sugar monitoring may help him deal with the denial of his new onset of Diabetes and Hypertension. The specialists at the rehab center will be able to assess and determine when Mr. Trosack is ready to go home and can be independent with minimal assistance. Preparing him properly the first time can avoid other accidents as well as motivate him to keep working on his strength and endurance. Another important issue to consider before discharge planning is the safety of his home. Assessing and making changes to his living conditions is a must. After the safety assessment was completed it was obvious that changes had to be made at home to accommodate a person with new disabilities. Since the apartment is cluttered, it must be cleaned up. There are several â€Å"memorable† treasures that he has at home; presently they are hazards because of their location. They do not have to be thrown out but they do have to be moved. The kitchen, bathroom, living room, entry way and one bedroom all need to be free of throw rugs, collectables and furniture that blocks the passage of a walker. There are two rooms in his apartment so one should become a storage area for all of the clutter until Mr. Trosack has moved beyond a walker or cane. The bathroom needs to have permanent safety rails installed near the toilet and bathtub or shower as well as a non-skid applied to the bathtub surface. The medicine cabinet should be cleaned out and all expired or unnecessary medications discarded or returned to a pharmacy. The kitchen is in good order but the refrigerator needs to be cleaned and the expired food thrown out. The living area needs to have minimal furniture and placed so things are easily accessible and not in the flow of traffic. Night lights or motion sensors need to be added to avoid a fall when he gets up at night to use the bathroom. Addressing the stairs is not a simple solution. As long as Mr. Trosack is able to walk those stairs following a discharge from the rehab then he can move back home. Side rails on both sides need to be secure and easily accessible to him at a safe level for him to hold on to. Some apartment complexes have added elevators or elevator chairs, if that is an option then that would be fantastic. These issues need to be addresses to avoid another injury at home such as a fall. Mr. Trosacks new diagnosis of Diabetes and Hypertension need to be addressed. There are many psychosocial issues with his new disabilities and diagnosis. These are important because he needs to be able to accept his disabilities and take care of his health, in order to avoid serious complications, heal and cope. It is clear that Mr. Trosack is having a difficult time accepting his new medical diagnosis as well as not being able to be independent. His comments about being able to handle it all himself at home but yet communicating his frustrations by having to take medications and not being able to get up and down the stairs speak volumes. Continued diabetic teaching may help him understand the importance of food choices and listening to his body’s signals of low or high blood sugar levels. Even after discharge from the rehab center Mr. Trosack should continue having a home health nurse in for periodic visits since it may be difficult to get to doctors’ visits to check blood pressure and blood glucose. A portable glucose monitor and automatic blood pressure should be purchased and kept at home. The mental preparation and coping mechanisms will need to be addressed prior to leaving the rehabilitation center. Denial from the patient and family tells the health care team that teaching needs to be done in all areas and with all heath care team members. Team Members and their Roles Discharge planning for an elderly patient requires a team of health care professionals as well as family members working together in order to have a successful transition to home. The case manager needs to be in charge of organizing the team and following Mr. Trosacks progress in order to direct the team based on his changing needs. A Physical Therapist has been working with Mr. Trosack in rehab and that work needs to continue. He needs to improve stair climbing and increase his strength. He will need to work on a generalize exercise program as well as specific gait, balance and coordination to help him become independent at home.He will need to learn to use a walker and cane. Research supports the most effective interventions to manage falls risk are those that incorporate exercise and that exercise program needs to be structured, progressed, and must achieve the minimum dose of exercise (Shubert, 2011). An Occupational Therapist (OT) should be involved with evaluating Mr. Trosack a nd making sure he and his house is ready for his return. Occupational therapy services include comprehensive evaluations of the home and other environments and recommendations on equipment and training as well as guidance and education for family members. They try to adapt the environment to fit the person. (AOTA, 2012). Mr. Trosacks son or brother should work with the OT to coordinate the bathroom safety bars and no skid flooring as well as making sure all excess furniture and collectables are placed in the second bedroom. A dietician should educate him on how to prepare diabetic and heart healthy meals. Diabetic teaching is so important for patients living alone. If he does not take his diabetic diet seriously he may end up with inconsistent blood sugars which in turn can lead to unstable mental status and generalized motor weakness. A Social Worker will be able to assist Mr. Trosack and family with financial and social needs. The Social Worker can assist with completing paperwork for financial assistance and medical equipment needs. Mr. Trosack may be able to get financial assistance for medical equipment such as safety bars for his house, stair lifts, and exercise equipment. The social worker can also assist in getting him meal delivery and get the patient involved in some social activities. Coordinating family visits and family assistance should be done with the Social Worker and should be coordinated based on lack of outside assistance. Social workers are challenged to enable patients and families to have control over decision making regarding their discharge planning(Kadushin Kulys, 1993).They are trained to help patients and families help themselves. The social worker can help the family identify resources such as home health aids to come to the house when family cannot. Social Workers are also trained in counseling and may be able to help the patient and family cope with the transition. A Home Health Agency could send in a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Certified Nurses Assistant (CAN) to monitor blood sugars, monitor blood pressure, monitor medications and continue teaching on all of those as well as assist in his Activities of Daily Living (ADL). This team needs to work with Mr. Trosack’s physician who oversees the plan of care, helps determine services and assists if consults or reports needed for insurance reasons. Safety Safety one of the main concerns when discharging a patient. The case manager needs to know that the patient is ready and equipped to make a smooth transition so he will not be readmitted to the hospital shortly after discharge. As discussed in the assessment, Mr. Trosack cannot be discharged home because of several safety concerns. He is not strong enough to climb the stairs, his home is not ready to receive him in its current state, he and his family are in denial of his needs, and the team has not been established to assist him, so it is not safe to send him home. If he is able to continue Physical Therapy he should gain enough strength to climb up and down once he arrives home. In his home, many areas need to be cleaned of clutter so he doesn’t trip or fall. He will most likely be using an assistive device such as a walker or cane and they can easily become caught up in rugs or furniture. A clear path around the apartment in required and gait training will be part of his therapy. Taking into consideration all the safety issues that will determine another fall or even more serious complications it should be strongly suggested by the case worker that Mr. Trosack continue in an inpatient rehabilitation facility in order to give him time to improve his strength, health and coping mechanisms. This will also give him and his family time to process his needs when he comes home as well as get the home and services needed. Discharge Plan Needs Family is a necessary part of discharge planning. In this case, Mr. Trosacks only family member isnot able to assist him adequately to meet his needs and avoid an injury or readmission. His son and family are too busy and his brother is elderly. Depending on this family for necessary daily needs is not realistic. Along with not being prepared physically, they appear to be in the same mind frame as Mr. Trosack regarding the denial of new medical diagnosis as well as his physical restrictions. Teaching needs to become a priority and the team may be able to help with realistic goals for the family. This is where the social worker and home health nurse could be of most assistance. Mr. Trosack will need to have some sort of â€Å"meals on wheels† delivery of food when he returns home. It may be temporary but should start out that way to avoid missing meals. After he is comfortable and capable of preparing his own food he may opt to have the grocery store deliver a few times a week. Also grocery delivery should be requested. The family can help do some of the legwork for his arrival home. They need to be educated on what are needs and wants for a patient coming home from a hip replacement so that they know what they need to do and what they need to outsource to private agencies. Educating them will hopefully allow them to see that Mr. Trosacks is in need of help even though he denies it. Social Isolation Our mental and physical states of health depend on each other. After any life altering surgery older adults end up socializing much less if their activities of daily living are affected. In Mr. Trosacks case, he will need to stay in physical rehabilitation longer and will not be as independent as before the fall. A limited physical mobility usually means limited social interaction. Limited social interaction can decrease his motivation to continue exercising and strengthening his body and could lead further to depression. Familiarity and stability are essential in order for him to be able to cope and heal (Nichols Riemer, 2008).His social interaction with his family may be strained because they are focused on helping take care of his physical needs and not focused on laughing, having fun and enjoying time together. Psychological Factors A human’s thoughts, feelings and attitudes all influence their behaviors; those behaviors then begin to determine how they will handle stress. Having a hip replacement is frustrating and stressful for patients and families not only because of the physical changes but psychological. Mr. Trosack is used to caring for himself and is now not going to be able to do that. The sudden lifestyle change is an added stressor that he needs help to cope with. â€Å"If stress becomes persistent and low-level, all parts of the bodys stress apparatus (the brain, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscles) become chronically over-activated or under-activated. Such chronic stress may produce physical or psychological damage over time† (University of Maryland, 2009). Mr. Trosack should be encouraged to get some cognitive behavioral therapy either one on one or support groups once he is moving around more easily. It will be important for the health care team once Mr. Trosack goes home, to motivate him to keep up with exercises, proper diet, relaxation techniques, and continually monitor stressors involved. Mr. Trosack has already shown signs on denial with his new medical problems. He is not happy to have to take medications and if he does not get help to understand and accept his new medical conditions he will run into an even further disabling state. He has lived in his home for many years so it is best to do everything possible to make that happen. Recommendation As stated earlier, the inpatient rehabilitation center is the recommended place from Mr. Trosack to go to before heading home. He needs the extra attention and encouragement in order to be able to take care of himself. He is not strong enough to move back to his house nor is his house ready to receive him. His family support is will not be consistent, soother arrangements need to be made for meals and transportation as well as activities of daily living. He may not accept the idea of more rehab because he really wants to get home but hopefully after teaching him the importance of doing things rights the first time to avoid another fall, he may agree. He also needs to be assured that the teams goal is to get him home as quickly as possible, so the harder he works the faster he may get home and become more independent. The team needs to try to avoid having him move from the place he has lived in and loves. Reference Shubert, T. (2011). Evidence based exercise prescription for balance and falls prevention. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 34(3), 100-108. The American Occupation Therapy Association (AOTA). (2012). Retrieved from http://www.aota.org/consumers.aspx Kadushin, G. Kulys, R. (1993, November). Discharge planning revisited: what do social workers actually do in discharge planning?. Social Work, 38, 713-726. Nichols, T., Riemer, M. (2008, June). Post surery social isolation. Presentation deivered at 17th world concil of enterostomal therapists (wcet) congress , Ljubljana, Slovenia. Retrieved from http://www.hollister.com/us/files/pdfs/ce09/psychosocial/910298.pdf University of Maryland. (2009, February 13). Stress. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/stress_000031.htm

Comparing Parliamentary Systems with Presidential

Comparing Parliamentary Systems with Presidential The Parliamentary system vs. Presidential system is a frequently debated topic, and often the debate is based on which system brings about the most success. Unarguably, the success rate of a system is an adequate way of measuring its right to be implemented. However, success is broken down into many components, and one of the most vital elements of success is stability. The question here is: what makes a stable system? Stability consists of political security, how well public demand is met, the difficulty level of being overthrown, the economic state of the country, and as a source simply put it a stable political system is one that survives through crises without internal destruction  [1]  . These are just a few of the criteria points from a vast array of fundamentals which construct the definition of stable. In the case of the UK and the US governmental systems, comparing both democracies, it becomes obvious that they share the same values and virtues to a certain extent. Perhaps one of the most stand-out similarities shared amongst the two systems is the responsibility they have for the people. Similarly the citizens ruled under these two different democracies are provided with the same, laws, rules and rights. However, there are several crucial differences between these two liberal democracies which make them so distinct. The election process of the two diverse governmental systems is one of the key differences which make them incomparable to each other. While within a presidential system the voters vote directly for the president, within the parliamentary system such as in Britain, the prime minister is elected indirectly; constituents essentially vote for a representative, a member of parliament to represent them in parliament; the leader of the majority party which wins becomes the prime minister. This is seen to be undemocratic in comparison to the election process of presidential systems which is seen to be more direct as it is directly voicing the voters opinions on who they want to lead the country. However, there are many advantages to a parliamentary system in comparison to the presidential system. For example, with the parliamentary system of government, it is fairly easy and more rapid to pass legislation through. However, there are other factors which can play a role in the power of these systems, for example if a party has a majority in parliament it will become easier to pass legislation through. In the case of the UK, this was the situation with Labour in 1997 under Tony Blair, Tony Blairs New Labour had gained a staggering 179-seat overall majority in the Commons as the Conservatives were tossed aside by the voters.  [2]  The Sweet and Maxwell research shows that In total Tony Blairs administration was the most prolific, introducing a total of 26,849 new laws over his entire premiership. This argues that, majority leadership within parliament is a factor which leads to legislation passed through much faster. So, A government with a secure majority can ensure its leg islation passesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [3]  this supports the claim that there are other factors which play a role into guaranteeing that legislation passes through, such as the majority in parliament or other elements which include an emergency or unseen events such as an economic crisis. An example of this is the Northern Ireland Act 1972, which took only seven hours and eleven minutes to reverse the effects of a court decision that undermined the powers of the armed forces in Northern Ireland.  [4]  Additionally, within a parliamentary system, the public is being represented while passing laws; as the House of Commons is a body which consists of representatives elected by constituents. If it is the case that, the House of Commons defy their constituents and try to pass a law through which is not in the interest of their constituents, they will get hassled by the media and pressure groups that have an immense influence on parliament. This is another factor and a very important on e as it verifies that the parliamentary system is stable as it is a struggle to pass legislation through if it is not in the interest of their constituents. RSPA is an example of a pressure group which influenced legislation; The Animal Welfare Act 2006 came about as a result of campaigning by animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA  [5]  . Conversely, within a presidential system which has been adopted by countries such as USA, the elaborate system of checks and balances within the presidential system makes it very challenging to pass legislation through as it often leads to gridlock. This is due to different parties controlling different branches within the presidential system, as it could be the case that legislation is controlled by one party and the presidency is controlled by the other. The paper, Divided government and the Legislative productivity of Congress states that, Divided government is thought to lead to gridlock, paralysis, and legislative slumps.  [6]  This supports the claim that the presidential system is unstable as it leads to negative outcomes such as gridlock and paralysis where nothing gets solved making it an unstable system due to the fact that it is a struggle to pass legislation even if it is in the benefit of the people. On the other hand, the checks and balances within a presidential system also have its gains as, Each branch of the government can check, or control, some parts of what the other branches do. This creates a balance of power in which no one person or group can become too powerful.  [7]  However in the case of a parliamentary system, the easiness of passing legislation through can also mean that a government is unstable as, legislation made in haste can result in problems. For example, terrorists were able to avoid having their photographs and DNA taken because of faulty (hasty) drafting of legislation  [8]   Nevertheless, even though a presidential system proves to be stable as it prevents a single branch becoming excessively powerful, this can also have negative impacts as it is considered as a flaw, separation of power helps restrain the centralization and abuse of power, but with the loss of efficiency and the fragmentation of responsibility.  [9]  Going back to the initial question, this expresses that the presidential system is unreliable and unstable as there would be confusion to who would be held liable if anything does occur. Furthermore, within a parliamentary system it is very easy to get rid of an unsuitable prime minister as this can be easily done through a vote of no confidence. This argues that a parliamentary democracy is fairer and stable for the reason that it is very easy to get rid of a prime minister who is corrupt and does not rule a country as he or she promised to do. This is the case with the Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as according to the Telegraph Newspaper, The no-confidence vote, due on Wednesday, has been called by the opposition Democrat Party. They accuse Ms Yingluck and her ruling Pheu Thai party of ongoing corruption and are questioning her links to her brother, exiled former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra.  [10]  So within the parliamentary system you can stop the ruling of an unsuitable prime minister, whereas with the presidential system it is very difficult to get rid of the president as he or she has a fixed term of office and the only way to get rid of him/ her is through impeachment however In almost all countries presidential impeachment is difficult  [11]  its a very tough process and it is much more difficult to get rid of an unsuitable president than it is to get rid of an unsuitable prime minister. Perhaps it is safe to say that semi-presidentialism is a more stable governmental system rather than the two discussed throughout this essay as it is a combination of both systems. Also, Semià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ presidentialism is an increasingly popular form of constitutional government.  [12]  If more and more countries are adjusting themselves to this particular system, it is fair to say that this might be a more stable system than the presidential or parliamentary systems. Though, in the book, Parliamentary versus Presidential Government the author quotes, Parliamentarism is the most widely adopted system of government  [13]  This supports the claim that, Parliamentarism must be very popular if it is the most widely adopted system of government, if it is that widespread it must have good features to it which make it so popular. So, when reaching a conclusion regarding which system is more stable, taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages, I believe it is justifiable to say that the parliamentary system can be considered as more stable than the presidential system. However, it all depends on what the country considers as a stable government. As some may argue that both of these systems have become unstable as sovereignty is lost. In the case with Britain and its parliamentary system, the European system overlaps the parliamentary system and can enforce its own laws onto Britain. However, in theory Britain could always withdraw from th e EU. Nonetheless, the UN and the power it has, undermines both systems. Therefore, it really depends on a country itself, and what it considers as a stable system.

The Optimists Daughter: Hidden Depression Essay -- Literary Analysis,

A smile has the incredible ability to hide anything. â€Å"The funny thing is, nobody ever really knows how much anybody else is hurting. We could be standing next to somebody who is completely broken and we wouldn’t even know it† (Anonymous). Many people in our world internally suffer. Some may say that â€Å"[t]he hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy† (Anonymous). During these years of life, people face an uncountable number of struggles and are exposed the true disfigurement of the world. When people undergo extreme or stressful situations that they cannot possibly handle and face the grief-stricken tragedies of the world, such as death, they normally fall into a dark hole called depression. Depression resides everywhere and it has existed for centuries. Throughout the years, however, it has progressively gotten worse. During the 1970s, depression constituted a less severe issue than it does in today’s society. In the 1970s, depress ion started to gain more attention as such an extensive problem, and began affecting humanity at a more youthful age as the years continued. The number of people suffering from depression today has nearly doubled since the 1970s. However, depression presents just as much of a concern today as it has in the past. In The Optimist's Daughter, Eudora Welty portrays depression through the juxtaposition of characters, her use of symbolism, and verbal irony portrayed throughout the novel. The juxtaposition of characters Laurel, Fay, and Judge McKelva contains the differences of how depression affects each individual. In the beginning of the novel, the author declares: â€Å"[f]or a long time Judge McKelva was seen as a reassuring figure by the many who knew and liked him† (Welty 170). However, this d... ...hen you know it isn't† (Anonymous). Perhaps this answers why depression remains such a huge issue in today’s world. When one acts as if he/she is content and conceals his/her bona fide feelings of anguish, no warning signs present anything being wrong. Others do not notice the true suffering that takes place within that person. Without the awareness and cognizance of this suffering, the unacknowledged depression could potentially lead to an even more immense issue. In fact, major depression usually results in suicide attempts. Statistics declare that, on average, someone attempts suicide every forty seconds in the United States. Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death among Americans (Caruso). Not being able to admit to something only makes it worse, and the outcomes could be fatal. Bottling up feelings of depression will only result in a deeper depression.

Women and Islam Essay -- Islamic Females Islam Essays

Women in Islam   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Religious institution has a profound impact on any and every society. Social norms, mores, and expectations are mostly defined by our belief systems, even if we ourselves don’t practice a religion. Government too is always based on common agreement upon what is right and wrong, and who is to rule. A society can experience violent opposition and revolutions because of radical religious groups. There’s no doubt about it. In any society, small or large, primitive or modern, religious institution plays a leading role. Islam is no exception. This paper will explore three critical aspects of Islamic society. The first is Democracy. Just how incompatible is an Islamic society with democracy? Secondly, how are women treated by Islamic society? Are they treated as equal to men, and why? Lastly, is Islam conducive to human rights? Is this reflected by Islamic governments? All of these questions and more will be considered in the following. It’s definitely not the first time it’s been asked. Can Democracy really function in an Islamic society? Some say yes, some say no. But the answer doesn’t seem to be quite so black and white. The Muslim countries in the world today are all different, and all have or have had different relationships with democracy. In order to better understand the answer to this question, we must look at some of the factors that influence the relationship between Islam and Democracy. According to Daniel E. Price, there are seven major categories of influences on the relationship between Islam and Democracy. These are historical influences, regime strength, regime strategy for dealing with political Islam, Islamic political groups, modernization/economics/demographics, politicized sectarian, ethnic, linguistic, or class cleavages, and minority religious groups. In history, there have been several notable aspects of society that have influence on Muslim countries. Colonialism has obviously induced a sort of backfiring from Radical Islam, and it is for this reason that most Muslim Countries that have had a history of Colonialism have a stronger presence of Radical Islam. These countries include Algeria, Syria, and Egypt. There is a stronger lingering hostility toward ideas attributed to the West (liberalism and democracy) and Westernized classes because of their association with the former colonial overlords. (Price, ... ...rn ideology. There is nothing in the Qur’an or Sharia that actually directly confirms that these three aspects of Islamic society are exactly as we in the West perceive. The problem is that the way that Muslims interpret their scriptures is contrary and even offensive to the West and its common ideologies. Lastly, the criticism and influence from the West toward Islamic culture, in addition to historical colonialization, only intensifies their rejection of the West and its criticism, and actually seems to make the problems concerning Democracy, women, and human rights even worse. Bibliography Esposito, John L. 1980 Islam and Development: Religioni and Sociopolitical Change   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Syracuse University Press: Syracuse. Macionis, John J. 1992 Society: The Basics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lehigh Press, Inc.: New Jersey. Price, Daniel E. 1999 Islamic Political Culture, Democracy, and Human Rights: A Comparative Study   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Praeger Publishers: Connecticut. Spellberg, D.A. 1994 Politics, Gender, and the Islamic Past: The Legacy of A’isha Bint Abi Bakr   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Columbia University Press: New York. Turner, Bryan S. 1974 Weber and Islam   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Western Printing Services Ltd: Great Britain.

Julius Caesar: Synopsis Of Brutus :: essays research papers

Marcus Brutus, Caesar’s noble friend, joined the conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar because of his love for Rome. The Lives of the Greeks and Romans gives a very good description of Brutus; it was not far off what Shakespeare describes Brutus as. Plutarch described Brutus as A marvelous lowly and gentle person, noble minded, and would never be in any rage, nor carried away with pleasure and covetousness; but had ever an upright mind with him, and would never yield to any wrong or injustice. (p. 139) Brutus was a very respected and honest man. Casca, one of the conspirators, said that he was very respected by the people by saying â€Å"O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, And that which would appear offence in us, His countenance, like richest alchemy, Will change to virtue and to worthiness.† (I, iii, l 157-160) Casca said this to Cassius. Marcus Brutus was very essential to the conspirators because this would have ensured that the people would listen to them. Brutus was also a true Roman. When Cassius and all of the other conspirators met Brutus at his house and all of them decided to murder Caesar, Cassius said that all of them should swear. Brutus then said, â€Å"No, not an oath: if the face of men, The sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse—If these be motives weak, break off betimes,† (II, i, l 114-116) and â€Å"Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word And will not palter?† (II, i, l 125-126) Here, Brutus is saying t hat if they are true and honest Romans they do not have to take an oath, their word should be good enough.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brutus was the only man in the conspiracy with good intentions. Brutus wants to assassinate Caesar for the good of Rome. The other conspirators are all doing it for their own selfish reasons. Brutus’ motives, for joining the conspirators, indicate that he was very public-minded and morally conscientious. When Brutus says â€Å"But for the general. He would be crown’d: How that might change his nature, there’s the question:† (II, i, l 12-14) He was stating that it will be for the good of Rome to assassinate Caesar. Also he did not want their assassination to seem too gruesome, this shows he was morally conscientious. When Cassius said that they should also kill Antony, Brutus says â€Å"Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius†.

American Declaration of Independence a product of the European Enlightenment

The United States Declaration of Independence adopted in 1776 by the congress was a product of the European enlightenment as it drew it's philosophical basis from European era of reason. This declaration focusing on individual rights and as well as the right to revolt, borrows deeply the Europe philosophers recommendations having studied in details institutions of governance and incorporation of scientific knowledge to aid mankind. England being one of the most enlightened country by then, was the colonizer of the American thereby influencing the political leaders focus in America at that time (Jefferson et al, 21-23).Therefore, American revolution protest against the England authority provided the blue print in the reorganization for democratic society that was later to be emulated by many in the world. Donald et al (51-52) argues that, the foundations of the enlightenment were laid back in 17th and 16 th centuries as European expanded it's territories to Asia, Africa, America colon ization as well as the advancement of the scientific revolution.Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson formed the main anchors in the establishment of the the Great revolution in America and establishment of the declaration by drafting the initial draft and leading the later amendments. Declaration preparation Liam (331) points out that, as Jefferson prepared the declaration strongly envied great personalities in Europe that gave him the inspiration. Francis Bacon who was referred by Jefferson as the modern science father or English enlightenment godfather, advocated for applied sciences at the expense of basic science and technology.Jefferson was even more inspired by Bacon's stand on the need to advance knowledge for the sake of the people. He believed that greater things were possible with conventional knowledge through the basic realm of ethics, science and politics. According to Annenberg Foundation Trust (91), Sir Isaac Newton theories of mechanics and the consequent discovery of the gravity laws through the mathematics principles molded Jefferson's believe in divinity and its resultant harmony.As adopted in the American Declaration, Christianity and scientific deism strongly held that in total, that nature was as a result of supreme divine work but subjected to the universal laws with the divine power being fully absent (Jefferson et al, 23). John Locke who lived from 1632-1704 influenced the larger Europe and later the establishment of the American Declaration of Independence with might. Jefferson was a strong advocate for the Locke's ideas that emphasized for reasoning in all the decisions made when governing people.Jefferson also adopted in the declaration, the idea of nature and limits during governance in order to realize various objectives (Gearon, 52-53). As strongly advocated for in the declaration, Jefferson from Locke, enshrined the concept of innate knowledge and morality. As it comes out in the declaration, individuals beliefs and morality m ust be respected since they are unique and at all times, the governing institutions must protect them. In addition, the declaration calls for justice which Locke emphasized must be used to reduce the societal injustices.In his letter of Human understanding he insisted on knowledge and establishment of facts for scientific and Human understanding. Basement of human rights At the onset of eighteenth century, French and Britain thinkers laid the ground work for for observing and adopting human rights in the society. They believed that human rights must be entrenched deeply in the political governance structures of any society. Europe having undergone the great war in the mid 17th century which was sparked by religion, political and economic strife had understood importance and significance of democracy towards development.King George's letter of May 1775 requesting him to address the grievances of the people went unanswered resulting to the assumption of responsibilities by the congres s to govern the US. Governance and English colonies. America having been discovered back in 1942, the inhabitants understood that they needed the freedom just like the European countries were enjoying. As indicated earlier, Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the declaration, established the need to have free people in order to achieve development in the country. It insisted on the need for technological advancement for the full human potentials to be appreciated (Jefferson et al, 23).Under the oppression therefore it was impossible to trend the same path as the people like Isaac Newton and Locke had moved through. Government support for the people which Britain was advocating, totally lacked provoking revolts in order to achieve the expected results. Like in Europe the declaration insisted that, governments are instituted by men who directly derive their power with the consent of the governed. Therefore, whenever the administration by the people turns out to be destructive, the governed h as the right to disband it at will.Jefferson insisted that it is better ignorance than error and insisted that truth must form the basis of their liberation. England as it held the 13 united states did not fully allow them to access freedom of governance and even after the declaration it sought the help of Germans to fight back. As independent as England country was, the declaration sought to ensure happiness to the people of America (Gearon, 52-53). The king of Britain being ruthless, ruled through usurpations and injuries, inflicted tyranny over all the states that drew the anger from the people prompting their quest for freedom.As the European philosophers had discovered, there was need to go an extra mile in order for their freedom to be achieved. Major discoveries were not established without struggle as Isaac Newton indicates in his scientific discoveries. Religion spread. Europe acted as the conduit through which religion was transferred to majority of other countries and sta tes in the world. Britain hosting Independent and Presbyterian church established the nobility of the divine power which formed the basis of drafting the declaration.Strong revolutionaries and philosophers underscored the essence divinity that was evident in the later application of the statues contained in the declaration by the leaders. Freedom for all the people without discrimination either of their color or race indicated the quest for human sovereignty at all times (Liam, 331). To increase the harmony and improved cohesion, Jefferson strongly believed that there always was supreme powers that even though not actively or directly involved stood to reward the good deeds at all times.Differentiation was specially derived and the great divide experienced during the prior years in Britain and Germany was avoided. It was used to bring sanity and harmony among the people who had been long oppressed therefore ensuring a smooth transition. Later during the Americans liberation, religio n and divinity was anchored in the people's attitudes as they ensured that their quests did not result to blood shed at any moment. Martin Luther king junior called for peaceful demonstration where they could articulate their ideas without causing any harm or suffering to the people (Jefferson et al, 23).Modernization in America Due to great oppression by the colonial masters in all the states, modernization was impossible with all the economical and political structures being controlled by the King of Britain. Strong institutions of governance in the whole of Europe especially in England, Germany and France were envied by those who drafted the declaration having schooled in the European countries (Annenberg Foundation Trust, 89). Great inspiration was derived from the strong industrial revolution and economic sustenance in their countries.Due to these muscles in their own countries the political might which made England manage to fight from far and assume such powers, was highly en vied (Paul, 279-280). Conclusion. Declaration of American independence is a clear indication of the European enlightenment influence into the American development of their governing institutions. From the writers of the declaration, to the whole USA, the early philosophers and scientific discoverers propelled the quest for freedom in America (Paul, 110).Besides, the declaration was written during the time when oppression from the Britain King had reached it's peak and slave trade effects were most rampant. Setting of the European countries that helped them establish strong structures in their governance anchorage was highly emulated making America to later win the fight with Britain. Finally, religion as spread by the colonialists formed the basis for determination that the task they embarking on was noble thereby assisting them to remain together in the quest fro freedom. References Annenberg Foundation Trust. Understanding Democracy: A Hip Pocket Guide.Washington: Oxford Universit y Press, 2006. Donald, K. , Steven, O. , & Frank, M. The western heritage. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002. Gearon, L. Freedom of Expression and Human Rights: Historical, Literary and Political Contexts. Washington: Academic press. 2006. Jefferson, Thomas. , Garnet, K. , & Michael, H. The Declaration of Independence. Washington; Verso, 2007. Liam Gearon. Human Rights & Religion: A Reader guide. London: Sussex Academic Press, 2002. Paul, A. (2001). The First American Constitutions: Republican Ideology and the Making of the State Constitutions in the Revolutionary Era. London: Rowman & Littlefield.

Hagia Sophia

In chapter twelve the remarkable church known as The Hagia Sophia was discussed briefly and I find it fascinating. I first learned about the Hagia Sophia in my art history class in high school. I have always been interested in the fact that it started as a basilica, was then a mosque and is now a museum that functions as both a mosque and a cathedral. I think that this amazing structure is proof that different religions can coexist and come together to create things that we all can cherish. Hagia Sophia is in Istanbul, turkey which was part of the Byzantine Empire until it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire.It was originally built under the rule of Justinian to function as a church in 532 A. D. Justinian had material brought over from all over his empire. Large stones were brought from far-away quarries: porphyry from Egypt, green marble from Thessaly, black stone from the Bosporus region and yellow stone from Syria (â€Å"The Annotated Mona Lisa†). More than ten thousand peo ple were employed during this construction. This new church was immediately recognized as a major work of architecture, showcasing the creative insights of the architects. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture.The church’s decorated interior of mosaics and marble pillars and coverings is massive and takes ones breath away. The dome seems weightless as if held up by the unbroken row of 40 arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light. All interior surfaces are covered over with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. This covering hid the large pillars, giving them a brighter look. In 1453, the ottoman turks took over and the Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque.The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the original beautiful mosaics that Justinian put in were plastered over. T he Islamic features — such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside — were added over the course of the Ottomans rule. It was used as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey. For almost 500 years the Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Sehzade Mosque, the Suleymaniye Mosque, and the Rustem Pasha Mosque. However the Hagia Sophia is still the most awe inspiring.I believe that if the ottomans had never converted the church or if the church hadn’t been built under Justinian we wouldn’t have the beautiful mix of architectural aspects that we have today. The fact that the church contains the beautiful gold inlayed mosaics of Justinian, the depictions of Christ, and the large medallions with the names of Muhammad and Islam's first caliphs and that they all coexist beautifully is a perfect example of the harmony between the religions. People from all over the world from all backgrounds come to worship or just visit the beautiful structure.