Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Transfusion in the patient with Sickle cell Disease Essay

Transfusion in the patient with Sickle cell Disease - Essay Example e, transfusion strategy is applied to prevent the recurrence, or the first occurrence, of stroke which is a major crisis in SCD, and to manage pulmonary hypertension and other sources of morbidity and mortality. Exchange transfusions are used to reduce the sickle cell haemoglobin (HbS) levels during crisis. Several situations also exist wherein the indication for red cell transfusion is controversial, uncertain, or downright injudicious. Many side effects of transfusion have been identified and methods to overcome them have been developed. Iron overload (remedy: iron chelation), and alloimmunisation (remedy: phenotypical matching of transfused blood) are two notable examples. Association of haemoglobinopathies and neurologic sequelae after transfusion is also known. At the present time, bone marrow transplant is the only curative procedure available for both SCD and ÃŽ ²-thalassaemia major. Potential therapies involving stem cell transplantation and gene techniques are being vigorous ly researched. A detailed discussion of the current status of clinical management strategies as applied to inherited haemoglobin-related diseases in particular, sickle cell disease and the thalassaemias, is presented in this paper. Anaemia is a syndrome characterised by a lack of healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin deficiency in the red blood cells, resulting in inadequate oxygen supply to the tissues. The condition can be temporary, long-term or chronic, and of mild to severe intensity. There are many forms and causes of anaemia. Normal blood consists of three types of blood cells: white blood cells (leucocytes), platelets and red blood cells (erythrocytes). The first generation of erythrocyte precursors in the developing foetus are produced in the yolk sac. They are carried to the developing liver by the blood where they form mature red blood cells that are required to meet the metabolic needs of the foetus. Until the 18th week of gestation, erythrocytes are produced only by liver

Monday, October 28, 2019

Aztec Belief System Essay Example for Free

Aztec Belief System Essay Throughout the history of mankind civilizations have trusted in the existence of a higher power. Although the existence of a higher power doesn’t bear as large of an impact on societies like the United States today, it was the focal point of life in many civilizations of the past. A great example of a civilization that was extremely reliant on the connection between humans and higher powers was the Aztecs. The Aztecs believed that they were connected to the universe by a sacred energy. They believed this energy was the source of all natural events and if it were unbalanced, they would suffer. In order to maintain the balance, the Aztecs performed ceremonial sacrifices, bloodletting, and other forms of violent cultural behavior. The connection between the Aztecs and the universe is evident among their myths about how humans were created. One creation myth is the story of the goddess Tlaltecutli. In the story Tlaltecutli was ripped apart by the gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca and her body parts were used to create the earth and the other gods. This event caused Tlaltecutli to desire human hearts and she would not be quiet until they were brought to her. Nor would she bear fruit until she had been drenched in human blood. Another creation myth, and the most common legend amongst the Aztecs, was that the god Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld and retrieved the bones and ashes of previous human beings in order to recreate humanity because the universe had been destroyed after the fourth Sun went out. Quetzalcoatl ground the bones into powder and used his blood to fertilize it and create humans.   The Aztecs also had a myth that explained how the Sun and moon were created. According to legend, the gods Nanautzin and Tecuziztecatl sacrificed themselves by jumping into a fire, which turned them into the Sun and moon. The other gods also sacrificed themselves to provide nourishment for the Sun. However the Sun and the Earth still had an insatiable craving for human blood, therefore war was created to satisfy the Sun’s needs. What’s interesting about these creation myths is that they all included some form of death, sacrifice, or blood shed in order to create something. The creation myths shaped the foundation for why Aztecs placed so much emphasis on violent cultural behavior. In the Aztec society, human sacrifice was extremely common. This is because sacrifices were the main method of creating cosmic order between humans and the universe. Pubic sacrifices took place at the beginning of each of the 18 twenty-day months. The sacrifices consisted of mostly captured warriors, but in rare cases included children and young women. The purpose of public sacrifice was to acquire the divine forces embedded in the physiology of human beings in order to nourish the Sun, Earth, and rain. Aztec ceremonies consisted of days of ritual preparation, ceremonial sacrifice, and acts of nourishing the gods and the community. Priests carried out the sacrifices, which included many forms such as decapitation, burning, hurling from great heights, strangulation, and arrow sacrifice. The most common was the removal of the heart. The heart and the head were the two most important body parts to the Aztecs. Tonalli was a type of energy that came from the head and determined the shape of one’s temperament and destiny. Tonalli was first acquired as an embryo in a female uterus. The Sun was the most powerful way to increase tonalli. It was believed that hair prevented tonalli from leaving the body. Therefore hair was a major prize in warfare. When heads were decapitated during ceremonies, the city as a whole gained tonalli. Teyolia, or â€Å"diving fire†, was the energy that came from the heart and determined a person’s sensibilities and thinking patterns. When a person died his or her tayolia traveled to the world of the dead, or â€Å"sky of the Sun†. Tayolia gives energy to the Sun, which is why heart sacrifices were so popular.   Giving hearts and heads wasn’t the only donation made to the higher powers. Bloodshed was also seen as a type of nourishment. The Aztecs believed that spilling blood was vital to please the gods and to ensure natural forces such as strong harvests. Another Aztec creation myth, the story of Tezcatlipoca, gives strong insight into the importance of bloodshed. In the story the body of Tezcatlipoca was cut into pieces and divided over the four directions of the world, with his blood flowing into the center. The divine blood redistributed energy to animals, body parts, vegetation, and the calendar. Although The Aztecs believed that by giving the hearts and heads of their victims to the gods and the universe, they would be blessed with gifts like bountiful harvests, strength in war, and healthy lives, they didn’t practice sacrifice just to receive blessings; they also feared that the universe would be destroyed. The Aztecs believed that there had been four previous ages that the universe passed through prior to the present age, the Fifth Age. At the end of each age, the Sun went out and caused a catastrophic event that destroyed all life on Earth. In the Second Age, for example, it was believed that the beings that lived there were carried away by the wind. (AD1, p. 4) The fear of the Sun going out again and ending the Fifth Age is one the main catalysts for explaining why the Aztecs placed so much importance on human sacrifice, warfare, and other violent cultural behavior. In order to ensure that the Sun wouldn’t go out again, the Aztecs participated in what is known as the New Fire Ceremony. It took place once every fifty-two years and was used to ensure that the Sun would last for another fifty-two years. The rebirth was achieved by the heart sacrifice of a brave, captured warrior specifically chosen by the king. The ceremony began at the top of a mountain with a priest cutting out the warrior’s heart and throwing it into a fire. The people in the village would then cut themselves and splatter their blood in the direction of the fire. The fire was then brought down the mountain and the people blistered themselves with fire. The Aztecs believed that if they did not perform the ceremony properly to nourish the Sun, it would go out and the demons of the darkness would descend to eat all human beings. The New Fire Ceremony is a great example of how the Aztecs viewed the connection between human beings and the cosmos. The role of humankind in the Aztec society was very pre-determined. Men were devoted to warfare and females were devoted to the household. Warfare was extremely important to Aztec men because it was used as a way to appease the gods with the hearts of prisoners of war.   It was also used a way to rank the importance and worth of a man. Men higher up in the military rank received more luxuries and entitlements than men of lower ranks. For example, a top war commander, or â€Å"quauhpilli†, was given land by the ruler and could run schools for commoners.   Military service was a compulsory obligation by all free men. The Aztec’s innate desire for combat is a direct impact of the believed connection between conflict and nourishment for the universe. When a male child was born, he is dedicated to the Sun, and â€Å"the flowery death† of the warrior in battle or on the killing stone. This shows that the Aztecs believed that the only honorable death for a male is on the battlefield or being sacrificed on another tribes killing stone. The Aztec devotion to the universe was so strong that they not only believed that they had to sacrifice others in battle to please the gods; they had to sacrifice themselves as well. The culture and beliefs of the Aztec civilization were much different than the culture and beliefs of society today. Human sacrificing no longer occurs because it is considered cruel and unusual punishment. Humans do not believe that sacrifices and bloodshed are necessary to please a higher power. Although there are certain religions that believe that the way humans act bear some consequence on things like karma and where we go in the afterlife, it is rare to find a society in today’s world that believes wholeheartedly that there is a direct connection between human’s actions, the divine, and natural forces, like the Aztecs believed. Science and technology have allowed humans to understand that we can control all aspects of processes such as growing crops and that the gods have no effect on it. Warfare, although still important, does not have nearly as strong of an impact on humans today. Warfare is only needed for protection, to defend other countries, or in certain areas of the world, to attempt to settle religious differences like the Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Today, men and women have the choice to grow up and become whatever they want. Men are not required to serve in the military and women have the ability to do more than just take care of the household. The main difference between the Aztecs and humans today is that for the Aztecs, the connection to the universe was the most important aspect of life, while today creating a family, treating others fairly, and having proper morals are the most important aspects of life. The majority of people just want to make the most of their lives on Earth while they still have time, and depending on their beliefs, if they do it right they will reach an afterlife when they die. The Aztecs were one of mankind’s most interesting civilizations. They devoted their lives to pleasing the universe and believed that sacrifice and bloodshed were the best ways of doing it. They attempted to control every aspect of their lives in order to keep the connection between humans and the universe in balance. The Aztec belief system was very extreme. No other civilization has put so much emphasis on sacrifices, and more than likely, no civilization ever will again.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Employment in a Technological World Essay -- Unemployment, Competitive

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of September 2011, a whopping 9.1 percent of the American people are unemployed, meaning 14 million possible workers can't find a suitable job (â€Å"National Employment Monthly Update† par. 1). Many of the jobs that were once available to millions have been made obsolete by the creation of new technology. On the other hand, information and engineering technology have established a vast number of skilled and unskilled jobs in the business sector and many research fields. The balance between creation and destruction is applicable to the effects of technology in today’s society and has been studied since the ancient civilizations. With the arrival of new technology every day, there is a constant oscillation in the number of available jobs in every field. This system of creation and destruction of jobs originating from new technology is the most important effect on employment. Technology, most simply, terminates jobs in numero us professional fields and establishes engineering positions in only a few other fields. Defining unemployment and technology will elevate the understanding of technologies effects on employment. Unemployment is difficult to explain, however the Labor Department says that people are unemployed if they are without employment but are searching for possible jobs, although the jobs they are looking for are not available while other employment opportunities may exist(Mabry and Sharplin 2). Therefore, any person that has been laid off because of technology and is still looking for the same job that they previously had is considered unemployed. Mabry, a professor of finance at Clemson University, and Sharplin, a professor of management at Northeast Louisiana University, state... ...tion of jobs related to technology typically keeps itself in balance. However, this reaction does not occur over night, and there is always a brief period of economical instability. At first the jobs that were filled by unskilled laborers are lost or they are filled by new skilled laborers. Occasionally, some technological advancement completely destroys the need for a job which causes extreme unemployment for that labor field. This is followed by a period of staleness where employment doesn’t work its way buck up, but rather balances out at alternating percents depending on the economy. Afterwords, there is always a sky rocket in employment as competition and applicability of the technology becomes more diverse. This in turn proves that although technology is economically unstable right out of the door, it is a great way to increase jobs over a long period of time.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Employment trends affect Gail Hunter and Selsdon Park hotels Essay

Identify and describe external and internal influences that affect human resources planning. In your discussion relate how each factor might affect human resources within your chosen organisation. Selsdon Park Hotel Introduction: The role of a HR manager is to recruit and train new employees into a business. The business that I am looking at is Selsdon Park Hotel. One of the main roles of the hr management is to employ people into the company. This is called induction training. External influences: external influences are things that affect the human resource manager every day but things that are out of the human resource manager’s control. So all this external influences affect the human resource manager which affects the hr planning Economic Climate: At Selsdon Park Hotel the economic climate will change due to many external factors that may affect the company. This may include government laws coming into play, weather and many other natural factors. Also within many businesses there is a changing money climate will also affect the running of the businesses, the changing money climate would affect the job of Selsdon Park Hotel Resource manager. The changing money climate would affect the HR managers job because of many factors, this include interest rates and training new staff. This could lead to the hotel not having the correct staffing and then the slower running of the business. The stock market could play a part in this. For example in a poor economy many customers would have less disposable income. Selsdon Park Hotel with the lost of many of its customer would be making less profit which would lead to reducing non-essential staff. High and low interest rates would also have an effect on the economic climate which would infl uence the human resource planning. With higher interest rates people would have less disposable income and vice versa. Consumer Trends: Money within any business would depend on the selling of rooms at Selsdon Park Hotel. There are many factors which affect the consumer trends. This includes the amount of leisure time they customers have. Often in many the companies the higher your role in that organisation the less leisure time you have. Many companies do tend to aim a lot of there higher priced holidays at people with larger disable incomes which include senior managers etc. Also with the introduction of the internet the selling of holidays has increased greatly. Instead of people waiting around for hours in travel agencies, it is easier and less hassle to log onto the internet and choose your holidays online. Also you get the best deals on the internet. With the travel agents, they do tend to try and sell you the most expensive holidays but online you can get some great flight deals with Ryan air. This affects the job of the human resource manager because the manager must adjust and adapt to the trends of the consumer. And to adapt to the liking of the consumer the Human Resource manager must make sure that the employees within the business are up to date with new procedures implimented by HR. Employment trends Employment trends affect Gail Hunter and Selsdon Park hotels HR department greatly. Many people go for jobs which are seen as popular at the time. For example many students other the summer holidays like to have holiday rep jobs in Europe or would try to find jobs in hotels doing the summer also. This could affect the staff planning of Hail Hunter because there is a lot of competition in the area for hotel staff. These include Croydon Park hotel, Jury’s Inn and the Hilton hotel .Selsdon Park Hotel would have to make sure that there positions at waiters look more desirable through there advertisement and job description through the recruitment department. State of the industry: The state of the travel and tourism industry affects the job of the Human Resource Manager a lot. This is because if a new resort or destination becomes available for customers to visit the HR manager would have to train thier staff to so they can market the destination to the customers. Also with new technologies the HR manager would have a larger budget and then would be able to employ a larger work force or give out incentives to current employees Skill shortages: As in many companies there may be a shortage in the skills needed to do a specific job. This may be because the company may not be able to find a suitable applicant and may have to put someone else with similar or not the desired skills in there place. Taking this action may lead to slow running of the company and stress being put on the staff below and on the level of these staff members. At Selsdon Park you have to get through specific process to become an employee in the business. Gail Hunter who is Selsdon Park hotels Personnel Manager or Human Resource Manager would have to select applicants and short list them down to the top 50. There are many skills needed. For example to become a Selsdon Park Hotel waiter you must have obtained the following skills first: Ideally you would need to have at least two years experience within this role, preferably within the hotel environment or quality restaurants. You must be a team player with good supervisory skills to enable you to assist in the day to day running of the kitchen and to ensure that a first class service is provided to our guests. You will be required to cook to a minimum AA one rosette standard. The hotel has a busy restaurant, extensive banqueting and a successful pub operation . There are a number of requirement that u need to become a member of Selsdon Park hotels staff. These are as follows * Experienced in a customer services environment & comfortable in a selling role * Physically fit with a good attendance record in your current position * Hard working, flexible & willing to operate on a shift roster * Over 18 years of age * Of normal vision (contact lenses acceptable) * Able to swim well * In possession of a valid EU passport * Fluent in English (both written and spoken) * Ideally possessing knowledge of a second European language * Prepared to work unsociable hours, any day of the year, at any time including weekends * Ready to meet the challenge of dealing with people and demanding situations * Friendly and outgoing with a lively personality As you can see from the skills required Selsdon Park hotel ask a lot from people who want to join there team. As the Human resource manager, you would have to go applications and cvs to try and find the best persons for the job who fit the criteria needed. With many applicants who do not have the skills required but who are accept on the job through a interviewing basis may need extra training, and may have to go on training courses. This would take a slice out of Gail hunters Selsdon Park hotels Human Resource manager’s budget. Location issue: The locations of Selsdon Park hotel may be a problem for the human resource planning for the hotel. This is because of the accessibility of the skilled staff the company needs to the airports are poor. This is when the human resource manager would have to decide carefully the most skilled staff they need for the hotel and how much out of the budget they would have to get. Also with people who live an extremely long way from the hotel there are living quarters on site which they could use. Competition for employees: When looking for specific employees needed to do a job in Selsdon Park hotel there may be external competition from other companies to employ this person also. For examples if there is a shortage of waiters companies within Croydon may all try to compete for the same person. These hotels include Croydon Park hotel and juries inn. Each of these hotels will advertise them selves in such away and would try to make them seem better to work at then the other one. They would try and sell there business to the potential employee. They would mainly do this through advertisement. Selsdon Park also has a website http://www.principal-hotels.com/hotels.asp?hotelid=2&pageid=12 which explains jobs available and the pros and benefits of the job. Weather: Natural factors like the weather can also play a big part in the decisions of a HR manager. If the weathers get very serve and spoils the activates they have planned for the day outside it is up to the HR manager Laws: Also there are many laws which affect the role of the Human resource manager. These include laws and regulations that the manager has to go by. When selecting and employing people into the business the HR manager at Selsdon park hotel has to look go by the following laws. This are: 1 Equal opportunities law 2 Race relation act 3 Sex Discrimination act 4 Equal pay act Each of these acts must be follow by law and if these acts are not followed it could lead to an industrial tribunal. This laws and acts are in place to help the HR manager at Selsdon Park hotel not hinder them. If all this laws are followed correctly the HR manager would select the best person for the position applied regardless of race or sex. Internal Factors: Staff Turn Over: Within an organisation there is a number of staff they employ. In many companies like Selsdon Park Hotel they try to limit the amount of staff turn over. This is because of the costs that the company would be paying out in redundancies to the employed affected if Selsdon Park hotel does not have a valid reason. Staff turn over is a term used by a business to describe the coming and leaving of people within the company. The higher the staff turn over the more the business would suffer because the coming and leaving of people would use up resources needed by the HR manager and would also affect the businesses productivity Responding to consumer trends in terms of products and services: It is also the job of the human resource manager to respond and cater to the consumer trends in the products and services of a company. In Ryan air they would analysis the best selling product and also see why the other flight packages are not selling. They would look at there flight prices and compare them against other short haul flight providers in Europe. Staff Turner Over, Career Moves: Staff turn over is to do with the number of staff leaving and joining a company. It is the job of Selsdon park hotels human resource manager Gail Hunter to make sure they have the lowest amounts of staff turner over. This affects the human resource manager because it is his job to employ people to work in the company who have the right skills needed to perform the job correctly. Any human resource manager with a large amount of staff leaving and coming into the business would have a lot of work on there hands. This would be because they would have to go through job interviews and selection processes. Doing all this would take up a lot of the manager’s time so it is the human resources mangers job to make sure everyone in the company is well catered too, and are also satisfied with there job. Sickness rates and Absenteeism: Human resource managers have to monitor the sickness and absenteeism in the company to make sure no one is taking to much time off and also whether to give out sickness pay which if a lot of people are off at one time would take a large slice out of the HR budget. Organisational structures, staff roles and responsibilities: It is the job of Gail Hunter to monitor the organisational structures and staff roles in Selsdon Park hotel. The organisational structure is the structure that controls a company and dictates who you report to and who reports to you. A group of people for example cabin crew are control and overseen by a team leader which in turn reports to customer relations manager. This hierarchy is critical in the business so that all the employees know there jobs and rolls. Laws: There are lot of laws which Selsdon Park Hotel must follow to make sure of the smooth running of the business. Because Selsdon Park hotel is also a restaurant and serves food they must follow the food safety Act 1990. This act requires that owners and operators of food businesses take all reasonable precautions and exercise due diligence to ensure that they comply in every respect with current food legislation. Another thing which is tied to the food laws is personnel hygiene which when handling food must be very good with long hair tied back and also hats worn when preparing food. Source: Principal Hotels employee handbook Age of Employees: Also the age is a main factor which companies have to be aware of. They can’t employ anyone under the age of 16 by law or the company could be prosecuted. Also many companies try not to employ women of a certain age. This is usually 20-30. Companies should not do this but they do because women at these ages are more likely to have children. So if a company employs a large amount of women at this age they would have to pay out maternity leave if they have children within this time. Training Organisation: It is the responsibility of Gail Hunter the Director of Human Resources at Selsdon Park Hotel to make sure all her staffs are trained well. The organisation must make sure the new employee in training noses about hazards and risks within the workplace. It would be the job of the training person to tell the trainee the hazards and risks within the workplace and also to deal with them. These hazards may include: 1 Torn or ripped carpets 2 Broken furniture 3 Overloaded sockets 4 Loose flexes 5 Trailing cables 6 Overloaded tables/shelving 7 Spillages 8 Broken Glass 9 Rubbish accumulating Most of these hazards seem simple and straight forward but when entering a new workplace the simple list of tasks may seem daunting .Another thing they will teach the new employee would be risk assessments. Risk assessments are where hazards are identified and the risk is identified from this hazards. The new employee is also told where the first aid boxes are so that if an accident does happen they can quickly deal with it. In Selsdon Park Hotel the first add boxes are situated: 1 Housekeeping department 2 Kitchen 3 Reception 4 Room Service 5 HR 6 Greens department 7 The Restaurant 8 Conference and Banqueting Vale try Source: Principal Hotels employee handbook The HR and staff are very important to the business. This is because the HR department manage the staff to make sure they are proforming well and that their needs are catered to. It is also the job of the HR department to make sure that all the employees are up to date with all the new legislation and laws implemented to company. Also HR has to make sure that all the employees are trained well. This is so important because when in the eye of the customer the employee has to know what they are doing when taking down bookings and other such things. The lack of training could lead to the company loseing large amounts of money and also customers who would look for other organisations. If all staff are trained well and know what they are doing the performance of company is going to be better, and also the employees will feel more confident when dealing with customer service and company situations.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Active Listening Reading Material

Poor Listening Habits Editing: You hear only what you want to hear. Rehearsing: You think about what you want to say while the other person is speaking. Delving: You focus on finding a hidden message, rather than existing to what the other person is saying. Daydreaming: You let your mind wander. Personalizing: You relate everything the person is saying to your own life and allow your thoughts to wander. Arguing: You focus on finding something to judge or ridicule. Agreeing: You nod your head to everything in order to avoid conflict.Switching: You change the subject quickly, as soon as the person stops speaking. Barriers to Listening Type of Barrier Explanation and Example Noise: Physical Distractions All the stimuli in the environment that keep you from focusing on the message. Example: loud music playing at a party. Mental Distractions The wandering of the mind when it is supposed to be focusing on something. Example: thinking about a lunch date while listening to a teacher. (Anybod y can make out that you are not listening. Factual Distractions Focusing so intently on the details that you miss the main point. Example: listening to all details of a conversation but forgetting the main idea. Semantic Distractions Over responding to an emotion-laden word or concept. Example: not listening to a teacher when after she mentions â€Å"Marxist theory. † Perception of Others: Status Devoting attention based on the social standing rank, or perceived value of another. Example: not listening to a freshman in a group activity. Stereotypes Treating individuals as if they are the same as others in a given category.Example: assuming all older people have similar opinions. Sights and Sounds Letting appearances or voice qualities affect your listening. Example: not listening to a person with a screechy voice. Yourself: Egocentrics Excessive self-focus, or seeing yourself as the central concern in every conversation. Example: redirecting conversations to your own problems . Defensiveness Acting threatened and feeling like you must defend whatnot have said or done. Example: assuming others' comments are veiled criticisms of you.Experiential Superiority Looking down on others as if their experience with life is not as good as yours. Example: not listening to those with less experience. Personal Bias Letting your own predispositions, or strongly held beliefs, interfere with your ability to interpret information correctly. Example: assuming that people are generally truthful (or deceitful). Pseudo listening Pretending to listen but letting your mind or attention wander to something else. Example: daydreaming while your professor is lecturing. (You appear to be listening).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Life Of LOUIS PASTEUR Essays - Food Preservation, Food Science

The Life Of LOUIS PASTEUR Essays - Food Preservation, Food Science The Life of LOUIS PASTEUR Louis Pasteur was born on December 27, 1822, in D?le, a small town in France. He grew in a humble family and his father was a tanner. He graduated in 1840 from the College of Arts at Besancon and entered the prestigious Ecole Namale Supervieure, Paris, to work for his doctorate degree. He chose for his studies the then obscure science of crystallography, which was to have a great influence on his career. Pasteur entered the scientific world as a professor of physics at the Lycee of Tournon and started his research on the optical properties of crystals of tartaric acid salts. He found the two forms of this acid which could rotate the plane of polarization of light, one to the right and the other to the left. This was his first important discovery in crystallography, the phenomenon of optical isomers. Paradoxically it incited him to abandon the field. But it won the acclaim of the French Academy and Britain's Royal Society. Thus Pasteur became famous at the age of 26. Pasteur soon began researching the complexities of bacteriology. The prevalent theory of life at the time was spontaneous generation which states that certain forms of life such as flies, worms, and mice can develop from non-living matter such as mud and decaying fish. Pasteur disproved this theory with a simple experiment. He showed that microorganisms would grow in sterilized broth only if the broth was first exposed to air containing spores, or reproductive cells. His findings led to the development of the cell theory of the origin of living matter which states that all life originates from preexisting living material. In 1849, Pasteur became professor of chemistry at the University of Strasbourg, where he began studying fermentation, a type of chemical breakdown of substances by microbes. He served the rest of his career as Dean of Sciences at the University of Lille. Soon after his arrival at Lille, Pasteur was asked to solve the problems of the local industries, vinegar and silk manufacture. A producer of vinegar from beet juice wanted to know why the product was sometimes spoilt. On examining the juice microscopically, Pasteur observed that the contaminant, amyl alcohol, was optically active. This gave clear evidence that it was produced by a living organism. Pasteur then proposed a biological interpretation of the process of fermentation. He demonstrated that when no contamination by living contagion took place, the process of fermentation or putrefaction did not take place. Thus the celebrated techniques of Pasteurization, came into being, it could not only preserve wine and milk but drastically cut inflation in the surgeon's operating table. Today pasteurization follows closely the early techniques of Louis Pasteur. In the case of milk pasteurization, the milk is heated to 161?F for 15 seconds followed by a rapid cooling to 50?F or lower. This process removes any unwanted bacteria, but also kills any beneficial bac! teria and reduces some of the nutritive property of milk. The Franco-Prussian War opened an avenue to press his microbial theory of infection, he got the grudging agreement of the military medical corps to sterilize instruments and steam bandages. As a result, thousands of lives were saved. In 1873, Pasteur was elected to the French Academy of Medicine, a spectacular achievement for a person without a medical degree. Pasteur was now ready to move from the simpler forms of life in the microbial world to the diseases of the higher animals. The opportunity came through a devastating outbreak of anthrax, a killer plague of sheep in 1876. Pasteur tried to produce pure cultures, his objective was to fight the disease and not just to describe it. Pasteur had accidentally forgotten in a corner of the laboratory a culture of fowl cholera and noticed that it had lost some of its virulence. Then he vaccinated some chicken which resisted the disease. The same technique, after improvement, was applied against bacillus anthracis: sheep inoculated with the vaccine survived and the non-vaccinated ones died. A scourge that had crippling economic effects was brought under control. Simultaneously, the principle of immunization or the protection of the body through vaccines was discovered. In 1865, the silk industry of France faced an economic ruin by an epidemic among silkworms.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Valentines Day Quotes to Share with Our Friends

Valentines Day Quotes to Share with Our Friends Valentines Day is primarily for lovers. But you can also celebrate Valentines Day with your friends. Strengthen the bond of friendship with a simple act of love. Let your friend know how much you enjoy his or her companionship with these Valentines Day quotes for friends. Why We Need Friends It is important to remember our friends on Valentines Day, because they are close to our hearts, wherever they are, however long its been since weve seen them. And thats because... Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life. - Greek philosopher PythagorasA friend is our alter ego - Greek philosopher ZenoA friend is a second self - Greek philosopher AristotleLove unlocks doors and opens windows that werent even there before. - American journalist Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotics NotebookMiracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense, everything that comes from love is a miracle. - American author Marianne WilliamsonThe cure for all ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows and the crimes of humanity, all lie in the one word love. It is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life. - American abolitionist Lydia Maria ChildWalking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. - Helen KellerHe who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves no one has no woes. - Buddha, founder of Bu ddhism Why Friendship Is Better Than Love Lets face it: in our long lives, lovers come and go; love grows and fades and grows again. So there are significant reasons why our friends fill the gap that our lovers cant. Whether we have lovers or not, we still need friendship. Friendship always benefits; love sometimes injures. - Roman Stoic philosopher SenecaThere is an important difference between love and friendship. While the former delights in extremes and opposites, the latter demands equality. - Francoise DAubegne Maintenon, second wife to Louis XIV of FranceLove is life. And if you miss love, you miss life. - American writer Leo BuscagliaFriendship marks a life even more deeply than love. Love risks degenerating into obsession, friendship is never anything but sharing. - American political activist Elie WieselFriendship is really the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. - British writer Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey.A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. - Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran Lovers as Friends Sometimes, if were very lucky, our lovers are also our best friends. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. - Bible (Book of Proverbs)Love is friendship, friendship is love. If love fails, friendship should remain. For friendship is the foundation of love. - Author UnknownMy love, you know you are my best friend. You know that Id do anything for you, and my love, let nothing come between us. My love for you is strong and true. - American songwriter Sarah McLachlanWe loved with a love that is more than love. - American novelist and poet Edgar Allan Poe, Annabel LeeTwo souls with but a single thought, /Â  Two hearts that beat as one. - Austrian poet Friedrich HalmWho would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law. - Roman philosopher Boethius Lessons on Being a Friend We all need our friends; but how do we fulfill our side of the bargain? If you judge people, you have no time to love them. - Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary Mother TeresaLove does not dominate; it cultivates. - German writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von GoetheSome people care too much, I think its called love. - fictional friend of A.A. Milnes young son Winnie the PoohWeve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You cant just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think its going to get on by itself. Youve got to keep watering it. Youve got to really look after it and nurture it. - British songwriter John LennonYou dont love someone for their looks or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear. - British poet and playwright Oscar Wilde

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Gratitude Quotes That Come Straight From the Heart

Gratitude Quotes That Come Straight From the Heart Jean Baptiste Massieu, the famous deaf educator, made a statement that is now considered a French proverb. He said, Gratitude is the memory of the heart. Indeed, appreciation comes when you feel grateful from the depths of your heart. The head keeps an account of all the benefits you received and gave. But the heart records the feelings of appreciation, humility, and generosity that one feels when someone showers you with kindness. In addition, gratitude and empathy are some of the attitudes that can help you achieve happiness, according to five psychology studies that can help restore your faith in humanity.   Express Gratitude at Every Opportunity Even a small act of kindness deserves a thanks. You cannot weigh the nobility of the act against intentions to decide whether or not to show your gratitude. So what if your friend helped you get a job only because he wanted you to return the favor? So what if you think that he could have helped you get a better job? It is your moral obligation to express gratitude. In the words of Alfred Painter, saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality. Ralph Marston Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it. Maya Angelou I want to thank you, Lord, for life and all that’s in it. Thank you for the day and for the hour, and the minute. Toni Mont To say thank you is in recognition of humanity. Joseph Adisson Gratitude is the best attitude. There is not a more pleasing exercise of the mind than gratitude. It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance. Fred De Witt Van Amburgh None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. Edwin Arlington Robinson Two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give. Lionel Hampton Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind. Oscar Wilde The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. James Matthew Barrie Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. Gordon T. Watts The depth and the willingness with which we serve is a direct reflection of our gratitude. John Wooden Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out. John F. Kennedy As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. Alice Walker Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding. Courtland Milloy Nothing purchased can come close to the renewed sense of gratitude for having family and friends. Benjamin Franklin To the generous mind, the heaviest debt is that of gratitude, when it is not in our power to repay it. Ralph H. Blum There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy. Melody Beattie Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Terri Guillemets As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. G. B. Stern Silent gratitude isnt much use to anyone.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Video games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Video games - Essay Example Video games are the most prevalent form of entertainment among children as many of them spent most of their free time in front of computers and large screens indulging in these games for hours on end without even a break (Price). The widespread coverage of the internet and personal computers all over the world in the modern day information technology age enables children to easily access, play and even share video games with their peers in other places through the online gaming cyber space. The pervasiveness of video games and video gaming as the preferred form of entertainment for children and young adults all over the world has been a major cause of concern over the possible impacts of this phenomenon on the behavior of children in the long term; precisely, the perceived adverse effects of video games on the behavior of children have raised numerous concerns over this novel invention of the present day century. Sociological studies have been concerned with the effects of media violence on behavior from the 1950s onwards and a particular focus of these studies has been on video games since the 1980s given the ubiquity of this phenomenon among the American children, especially boys (Carey, 2013). The debate regarding the impact of video gaming on children has been highly polarized with two antagonistic arguments dominating the discourse; one school of thought holds that video gaming does not result to any significant effects on the behavior of participants. Contrariwise, the opposing school of thought refutes this perspective by insisting that video games often result to significant effects on the behavior of participants; this perspective draws evidence from a vast body of research from empirical studies conducted by developmental and social psychologists on the effects of video games on behavior. This essay will contribute to the ongoing debate by examining

Friday, October 18, 2019

Juvenile Delinquent after Care Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Juvenile Delinquent after Care Program - Essay Example Such programs also help in making the youth productive and socially responsible citizens of the society. Purpose of Juvenile Delinquent Program: The sole purpose of juvenile delinquent program is to support and guide the delinquent youth with the best guidance and resources available. This will help them play a better role in the society and to become a more productive citizen. Intervention programs have to be innovative and effective in their nature. It has been observed that early and on-time intervention helps in reducing the rate of juvenile delinquency. The more a program is community and family based, the more effective it becomes in its application. Vision: This program is designed to help and support the morally and socially degraded youngsters who want to transform and re-shape their lives and want to get rid of their self-defeating attitudes. This program is focused towards bringing the change in their lives by empowering them with education, skills, counseling and unlimite d support. Mission: The mission of this juvenile delinquent program is to help the young offenders in becoming responsible citizens of the society. The duration of the program depends on the nature and the seriousness of the offense committed by the young offenders which can vary from few months to a year. ... Structure of the Program: Many aftercare programs have turned unsuccessful due to many reasons. Effectiveness of a program lies in drawing the perfect alignment between the program, the offender and the available sources. The program has especially focused on those young kids who are at high risk of becoming repeated young offenders due to various factors such as close association with negative peer groups, broken family and those have found out having a disruptive behavior at school. This program is especially designed to focus and address the problems of the young kids and works effectively on the factors that contribute together and give rise to delinquent offenders. This program requires offenders to stay at the aftercare facility during their probation period and every individual is monitored by a specially trained officers, counselors and psychotherapists. The program provides counseling and medical services. The program helps the young offenders to make their smooth transition back into their communities. This program bridges the gap between the community and the offenders. This also helps the young offenders to heal themselves spiritually through their religion. The program focuses on basic education along with providing training on different skills as preferred by the individual. This program is also focused on addressing different issues that might be the cause of an individual’s disruptive behavior such as family issues, broken link with community or religion. Our program coordinators have emphasized on developing sound and smooth communication flow among offenders and their parents as well as other social networks are also included. Target Population: It has

Bioethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bioethics - Essay Example We have to listen to all sides in order to get a wider idea of the complexity of this debate. But we also have to be firm in our position once we have reached a sound and factual conclusion. That way we avoid any kind of hypocrisy, and there will not be any double talk in our grasp of the issues at hand. Scientists, lawyers, policymakers, theologians, ethicists, and lay people have something to say about this matter. Many have spoken their minds raising up high their heated arguments. All of them have the right to give their opinions, and we will listen to some of them as we move forward up to our concluding words. We have to keep in mind the fact that at the end God is the centre of the debate. According to the position that we might defend, human freedom of choice becomes an alibi for behaving as we please, or it is the subject of a higher dimension in the eyes of God. When dealing with new reproductive technologies, we should study the bioethical aspects of such new instruments of Science. The mere production of spare embryos as well as their use for scientific research raises some serious bioethical questions that need to be answered. Just from the natural point of view, we have arguments in favor of showing respect for any kind of embryos, even if they are classified as "pre-embryos". C. W. Kischer gives us some useful information about the idea behind the term "conception", and its relationship with the beginning of human life: ""When animal experiments were done in the 18th and 19th centuries, deductive reasoning led to the conclusion that life began at conception; and, finally, this was observed directly by the first in-vitro fertilization procedures with human gametes some 40 years ago" (Kischer 2002). Following this kind of reasoning -not taking God into account, just from the natural point of view- Kischer arrives to this conclusion: "We should respect a microscopic human embryo because at that time it is an integrated whole organism, just as the human is at every moment in time until death. Every human embryo deserves as much respect as you or I because it is formed as a new individual human life within the continuum of life as a manifestation of NATURAL LAW!" (Kischer 2002) (Kischer's own emphasis in capital letters). Kischer speaks about a "continuum of life", and there are three different opposing views on this idea as R. Hoedemaekers explains in detail. He states that there are three fundamental positions with regard to the moral status of a new unborn human life: the first one is "continuity in development", and this view gives personhood to the embryo from the very beginning, that is, from conception, with the same degree of value and dignity as a human being; the second one is "discontinuity in development", and this position treats the embryos from two different angles, first as a property at conception, and much later as a person, depending on the age in development; and the third one is "incremental or gradual development" that assigns a lesser to a greater degree in personhood to the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Legalization of Marijuana Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Legalization of Marijuana - Research Paper Example â€Å"The discussion concerning the legalisation of drugs, mainly the soft drugs resembling cannabis (or marijuana) is able to be categorized as one which depths the perception of liberty of the individual in opposition to the idea of a paternalistic situation. Supporter of legalisation argues, between other things, that cannabis is least harmful than legal stuffs like alcohol and tobacco† (Debate: Legalisation of Marijuana par. 1). According to this debate I feel the drug should be legalized due to the good reasons of them,but as considering the parenting issues, they need to be kept within certain limits and the usage should be prohibited within the certain age. In simple terms, the fundamental debate on marijuana in the US is, should marijuana be banned to citizens supported on health possessions, medicinal principles, and expenses to the country. The reason for the argument is so significant and vast. As before stated, marijuana is a commonly used prohibited drug in the wo rld, with millions of citizens using it. Approximately 100 million in the country have used it and so any legislation concerning the drug guilty influence its citizens. That the explanation behind the prohibition of this drug is being rethought systematically, collectively, and economically. Marijuana comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Its detection in 2700 BC in China. The case is not regarding Marijuana being healthy or highly qualitative for anyone. A few terms presented in the debate should to be understood. Marijuana is shaped when the leaves and female flowers of the plant called hemp is dried out. THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the main intoxicant of marijuana, and the THC from Marijuana with brain receptors can cause a kind of drowsiness, increased appetite, dizziness, hallucination, as well as other feelings. Topical Issues in the Dispute over Marijuana Legalization: Whether it has medical value? Is Marijuana injurious enough to stay illegal? How does it contrast with ot her lawful illicit substances What is Marijuana’s consequence on our country and how would legalization alter this? Of the four issues connected to the marijuana legalization, marijuana and its medicinal use may be the most extensively conversed of them all. Opponents of medical marijuana carry up many important debates as to why it must not be overlooked. The American Medical Association in 2001 confirmed that Marijuana must remain a timetable 1 drug, based on basic conclusion that it has â€Å"no conventional medical use† and own a â€Å"high possibility for mistreatment†. The FDA has an explicit process, in which the combined medical and scientific society carry out certain procedures to decide whether drugs can be measured safe and successful as medicine, and marijuana is not accepted by this process. The government also maintains that marijuana users are by all means trying to use â€Å"the medical angle† as a strategy to get the drug legalized. Medi cal Benefits: â€Å"The American Medical Association mainly argued for legalisation of this drug according to them it was least harmful when compared with alcohol and cigarettes; they also say that it can be used as other counter medicines, they also states that the Marijuana, in its original variety, is one of the good therapeutically dynamic stuff known to man. By any evaluation of rational analysis marijuana can be securely used within a managed routine of medical care. For marijuana to be unlawful in the United

Toni Morrison Is Adulthood inevitable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Toni Morrison Is Adulthood inevitable - Essay Example She stated that each phase of individual’s life is very important and has to be experienced with the greatest enthusiasm. Since she herself is an adult now, and she practices what she preaches, so there is nothing more satisfactory than becoming the adult in mind and heart. Morrison explained brightly that adulthood is about being content with the present, happy with the rewards one gets, and also work hard every day to make ones adulthood fulfilling. I completely agree that an individual needs to be in the present moment and be happy in that because the present is what matters the most since the past is gone and future is yet to be experienced. Living this way not only enlightens the present, but also the past and the future since one has lived every moment happily as the past and such a philosophy lays the basis of a bright future ahead as well. Morrison defined true adulthood in terms of the ability of an individual to take responsibility for his/her actions. This only can be achieved if people understand their role in the society in addition to just thinking about their personal well-being. It is not the chronological age, white hair or time period that defines adulthood. Adulthood is defined by an individuals attitude and approach towards life. As individuals, we have to choices. First; we can be selfish and take care of our own needs, and safeguard only our own interests, and second; we can live for more than ourselves, that is to say that we live for others and try to make a positive change in their life. If we adopt the first approach towards life, adulthood for us does not get inevitable. But if we choose to adopt the second approach towards life, adulthood for us gets inevitable. Hence, to say that adulthood is inevitable and generalize it for all people is wrong because there are many people who live and care only for themselves, so they are not included in this category. However, for the rest, who live and care for others, it can

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Legalization of Marijuana Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Legalization of Marijuana - Research Paper Example â€Å"The discussion concerning the legalisation of drugs, mainly the soft drugs resembling cannabis (or marijuana) is able to be categorized as one which depths the perception of liberty of the individual in opposition to the idea of a paternalistic situation. Supporter of legalisation argues, between other things, that cannabis is least harmful than legal stuffs like alcohol and tobacco† (Debate: Legalisation of Marijuana par. 1). According to this debate I feel the drug should be legalized due to the good reasons of them,but as considering the parenting issues, they need to be kept within certain limits and the usage should be prohibited within the certain age. In simple terms, the fundamental debate on marijuana in the US is, should marijuana be banned to citizens supported on health possessions, medicinal principles, and expenses to the country. The reason for the argument is so significant and vast. As before stated, marijuana is a commonly used prohibited drug in the wo rld, with millions of citizens using it. Approximately 100 million in the country have used it and so any legislation concerning the drug guilty influence its citizens. That the explanation behind the prohibition of this drug is being rethought systematically, collectively, and economically. Marijuana comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Its detection in 2700 BC in China. The case is not regarding Marijuana being healthy or highly qualitative for anyone. A few terms presented in the debate should to be understood. Marijuana is shaped when the leaves and female flowers of the plant called hemp is dried out. THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the main intoxicant of marijuana, and the THC from Marijuana with brain receptors can cause a kind of drowsiness, increased appetite, dizziness, hallucination, as well as other feelings. Topical Issues in the Dispute over Marijuana Legalization: Whether it has medical value? Is Marijuana injurious enough to stay illegal? How does it contrast with ot her lawful illicit substances What is Marijuana’s consequence on our country and how would legalization alter this? Of the four issues connected to the marijuana legalization, marijuana and its medicinal use may be the most extensively conversed of them all. Opponents of medical marijuana carry up many important debates as to why it must not be overlooked. The American Medical Association in 2001 confirmed that Marijuana must remain a timetable 1 drug, based on basic conclusion that it has â€Å"no conventional medical use† and own a â€Å"high possibility for mistreatment†. The FDA has an explicit process, in which the combined medical and scientific society carry out certain procedures to decide whether drugs can be measured safe and successful as medicine, and marijuana is not accepted by this process. The government also maintains that marijuana users are by all means trying to use â€Å"the medical angle† as a strategy to get the drug legalized. Medi cal Benefits: â€Å"The American Medical Association mainly argued for legalisation of this drug according to them it was least harmful when compared with alcohol and cigarettes; they also say that it can be used as other counter medicines, they also states that the Marijuana, in its original variety, is one of the good therapeutically dynamic stuff known to man. By any evaluation of rational analysis marijuana can be securely used within a managed routine of medical care. For marijuana to be unlawful in the United

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Impact of Microfinance on Developing Countries Literature review

Impact of Microfinance on Developing Countries - Literature review Example With no access to financial systems, the poor have to define new informal ways through which they have to guarantee their financial survival while at the same time obtaining seed capital for development. Such informal community based institutions are meant to meet their daily and long-term financial needs, a gap that is perfectly filled by the micro financial institutions (Jegede, Kehinde & Hamed, 2011). Consequently, micro financial institutions are organizations developed towards promoting economic activities among the poor and low-income earners, where formal financial institutions have not offered similar services. To these people, banking services are impossible or almost impossible and they have to get a new way of bridging the gap left by the banks, which makes micro financial institutions prominent in poor countries particularly in the African continent. Micro financial institutions will lend small amounts of capital to members and other poor individuals in the locality towar ds poverty eradication, in addition to providing the poor communities the same services that are available in banks, and which are enjoyed by the rich (Jegede Kehinde & Hamed, 2011). In fact, microfinance institutions do not only provide capital for the poor but will go an extra mile to alleviate poverty from the basic individual level and at the community level (Anyanwu, 2004). Consequently, as Anyanu asserts, in Africa and other developing countries, microfinance institutions are considered the main source of funding for the poor towards creating projects that alleviate poverty and educate the poor on wealth creation. Due to the important role played by these institutions in poverty eradication, the government of Nigeria adopted micro financial institutions as the main route towards poverty eradication with the central Bank of Nigeria developing the necessary policies to facilitate operations of these institutions. This is despite the fact that the number of people benefiting from these institutions is still lower than required, with more people targeted through expansion of microfinancial institutions throughout the rural areas in the country. More than 70% of Nigerians live below the poverty line with microfinance banks serving about one million clients across the country that has a population of more than 140 million people (Irobi, 2008). Considering these facts, it is important to investigate how microfinance institutions affect the poor in developing countries with a close focus on Nigeria. Microfinance institutions have a role to correct an imperfect market in answering the various shortcomings of imperfections in the credit market (Armendariz & Murdoch, 2010). Making it easy for people to obtain capital has been shown as the best way to increase output, profits and net income among the poor, which improves their individual and communal welfare. However, the borrowing capacity is mostly dependent on the amount of information in the market, the vulnerab ility of the business being funded and the amounts of uncertainties in the business setup (Duvendack et al, 2011). Moreover, credit facilities continue to be used for gender empowerment among the poor where microfinance institutions targeting women have continued to sprout. Such credit facilities and education on members are aimed at promoting the status of women in the society and empowering them to handle more roles in the society and their families in general (Duvendack et al, 2011). There is a general simplified assumption that credit is an exogenous mode of treatment on borrowers that represent the wellbeing of the affected individuals through changing their livelihoods and other relations between individuals (Duvendack et al,

Extreme sports Essay Example for Free

Extreme sports Essay The X Games is one of the more popular sporting events, where people gather to watch athletes compete in extreme sports. Some of these sports include skateboarding, mountain biking and motorcycle racing. The community around extreme sports can sometimes be seen as exclusive and particular when it comes to defining what an extreme sport is and who is a true extremist. Originally, I believe the extreme sport community created this division of athletics because they thought their sports did not fit in at a standard sporting event. Part of the reason some the extreme athletes participate in their sport is because they see it as  a way of defying the boundaries of what is seen as a typical sport. Most extreme sports are about pushing limits. Extreme sports are not conventional in the sense that practicing isn’t really necessary, a coach isn’t necessary, and the sports are very individualistic. Some of the extreme sport athletes do it for the adrenaline rush. They do it purely for themselves. Their reasoning contrasts to some of the other sports where lots of practice and coaching is essential for success. A lot of the athletes that compete in non extreme sports are focused on getting sponsors or when you’re younger, getting recruited for college. For the extreme sport community this is considered to be feeding into the capitalist society/culture. Part of extreme sports is about taking risks and not having anything to fall back on. The X games have put a strain on the extreme sports community because some seem to think that the event has altered the true goal of the sport, which is to take risks and to go against the mainstream culture. Some people seem to believe that it has become like the other sporting events, in the sense that there are now big sponsors and judges. They argue that the extreme athletes are no longer taking risks because they want to make  sure they can land the trick. The goal is no longer to try new tricks and push the bar, but its more about doing what you know will please the judges. This goes against what extremist originally wanted for the sport. It takes the risk out of it and you no longer do it for yourself but for the judges. The fact that there are sponsors is also a cause for controversy because some people see it as the athletes being sellouts. For example, Tony Hawk is famous skate boarder. He has a lot of sponsors, video games, and ads. Some say he is no longer a true extremist because of it. At the same time, what makes the sports in the X games more extreme than say diving or gymnastics? Both sports are very individualistic and there is a lot of a risk, yet they are not seen as extreme sports. I think the extreme sports community has tried to make their community too exclusive and extreme sports benefit from the X games and the sponsors and judges it brings. The event does bring aspects that were not originally a part of the sport, but the extreme sports community will grow now. Extremist can still continue to push limits and do the sport for themselves despite what others may think.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Effects of Red Bull on Young Adults

Effects of Red Bull on Young Adults Research Proposal Aims The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of drinking a can of Red Bull, which includes taurine and caffeine, on heart rate and blood pressure in healthy young adults. It is hoped that this study will lead to the mandatory regulation of the amount of caffeine contained in all energy drinks and the mandatory inclusion of a warning label on every can to hopefully eliminate adverse effects due to the overconsumption of energy drinks. Introduction Energy drinks such as Red Bull ®, V ®, Rockstar ® and Mother ® are caffeinated beverages promoted for improving physical performance, concentration, endurance and also being beneficial in increasing stamina. Young adults, especially students and athletes, are the target of advertising campaigns by companies that manufacture these beverages. Energy drinks account for approximately 20 per cent of beverages sold in Australian convenience stores. The Food Regulation Standing Committee found that energy drinks sales in Australia and New Zealand have increased from 34.5 million litres in 2001 to 155.6 million litres in 2010. Energy drinks contain varying quantities of caffeine (80–500 mg), taurine (1000–2000 mg), guarana, amino acids, sugar and vitamins. Caffeine is the most commonly consumed stimulant drug worldwide, with approximately 90% of adults regularly consuming it, but unlike many other stimulant drugs, it is legal and unregulated worldwide. At the cellular level, caffeine increases intracellular calcium and releases noradrenaline and intensifies dopamine receptors with stimulation of the cardiovascular system as well as the brains respiratory and vasomotor centers. In healthy adults, a caffeine intake of ≠¤400 mg/day is considered safe and not likely to result in any adverse effects. Additional amounts of caffeine are often found in energy drinks through additives, including guarana, cocoa, yerba mate, and kola nut. Guarana is a plant that contains caffeine. 40 to 80 mg of caffeine can be contained in each gram of guarana and it may also have a longer half-life due to interac tions with other plant compounds. However, these ingredients are not required to be listed under the caffeine content by manufacturers thus the actual caffeine dose in a single serving may exceed that listed on the can. Taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the human body. It is also naturally present in our diet as it is contained in meat and seafood. Taurine is also synthesized in the liver from the amino acid cysteine, as well as from other sulphur compounds. It is present in relatively high amounts in skeletal and cardiac muscle and it is involved in the formation of bile salt, neuronal excitability, cell membrane stability and the modulation of calcium flow. There is no evidence of adverse effects in humans in short term studies with large daily doses (6000 mg per day for 42 days) of Taurine. Both caffeine and taurine have been shown to have direct effects on cardiac function and hemodynamic status. A pilot study on healthy volunteers in the United States found that one can of Red Bull containing 80 mg of caffeine increased BP compared to 80 mg of caffeine alone. Another study investigated the effects of energy drink consumption on hemodynamic and electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters in healthy young adults and reported a significantly increased heart rate and blood pressure within 4 hours (Steinke and Lanfear). In another study, the influence of a multi constituent energy drink and its individual ingredients on the heart was compared and found that stroke volume and diastolic intake velocity were significantly increased in the red bull group compared to a similar drink that contained caffeine but not taurine. A poisons information line in NSW reported almost 300 cases of toxicity due to energy drink consumption, with the average age being 17 years old and the average number of drinks consumed in one session being 5. The most common physical effects reported included peripheral vasodilation, palpitations, agitation, tremor, insomnia and gastrointestinal upset. 128 people were hospitalized and 21 people had symptoms of serious neurological or cardiac toxicity. Most worrying is the growing trend of young people combining these energy drinks with alcohol. Research from the United States has shown that individuals who combine alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks consume more alcohol more often compared to individuals who don’t consume alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks. It has also shown that that there is a significantly higher prevalence of alcohol related consequences, including alcohol poisoning, impaired driving, physical injury, and sexual victimisation. Energy drinks have previously been classified and marketed as dietary supplements, which have minimal regulation. Canada has recently changed their classification to foods which have tighter regulations. It is time that energy drinks are subjected to greater regulation worldwide, this includes regulating the amount of caffeine in a single serving. Only a few energy drinks have a fine-print warning label, which state that they may not be safe for children, caffeine sensitive individuals, or for pregnant or nursing women however this is not mandatory it is up to the company to add this. It should be noted that, although energy drinks have been sold worldwide for more than a decade, only a few published studies have examined their effects on health and well-being. However, studies have not been conducted on an isolated island population with a defined population such as this. Research Plan/ Methods Participants The participants for this study are healthy young adult Islanders from a virtual environment called The Island. The Island provides a unique sample population. 30 Islanders either gender, aged 18–30 years will be selected at random using a random number generator and asked if they would like to participate in the study. A minimum and a maximum will be entered into the random number generator for the number of towns on the island, the number of houses in the town were and also for the number of residents in the house if more than one resident aged 18-35 years old lives in that particular house. The study will be unblinded. Each resident will be assigned a number from 1-30 with numbers 1-10 receiving the placebo, which contained no caffeine or other stimulant, and thus the control group, numbers 10-20 receiving the 1 Red Bull (80 mg of caffeine) and numbers 20-30 receiving 5 Red Bulls (400 mg of caffeine). Subjects have to meet a set of inclusion criteria obtained by a medical h istory/ task history examination blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg, non-smoking, absence of systemic diseases (including hypertension, diabetes, or vascular disease), evidence of abstinence from caffeine or caffeine beverages, and abstinence from use of any systemic drugs and/or alcohol. Subjects will be excluded if they have blood pressure outside the specified range, are smokers, if they have a systemic disease, if they have recently ingested caffeine, drugs or alcohol. Instruments Brachial artery systemic blood pressure will be assessed by automated sphygmomanometry and pulse rate will be measured using a heart rate monitor. Procedure Three solutions were administered: Placebo and Energy drinks with 80 mg and 400 mg of caffeine. As a control, 10 of the subjects were required to consume 250 mL of water. Of the two groups consuming the energy drinks one group will be required to drink 1 red bull which contains 80mg caffeine and 1000mg Taurine per 250ml and other group will be required to drink 5 Red Bulls which contains 400 mg caffeine and 5000mg Taurine per 1250ml. The reason we chose the two different doses of Red Bull are due to claims by Red Bull that 1 can of Red Bull contains the same amount of caffeine as a regular cup of coffee, which is 80mg. An extensive review of the scientific literature on caffeine was conducted by Health Canada. They concluded from the review that if the general population of healthy adults limit their consumption of caffeine to 400 mg per day they will not be at risk of any potential adverse effects thus we decided to use a maximum dose of 5 Red Bulls even though there is a warning to not have more than two 250ml cans per day. Measurements of BP and pulse rate were performed before (resting baseline) and after (30, 60, 90 min) ingestion of each of these solutions. Statistical Analysis The results for all subjects for each group, at each time point, will be combined and presented as the means  ±standard deviation, to allow for statistical comparison. A one way analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to see if there is any difference between all the measured variables. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with SPSS 16.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). P-values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Significance It is expected that both doses of red bull will increase heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure when compared to the control group however a larger response is expected in the group who consumed 5 cans of red bull. . It is hoped that this study will lead to the mandatory regulation of the amount of caffeine contained in all energy drinks and the mandatory inclusion of a warning label on every can to hopefully eliminate adverse effects due to the overconsumption of energy drinks. References Franks AM, Schmidt JM, McCain KR, et al. Comparison of the effects of energy drink versus caffeine supplementation on indices of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Ann Pharmacother 2012; 46:192-199. Gunja N and Brown JA. Energy drinks: Health risks and toxicity. Med J Aust 2012; 196:46-49. Koczwara K. Moms talk: Are energy drinks safe for teens? Fountain Valley Patch, April 26, 2012. Knowler W. Energy drinks must now carry warnings. Independent Online, May 3, 2012. Szotowska M, Bartmanska M, Wyskida K, et al. Influence of energy drinks on the blood pressure and the pulse rate in healthy young adults. J Hypertension 2012; 30: e369. Wolk BJ, Ganetsky M, Babu KM. Toxicity of energy drinks. Curr Opin Pediatr 2012; 24:243-251. FINER Feasible This study is feasible as it has an adequate number of subjects and as the sample size is small, the cost of the trial is reduced. This study also has adequate expertise in the field as all staff members have been instructed by experts in the field on how to use the instruments used to measure heart rate and blood pressure. A nurse will also be present during all experimental procedures to ensure the health and safety of all the subjects. James Baglin who is a statistician at RMIT will be assisting with the statistical analysis of the results. The scope of the study is manageable as the experimental procedure only goes for 90 minutes therefore subjects do not have to do repeat testing after this time. Islanders are also easy to contact and find on the Island. This study will be funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council thus lack of funding will not be an issue. Interesting The study will be hopefully be able to shine a light on the dangers of caffeine in energy drinks in a sample population which is of great benefit to researchers and experts alike and also to the community. Novel Only a few published studies have examined the effects of energy drinks on health and well-being. However, studies have not been conducted on an isolated island population with a defined population such as this. Ethical All of the studies participants are healthy young adults aged between 20-35 years who have consented to be in our study. No children, disabled, senior, mentally or physically ill Islanders have been included in the study. There also aren’t any vulnerable islanders or islanders in dependant relationships in this study. This study is categorised as risk 2 –non invasive project as the subjects will be receiving either red bull or placebo and heart rate and blood pressure will be measured over a period of 90 mins. Participants are also not payed in this study. Relevant It is hoped that this study will lead to the mandatory regulation of the amount of caffeine contained in all energy drinks and the mandatory inclusion of a warning label on every can to hopefully eliminate adverse effects due to the overconsumption of energy drinks.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Is It the Author, or His Content? Essay examples -- Orson Scott Cards

Orson Scott Card’s novel, Ender’s Game, has been the most popular science fiction novel since its release is 1985. While the book is essentially a fantasy, it contains a lot of scientific and philosophical information that are both manifest and latent. The issue that critics argue over may not necessarily refer to the plot of the book, but rather to its moral dynamics. In this literary analysis, we will analyze Ender and his sibling’s relationship by referencing the Personality Development theory, and the history of many historic biblical saints. But first, the author himself will be analyzed in order to understand what influenced him to write such a popular book. As an author, professor, columnist, and political activist, Orson Scott Card possesses a well-rounded and immense amount of talent. He has been awarded the Hugo and Nebula awards for his outstanding work in Ender’s Game and its sequel, Speaker for the Dead ("About†). But as one may know, his literary legacy did not conform overnight. As a child, Card showed many different interests that ranged from reading books about the French revolution to playing the French horn in his schools marching band. While in school, he often soaked in in new information that was presented to him. During junior high, Card had his first acquaintance with mock political bates and Greek literature from authors such as â€Å"Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Plutarch, and many other writers of the ancient world† (â€Å"About†). Today, much of Card’s interests as a child still coincide with his interests as an adult, and typically can be found in most of his literary work. Card once w rote that â€Å"there is always moral instructions whether the writer inserts it deliberately or not†¦ but when [he] write[s] without deli... ...aks for itself. Works Cited "About Orson Scott Card." About Orson Scott Card. Hatrack River Enterprises Inc., n.d. Web. 09 May 2014. Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. New York: Tor, 1991. Print. Kessel, John. â€Å"Creating the Innocent Killer: Ender’s Game, Intention, and Morality.† Foundastion, the International Review of Science Fiction. 90th ed. Vol. 33. N.p.: n.p., 2004. N. pag. Myers, David G., Richard O. Straub, and Thomas Ludwig. "Personality." Psychology. 8th ed. New York: Worth, 2007. 598. Print. O'Connor, Daniel William. "The Man and His Position among the Disciples." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 May 2014. Reiter, Geoffrey. â€Å"’Ender’s Game,’ Genocide, and Moral Culpability.† patheos.com. Patheos, 8 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014 "St. Valentine Beheaded." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 May 2014.

Friday, October 11, 2019

International Case : Reengineering the Business Process at Procter & Gamble

1) The reengineering efforts of P&G focused on the business process system. Do you think other processes, such as the human system, or other managerial policies need to be considered in a process redesign?2) What do you think was the reaction of the brand managers, who may have worked under the old system for many years, when the category management structure was installed?3) As a consultant, would you have recommended a top-down or a bottom-up approach, or both, to process redesign and organizational change?4) What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.How should Mr. Durant assess the opportunities in various countries around the world? Mr. Durant, the new CEO since 2005, embarked on the new strategy by offering 15percent new products in its hypermarkets and 10 percent in its supermarkets. Moreover, he wants to employ more staff, extend the operating hours in certain hypermarkets, cutting prices, trying small stores, and pushing down decision making. Mr. Durant aims to stay only in countries where Carrefour is among the top retailers.2. Should Carrefour adopt Wal-Mart's strategy of â€Å"low prices everyday†? What would be the advantage or disadvantage of such a strategy? Yes certainly they have to adopt the strategy of low pricing every day, In France, where Carrefour is well established, the company made the big mistake in its pricing policy. Itprobably started with the 1999 merger with Promodes, the French discount chain.Carrefour confused the French clientele by losing its low-cost image. The new strategy which they want to implement discounts and cutting prices, trying small stores certainly will help Carrefour to keep their competition in all over the world. 3. How could Carrefour differentiate itself from Wal-Mart?Wal-Mart is more than just the world's largest retailer. It is an economic force, a cultural phenomenon and a lightning rod for controversy. It all started with a simple philosophy from founder Sam Walton: Offer shoppers lower prices than they get anywhere else. That basic strategy has shaped Wal-Mart's culture and driven the company's growth.Now that Wal-Mart is so huge, it has unprecedented power to shape labour markets globally and change the way entire industries operate.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

GBE Domestic Politics

Political risk is worth considering because an action or a change n policy in one country can have a big impact on the financial sector and the economy of that country. Political risks are generally associated closely with the government as well as political and security situation in a country. If the political situation is stable, generally business runs smoothly. In terms of the stock market, a conducive political situation would make the stock price go up.Conversely, if the political situation is uncertain, it would cause the element of uncertainty in the business. In Indonesia, after the fall of the New Order, changes in politics and governance was characterized by a significant change in the political system (a process of demagnification) which had opened new opportunities and also new threats to the business community this country. For years, during New Order, political parties in Indonesia were only 3 parties: app, Global, and PDP.After New Order fell (Reformation Era), the nu mber of political parties involved in general election increased significantly. The 1999 general election, the first general election in Reformation Era, was followed by 48 parties. Despite the number of political parties are always changing during the Reformation Era, political situation was relatively stable. The stability also continued under President Silo Bambina Hydrogen. However, in most current general election, few months ago, there were some instabilities in Indonesian politics.This paper will describe these conditions (the last general election) and their impacts on the industry, particularly palm oil industry, using the case of Golden Agric Resources Ltd, one of the biggest palm oil producer in Indonesia. 2. POLITICAL TURMOIL IN 2014 GENERAL ELECTION General election in Indonesia is run in phases, legislative election and presidential election. In 2014 general election, the legislative election was relatively conducive There were 15 political parties participated in the election, including 3 local political parties in Ache.This election was won by PAID with the total vote 18. 95% (whom. Penile. Com), followed by Global and Grainier on the second and third place. It was predicted that since the legislative election was held successfully and the situation was very conducive, reflected by there was no substantial protests or objections from he participants, the presidential election (which had two competing candidates, Parabola Substation-Hat Raja and Joke Widow-USAF Kali) would also run smoothly. However, the facts were totally different.Here are some events or facts that showed the unstable political conditions in Indonesia after presidential election in 2014: Different quick count results In quick count, both parties (Parabola-Hat and Kiowa-Kali) claimed as the winner Of the presidential election. There were some survey organizations stated that the election was won by Parabola-Hat, while the others stated he opposite. ISIS (Center for Strategic & International Studies) through senior researcher, Philip Vermont, stated that there were advantages in Kiowa-Kaki.The figure reached 51. 9 percent, while Parabola-Hat gained 48. 1 percent. There were also some other survey organizations published similar results, stated that the winner was Kiowa-Kali, such as R & D Compass, ISMS (Useful Musician Research and Consulting), and RI. Meanwhile, some other survey organizations indicated otherwise. A quick count conducted by Upstairs (Center for Policy Studies and Development Strategy) cleared that Parabola-Hat won the election by 52. 05%, whereabouts-J gained 47. 95 percent.Other survey organizations that declared Parabola- Hat as the winner were National Survey Institute (LSI) and the Indonesian Voice Network (SSI). These different quick count results were followed by announcement of victory by both candidates, which was the first time in Indonesia history, both competing candidates claimed as the winner. Moreover, supporters of both cam ps had celebrated their victories in separated places. Parabola's withdrawal from election process Another surprising event happened on July 22, 2014, when General Elections Commission was announcing the recapitulation of the presidential election results.While the recapitulation was still ongoing, Parabola announced that he had withdrawn his presidential candidacy after denouncing the election process as undemocratic. The consolidation of political parties supporting Parabola and their actions in Parliament Competition between Parabola and Kiowa did not stop when the General Elections Commission stated that Kiowa-Koala was the winner of the presidential election. Parabola along with his supporting parties filed an election disputes to Constitutional Court, though the court finally rejected their petition.In parliament, the parties that were supporting Parabola also took several actions that made Indonesian politics became unstable. They asked the Parliament legalize the draft of a Law regarding the local elections. In this new law, direct elections for provincial governors, district chiefs and mayors were eliminated, replaced by appointment by local elected legislatures. There were many opinions from local or international institutions aid that this was a big hit for Indonesian democracy. Indonesian democracy that had been growing in SUB era, was experiencing a substantial setback.The most noticeable effects might be the impacts on the price of stock in Indonesian Stock Exchange. Just after those events happened, the market responded. The responses can be reflected on the chart of Composite Index (JOKE) for the last 6 months. Figure 1 . Composite Index (JOKE) Source: finance. Yahoo. Com Just after the presidential election day, the index was increasing, from 4,800 to more than 5,050. Some analysts argued that it was one of Kiosk's effects. Despite there were some quick counts that stated that the winner wasParabola, since the reputation and credibility of tho se survey organizations were questionable, market believed that Kiowa would win the presidential election. On the day when General Elections Commission was announcing the recapitulation of the presidential election results, the index was slightly decreasing. It might be influenced by Parabola's statement that he had withdrawn from the election process. This statement was perceived as sign of the upcoming political instability in Indonesia. Moreover, on that day, Parabola clearly stated that there was systematic violation of democracy inducted by General Elections Commission.The clearest evident how market reacted to the political condition might be reflected on the price of stock following what happened in the Parliament in the first week of October. After the Parliament passed the law regarding local elections, which automatically eliminated direct elections for local governments, the stocks dropped significantly. Many political analysts stated that by eliminating direct elections, Indonesian democracy had moved backwards. Golden Agric Resources stock, seemed to follow the market price in general.Its price also creased after what happened in Parliament in early October. Figure 2. Golden Agric Resources Stock Price Source: Source: finance. Yahoo. Com 4. CONCLUSION Political conditions in a country is an important factor in industry. The influence is channeled through the expectation of business players in the market. When the condition in a country is stable, investors are likely to be willing to invest their money in that country. On the other hand, political instability might frighten investors to put their money in a country, resulting â€Å"sell-actions† that eventually pushes the stock price.This condition happened in Indonesia recently, following the presidential elections that was won by Kiowa-Koala, resulted in the decreasing Of most stock price in Indonesian Stock Exchange, including the stock price of Golden Agric Resources. However, there is still optimism about political condition in the future. Kiowa;Kali have an important role to stabilize the political condition and create supporting environment for business. On the other hand, industry might also have to adapt with the changes happen.

Clean Edge Essay

Non-disposable razors recorded average growth of about 5% in retail sales during the period 2007 to 2010 whereas refill cartridge and disposable razors recorded growth of approximately 2% and 3% respectively for the same period. Innovations and new product introductions are the prime factors for the growth. Non-disposable razors and refill cartridge market is broadly classified into three segments namely value, moderate and super premium based on price and quality. Paramount’s consumer research identified distinct segmentation in terms of product benefits and consumer behavior. % of non- disposable razor users are segmented as Involved Razor users, social/emotional shavers; 28% as Involved Razor users, aesthetic shavers and 33% as Uninvolved Razor users, maintenance shavers. Studies from 2009 showed that the retail sales of non- disposable razors and refill cartridge came from 25% volume of super-premium, 43% of moderate and 32% of value segments. In the last decade, the indus try has experienced significant growth in the super premium segment. Product innovation and new technology is leading this sector for a number of new entrants. In 2008-09 the rate of new product innovation leads to 22 new SKUs to be introduced. SWOT Analysis Strengths Paramount Health and Beauty Company’s biggest strength is that it is a well- established brand with deep pockets and a very good association with consumers. The product- Clean Edge Razor, that they nave released, is also technologically in the current market. Weaknesses best The company does not have a slice in the 37. 2% of the pie that corresponds to the super premium segment which has immense potential. Also there is a risk of launching the product in the wrong segment or positioning it wrongly. A wrong move could result in cannibalization of Paramount Pro, another product in their portfolio. Opportunities There is very good growth in the super premium segment especially in men’s grooming. The market is also highly profitable so vendors are ready to stock the products. Also, the maintenance users are a market not ventured by any company till date. Hence the opportunities are immense. Threats A good number of competitors are trying to become the leader in this segment which is expected to grow in the future. The competitors could also catch up with the latest echnology and release a technologically more advanced product. Availability of alternatives like disposable and electric razors make a high threat of substitutes. Because of large number of products available and constant innovation in the sector it is very easy for the consumers to switch the companies. Hence, consumers have a high bargaining power. Entry barriers are low in the industry since no major R;D costs are involved and there are no major regulations. The bargaining power of the suppliers is low. Hence, overall the premium segment of nondisposable razors is an attractive industry to enter into. Positioning Strategy: The first strategy that we suggest is Niche Positioning, targeting the premium segment: As of now, the products released by Paramount in the non-disposable razer segment, Paramount Pro and Paramount Avail are positioned in the moderate segment and as a value -offering respectively. After three years of development, Paramount Health and Beauty Company has come up with a new technologically advanced vibrating razor called Clean Edge. Keeping in mind the superior technology used and the fact that Paramount has not launched a product targeting the premium egment, Paramount could adopt Niche Positioning while launching Clean Edge. However, there are certain disadvantages and advantages: Advantages: Positioning Paramount’s Clean Edge as a niche will accentuate the company’s product portfolio significantly. From the exhibits it is visible that it will result in high and consistent profit margins for the company and the risk involved will be less. Apart from that, the financial requirement of launching the product in the premium segment is only 15 million dollars as against 42 million dollars for the mainstream targeting. Disadvantages: As the trends suggests, understanding the fact that the premium segment has not been targeted significantly, almost all of Paramount’s competitors have launched products for this segment. Also, for the past 5 years, the company’s current products Pro and Avail have not introduced any new innovations as a result of which its customers are moving on to other competitors. The product pro is in the mature face and might need phasing out eventually. The second strategy that can be followed is Mainstream Positioning. The advantages and disadvantages of the same are as follows: Consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated day by day and expect more advanced technology. Paramount’s bread and butter product, Pro was in the mature phase of the product lifecycle so there is a possibility of decline. Positioning Clean Edge as mainstream product will help prevent loyal Paramount customers from being wooed away to more innovative brands. Main stream razor unit volumes are expected to capture over three times the volumes of the niche market in the first year. Clean Edge has the potential for true market domination and would quickly gain ass appeal. Disadvantages: – Paramount already had product in mainstream positioning -Paramount Pro so launching it as mainstream positioning will dilute the brand power and will lead to cannibalization. More marketing support will be needed to reach the target masses. The company would require an extensive advertising campaign, considerable consumer promotions would be needed and thus the expenses associated with them will be huge. To reach full sales potential with this positioning, $42 million marketing budget would be needed for year one. Total sales of Paramount for Avail and Pro for first year (2009) and second year (2010) are calculated using the market size (retail sales) and corresponding market share, both real (2009)and estimated (2010), of Paramount. The cost of Cannibalization is calculated using total sales and percentage of cannibalization given. Analyzing the result, it is evident that launching the product is a profitable venture; however, the cost of cannibalization may change equations. The cost of cannibalization is lower for the niche market as compared to mainstream market. Although, cannibalization djustments give us losses for the first year in the case of both mainstream and niche, the profit obtained in the second year for mainstream is larger than niche market. Branding Strategy The branding should be done in such a way that it emphasizes Clean Edge Razor as a unique and breakthrough product with the usage of latest technology. However, given the tight advertising budget, it should use the well-established name of Paramount rather than build a brand based on the Clean Edge. This should help potential buyers connect with the product quickly and test it. This should ensure maximum sales. Recommendations & Conclusion The recommendation is to introduce the Clean Edge into the marketplace as a niche product since data shows that consumers in the premium segment are willing to switch between the companies. Using advertising and promotion of the new product we can gain market share from competitors. Exhibit 8directly suppo rts this recommendation and snows that even though unit sales are less than main stream sales, the operating profit and the operating profits as % of sales is higher. In both year one and year two, this niche arket is profitable and growing. It is here that Paramount should focus its efforts on product introduction and positioning for the Clean Edge Razor. Once it has launched itself in the niche segment, Randall should then launch it, maybe after 2 to 3 years, in the mainstream category. As the data shows, both niche and mainstream strategy will help Paramount to raise its market share in super- premium non disposable razor segment. But the niche strategy will enables Clean Edge Razor to contribute profit and at the same time, limit the effect of cannibalizing Paramount’s existing products.