Black Is Black Aint Essay

The final film by Marlon Riggs, Black is†¦Black Ain’t, is concerned with the state of the African American community. This film essentially asks the question, what does it mean to be black? The director and producer, Marlon Riggs, guides viewers along an â€Å"an up-front examination of racism, sexism, and homophobia within the black community itself. Bringing together personal stories, interviews, music, history, and performance, Black Is†¦ Black Ain’t asks African Americans: What is black, black enough, or too black? †1 Unfortunately, the AIDS-stricken director died before the film was completed. This film operates as a kind of last will and testament for Marlon Riggs. â€Å"He bequeaths the idea that rigid notions of what is or is not black behavior, of who is or isn’t black, need to be abandoned for the sake of strengthening the sense of community within the race. †2 The beginning of Black Is†¦ Black Ain’t explores the meanings associated with word black. I was very surprised to discover how most black people didn’t prefer being called or labeled black. Everything associated with the word black leads to disgrace and fear. Hence, the word black made most feel less than. At this time, a code of silence existed amongst black people. Living in a society that might lynch a person for being black, it makes sense that celebrating your blackness was forbidden. This eventually leads to the emasculation and castration of the black male. Pre civil rights, most black males were viewed as laughing, singing, entertainers and servants. The men were considered weak, and the women were considered strong and unwomanly. Anything associated with looking black was considered bad. The film uses the example of white hair as the good hair and frizzy curl hair as the bad hair. Post civil rights, out of centuries of emasculation, the black man needs to reclaim his power. Black people now embraced the word black as an act of self-empowerment. The black man now became patriarch. â€Å"Black Is†¦ Black Ain’t forcefully confronts the identification of blackness with a hyper-masculinity born of the ’60s Black Power movement. †3 Unfortunately, this self-empowerment has the capacity to imprison as well as liberate. The film reminds us that â€Å"slavery and its aftermath involved the emasculation-physical as well as psychological – of black men, the drive for black power was usually taken to mean a call for black male power, despite the needs of (and often with the complicity of) black women. That continues to result in the devaluing of black female contributions to the liberation struggle and in the subordination of black women in general. †4 The result of emasculation became hyper masculinity. This phenomenon confined the meaning of what it meant to be black even further. For example, to be black is not to be homosexual. This is due to the notion of homosexuality as the ultimate weakness. Hence there is often prejudice of homosexuals in the black community. The homophobic initiative from the black Catholic Church doesn’t make the situation any better. Hence, Marlon Riggs ties in his own story as a gay black man with AIDS. It really assists the film in showing the restrictions that exist in black unity. So what is the black identity? Are you black enough? Do you talk black? Are you a hyper masculine heterosexual male with kinky hair and a criminal record? I can see how it must be difficult to maintain a sense of communal self. Angela Davis one of the speakers in the film, provides this answer: â€Å"You take some color, a dash or a big dollop, it don’t matter, and you blend it with an assortment of physical features that reflect every face you might possibly encounter on this great earth, mix that up with a culture that just loves to improvise, signify, reclaim, renew, and read – and you’ve got, the recipe, for black folk. † 1 Independent Television Service 2 Cliff Thompson, â€Å"Black Is †¦ Black Ain’t† 3 Independent Television Service 4 Cliff Thompson, â€Å"Black Is †¦ Black Ain’t†.

How does disability affect child development? Essay

The situation that I chose to use on this topic is based from my own personal experience, I have a 7 year old son who was born with profound hearing loss and was also recently diagnosed with severe Autism. When he was young prior to the diagnosis of his condition I didn’t see anything wrong with him, being a young Mom to my first born I had little knowledge about child’s development, he looked normal to me because he was always smiling and giggling, he was eating right and rarely gets sick so I was at ease and never really thought that something was wrong. But everything changed when he turned 1 year old. I noticed how delayed he was compared to other children his age, he wasn’t walking and couldn’t sit by himself, he wasn’t responding to his name and wasn’t engaged to activities or toys. His development was so delayed that he didn’t start walking until he was 2 years old, he only learned to sit straight by himself when he turned a yea r and a half but he still needed guidance otherwise he’d lose balance and would fall. Living in a country where it was impossible to get access to medical needs needed for my son’s condition, we were in a country where you need to have money to get your child assessed and diagnosed and we weren’t that rich to afford it. We were lucky when we finally got our visa to come here in Canada as a Permanent Resident when my son just turned 2, for the first time we were able to get him assessed and diagnosed, that was when we found out that he was born with profound hearing loss on both ears and that explained his poor balance and delayed development. A year after the diagnosis my son was able to undergo a surgery, he had his cochlear implants to get access to sounds. We were told it will take years for him to learn to speak but it didn’t stop from there. Two years after his surgery my son was diagnosed with severe autism, he was five. I saw the sudden change in his behavior as he was growing and everything became more challenging, he stopped wearing his c ochlear implants for reason we don’t know till these days. My son is still non-verbal, but he’s getting interventions from specialized services, he goes to an inclusive school and he’s getting a lot of support and help from the school. He’s shown progress ever since this agency from specialized services started working with him, school and support from specialized services has helped him a lot and we are lucky to be here in Canada were supports for children is always there. As I faced these challenges with my son all these years I’ve learned a lot of things, I’ve learned that there are different reasons out there resulting to why a child develops a learning or behaviour problems, my son’s journey for instance is an example of a situation where he got his learning and behaviour problems from his disability, his deafness and Autism affected his development in so many ways like his; social development, emotional, communication and language. He was born with a disability and special needs but with the help of intervention and support from school and the services provided by the Government he’s able to learn things to improve his learning and behavior problems. No medical support and assessment could also be a reason resulting to a child’s learning and behavior problem, my son and I were lucky to be given the opportunity to come live in Canada where medical support and intervention for children with special needs are priori tized. Children from a country with no medical help and support are likely to develop learning problems because of the lack of intervention to help support them in areas they are in need of help. My son was in that situation for a short time, that situation where we can’t do anything because money is stopping us from getting medical support. Despite my son’s disability we’re just lucky to be receiving all the supports there is. There are a lot of explanations why a disability can affect a child’s development, it depends on what specific type of disability a child has and which area of a child’s development this disability affect. A child may have ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Asperger’s syndrome and Down syndrome, all these types of disabilities affect a child’s development that causes a problem with their learning ability. Autism affects a child’s emotional and social development, Autistic children appear to lack a â€Å"theory of mind’. (Baron-Cohen, nd.). Children with Autism prefer to be alone and they may have difficulty regulating their behavior which results in crying and even sometimes self-injurious. Reinforcements and daily modeling and teaching are very important to support a child with Autism build up their ability and knowledge. Same goes to children with hearing impairment that affects their language and communication skills, there are different disabilities and each result to learning and behavior problem, most disabilities are stopping a child’s normal development and sometimes causing a child distress and frustration also to the family’s part. A child with disability can be really challenging because some children with disability such as learning or physical disability may be exposed to discrimination at school by other students and that they will be treated differently than the rest of the students, they may get bullied and teased by other classmates because of their condition which can affect their self-confidence and in turn affect their learning ability and development.

Muir and Wordsworth Essay

Thesis Statement, Opening Paragraph, evidence & conclusion REVISED While both poets Muir and Wordsworth wrote about the happy feelings that they have towards nature the beautiful outdoors or what some people may say Mother Nature, some of which the feelings are the same and some that are different as they speak of the different plants. In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.† – John Muir Nature does not only show the beauty of the Earth, but it shows the beauty within us. So then, is it not easy to say that both of these authors have great beauty within them? After reading both â€Å"Calypso Borealis,† -John Muir and â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud† -William Wordsworth, I can boldly state that with their loving choice of diction, tone, and use of syntax they clearly show that they truly admire nature and their surroundings. People say â€Å"Nature is the best medicine.† I know exactly what they mean. Sometimes, I’m fe eling down because something didn’t go right, or has popped up in my life. After a enjoying a beautiful morning, outside with the nature I’m back in my right state of mind. If you felt the emotion in this scene, the works of two authors, John Muir and William Wordsworth, would certainly catch your eye. â€Å"Calypso Borealis† by Muir and the poem â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud† by Wordsworth are two beautiful pieces of literature written very differently, but with key similarities, one of them being nature. The powerful emotions within the unique tone and personalities of the two authors not only expressed their relationships with nature, it allowed the reader to connect with the feelings of the author both visually and mentally. When you first read these two pieces of literature, you’ll find yourself captivated wonderfully in a descriptive world. In â€Å"Calypso Borealis† Muir has a particularly vivid section in which the main character off on an excursion into a swamp surrounding the great lakes. Starting on his journey, Muir is greeted by a diversity of flora. He marvels in the plants and happily soaks up natures treasures. Muir creatively informs the reader just how much the main character truly loves nature. The same marvel and beauty is shared in the poem â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.† After a long climb over a high hill he finds his reward a valley shining with a huge field of daffodils. â€Å"Besides the lakes, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in  the breeze.† As Wordsworth explains the scene. As each scene pops out of the poem, a new addition to the painting in your mind appears each time. The painting may vary from person to person, but I believe the sam e sense of awe is present with every mind. The portions cited are just the beginning of these two works; enough to splash your mind with colors and emotions, but later parts are what truly makes them worth reading. â€Å"Calypso Borealis† turns from revelation to a desperate situation. Weary and empty, the main character prepares to spend the night in the wet swamp, in a tree nest. Just as the sun was about to set, the future very unpredictable, when â€Å"Everything seemed most dangerous and discouraging†, the story continues, â€Å"I found beautiful Calypso on the mossy bank of stream.† Overwhelmed by the purity and beauty of the Calypso, he collapses by the flower and cries. This rather quick change of pace I what kept me reading, and the fact the Calypso was so beautiful it made the main character break down in tears. Imagine finding the glorious treasure you’ve been seeking the entire time. The change of tone from depressing to overwhelmingly happy is similar to the poem â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.† In the last stanza, when Wordsworth is sitting on his couch, lonely and depressed, he remembers the beautiful scene overlooking the field of daffodils and is instantly uplifted with joy. Wordsworth describes it as, â€Å"In vacant or in pensive mood they flash upon that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude.† The marvelous change of tones in these two works makes them a rollercoaster of emotions. If you are very emotional person, these two pieces of literature will certainly touch you. The poem â€Å"Calypso Borealis† by John Muir and the poem â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud† by William Wordsworth two great works centered on nature that contain vivid imagery and emotional changes of tone the pictures in your mind are the illustrations, your emotions are the story, and nature is the cover. These two works inspired by events in the 19th century are different in many areas, but not the emotional and colorful images they provoke.

Orientalism after World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Orientalism after World War - Essay Example The principle of orientalism that is focused to in this aspect mainly deals not specifically with orientalism and orient but mainly with the inner constancy of orientalism and the ideas that are about Orient. There are three aspects of contemporary reality that are brought out with the focus. The first aspect is on the distinction between our political knowledge. The formal designation in this aspect is that a humanist title is that which indicates the humanities in the field but not with anything political in the field. When orientalism is considered in this aspect, it is a cultural issue but not a political issue (Macfie, 109). Orient follows certain distinct and intellectual knowledgeable lines. Therefore, orientalism can be considered not a mere political matter that is reflected passive by scholarship or culture or institutions nor is it a representative and sensitive of some evil scheme to hold on the oriental world. It is the distribution of geographical awareness into economic, aesthetic, sociological and philological texts (Macfie, 198). It is considered an elaboration of basic geographical concepts and all the interests in the field. The book brings out different poems in the period between 1848 and 1984. The first poem of the book is on Adios Carnage. The poem brings out the misinterpretation of the speeches, words and looks that is between the person and the neighbor that he passes sweeping and talks to. The mood of the poem is that which shows sympathy. The second poem is on the rapture of the deep. The poem talks about the deep secrets that the persona had with the knowledge that there was none who was able to know but only him. The situation turns as he is exposed to all the thought to anyone. The mood in which the persona speaks is that of sorrow as he is not happy on the secrets that were exposed. His third poem in the collection is Shabine leaves the city. It talks about the  actions of the aliens after there was colonization in the countries.  

Conflict Management Styles Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conflict Management Styles - Term Paper Example Additionally, this paper explains how conflict management relates to my effectiveness as a leader. An example of a conflict I have handled effectively involved a disagreement between two nurses. The two nurse had different views on how a certain case involving a patient could be handled. As each one of the nurse considered their contribution as superior, a verbal exchange arose. In handling this conflict, I encouraged the two nurses to collaborate in this case. In other words, I advised the two nurses to set their original suggestion regarding how the case would be handled aside and subsequently directed them to work together to decide on a common objective. The results to this approach were positive and in fact led to the overall improvement and advancement of the process of care within the health care institution. This collaboration ensured teamwork, encouraged communication, and hence nurses were overly motivated in their work. If such a conflict would arise for a second time, I would opt for the same approach to conflict management. However, there are ways or steps I would take in a bid to improve my comfort level and skill for managing in the future. One of the steps in engaging in dialogue or discussions with employees. Johansen (2012) brings forward the fact that "Nursing leaders and direct care nurses need to engage in dialogues that address conflict management behavior as a first step in creating a healthy work environment" (p. 52). Effective dialogues ensures conflicts are handled effectively as avoiding them would elevate stress levels among nurses as well as among other stakeholders. Secondly, I would ensure regular trainings and seminars where all employees would be trained on how to effectively manage conflicts within the workplace. Subsequently, it would also be important to identify potential conflict areas and implement strategies that would avert any conflicts from

Swift's A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Swift's A Modest Proposal - Essay Example The succeeding discourse thereby presented arguments that justified the veracity of the author’s contentions; including presenting advantages, the cost of a child (if sold in the market), the supply and demand factors, as well as any potential contrasting assertion or bias of the author to the proposal. Through well-structured logical arguments, including presentation of computations for the expected weight of a healthy child, the cost that a child could be sold, the relief that the selling could do to the poor parents, the benefits that the sale could allegedly provide to a greater number of people for the greater good, assisted in enhancing and accepting the validity of the surprise ending. Likewise, the author emphasized that the proposal would not, in any way, generate bias through potential self-interests; but in fact, was open to other alternative options. Overall, the surprise ending was indeed unexpected and one surmised that the proposal was not at all imaginable; nor morally, ethically and legally conceivable in the first

Early Modern Poetry, Comparative Analysis Essay

Early Modern Poetry, Comparative Analysis - Essay Example Hers was an arranged marriage that may well have been the reason behind her ideas of love which can be seen in the poems that she has penned. Katherine Philips works were more or less centered on the Society of Friendship where she befriended women who appear a number of times in her works (Carpenter, 2003). According to her writings there seems to be a suggestion by Philips that the love that was between the women was a form of love that was free from corruption and was as pure a form of love that could be attainted. There have been numerous poems that have been written by Katherine Philips about her relationships with women earned a lot of distaste however modern feminists have praised her for the manner in which she has portrayed women. Mary Wroth was born to the first Earl of Leicester, Sir Robert Sidney in 1587. Wroth had a number of writers in her family who may have had an impact on her writing (Louisiana State University Press). Mary was married off to Sir Robert Wroth in 160 4 who was considered to be a favorite in the eyes of King James I. The marriage did not get off the ground and Robert Wroth was known to be a man of immoral standing but he was also a wealthy man. His standing in the king’s court brought some benefits to his wife who was invited to the court more often. Mary Worth wrote the romantic prose The Countess of Montgomeries Urania. The particular poem that will be looked at will be â€Å"Love peruse me, seeke, and finde† (Poetry Foundation). Wroth wrote Urania to relate the story of two lovers, Pamphilia and Amphilanthus. However, some e of the poems were a narrative of the dealings in court and this caused quite a commotion (Millman & Wright, 2005). Mary was also a mistress to her first cousin with whom she had two illegitimate children making her the centre of a lot of criticism (Maggs). Both the poems, Against love and Love peruse me, seeke, and finde are love poems. Katherine Philips wrote her poems in the 1600’s w hile Mary Wroth wrote her pieces in the late 1500’s. The gap between the time when the two women wrote their works is not too much and the lives that both led have affected the manner of writing. Against love by Katherine Philips refers to the romance and love and criticizes the emotion (Reocities). Love here is referred to as Cupid and loves use of cheating toys. Katherine points out that love gives grief’s and paints a picture of joy and pleasure. This poem shows the criticism of love and those who fall into love; there is a critique of those women who allow for a man to take control of their lives through the idea of love and thus put the chains around their own legs (Barash, 1996). There is a constant use of rhymes at the end of each line. The ending word of each line is made to rhyme with the last word of the next line and thus creating a sense of a constant rhythm. The imagery that is portrayed by the poem does not seem to be intense though the thoughts are certa inly provoking. Katherine’s prose uses quite a critical tone and the imagery makes one portray two lovers where the man is both the weaker and the stronger individual in the relationship. A man is one who seems to be a loner and does not seem to share an emotional connection with any particular women. The use of figurative language is quite extensive; the start of the poem is with a metaphor for love with Cupid. The hopes and feelings that follow the idea of love are considered by the writer to be cheating toys. The

Australia Destination Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Australia Destination Analysis - Essay Example The same year had a record of overseas arrivals that is 5.9 million visitors came to the country (Australian Bureau of Statistics). There are many famous tourist destinations in Australia some of which include the cities of Melbourne and Sydney, Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef which is the largest reef of the world and the Gold Coast. Other popular tourist spots are Uluru, Tasmanian wilderness and the Australian outback. One must not forget that tourism and a country’s transportation are strongly interlinked since tourism is all about travel. Thus it is imperative that due attention is given to the transport system of a country so tourism can expand. There are several modes of transport in Australia out of which road travel is most common. There are over three hundred airports and an extensive rail network. You can choose to travel by road that is by a bus or coach or travel by train which is quite a convenient plus affordable means of transport in Australia. You can also opt for ferries such as the Sealink ferries or the ferry service run by the Spirit of Tasmania. The government has paid a lot of attention in developing the best transport system which is a reason why tourism is a great experience in Australia. The success of the tourism industry also lies in the fact that a lot of marketing is done in order to promote tourism. There have been several tourism campaigns that have aimed at the laid back style of the country. These include the advertising campaign of the 1980s that featured actor Paul Hogan saying "Ill slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you" and the divisive campaign in 2006 that was done in UK. It used the Australian colloquialism phrase "So where the bloody hell are you?" In 2009 the federal minister of tourism launched another marketing campaign ‘No Leave No Life’ that encouraged employees to take their annual leaves in Australia. The most recent tourism promotion ‘There’s Nothing like

Disscusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Disscusion - Essay Example A name given to these social misfits is ‘berdache’. According to Devor, the tension bound by the notion of ‘me’ and ‘I’ is called self and gender identity are at the core of the development of self (89). Cofer, being both Puerto Rican and white says that, in her early years, she was referred to as blanca (white). She was lighter than her mother but darker than her father (61). Cofer narrates that while getting kicked out of a store, the storekeeper called her dirty brown, saying it was her natural color (67). She ran home to wash her hands with hot water and soap, and her skin remained the same color. Even though, the ‘I’ knew she was clean, the ‘Me’ part reminded her that she was the color of coffee with milk in it. She had big eyes, and a round face and she knew she was pretty, yet at Catholic school, the pretty white girls were especially the teachers’ favorites. The ‘I’ confided in her that she lived a well enough decent life with her parents. However, the ‘Me’ chided her about Ted’s father’s comments that, being Puerto Rican, they lived like rats. The notion of ‘I’ should surpass that of ‘Me’ because society will never be pleased. It is somewhat like a gaping black hole that sucks out most of the good about an individual and leaves emptiness. In as much as society guides in shaping the general gender norms of individuals, it should not be given too much power. An individual knows himself/herself better than anyone else, and society will be more concerned about tearing apart the negative rather than building on the positive. From Cofer’s story of her body, the issue of race and color is clearly evident, and she goes to great lengths to clarify the impact it had on her life while she was growing up. Many a times, she felt small and sorely inadequate, especially in sports and her

Online Higher Education In UAE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Online Higher Education In UAE - Essay Example The study aimed to evaluate on general overview of E learning in UAE learning institutions.Based on the collected data from the UAE students and staffs, the information will assist the institutions to understand on the barriers affecting adaptation of the E learning system. The higher learning institutions can then begin to analyze on how to combat the challenges at their disposal. The institutions can assess the source of the faculty and students’ negative attitudes in order formulate effective measures like online games or training to alleviate the issue. The institutions can also evaluate which course programs or courses have high E learning registrations to expand their acceptability. The UAE government can also utilize the information to assess the challenges students and higher learning institutions face while using the E learning system to formulate ways of promoting its user-ability and popularity within its borders. The system being expensive to implement, the UAE gov ernment can chip in through offering free technical training or subsidies to spearhead its adaptation among higher learning institutions. This paper makes a conclusion that one of the limitations that the study is likely to face is completion irregularities of the online questionnaire. Most of the students and staffs are normally occupied or busy where they may ignore the questionnaires. Some of the questionnaires can also be returned late, hence hindering the research.

Investment and Selling Price Essay Example for Free

Investment and Selling Price Essay Turnhilm, Inc. is considering adding a small electric mower to its product line. Management believes that in order to be competitive, the mower cannot be priced above $139. The company requires a minimum return of 25% on its investments. Launching the new product would require an investment of $8,000,000. Sales are expected to be 40,000 units of the mower per year. Required: Compute the target cost of a mower. 57. The management of Hettler Corporation would like to set the selling price on a new product using the absorption costing approach to cost-plus pricing. The companys accounting department has supplied the following estimates for the new product: Management plans to produce and sell 4,000 units of the new product annually. The new product would require an investment of $643,000 and has a required return on investment of 20%. Required: a. Determine the unit product cost for the new product. b. Determine the markup percentage on absorption cost for the new product. c. Determine the target selling price for the new product using the absorption costing approach. 58. Bourret Corporation is introducing a new product whose direct materials cost is $42 per unit, direct labor cost is $16 per unit, variable manufacturing overhead is $9 per unit, and variable selling and administrative expense is $3 per unit. The annual fixed manufacturing overhead associated with the product is $84,000 and its annual fixed selling and administrative expense is $16,000. Management plans to produce and sell 4,000 units of the new product annually. The new product would require an investment of $1,022,400 and has a required return on investment of 10%. Management would like to set the selling price on a new product using the absorption costing approach to cost-plus pricing. Required: a. Determine the unit product cost for the new product. b. Determine the markup percentage on absorption cost for the new product. c. Determine the target selling price for the new product using the absorption costing approach.

Teen pregnancies research paper Essay Example for Free

Teen pregnancies research paper Essay The teean Pregnancy rate amongst sexually experienced teens in 2006 was 152. 8 pregancies per 1000 women, aged 15-19. This is a problem because we have to lower the pregnancy rate amongst teens becoming pregnant. A huge reason why we have to lower the rate is because this can cause the pregnant teen health issues. It can also ruin there lives. Teen Pregnancy is a growing problem in America and it needs to be addressed. Over time the rate of this issue has had its ups and downs. First, the rate of pregnancies increased in 2006. In 2006, teen pregnancy occurred to 7 percent of all women aged 15 to 19. Also, the rates have gotten even larger since 2006 and arent getting any better. The teenage birth rate in 2006 was 41. 9 births per 1000 women. Also, between 1988 and 2000, teenage birth rates declined in every stae and between 2000 and 2005 they fell in every stae except North Dakota and in 2006 they rose. Another factorthat has gone up and down in the past is the average rate at which a teen can become pregnant. The average rate at which a teen could become pregnant used to be 18 but in the present day that has changed to that a girl can become pregnant at arount 12 to 13 years old. This means that If a girl can be getting pregnant at arount 13 years old she has a way more likely chance of becoming pregnant in her later teen years. But also, this shows that we should not be blaming a teen pregnancy on the children having sex, we should also blame it on science because if it could not be possible for a teen to have a baby and become pregnant than it wouldt happen. Although they can be becoming pregnant at that young of an age they should not evn be having sex. A teenage should not be having sex until they are at least 17 or 18. There are many reasons why teens become pregnant. Fist, they might become pregnant unintendedly. An unplanned pregnancy can cause the teen many health issues. An unplanned pregnancy immediately causes the teen physical, emotional, psychological, and practical consequences. Pregnacy also can cause health risks do to behaviors. Shokingly, 85 percent of all teen pregnancies are unplanned! Second, A teen Pregnancie can be planned. Some of teens who become pregnant are in fact, married. Although a pregnancie can be planned a pregnancie can also be unwanted by the parents of the children. If a pregnancie is unwanted by either or both of the parents, then that can also cause emotional issues. Although, most of planned pregnancies are wanted. There are many things that we can do to prevent the teen pregnancie. First, the parents can help prevent there child from becoming pregnant. If a teen has parents who push abstinence are 12 percent more likely to stay a virgin than a person who doesnt. Despite t. v. , peer pressure, despite hormones, the single biggest influence on whether a teen will have sex is there parents. To make children postpone sex will help not to talk about birth control. Also, letting your children know openly that you expect them not to have sex will help them chose to postpone it. And third, teaching teens abstinence will help prevent teen pregnancies. Finally, each of these methods for parents will double the likelyness that your child decides to stay a virgin. And a final good way to prevent the pregnancies is for parents to have good relationaships with there kids. There are also many, many consequences to becoming pregnant as a teen. The first consequence to becoming pregnant as a teen is STD infections. In 1996. 1. 5 million people including 350,000 children and youth died of aids. Also abstinence programs will not prevent the new hiv infections. Other than STDs there are also many other consequences to becoming pregnant as a teen. First, other than STDs teen pregnancy will cause education issues. For example, Teen mothers are way less likely to finish high school than a teenager who doesnt become pregnant until she is a grown up. This also means that since the teen is less likely to finish high school then they are also way less likely to regraduate and go to collage. Another thing that will cause the girls to quit school and not go to collage is that 60 percent of all teen mothers are living in poverty at the time of birth. This will show that they will probably not have enough money to raise the baby let alone pay to go to collage. Since 4 out of 20 girls become pregnant before the age of 20 then so many girls are going to be out of school and in even in debt because of 1 little mistake of having unprotected sex before they were ready. This is another huge reason why we need to work to help stop this issueand if we dont this will keep happening to hundreds of thousands of girls each year. This will ruin lives period. Also, Pregnancie can cause immediate physical, psychological, and emotional consequences for the pregnant teen and or the man. Another concequence that can take place as one said on Our health, Our future web page is â€Å"women who become pregnant during there teens are at an increased risk for complications, such as premature birth. †(anonymouse, Our Health Our Future teen pregnancie page). This is an important statement because it sais that becoming pregnant as a teen can not only be harmful for the pregnant teen but for the baby as well. Another problem facing teens that is a problem is the abortion rate. As the rate of pregnancies increases the rate of abortion increases as well. Also as an anonymouse person said â€Å"reducing teen pregnancy and birth is one of the most efffecitive ways of reducing child poverty†(Anonymouse, Our Health, Our Future teen pregnancy page). This shows that teen pregnancy is a major cause of child poverty and if we reduce the pregnany rate we will reduce the child poverty rate. Another important quote about the teen pregnancy in america is â€Å"it is hard to raise a child when you are still a child. † (anonymouse, Our Health Our Future teen pregnancy web page). This shows that the teen pregnancies that are occuring are not likely to raise a babysuccesfully. Also, this is another reason why we should be working to end teen pregnancy. And last but not least another huge consequence of having so many teeanage pregnancies in america is that it will cost the teen and the teens parents so much money. The teenage pregnancies in the U. S costs the nationat least 7 billion dollars anualy. If we lowered the teen pregnancie rate in america we could lower the american debt which would help economicaly as well as health wise and emotionaly which is another big reason we should be trying to stop this problem. Thus, teen pregnancy is a problem for society because it will have so many consequences and so many other problems. If we teach all of our kids abstinence, created by that there is hope for us to lower the pregnancy rate amongst teens. Individuals need to practice abstinence to prevent the problem because if the teens arent having sex they arent becoming pregnant. Teen pregnancy is increacing at a fast rate and we need to do all we can to stop it, or even just lower the abnormaly high rate.

Case Study: Pre Eclampsia | Essay

Case Study: Pre Eclampsia | Essay This essay is based on a case study and will discuss the underlying pathophysiology, management and psychosocial aspects a patient faces when diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. Information was obtained through the patient and from their medical notes. Section A: Case History JB is a 38-year-old, gravida 4, para 0, Caucasian female who presented in hospital at 36 weeks plus 5 days gestation with sudden development of oedema in the face and upper and lower extremities along with a severe headache. On examination her blood pressure (BP) was elevated at 171/107 mmHg. Her pulse 81 beats per minute (bpm), respiratory rate 15 breaths per minutes, and temperature was 36.4  °C. Her urine sample showed ++ 2 proteinuria. There was evidence of oedema in her face and upper and lower extremities and her lower deep tendon reflexes were brisk but without any clonus. JB denied any visual disturbances and epigastric pain. On palpitation of the abdomen, the symphysio-fundal height was 38cm. The fetal lie was longitudinal and the back appeared to be on the right. The presentation appeared to be cephalic and the head was 3/5 engaged. Electronic fetal monitoring showed fetal heart rate at 135 bpm, with reassuring variability. There was no deceleration and acceleration was normal. It was also noted that contractions were absent. Her antenatal care had been shared between the hospital and her general practitioner and was uneventful until she was admitted to hospital on this occasion. On briefly reviewing JBs past medical history she has seasonal allergies as well as long standing asthma in which she uses salbutamol inhaler to relieve her symptoms. JB also has a history of depression. In her family history her father suffers from hypertension as well as cirrhosis and her mother has a remarkable medical history of extensive medical conditions such as hypertension, angina, and transient ischemic accidents. Both her maternal grandparents had a history of type 2 diabetes. With regards to her social history, JB works as a customer assistant and lives with her partner. JB has never smoked, and has not taken alcohol since finding out she was pregnant. Her past obstetric history is remarkable for recurrent miscarriages. She had two miscarriages at 6-8 weeks and one ectopic pregnancy a year and a half ago which miscarried naturally at 10 weeks. The initial investigations showed; a normal full blood count, liver enzymes and creatinine. However urate (0.37 mmol/l) and the protein: creatinine ratio (44 mg/mmol) levels were elevated. JB is demonstrating key cardinal symptoms of pre-eclampsia including hypertension, proteinuria, oedema, and increased reflexes.1 A diagnosis of severe pre-eclamptic toxaemia was made, JB was admitted and treatment was commenced with 10mg nifedipine. With JB being admitted onto the ward, there was continuous monitoring of BP and fetal monitoring using cardiotocography (CTG). The next morning JBs BP stabilised to 128/74 mm Hg and she reported feeling better. With the BP stable and a reassuring CTG a decision to induce delivery was made and she was given Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) over three days. However there was poor response and the cervix remained obstinately unchanged and so it was decided the baby would need to be delivered via caesarean section. Section B: Pathophysiology Pre-eclampsia is part of a range of conditions known as the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.2 It is defined as a multisystem disorder characterised by the new onset of raised BP (≠¥140/90 mm Hg) and proteinuria (at least 1 + on dipstick or ≠¥0.3 g/24 hours) after 20 weeks of gestation.3-5 Although the triggering event initiating the syndrome is unknown, a two stage model of pre-eclampsia has been proposed (figure 1).1,6-9 The primary asymptomatic stage, characterised by inadequate remodelling of the placental vasculature during the first trimester results in reduced placental perfusion leading to placental ischemia and release of placental products into the maternal circulation.1,6,7 Consequently this initiates the second symptomatic stage, the maternal syndrome in which endothelial dysfunction precedes the clinical manifestations of the disease including characteristic hypertension, proteinuria, and glomerular endotheliosis.1,6,7 There is also risk for developing the H ELLP syndrome (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets), progression to eclampsia, and end-organ damage.1,6,7 Stage 1 In normal pregnancy, following implantation, the surface trophoblast cells of the adhering blastocyst differentiate into an inner cellular layer, the cytotrophoblast, and an outer syncytiotrophoblast.10,11 The undifferentiated cytotrophoblasts found in the inner layer can develop into hormonally active villous syncytiotrophoblasts, extravillous anchoring trophoblastic cell columns, and invasive intermediate trophoblasts.10 The extravillous trophoblastic cells proliferate from the tips of anchoring chorionic villi to form the cytotrophoblast shell which line the uterine cavity.10,11 Cytotrophoblasts continue to migrate through the uterine endometrium until they reach the spiral arteries, by which time they have differentiated into an endothelial-like cell type.10,11 Endovascular trophoblast cells begin to remodel the spiral arteries by replacing the endothelium and smooth muscle cells resulting in the destruction of medial elastic, muscular and neural tissue.10-12 These physiological changes result in an increased vessel diameter leading to the creation of a low-resistance arteriolar system with the absence of maternal vasomotor control, and therefore allowing a notable increase in blood supply to the developing fetus.7,10 In pre-eclampsia this physiological dilatation does not occur adequately thus resulting in placental hypoperfusion and ischemia.1,8,10 The ischemic placenta may lead to the production of cytokines and growth factors as well as simulate placental apoptosis or necrosis, resulting in release of humoral or particulate materials into maternal systemic circulation that promote generalised maternal vascular endothelium dysfunction, culminating in the clinical manifestations of pre-eclampsia.1,8,10 The invasion of trophoblast cells is regulated by factors expressed by the decidual barrier.7,10 These factors include cell adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix, proteinases, growth factors and cytokines.7,10 Malfunctions in any these factors may lead to poor trophoblast invasion and subsequently pre-eclampsia.7,10 Immunological factors play a main factor in pre-eclampsia.7,10,11 Abnormal placentation may be the result of maternal immune rejection of paternal antigens expressed by the fetus. Normally HLA-G, a class 1B MHC antigen, expressed by the extravillous trophoblasts protects from natural killer cell lysis.11-13 Women who develop pre-eclampsia do not appear to express this HLA-G and therefore are not protected.7,10 Stage 2 The clinical manifestations of pre-eclampsia can be linked to the pathophysiological changes that occur including vasoconstriction, activation of coagulation cascade and reduced plasma volume.14 Development of hypertension is a key feature of pre-eclampsia.1,8,14 During normal pregnancy, although through maternal physiological adaptations there is a 30-50 % increase in cardiac output, the decrease in peripheral vascular resistance results in decreased arterial BP.14 However, those who develop pre-eclampsia experience widespread vasoconstriction, increased peripheral vascular resistance, and decreased cardiac output.1,13 Evidence shows there to be an exaggerated sensitivity of the vasculature of women with pre-eclampsia to all vasopressors hormones, best known is the increased responsiveness to angiotensin II.1,13 This increase in vascular reactivity is thought to be due to an alteration in the balance of prostaglandins as a result to the damage to vascular endothelial damage.1 JBs BP when she presented was 171/107 mm Hg. This is a considerably elevated and can be defined as severe pre-eclampsia (≠¥160 / ≠¥110 mm Hg).2-4 Although fluid retention and oedema occurs in patients with pre-eclampsia they are also a feature of normal pregnancy.1 Plasma volume increases by approximately 50% in uncomplicated gestations and normal gravidas sometimes experience oedema.1 However in pre-eclampsia plasma volume is decreased by 15-20% and in these cases women experience rapid weight gain and generalised oedema as a result of an abnormal shift of extracellular fluid (ECF) from the vascular to the extravascular compartment hence maintaining a low plasma volume and an increased interstitial fluid volume.1,14,17 With excessive accumulation of interstitial ECF, the presence of peripheral oedema particularly in the face and hands is seen. JB haemoglobulin was 130g/l, reflecting the haemoconcentration seen in pre-eclampsia as a consequence of the reduced intravascular volume.1 Women with pre-eclampsia also have noticeably reduced renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).1 The decline in RPF is attributed to vasoconstriction, whereas the fall in GFR is related both to the decline in RPF as well as to the morphological changes in the kidney.1 These characteristic pathological changes of pre-eclampsia are known as glomerular endotheliosis and comprise mainly of diffuse glomerular endothelial cell swelling, enough to obstruct the capillary lumen.1,7,8,13,15 The morphologic lesion is accompanied by functional changes in renal hemodynamics which correlates best with the magnitude of hyperuricemia and proteinuria.1,5 Early to middle pregnancy serum uric acid usually falls well below 0.24 mmol/l, in patients with pre-eclampsia levels often rise >0.27 mmol/l as seen in the case of JB (0.37 mmol/l).14 A number of studies have correlated the rise in serum uric acid with the severity of pre-eclampsia and with the extent of glomerular injury.5,8 JBs PCR levels was also measured to estimate the extent of proteinuria. The result recorded 44 mg/mmol predicts significant proteinuria, the threshold being >30mg/mmol.17 Left untreated, pre-eclampsia can proceed to life threatening convulsions termed eclampsia.18 Another specific complication that can arise from pre-eclampsia is the HELLP syndrome, which is illustrated by the sudden appearance of a microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, elevation of liver enzymes and a rapidly falling platelet count.18 In these cases rapid interruption of pregnancy is required to avoid hepatic or renal failure, sepsis, or even death.1,6,7,15,18 Section C: Management Treatment for hypertension in pregnancy raises a series of challenges to the healthcare team.17 An in-depth knowledge of the adaptive physiological, psychological and social processes is required in order to choose the optimal management for the mother and her fetus.17,19 Incomplete understanding of the aetiology in pre-eclampsia has hindered attempts at prevention.12,17 However effective and adequate prenatal care management of pre-eclampsia has led to the reduced mortality related to this disorder.15,16 This includes early detection and referral of women at high risk, careful monitoring with prevention and treatment of complications, and a decision regarding timely delivery.15,16 Delivery remains the definitive treatment for pre-eclampsia even though the disease progression may not resolve immediately.8 Following diagnosis of pre-eclampsia, management relies on the initial observations recorded of both mother and fetus.4,16 The central goal of management of pre-eclampsia is ultimately to protect the wellbeing of the mother and prevent progression to eclampsia and then the delivery of a healthy newborn.4,16 While delivery is always suitable for the mother, it might not be appropriate for a premature fetus.4,16 Therefore the decision to deliver is influenced by the mothers condition, gestational age and status of fetus at the time of assessment.4,16 JBs management was given in accordance to guidelines from Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.5,17 Based on JB diagnosis at 36.5 weeks she was admitted to hospital with the decision to induce labour and allow a vaginal delivery. Observations of vital signs including BP, heart rate, oxygen saturations, and respiratory rate were recorded every 15 minutes along with continuous CTG monitoring.5,15 A 10 mg dose of oral anti-hypertensive nifedipine was given to stabilize her BP before she could be induced. The sole need to treat is to prevent the hemorrhagic squeal of hypertension, in particular cerebral haemorrhage, rather than alter the progression of the disease process.2 Antihypertensive drug therapy is advised for pregnant women with systolic BP of ≠¥ 160 or diastolic BP ≠¥ 110 mm Hg.2,5,17 The goal of treatment is to lower systolic pressure to 130-150 mmHg and diastolic pressure to 80-100 mmHg.5,17 It is also important that BP is lowered gradually to prevent hypotension as placental perfusion can be adversely affected and compromise the fetus15. With a conservative management plan in place and JB stable, the BP was measured every four hours during the day. Full blood count, renal and liver function tests, were all carried out daily.5,17 There are many possible choices of antihypertensives that are appropriate in pregnancy.8 Methyldopa and labetalol are first line antihypertensive drugs used in treatment of pre-eclampsia.4,5 Methyldopa is a centrally acting alpha2 agonist that reduces sympathetic outflow activity.15,20 Although it has a long track safety record, due to the common drug side effects of depression, in the case of JB with a history of depression it was agreed an alternative should be used.14,15 The use of labetalol was also contraindicated in JB case as she is asthmatic.5 Labetalol is a non selective beta blocker and a selective alpha blocker.15,21 As both of these were contraindicated in JB case, nifedipine was prescribed instead. Nifedipine is a type 2 calcium channel blocker which is usually used as a second line agent in cases where BP is noncompliant to treatment with methyldopa and beta blockers.15,20,21 It acts by inhibiting the inward transfer of calcium ions from extracellular space and by the inhibition of uptake by smooth muscle cells.15,20,21 Its primary effect is to cause smooth muscles relaxation.15,20,21 Nifedipine has become a widely used antihypertensive, owing to its ability to vasodilate the vasculature with rapid onset and its full reversibility on discontinuing the drug.15,20,21 With respect to use of drugs in pregnancy, nifedipine has been rated as a Category C drug.21 This means that its use is recommended only when likely maternal benefits are seen to outweigh possible fetal effects, as the teratogenic effect of the drug on the fetus is uncertain.21 Once the BP was stabilized, induction of labour commenced. It is recommended that women in presence of severe pre-eclampsia at or beyond 34 weeks gestation to be induced to prevent the progression of the disease to eclampsia.5 Induction of labour was stimulated via PGE2, which contains dinoprostone. Its mechanisms of action are similar to the natural cervical ripening process.22,23 It is administered intravaginally to induce cervical ripening by directly softening the cervix, relaxing the cervical smooth muscle, and producing uterine contractions.22,23 There has been some debate of the use of dinoprostone in women with a history of asthma; however PGE2 is a bronchodilator, thus not contraindicated to use, in JB case. 23 For women whom there is a concern about the risk of eclampsia, it is recommended they receive magnesium sulphate as a prophylactic to protect against seizures, however in JBs case it was held off. The MAGPIE study demonstrates that the risk of eclampsia is more than halved in these women.5,8,24 However, it is also worth noting that only 1-2 % of pre-eclamptic women in the UK had fitted in the absence of anticonvulsant treatment.24 After magnesium sulphate is administered, extra caution is needed due to the potency of the drug which can lead to respiratory depression especially where nifedipine has previously been taken.21 When magnesium sulphate has been prescribed, it should be continued at least 24 hours post partum, as the risk of eclampsia does not resolve immediately after delivery. 5,14,15,24 The majority of women following deliver with severe pre-eclampsia will require inpatient care for four days or more.5 JB was discharged on the forth day after careful review of her clinical signs. She was continued on her anti hypertensive treatment, and was to be reviewed as an outpatient. JB was also offered a postnatal follow up to discuss the events of the pregnancy as well as preconception counselling.5 Section D: Psychological and Social Aspects Epidemiology Pre-eclampsia complicates about 2-8 % of pregnancies and may have serious effects on the mother and child, which makes it important threat to pubic health in both developed and developing countries. 2,24,25 Worldwide maternal mortality and morbidity from pre-eclampsia and eclampsia remains high, it is estimated to be responsible for approximately 12 % of maternal deaths per year. 24 It is estimated that pre-eclampsia is accountable for 67% of the referrals to day care assessment units, 20% of antenatal admission and 25% of obstetric admissions to intensive care units in the UK .26 The cost of treating pre-eclampsia varies between  £500- £10000 including the sum of hospital stay, induction costs, mode of birth, and pre-admission costs.17 Due to improvements in antenatal care in the UK, syndrome of eclampsia and development of HELLP syndrome is now rare.17 Eclampsia is reported in 1 in 2000 pregnancies.8,15,25 Also perinatal mortality rates are gradually improving, due to advances in antenatal care, early detection, improved anaesthesia, early delivery and expert neonatal paediatric care.15 Factors associated with an increase risk of pre-eclampsia include nullparity, African-American ethnic background, multiple gestations, obesity, chronic hypertension, molar pregnancy, family history of pre-eclampsia and a previous history of pre-eclampsia.4,8 Psychosocial Women who experience pre-eclampsia are exposed to significant amount of psychological and social stress.27 These stress disturbances in turn may have a significant impact on the mother and baby during the important early months following delivery.27,28 Pre-eclampsia is a disease which develops without warning therefore as JB reported, she found herself having to deal with the unexpected and dramatic changes in fetal health risk as well as her own all of a sudden. The diagnosis of pre-eclampsia initiates feelings of fear, shock, and sometimes even disbelief particularly to those experiencing it well before term. Shock comes from the fact that they were being hospitalised and felt unprepared for delivery.27,28 JB was very nervous after being admitted to hospital as she and her baby were regularly monitored and the realisation of the serious consequences the disease possess.28,29 There was also a sense of frustration as well as disempowerment as JB felt she had no control over the situation, and it was no longer just a personal responsibility. These feelings were amplified through the lack of sufficient information given on the disease, not completely informed about her actual situation, and on the medical decisions being made.27,28 JB was very emotional as she felt responsible for developing pre-eclampsia and worried about the risks she may have propelled on her child. Other psychological stresses were requirement of bed rest, boredom and being separated from her partner during hospitalisation.28 For those women who are diagnosed well before term, there is a greater risk of prematurity.28 These women being unprepared for the experience of delivering a premature baby can be a major component of shock and fear experienced. When progression of disease leads to complications, an emergency caesarean section which is usually performed can be very traumatic experience and life can suddenly be thrown into chaos. 27,28 These women usually have less early contact with there baby and are less likely to breast feed as they are recovering from surgery.27,28 For those who unfortunately loose their baby, they will be faced with the complex and traumatic events of grieving. This grieving process can be coupled to relationship problems as partners usually grieve differently.28 Women with pre-eclampsia are at increased risk of reoccurrence with subsequent pregnancies; therefore it is important they are advised of this if they wish to conceive again.28,30 The experience of severe pre-eclampsia may be overwhelmingly stressful. There is little time to adjust to new realities. Women may blame themselves adding the burden of guilt to the acute emotional chaos that follows diagnosis. Conclusion In conclusion, pre-eclampsia remains a global problem and a clinical challenge. It is a significant cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. As the triggering factors remain unknown, prevention of the disease becomes difficult. At present, the only treatment option for pre-eclampsia is delivery, but this is not always simple and usually involves a risk-benefit balance between health of mother and the maturity of the fetus.

The Human Genome Project Essay -- Science Genetics DNA Papers

The Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). The HGP began in 1990 and was scheduled to be completed in 2005. The goals of the project are to identify all the genes in the human genome (estimated to be 80,000 - 100,000 total) and develop the complete human DNA sequence. After the sequencing is done, a database with all the sequence information can be made and data analysis tools can be developed to use the information. The HGP will then have to consider ethical, legal, and social issues. A new 5-year goal was approved in 1998 in which the HGP could be finished two years earlier than first planned in 1990. The new goal would provide a working draft of the human genome by 2001 and the complete human sequence by the year 2003. NIH and DOE are expecting to sequence 60-70% of the human genome. The other 30-40% will be sequenced by the Sanger Center, a project funded by the Wellcome Trust, and other international partners' (1). The task of sequencing the human genome is time consuming and very tedious. Since the start of the HGP, there has been a very large emphasis on developing new technology to speed progress and cut costs. The DOE has played a large part in the advancement of this new technology. Much of the community at first was curious as to why the DOE would be involved in such a project as the HGP. The DOE is interested in a better understanding how energy and energy-production technologies affect the health risk of people, with the most interest in the effects of radiation (2). The DOE and other private sectors have helped in the advancement of technology very rapidly; the result is lower cost and f... ...Genome Project: 1998-2003. Science 282, 682-689 (1998). 2. The Genome Project-Why the DOE?, http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/tko/02_why.html, accessed 10/07/99. 3. Marshall, E. A High-Stakes Gamble on Genome Sequencing. Science 284, 1906-1909 (1999). 4. Potential Benefits of Human Genome Project Research, http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/project/benefits.html , accessed 10/07/99. 5. Davis, S. The Human Genome Project: Examining The Arc's Concerns Regarding the Project's Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications, http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/resource/arc.html, accessed 10/13/99. 6. Rothstein, M. A. Human Genome news "Protecting Genetic Privacy: Why It Is So Hard To Do", http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/hgn/v10n1/14roth.html, accessed 10/07/99. 7. Gene Therapy - An Overview, http://www.accessexcellence.org/AB/BA/Gene_Therapy_Overview.html, accessed 10/07/99.

Retinitis Pigmentosa Essay -- Health, Diseases, Vision Loss, Blindnes

The study proposed herein aims to accomplish the following: To determine the optimal exposure, gamma, contrast, and brightness corrections necessary to increase the perceived contrast of images by individuals affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and to determine the optimal image overlay of input signals corrected at both high and low thresholds such that perceived contrast is maximized. Additionally, this study will develop an I/O system of minimal necessary size responsible for image processing following image acquisition from micro cameras that will output post-processed image data onto small, high resolution LCD/LED screens contained in a wearable binocular device similar to commercially available home theater glasses. Lastly, this study aims to expose a cohort of individuals affected with Retinitis Pigmentosa to a series of images, environments, and scenes typically difficult for RP affected individuals to observe and distinguish due to color similarities and decreased contrast and brightness; and subsequently assess the effectiveness of the wearable prosthesis based on the accuracy of object identification both with and without the device. SIGNIFICANCE: Vision loss affects millions of people worldwide. According to a 2002 survey by the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 37 million individuals worldwide are totally blind, with 124 million having low vision. The WHO defines low vision and blindness as varying degrees of loss of visual acuity and visual field loss, relative to the better eye, with optimal correction. Blindness affects both genders, with individuals over 50 comprising 82% of the blind population. Causes of blindness vary, with approximately 60% being due to cataract and refractive errors which are... ...and RP1 (Ziviello 2005). More complex mechanisms for RP development have been suggested, such as mutations in carbonic anhydrases. Because photoreceptors have high metabolic needs, acidic metabolites resulting from aerobic and anaerobic respiration, such as lactic acid, are produced in large quantities by these cells, and as such necessitate removal to maintain pH homeostasis (Alvarez 2007). This is inherently troublesome due to the avascular nature of the retina. This function is instead performed by the choriocapilaris, and is reliant upon the activity of multiple enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase four (CA4). CA4 thereby helps to maintain pH homeostasis which is critical to the health and proper functioning of the photoreceptors, with CA4 mutations compromising this regulatory ability, resulting in photoreceptor degeneration, and subsequently RP (Alvarez 2007).

Christianity and Greek Epic Tradition as Devices for Miltons Object in

Christianity and Greek Epic Tradition as Devices for Milton's Object in Paradise Lost The widely known story of the Genesis account in the Bible of the creation and fall of humankind does not make for a very interesting story. Almost anyone familiar with Western tradition can provide at least this basic outline: God makes angels, the best angel wants to be God, the angel gets kicked out of Heaven into Hell, goes to the garden of Eden, persuades Eve to eat an apple, and down plunges humanity. So why, then, did Milton choose to use this particular piece of Biblical narrative, first, above his original intention of an Arthurian tale, and second, above any other account in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments? Milton answers these questions both simply and enigmatically in the beginning of the poem: "What in me is dark/ Illumine, what is low raise and support;/ That to the heighth of this great Argument/ I may assert Eternal Providence/ And justify the ways of God to men" (Milton 47). The question that humanity begs an answer for, above all, is the reason for the rampant evil in the world. Many people over the last several centuries, and many Christians even, cannot reconcile the existence of unchecked evil alongside a loving, merciful God. Milton would heartily agree that characteristics of God can be found in any situation in the Bible (and so he did draw from these in other works), but within Milton's enlightened seventeenth-century society, the scientific process itself dictated that to discover the meaning of any process, one had to go back to the catalytic moment. In order to answer the most theologically difficult question this side of B.C., Milton had no choice but to go back to th e beginning and see, with what... ...adise Lost. ed. Thomas Kranidas. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1969. 118-130. "Epic." Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2015. Web 30 April 2015. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=119368>. Ferry, Anne. Milton's Epic Voice: The Narrator in Paradise Lost. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1963. "Milton, John." Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. 2015. Web 30 April 2015. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=115562>. Milton, John. Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. New York: Signet Classics, 1968. New American Standard Bible. 2015. Web 30 April 2015. https://www.biblegateway.com Ricks, Christopher. Introduction. Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. By John Milton. New York: Signet Classics, 1968. vii- xxx. Webber, Joan Malory. Milton and His Epic Tradition. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1979.

The Great Escape Movie and Real Story

The movie The Great Escape was based on the escape of many prisoners from a Nazi prison camp during World War II. Unfortunately, only a couple of the escapees made it to safety before being captured again. Once the prisoners were captured, they were sent to a Nazi prison camp called Stalag. If they had done nothing except passing their time patiently they would have been able to make it through the war safely. However, the Germans were rather dependent upon their adversaries not putting up resistance. They had to be defeated and this would take a collective effort. The men who are the real heroes are those that took the risks and made the sacrifices. The â€Å"Great Escape† was showing the prisoners of war (POWs) resistance towards the fascist state of Germany and this is what made this prison break so much different than that of any other Hollywood movie involving a prison break. Even though the plan that they had set forth failed, that isn’t the point the point was that they took it into their own hands and tried as hard as they could to escape. The movie was based off of a true story about a group of Allied POW’s that attempted to escape from what was thought to be an impenetrable Nazi prison camp during World War II. At the beginning, the Nazi’s gather some of the most devious and troublesome POWs and placed them into a prison camp. Soon after arriving there, they are already plotting their escape. They plan on building three separate tunnels that they refer to as â€Å"Tom†, â€Å"Dick†, and â€Å"Harry†. One of the ways that the men removed dirt from the tunnels in progress was by hiding bags in their trousers to spread the dirt over the camp, under the guard’s noses. On the first day there were many failed attempts at escaping, eventually they settled in. one of the men is told that if he tries to escape one more time he will be shot, and is placed back with the rest of the POWs. Being locked up with every escape artist in Germany, one of the men tries to plot a way to break 250 prisoners out of Stalag. The intent of this operation was to confuse the enemy to the point of them moving as many troops from the front lines to search for all of the escapees that it would be a waste of resources and troops. The prisoners ere at work on the three tunnels and two of them were discovered before completion. Eventually tunnel â€Å"Tom† was completed but was found to be 20 feet short of the woods, due to this, only 76 men were able to escape. Almost all of the POWs were either recaptured and/or killed. Only three of the men made it to safety. The real story of the â€Å"Great Escape† was â€Å"the mass escape of 76 Allied POWs from Stalag Luf t III in March of 1944. † It all started when and Allied aircrew was shot down during World War II. The war camp was being run by the Luftwaffe, called Stalag Luft which was short for Stammlager Luft. The camp was opened May of 1942. The German Luftwaffe had respect for their fellow flyers and their treatment of the prisoners should not be confused with that of the SS or Gestopo. The Luftwaffe treated the POWs well even though there was a very inconsistent supply of food. The security was very strict but life was not intolerable for the prisoners. The camp grew to hold 10,000 POWs, was 59 acres and had 5 miles of perimeter fencing. Food in the camp would have been a major issue if it weren’t for the International Red Cross. Most people would think that the guards got plenty of food, but realistically they weren’t too much better off. Also; the Red Cross provided the prisoners with replacement clothing, shower items, coffees and teas, jams, meats, sugars, and all of these were distributed equally amongst the people. There was prolonged starvation and if it weren’t for the Red Cross parcels things would have been much worse. Some of the captured officers were paid an equivalent of their pay and were able to purchase things, but it was strictly forbidden to be in possession of the real German currency, and this was a vital aid in escape. Another thing that was strictly forbidden was civilian clothing. Most prisoners were commonly dressed in uniforms and any footwear they had, and any man that had civilian clothing was sure to keep it safe. One thing that was vital was to carry and aircrew badge, otherwise upon escaping they could be thought to be a spy. Some of the finest escape artists of the Allied forces were placed in Luft III, and one of those men being Squadron leader Roger J Bushell who was shot down May 1940 during the Battle of France. He collected the most skilled forgers, tailors, tunnel engineers and surveillance experts and told them his plan of sending 250 men outside of the wire fences of Stalag. He knew that this would cause tremendous problems for his enemy because it would divert both men and resources to capture the escapees. His plan wasn’t really intending to return men to their homeland but to cause a major problem with the Germans. He decided to go through with this plan although he had already been told that if he escaped or tried to escape again it would result in him being shot. Security at Stalag was intended to be the best, but there were some flaws with it, one of these flaws being that the Germans were known around the world as being â€Å"goons†. They recived this name because they were definitely not the ‘cream of the Luftwaffe’ and were well known for shooting first and asking questions later. They could also be considered ‘trigger happy’ since there were many incidents of unnecessary use of firearms. The German guards that were highly skilled at detecting escape were called â€Å"ferrets†. They had the ability to enter the compound when they please and search any hut without any given warning. They’d normally search for bright yellow sand because that was an indication that a tunnel was in progress. When they found a tunnel, they would allow it to keep being built until it was close to completion then they would drive heavy vehicles around the camp grounds to collapse the tunnel. The prisoners had three tunnels going and they were named â€Å"Tom†, â€Å"Dick†, and â€Å"Harry†. â€Å"Tom† was started in Hut 105, â€Å"Harry† was in Hut 104, and â€Å"Dick† was concealed beneath a shower drain under Hut 122 and would be under several feet of water, and the Germans never found it. The sudden ‘pounces’ by the ferrets caused consistent nightmares for the tunnel diggers, during one occasion the door to Harry was replaced and fully camouflaged in twenty seconds leaving no sign of a tunnel entrance. The formation of these tunnels wasn’t the easiest because they were under ground and there is limited space to displace the dirt removed to create the tunnel. On method of removing the dirt from the tunnel areas was by filing long thin bags that the men slipped inside their trousers and would walk around losing the sand through a hole in the bottom of it. These men were known as ‘penguins’. Unfortunately, one of the men was careless and was spotted by a ferret when he was walking around the compound so they knew that a tunnel was under way, they just didn’t know where. The process of tunneling was very dangerous, because if a tunnel caved in there was only enough time to cover your head and wait for the ‘number two’ to dig you out. No one ever died, but a few many were forced to stay off work due to suffocation. In order to make these tunnels dependable, they used approximately 4,000 bed boards to form the shoring. These bed boards came from the beds of the prisoners. Most of them became used to sleeping on the barest of supports. The size of the tunnel depended upon that of the boards, so the tunnel is approximately 2 feet square. A wooden railway was put into the tunnel to remove sand along the tunnel. One of the men had spotted an 800 foot coil of electrical wire and took it to use it for lighting through the tunnel. The Germans were aware that something was going on but they were never able to find anything. Eventually they moved 19 of the top suspects which had included 6 of the key men in this operation to another prison camp only weeks before the escape was planned to take place. Luckily, Bushell’s role in the escape was well camouflaged and the Germans had left him behind. When the men were transferred without warning the work didn’t stop. Soon â€Å"Dick† was abandoned because the area that it was to exit at there was a new prison camp built there. Issues arose with the displacement of sand and â€Å"Dick† was eventually used for disposal of sand. When â€Å"Tom† was near completion, it was discovered by a ferret and the Germans destroyed it all, so all work was shifted to â€Å"Harry†. In March of 1944, â€Å"Harry† reached a length of 336 feet. Upon completion, Flight Lieutenant Johnny Bull had discovered that the tunnel was well short of the tree line and was within 30 yards of the nearest watch tower. During this time snow was laying on the ground so it was near impossible to not leave a trail and this caused the escape to slow down greatly and the situation was worsened by the occurance of an air raid. The Germans were forced to shut off all power, so there was no light in the tunnel. Instead of one man a minute the escape was reduced down to only one dozen per hour, so any man with an escape number higher than 100 had no chance of getting out this night. By dawn, only 76 men had escaped and made their way beyond the woods. One man tugged at the signal rope, meaning â€Å"stay put† but the man making his way through the tunnel though that it meant the opposite signal, so he emerged from the tunnel right under the feet of one of the guards. For some seconds he did not see the tracks in the snow and body-heat steam drifting upwards from the tunnel mouth, but he eventually noticed the signs, raised his rifle, and fired a wild shot at the man trying to escape and blew his whistle. The man that preceded him was waiting in the woods and decided to run for it and so did so did the man that was coming out of the tunnel, but the next man in the tunnel was apprehended at rifle point, stood up and surrendered. All the men who had been waiting in the tunnel managed to return to Hut 104, burned their false papers, and ate their carefully saved food rations because the Germans were sure to confiscate them. The ferrets didn’t find the entrance to the tunnel, and by the time they reached the hut, the men were sound asleep. In the darkness of the night few of the escapees had found the railway station and missed their train and were waiting on the platforms trying to avoid each other. Most of the men were captured before they were even able to leave the area. This movie was very accurate in comparison to the real story, which I find quite surprising for a Hollywood film. This was a great movie of an escape plan that didn’t quite work as well as it could have, but none the less it was for sure a great escape.

Blinding Revenge-Hamlet

Michael Kuritnik 3/6/13 G-Block Blinding Revenge Fundamental themes are preserved throughout history because they relate to everyday aspects of life. Surprisingly, very little has changed since Shakespearean times. Although technology has changed the way in which humans communicate, people still react to emotional stimuli similarly to those of the middle ages. Anger has always triggered annoyance, uproar and violence. Like several characters in Hamlet, today’s society experiences a thirst for revenge because of something unsettling that ultimately stirred up anger.Individuals who strive for vengeance become overwhelmed with indignation. In some cases idiosyncratic deception and false imagery are used in order to attain what one seeks. Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare emphasizes that revenge leads to chaos and ultimately inevitable debilitating consequences Revenge has the overwhelming ability to deteriorate a man into a monster. It influences Hamlet to make reckless decisions th at ruin him and eventually lead to his downfall. Hamlet is driven to insanity by his own desire to kill Claudius. Hamlet becomes so obsessed with revenge that it quickly consumes him.He exclaims in one of his soliloquy, â€Å"Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause And can say nothing- no, not for a king Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made† (II. ii. 595-598), feeling guilty and remorseful for not yet acting on his impulse for revenge. At this point, calling himself a coward for not having taken revenge, Hamlet clearly demonstrates his madness for vengeance. Moments later, blinded by revenge, Hamlet stabs Polonius on the impulsive whim that it may be Claudius spying on him. He feels no guilt for his reckless action, suggesting that he acted out of madness and had little thought through the affair.Consumed by revenge, Hamlet has deteriorated into a murderer. Immediately after Hamlet murders Polonius, Claudius becomes blinded by his own desire for revenge. In his rage, Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with Hamlet to England, where Hamlet fools the English into killing them instead of him. After sending them off, Claudius states, â€Å"I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range,† understanding that the best method of containing Hamlet’s revenge is to keep Hamlet close; however Claudius’ anger leads him to send Hamlet to his unhonorable death (III. ii,L1-2). By attempting to avenge Polonius, Claudius ultimately sets up his own demise, as well as Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s. If not for Claudius’ rash decision to send Hamlet away, Hamlet would have never been able to contact Norway and send the spies to their deaths by sabotaging the letter. Laertes’ vengeful decisions lead to detrimental consequences and the deaths of virtuous lives. Enraged by his father’s death, Laertes decides to make an attempt on Hamlet’s life. Playing co ol and pretending to wish for a duel in fun, Laertes tries to gain his revenge.As a result of his recklessness, the entire court of Denmark is killed. Lying motionlessly on the cold marble floor, Laertes whispers to himself, â€Å"The foul practice Hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie, Never to rise again,†his lungs gasping for one last breath of air (V. ii. 348-350). Only on his deathbed does Laertes realize the irony and the mistake he made by seeking revenge. This is because Laertes’ obsession with vengeance for his father’s death tempted him to plot for murder with the devious Claudius.Treachery and vengeance, which blinded Laertes, actually lead to his downfall and make him feel at blame for the deaths of innocent people. Not surprisingly, the modern world is full of regretful acts of vengeance. Imperialist Japan shocked the world by bombing the United States at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. As a result, the United States launched a huge pacific off ensive while also sending troops and resources into a large Europe campaign to assist against the Nazis. Similarly, Claudius’ killing of Hamlet’s father triggered Hamlet to seek revenge at all costs.After essentially winning the war, the United States turned their eyes back to the Japanese who had so mercilessly brought them into the fight. Within a week of the dropping of the first atomic bomb, Japanese opposition crumbled. This historical win marked a huge accomplishment, but the US would soon come to regret their decision. By dropping the atomic bomb on Japan, the US gave away critical information as to the extent of their power. Major allies and enemies began constructing their own nuclear weapons, launching the world into the Cold War era.In addition, the atomic bomb obliterated Japanese morale and culture, reducing the island country back to the bottom of the food chain. It would take many years before Japan could return to its former prominence. Today in US hist ory classes students discuss the ethics behind the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan because of the death, despair, and world chaos that came as a result of payback for a small bombing at Pearl Harbor. In their pursuit for revenge, both America and Hamlet went too far, which resulted in mass killings and the destruction of powerful nations.Shakespeare’s message has proven to reiterate itself through the years. As shown when the otherwise noble Hamlet is driven to blindly kill Polonius, when Claudius dooms his servants unintentionally, and when Laertes’ actions result in the death of the Court of Denmark. Shakespeare makes it clear that revenge’s consequences are drastic. As in the bombing of Japan, this statement is tried and tested every day in the real world, albeit on a much smaller scale. Everywhere revenge is sought after, the aftermath is worse than the beginning.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 4

The car was pitch black, but our eyes, now adapted for nocturnal vision, allowed us to pick out a path through the piles of sooty coal in the caboose. Finally we emerged through a doorway into what appeared to be a first-class sleeping car. When no one was looking, we stole a few shirts and pairs of trousers from an unattended trunk and put them on. They didnt fit perfectly, but they would do. As we ventured out into the aisle of the seating coach, the train rumbling beneath our feet, a hand grabbed my shoulder. Reflexively, I swung my arm at my attacker and growled. A man in a conductors uniform flew backward and hit the wall of a compartment with athud. I locked my jaw to keep my fangs from protruding. â€Å"Im sorry! You startled me and † I trailed off. My voice was unfamiliar to my own ears. For the past week, most of my interactions had been in hoarse whispers. I was surprised at how human I sounded. But I was much more powerful than my voice betrayed. I hoisted the man to his feet and straightened his navy cap. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"I believe so,† the conductor said in a dazed voice, patting his arms as if to make sure they were still there. He looked to be about twenty, with sallow skin and sandy hair. â€Å"Your ticket?† â€Å"Oh, yes, tickets,† Damon said, his voice smooth, not betraying that we had been in a gallop to the death only minutes before. â€Å"My brother has those.† I shot an angry glance toward him, and he smiled back at me, calm, taunting. I took him in. His boots were muddy and unlaced, his linen shirt was untucked from his trousers, but there was something about him–more than his aquiline nose and aristocratic jaw–that made him seem almost regal. In that moment, I barely recognized him: This wasnt the Damon Id grown up with, or even the one Id gotten to know in the past week. Now that we were hurtling out of Mystic Falls toward some invisible, unknowable point on the horizon, Damon had become someone else, someone serene and unpredictable. In these unfamiliar surroundings, I was unsure if we were partners in crime or sworn enemies. The conductor turned his attention toward me, his lip curling as he took in my disheveled appearance. I hastily tucked my own shirt in. â€Å"We were rushing, and † I drawled, hoping my Southern accent would make the words sound sincere–and human. His goldfish-like eyes bulged skeptically, and then I remembered a vampire skill Katherine had used on me to great effect: compelling. â€Å". . . And I already showed you my ticket,† I said slowly, willing him to believe me. The conductor furrowed his brows. â€Å"No, you didnt,† he replied just as slowly, taking extra care to enunciate each word, as if I were an especially dull passenger. I cursed silently, then leaned in ever closer. â€Å"But I presented it to you earlier.† I stared into his eyes until my own started to cross. The conductor took a step back and blinked. â€Å"Everyone needs a ticket on their person at all times.† My shoulders slumped. â€Å"Well uh â€Å" Damon stepped in front of me. â€Å"Our tickets are in the sleeper car. Our mistake,† he said, his voice low and lulling. He didnt blink once as he gazed at the mans hooded lids. The ticket takers face went slack, and he took a step back. â€Å"My mistake. Go ahead, gentlemen. Im sorry about the confusion.† His voice was distant as he tipped his hat, then stood aside to let us walk into the gentlemens club car. As soon as the door shut behind us, I grabbed Damons arm. â€Å"How did you do that?† I asked. Had Katherine taught him how to drop his voice, gaze his victim in the eye, and force the poor lad to do his bidding? I clenched my jaw, wondering if shed mentioned how easy it had been for her to compel me. Images flashed into my mind: Katherine widening her eyes, begging me to keep her secret, to stop my father from hunting her. I shook my head, as if to fling the images from my brain. â€Å"Whos in charge now, brother?† Damon drawled, collapsing into an empty leather seat and yawning, his hands stretched above his head as if he were ready to settle down for a long nap. â€Å"Youre going to sleep now? Of all times?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Why not?† I repeated dumbly. I held out my arms, gesturing to our surroundings. We sat among well-dressed men in top hats and waistcoats, who, despite the hour, were busily patronizing the wood-paneled bar in the corner. A group of older men played poker, while young men in captains uniforms whispered over tumblers of whiskey. We went unnoticed in this crowd. There were no vampire compasses revealing our true identities. No one so much as glanced in our direction as we sat down. I perched on the ottoman opposite Damon. â€Å"Dont you see?† I said. â€Å"No one knows us here. This is our chance.† â€Å"Youre the one who doesnt see.† Damon inhaled deeply. â€Å"Smell that?† The warm, spicy scent of blood filled my nostrils, and the thud of pumping hearts echoed around me like cicadas on a summer evening. Instantly a searing pain ripped through my jaw. I covered my mouth with my hands, looking wildly around to see if anyone had noticed the long canines that had shot out from my gums. Damon let out a wry chuckle. â€Å"Youll never be free, brother. Youre tethered to blood, to humans. They make you desperate and needy–they make you a killer.† At the wordkiller, a man with a rust-colored beard and sun-dyed cheeks glanced sharply at us from across the aisle. I forced a benign smile. â€Å"You're going to get us in trouble,† I hissed under my breath. â€Å"Yes, well, youve got only yourself to blame for that,† Damon replied. He closed his eyes, signaling the end of our conversation. I sighed and glanced out the window. We were probably only thirty miles outside of Mystic Falls, but it felt as though everything Id known before had simply ceased to exist. Even the weather was new–the rain shower had ended, and the autumn sun now poked through wispy clouds, penetrating the glass that separated the train from the outside world. It was curious: While our rings protected us from the sun searing our flesh, the burning orb made me feel slightly drowsy. Pushing myself to stand, I took refuge in the dark aisles that led from compartment to compartment. I passed from walking between the plush velvet seats of the first-class cars to the wooden benches of second class. Finally, I made myself comfortable in an empty sleeper cabin, drew the curtains, closed my eyes, and opened my ears. Hope those Union boys get out of New Orleans and leave it to ourselves Once you see those beauties on Bourbon Street, your Virginia virgin won't look the same You've got to be careful. There's voodoo down there, and some say it's where demons come out to play I smiled. New Orleans sounded like the perfect place to call home. I settled into the makeshift bed, content to relax and let the train rock me into some sort of slumber. I found that I fed much better after I had rested.

CRM Capabilities and the Customer Life Cycle Essay

Customer acquisition consists of the business processes in the CLC leading up to the customer moment, when consumers become customers . . . or not. This includes awareness generation, knowledge transfer, consideration, pre-sales, and evaluation. Capabilities include consumer surveys in business operations, tracking enterprise-wide customer interactions in business management, and market basket analysis in business intelligence. The enterprise clearly requires customer acquisition to maintain and expand revenues and profits. A business without nev. customer acquisition will shrink and eventually fail. But compared to customer retention amf expanding â€Å"share of customer†, customer acquisition can be expensive. I Expanding the â€Å"share of customer† is gaining the largest portion of acquisitions made by each individual customer in the global marketplace. The proportion of a customer’s move, that goes to a particular enterprise is known as the share of customer. Example capabilities include delivery of new information to a customer through business operations as the custome-, re-enters the CLC, taking advantage of cross-sell opportunities using business managerne7- capabilities, and identifying cross-sell opportunities through business intelligence capabilitie&. The benefits of expanding â€Å"share of customer† are similar to customer retention—additional sales without the cost of acquiring a new customer. However, expanding the share of customer is as valuable as customer retention. Most companies find that their most profitable customer-, are the ones that spend the largest percentages of their budgets with the enterprise. For example, one bank recently identified that every one of their most profitable customers (the top 20 per cent) gave their business to the bank, while none of the least profitable custome7,: (the bottom 20 per cent) gave their business to the bank. What is new is the customer-cents_~ nature of applications, which means organizing CRM processes around the customer rath—, than marketing, sales, or any other internal function. Measurements and feedback from the customer enable improvements in the CRM process. The customer’s viewpoint becomes aF integral part of the process, allowing it to change with the customer’s needs. In other words. companies base their actions not on the priorities of functional fiefdoms, but on the over†72 corporate objective of providing customer satisfaction. However, before aggressively deploying CRM applications, managers might have to restructure customer-interaction processes. Functional and organizational structurei tend to compartmentalize the various activities that go into serving the customer. Such fragmentation prevents customer information from being dispersed far enough within the organization to be useful; in fact, it often stands in the way of efforts to build a relationship As a result, customized service is difficult and consequently, organizations tend to treat all customers the same – a damning impediment to building closer relationships. To counter fragmentation, leading-edge companies strive to take a more customer centred approach to CRM. There is a growing trend towards managing all the activities that ientify, attract, and retain customers in an integrated fashion, that is, managing them as a process that cuts across functional departments. By addressing these activities as a set of CRM processes, organizations can create end-to-end communications and performance accountability for entire sets of activities. In short, a CRM infrastructure is really a portfolio of process competencies.

Bloom taxonomy

Bloom’s taxonomy or also known as the revised bloom taxonomy is a great teaching tool to use when teaching patients about their illness. It consists of three categories and then multiple sub-categories. Blooms taxonomy addresses not only the patient’s readiness to learn but it address the appropriate approach to each individual situation. It gives a systematic way of approaching a topic and the audience that will be learning. When this method is applied to nursing it is a great tool. This is due to the fact that each patient has different cognitive factors, different psychomotor factors as well as an affective domain. Bloom’s Cognitive categories have to do with how the mind can process or regenerate the information provided during a teaching session. There are six sub-categories to the cognitive category. The six are remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and create. A teacher should be able to determine where in this pyramid is the patient. What teaching strategies must be changed and modified to fit the patient lifestyle. The second category is the Affective domain. This is how patients address their emotions to specific problems. This will show what a patient or student values and what motivates them to be who they are. This category has five sub-categories receiving, respecting, valuing, organizing and internalizing. This is the category that will determine if the patient is willing to accept this disease or new lifestyle change into their life. This will tell a teacher where on the scale the patient is willing to rate their disease and how it will affect their life. The Third and final category is psychomotor. This tells the teacher if the patient is physically able to complete the task asked of them. This will allow the teacher to gage if the patient is able to successfully complete what is needed of them to live with their disease process. There are five sub-categories imitation, manipulation, precision, articulation, and naturalization. There is a great example of this category, teaching a patient to use a new nebulizer treatment. The patient will go through reach step of the process till they  can finally reach the goal of naturalization. Conclusion Blooms taxonomy learning tool can break down the heart of teaching and give it meaning to apply to most any professions. Nursing is just one of those professions that teaching is a large part of the job, on a daily basis. Blooms taxonomy should be used each day on a nursing unit from the admission date to the discharge date.

The US Footwear Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The US Footwear Industry - Essay Example Comfort Shoes is trying to target health conscious customers of all ages and genders in order to develop a potential customer base. However, the organization is planning to implement an online business strategy in order to achieve potential competitive advantages. At the initial stage, it may face some difficulties in finding effective employees necessary for effective business operations. The case study will analyze the scenario and discuss the case problem to make the readers understand the purpose of the study. Overview/Analysis Several organizations are trying to capitalize on the potential business opportunities that are developed due to globalization and the technological revolution. Comfort Shoes is a newly developed organization. The organization is trying to implement advanced technology in its business processes in order to meet the satisfaction level of target customers. The online shopping facility can help the customers to reduce their consumption time. At the initial st age, it is quite hard for the organization to cope with the start-up challenges. It is not easy to grab the market share of existing leading organizations through this strategy. Comfort Shoes is trying to raise capital from venture investors through the help of their business plan. Setting up an effective and fast server for online marketing activities is quite important for an online retail organization. It is necessary for the organization to conduct an effective market survey in order to determine the growth of online retail marketing. The organization is planning to provide advertisements on several social media networking sites. It is another costly effort. On the other hand, several leading footwear organizations have adopted information technology in the business processes after achieving a significant growth rate and market share. Customer awareness is another key thing for the newly developed organization. It is only focusing on online activities rather than utilization of several kinds of promotional media. It is quite important for the organization to manage cost at the initial stage of the business process. In addition, the organization should think about the implementation of unique promotional strategies to attract target customers. Status Report The management of Comfort Shoes understood the risk of intense market competition and market saturation. They did some adjustments in their marketing strategies before the implementation of online marketing activities. The marketing managers of the organization suggested the managing director of the organization to organize an urgent meeting with the stakeholders regarding this issue. The marketing manager told that the organization should conduct a real-time primary market research to understand the market trend and customers. He proposed that some executives of the company should be assigned to conduct a market research activity through the sample survey method. A questionnaire should be distributed to the people of all ages. According to the instruction, the executives conducted a survey by distributing a prepared close-ended questionnaire (Appendix). After the completion of data collection, the organization reviewed the answers. 78% of total respondents shared that the organization should try to follow print media, digital media and online promotional strategies to enhance customer awareness. After getting the outcome, the stakeholders committed to help the organization for the promotional activities. Case Problem The managing director of Comfort Shoes was concerned before the sample survey process that the management team of the organization did not avail sufficient information to make a valid decision for the future business perspective. Demand for