Monday, September 30, 2019

Kite Runner Assef Analysis Essay

Many believe that there is a part of good and a part of evil in each of us. Hosseini conveys in his novel â€Å"the kite runner† that some people have a natural tendency to express their bad side. Assef, one of Hosseini’s charachter symbolizes those people. He carries a kind of madness, and is violent. Hosseini implies that being given a target for hate, and a morality for their actions, in this case religion, those people can become powerful. Assef is an example of how it is possible to reach power and abuse of it by avoiding to deal with justice as he joins a groups of terrorists. He evolves from a child who uses violence to make himself feared, and rule his neighborhood, to a Talibans who can freely and honorably commit crimes in the name of God. This author introduces Assef to the reader when he firsts encounters Amir. Those are Amir’s thoughts at the view of Assef â€Å"Assef crossed his thick arms on his chest, a savage sort of grin on his lips. Not for the first time, it occurred to me that Assef might not be entirely sane.† The reader then directly discovers, from this simple description of Assef’s appearance the type of character he is. He is just passively crossing his arms, but still gives an overall image of a strong, savage, not entirely sane person. The insanity recurs, it is often visible in Assef’s eyes, and the grin is now linked to violence† I will never forget how Assef’s blue eyes glinted with a light not entirely sane and how he grinned, how he grinned, as he pummeled that poor kid unconscious† Amir was marked by the time he saw Assef beating up a little kid. Assef is a bully that takes pleasure in hurting other kids. At this point, he is a child and violence is like a game that let’s him express his madness. Other kids are scared by his attitude, no one dears to contradict him. This is one of Amir’s thought about one of Assef’ â€Å"friend†, right before the rape of Hassan. â€Å"He wasn’t afraid of Hassan, not really. He was afraid because he had no idea what Assef had in mind† Assef is not even understood by his followers, no one knows what’s in his mind. They apprehend his ideas, and fear them which gives an idea of how deranged he is. In fact Hassan refuses to give the kite to Assef, and Assef is then about to rape him when he declares: â€Å"I’ll let you keep the kite Hazara. I’ll let you keep it so it will always remind you of what i’m about to do† This is a significant quote. Assef shows his cruelty by intending to hurt deeply, and leave a reminder of the pain. It also foreshadows all the horrors he is going to cause because his madness his going to last. Assef’ is seen differently by other adults, those don’t fear him, because his real personality is hidden from them. Hosseini uses the parents as a symbol for control, and justice. Assef therefore bypasses justice, he is still controlled as he has to hide his madness. â€Å"On the surface, he was the embodiment of every parent’s dream, a strong, tall, well-dressed and well-mannered boy with talent and striking looks, not to mention to wit joke with an adult. But to me, his eyes betrayed him. When i looked into them, the facade faltered, revealed a glimpse of the madness hiding behind them.† The author personificaties Assef’s eyes who â€Å"betrayed† him by revealing his madness. The Betrayal has a religious connotation, to the evil. As if he was hiding behind the appearance of an attractive boy. The author enlarge Assef’s dangerousness. In contrast with the other parents, his genitors know his real nature and in fact are frightened. â€Å"†¦I wondered if maybe, on some level, their son frightened them.† They should be giving him a education to make him become good, instead they are powerless. He in fact has the power over them. At Amir’s birthday party, he comes with them â€Å"He led them toward us, like he had brought them here. Like he was the parent, and they his children.† His leadership is broadened to his genitors who should be superior. This comparison, shows that his parent’s don’t have authority or control over him. but it is the first sign that Assef will be out of control. Assef went to prison at some point. There, he was mistreated in the same way as he used to mistreat others. He was put in a position of powerlessness â€Å"What could i do?† a guard came to violently persecute him, and as he kicked him. â€Å"He kicked me on the left kidney and the stoned passed. Just like that! Oh, the relief!† But Assef, who is a mad character, feels this relief as a redemption, and connects it to God, while it in fact could have been a biological reaction. † †¦ Suddenly i knew that had been a message from God: He was on My side. He wanted me to live for a reason.† This miracle, leads Assef to pretend that he has been granted a mission. â€Å"I’ve been on a mission since.† This mission could also have made him turned into a better man but instead it only made him madder. It gives him a sudden excuse and claims to be doing great acts, even though they are harmful to others. He is therefore truly satisfied with the horrors he accomplishes, because now he has a reason to do them. â€Å"†¦ stood in a roomful of targets, let the bullets fly, free of guilt and remorse, knowing you are virtuous, good, and decent. Knowing you’re doing God’s work.† He even uses the words virtuous, implying that his act have a morality. â€Å"There are bad people in this world, and sometimes bad people stay bad. Sometimes you have to stand up to them.† Amir says this as he is thanking Sohrab for stopping Assef. Assef was in fact stopped by a little kid with his slingshot. The author conveys that sometimes, justice can easily stop evilness. That evil people shouldn’t be supported by religion.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Effectiveness Male Mental Health Care Health And Social Care Essay

This survey attempts to carry on a qualitative analysis of the efficiency of mental wellness attention places in the UK. The survey will be based on semi structured interviews of some occupants in one such establishment in Manchester Suburbs, aged between 10 and 18. A elaborate literature reappraisal will besides be carried out on the subject. The survey aims at pin indicating major jobs which immature occupants of mental wellness places are confronting. It besides aims at foregrounding the hinderances faced by immature males while life in a residential place with mention to what they have already gone through. It is hoped that this survey will come in utile for such installations to better their services in the hereafter. It is the responsibility of mental wellness attention places to measure and measure their patient services from clip to clip and to inform the governments about them so that some action might be taken for betterment. Mental wellness attention residences in UK have a batch of restrictions. These include deficiency of good trained staff, a general deficiency of empathy among the staff, deficiency of proper resources to provide the particular demands of its occupants and deficiency of proper communicating with the occupants. These jobs are even more enhanced when it comes to male patients. Males normally do n't reach societal support systems such as residential mental wellness attention plans unless and until they feel that now their state of affairs is out of their control. This magnifies the jobs because males in such establishments are normally less than females, but are more chronic. Since this is a qualitative survey, it will use qualitative methods of informations aggregation. Best method for such a survey is that of semi structured interviews, because such a agenda provides an chance to the interviewer to obtain maximal information of diverse nature out of the topic. In the Information bulletin ( 2007 ) of Centre for wellness service development, the Author provinces: ‘Semi-structured interviews focal point on a list of cardinal subjects or inquiries that the interviewer wants the respondent to turn to ‘ . This is a really suited method of informations aggregation for this research since it attempts at researching the subject. The research worker is non looking for any specific replies ; instead an effort is being made to happen out whatever at that place is to cognize about the effectivity of mental wellness attention residential institutes for males, and to hold an penetration of service user position. Literature Reappraisal: Mental wellness jobs can impact the whole life of persons. Many surveies have been conducted in the yesteryear, look intoing different issues related to mental wellness. Following is a reappraisal of some such surveies:Franz and Barker ( 2009 ) conducted a survey to place different Barriers to Care for Primary Care Physicians Treating Patients with Alzheimer Disease. They concluded that the chief jobs were entree to and communicating with mental wellness specializers, hapless reimbursement policies, and uneven geographic distribution of good trained staff in such installations.Harmonizing to the World Health Organization:‘Gender prejudice occurs in the intervention of psychological upsets. Doctors are more likely to name depression in adult females compared with work forces, even when they have similar tonss on standardised steps of depression or present with indistinguishable symptoms. Gender differences besides exist in forms of aid seeking for psychological upset. Womans are more likely to seek aid from and unwrap mental wellness jobs to their primary wellness attention doctor while work forces are more likely to seek specializer mental wellness attention and are the chief users of inpatient attention ‘ .There is considerable sum of prejudice against people with mental wellness jobs among the wellness service suppliers. As cited in the ‘Science daily ‘ , Dr Alex Mitchell and his squad conducted a survey in 2009 to look into hinderances in entree to proper mental wellness attention services. They found out:‘Despite similar or really more frequent medical contacts, there are frequently disparities in the physical health care delivered to those with psychiatric unwellness with frankly poorer attention offered to ( or accepted by ) those with preexistent mental wellness jobs. ‘Patients are besides a spot colored about mental wellness issues. They normally avoid seeing a mental wellness professional. Many of them address their mental wellness jobs to their doctors instead than some mental wellness specializer. Vivian Kovess and co-workers conducted a survey in 2007 to look into the motivation factors in seeking professional aid for mental wellness issues. They found out that: ‘More than half of the sample would see their general practician foremost and frequently would go on with the general practician for followup. Mental wellness professionals were mentioned far less than general Practitioners ‘ . They besides found out that factors like age, instruction and societal support besides affect the seeking of professional mental wellness services.they concluded: ‘General Practitioners are frequently the point of entry into the mental wellness attention system and demand to be supported. Public information runs about mental wellness attention options and interventions are needed to educate the populace, extinguish the stigma of mental unwellness and extinguish biass ‘ . Due to gender functions assigned by society, among patients with mental wellness jobs, adult females are more likely to describe as compared to work forces. In 2009 a research was conducted by Bader and Sinha. Their survey was manifold and was conducted on an Iraqi sample. One of their many findings were: ‘Interviewees describing supplanting as a cause for necessitating mental wellness services were twice every bit likely to be female ‘ . HARP conducted a DH funded survey in 2003. Its intent was to place Bridges and Barriers into mental wellness of refuge searchers. They concluded: ‘The bulk of the male participants in the community audiences felt that work forces in their state of beginning faced specific force per unit areas that did non ease the self-acknowledgement of emotional or mental wellness jobs and that early socialisation in most civilizations did non promote work forces to speak about their jobs ‘ . A survey ( as cited in Dr Anderson Stanciole ‘s article ) on ‘Quality of and entree to wellness attention services ‘ was conducted by HEALTH QUEST under the European Commission. This was aimed at analysing the barriers of entree to mainstream wellness attention services for people at hazard of societal exclusion. Eight states were studied in deepness. They found out that there was a really complex state of affairs in supplying wellness attention installations to migrators. One issue was of multicultural scene. The migrators had communicating issues. They could n't understand instructions or state their jobs decently. Second job was that the professionals had no information of their medical history and besides no manner to achieve it. So, along with prejudice, cultural issues like linguistic communication and brought up manner besides pose a barrier in supplying wellness attention services. Sometimes the mental wellness supplying installations have so complicated processs of admittance, that the aid searcher is discouraged automatically. â€Å" A cardinal challenge some groups of refuge searchers face is right set abouting the procedure of using for protection † . ( Guylim Croucher 2007 ) A survey by Gordon Paul, conducted in 1988, cited in Neal & A ; Davison ( Ninth edition ) suggests that even in the best residential mental wellness attention places, the Patients do non hold optimum contact with healers or psychologist. The clinical staff spends what is even less than one 4th of their entire on the job hours with the patients. Discussion: Service provided to immature males in mental wellness attention establishments in UK is non every bit good as it is expected to be. â€Å" We have seen many instances where the proviso of wellness attention to refuge searchers has fallen significantly short of what would be accepted as a minimal criterion of attention under international human rights criterion † ( Joint Committee on human rights: grounds. P.173 ) Mental wellness is a really huge term and residential mental wellness attention professionals need to concentrate on all the facets of mental wellness. For case, some of the males who were interviewed during the survey pointed out that they had trouble in making the mental wellness attention professionals. Residents in such institutes require proper counsel and reding. They will non profit from the installation if a professional is non available for them most of the clip. Some patients who are non native have besides pointed out linguistic communication issues. The residence should engage proper professionals and perchance an translator for such patients. Bias among the staff was besides reported in some of the semi structured interviews. If the professional mental wellness staff will be biased against people holding mental wellness issues, so there is small opportunity for a life clip improvement of patients. Such immature males are already subjected to a batch of prejudice and unfavorable judgment that can hold a permanent consequence on their lives. They deserve a bias free environment at least inside the installation. One good thing about the mental wellness attention institute is that the professionals over there arrange meetings with the patient ‘s relations and attention takers from clip to clip to educate them about mental wellness issues that their beloved 1s are confronting. Decision: In visible radiation of literature reappraisal and above treatment, it can be concluded that despite supplying mental wellness attention and installations to immature males, mental wellness attention residential places need to be improved. Hiring of professional, un-biased staff is required. Handiness of and entree to good trained psychologists and clinical psychologists is a must. Young males are more unfastened to therapy as compared to medicine, so counseling Sessionss should be encouraged. Some residential mental wellness attention centres do non carry through the demands of the patients. They should increase their support to run into the basic demands of the occupants. On the whole it can be said that these institutes have both, virtues and demerits. Some issues like colored attitude, handiness of professionals, adequate psychotherapeutics Sessionss and physical demands in such installations need to be addressed. Mentions: Anderson E. Stanciole, Manfred Huber ; 2009. Access to wellness attention for migrators. Policy Brief. ( Internet ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.euro.centre.org/data/1254748286_82982.pdf. ( Accessed: 20 may 2009 ) Bader F, A Sinha R ; 2009. Psycho-Social wellness in displaced Iraqis ‘ . Pubmed. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19806555. ( Accessed: 20 may 2010 ) Croucher, G. 2007. The challenge of assisting refuge searchers. ASPA Conference. ( Internet ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //docs.google.com/viewer? a=v & A ; q=cache: tdsC0kpPXDAJ: arts.monash.edu.au/psi/news-and-events/apsa/refereed-papers/au-nz-politics/croucher. ( Accessed: 20 May 2010 )Fraz, C.E & A ; Barker, J.C 2009. When aid becomes a hinderence. American Journal of Geriatic Psychology. ( online ) .Abstract from Geriatic Psychiatry Database. Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //journals.lww.com/ajgponline/Abstract/publishahead/When_Help_Becomes_a_Hindrance__Mental_Health.99920.aspx. ( Accessed 20 may 2010 )Gender disparities and mental wellness: The Facts. World Health Organization. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/genderwomen/en/ ( Accessed: 20 May 2010 )HARP, 2003. DH. ( Internet ) Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.networks.nhs.uk/uploads/06/03/refugeeconf/lane.ppt ( Accessed 20 May 2010 ) . Joint Comitee on Human Rights.Provision of wellness attention 10th study of session 2006-2007. ( Internet ) Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.com.pk/books? id=p_m-YfqqPmsC & A ; pg=PA173 & A ; dq=problems+faced+by+mental+health+care+seekers & A ; hl=en & A ; ei=2KD1S5ycGMufrAeNgIX3Cg & A ; sa=X & A ; oi=book_result & A ; ct=result & A ; resnum=1 & A ; ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA # v=onepage & A ; q=problems % 20faced % 20by % 20mental % 20health % 20care % 20seekers & A ; f=fals ( Accessed: 20 may 2010 )Mitchell, A 2009. ‘People With Mental Health Problems Receive Inadequate Medical Care ‘ . Science Daily. ( cyberspace ) .June 4, 2009. Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090602083721.htm( Accessed: 20 May 2010 ) Neal & A ; Davison 1997. Abnormal Psychology. ( Ninth Edition ) . Available at: www.wiley.com/college/davison ( Accessed: 21 may 2010 ) Taylor & A ; James 1977. Secret of life album. ( Internet ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //mentalhealth.about.com/cs/stressmanagement/a/whatismental.htm ( Accessed 21 May 2010 ) Viviane, K & A ; Delphine, S 2007. Motivating Factors for Mental Health. BMC Public Health. ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.medscape.com/viewarticle/563591. ( Accessed: 20 May 2010 ) Qualitative research methods. Information Bulletin, CHSD. ( Online ) .Vol I. available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm? harvard_id=34 # 34 ( Accessed 20 May 2010 ) .

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Alcohol Research Paper Essay

Alcohol plays too significant a role in society today and should be an after thought as opposed to the most essential addition to any social event. Alcohol creates numerous social, economic, and health problems that could very easily be stopped if it played a less influential role in every day events. The use of alcohol is prominent in, but not limited to three social circles that include students, family groups, and religious gatherings. Experts have much to say about alcohol use and abuse in these three categories, including all of the negative aspects of drinking. Social drinking is a common occurrence around America. Whether it is after work or after a football game, white collar or blue, two-thirds of the American population sit down at least once a week to enjoy an alcoholic beverage (Med. unc. edu). Many of these people do not realize that drinking is what leads to uncontrolled behavior, drunk driving, and in the long run, addiction. They are thinking only of the short-term effects, not the negative long-term consequences. People who regularly turn to alcohol eventually begin to neglect their families and other responsibilities, consequently wrecking the lives of loved ones and their own as well. While the lasting negative effects of alcohol use are spewed daily through the media, the problems will not stop until society completely understands how alcohol can indeed pose a serious threat to the nations social welfare. Alcohol has an adverse effect on the economy. The consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence cost the nation an estimated $99 billion each year (Gordis, 209). It is tax money that pays for alcoholics who both live on the street and are barely getting by or who are in government-funded hospitals and institutions. The United States should either find an alternative way to take care of these people or perhaps raise liquor taxes. Either one of these options would conceivably minimize the economical problems caused by alcoholic beverages. It is not the responsibility of the people as a whole to take care of the homeless people who have fallen prey to the lure of alcohol related problems. As of 1991, about 14 million Americans met medical diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism. There are numerous health problems that are linked to drinking. For instance, if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy, birth defects may result, worse, the baby could be born addicted to alcohol (Kellam, 30). High doses of alcohol have also been found to delay puberty in females and slow bone growth and result in weaker bones (Windle, 179). One of the main risks of drinking alcoholic beverages is having a stroke. A review of epidemiological evidence concludes that moderate alcohol consumption increases the potential risk of strokes caused by bleeding (Camargo, 1620). Another medical problem that involves alcohol is the use of prescription medications. Alcohol may interact harmfully with more that 100 medications, including some sold over the counter. The effects of alcohol are especially augmented by medications that depress the function of the central nervous system, such as sleeping pills, sedatives, and antidepressants, and certain painkillers (Thomas, 336). Upon understanding the risks of drinking, some people would surely stop. Better health is a good reason to do so. One of the main groups of alcohol users is high school and college students. Despite a legal drinking age of 21, many young people in the United States consume alcohol. There are several factors that put youth at risk for drinking and for alcohol-related problems and also several consequences of their drinking. Thirteen- to fourteen- year-olds are at high risk to begin drinking. This is a confusing stage in their life and they are easily pressured into doing things they would not normally do. Also at high risk are twins and adopted children. Studies of these two groups demonstrate that genetic factors influence an individual’s vulnerability to alcoholism. Children of alcoholics are more likely than children of nonalcoholics to imitate drinking during adolescence and develop alcoholism, but the relative influence of environment and genetics have not been determined and vary among people (Chassin, 453). Advertising has also been found to play an influencing role in adolescents’ decision to drink. Research has assessed the effects of alcohol advertising awareness on intentions to drink. In a study of fifth- and sixth-graders’ awareness measured by the ability to identify products in commercials with the product name blocked out awareness had a small but statistically significant relationship to positive expectancies about alcohol and intention to drink as adults (Grube, 257). Although there are many risk factors inviting youths to drink, one of the most prevalent is peer drinking and acceptance of drinking. If one minor sees another drinking he would most likely find it acceptable and join his friend. If all of these risk factors were reduced, say, less advertising of alcohol where children will likely be influenced, children would not find it as acceptable to drink and would probably not start off so young or abstain wholly. Though the prevalence of binge drinking varies among campuses, the overall statistics are alarming. A 1993 survey by 18,000 students at 140 colleges in 40 states found that 44% of the students drank heavily (med.unc. edu). In an effort to curb students thirst for alcoholic beverages, many schools are trying to come up with alternatives to promoting social events that involve alcohol. Colby University has come up with a new program that offers students an alternative to getting ? sloshed. ‘ Faculty and students there have formed a committee that will recommend a reorganization of social functions. One of their recommendations was that the student association spend at least 50% of their funds exclusively alcohol free events. The other 50% of the funds may be used for entertainment, decorations, or refreshments, but may not be used for the purchase of alcohol (colby. edu). More schools should take part in this kind of rehabilitation, not only does it give the school a positive reputation, but it gives the student s more time to concentrate on the reason that they are there which is to learn. Serving food, non-alcoholic drinks, offering activities and entertainment such as games and music, and ceasing to give alcohol two hours before the end of the party are all ideas that will promote safe social scenes and responsible parties. One way to deter younger drinkers from becoming addicts is to step up the punishment for law-breakers who have a blood alcohol concentration indicating public intoxication. Whether it is as minor as carrying a fake identification card or as major as a drunk driving accident, offenders who break the law while legally intoxicated should be punished to the full extent of the law. Alcohol abusers, these risk takers and law-breakers, may realize after being punished once or twice that this is not the path they should take. Sobriety is a great thing, and the choice to be sober is one that should have positive connotations as opposed to the negative ones that go with drinking and being drunk. Learning at a young age that alcohol is not the great thing that everyone makes it out to be is a step in the right direction. We really should start now on a program that gives every child from kindergarten to college factual, unbiased training about alcohol. Then in a couple of generations we’d see fewer problems. Most people would have learned to drink responsibly. (Weiner, 93) The earlier people learn, the best it will be for them and society in general.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Financial Fragility, Capital Regulation and Bank Testing Essay

Financial Fragility, Capital Regulation and Bank Testing - Essay Example As the discussion highlights  bank mergers can reduce the cost of operation and increase scope of activities thus enabling them to control market and funding liquidity. This document examines the effects of bank mergers on market and funding liquidity and their interactions during the financial crisis. The activities of the bank influence their capacity to control market and funding liquidity. Investors prefer strong institutions that they perceive as being less risky because they are fairly stable during the periods of the economic downturn.  Ã‚  This paper outlines that liquidity risk is the risk that a particular asset or portfolio may not be exchanged in the market quickly in order to evade a loss, and it results from uncertain liquidity. Liquidity risk could either be due to the market liquidity or funding liquidity. Market liquidity is the condition whereby the assets cannot be traded in the market due to lack of liquidity in the market. The market liquidity can drain sudde nly, interlinked with instability, have cohesion across securities, co-varies with the market, and is dependent on â€Å"flight to quality†. Funding liquidity refers to ease with which traders can obtain funding for assets. The investors require portfolio security with high returns in case the market is illiquid and require return premium for an illiquid security in a situation where the entire market is illiquid. Small banks pose high risk to the investor because they may not be able to acquire funding during the periods of the economic downturn.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

A Comparison of Motivation Factors in the UK and China Essay

A Comparison of Motivation Factors in the UK and China - Essay Example From this essay it is clear that the managers should consider what motivation is appropriate for each category of employees in order to achieve required change or performance . The timing of motivation is also necessary to make the desired change at the right time. There is a direct relationship between employee motivation and organization performance. The scope of this document is to examine various factors that motivate employees and provide a comparison of employee motivation in the telecommunication industry between China and UK. In addition, the report will analyze the performance of the telecommunication industries of the two countries and establish any relation between employee motivation and performance. The study will involve only secondary data obtained from peer-reviewed sources but will not include any primary data.This paper declares that  employee motivation is one of the core long-term success elements in many organizations, even though, some employers always try to overlook its importance. â€Å"Work Motivation is a set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an individual’s being, to initiate the work-related behavior and to determine its form, direction, intensity,and duration†.  Employee motivation is an internal disposition of a person to be focused on and approach positive inducements and shun disincentives. The employee motivation factors can be categorized as those based on their needs as described by Maslow theory.

Comfort Theory in PACU Settings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comfort Theory in PACU Settings - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Ms.Donald writes that in her practical settings, she identifies the individual needs of each patient and implements appropriate nursing interventions which add to the holistic approach of Kolcaba’s theory. Patients have implicit and explicit comfort needs that, when met, strengthen them and motivate them to perform better in therapy, rehabilitation, and learning/adhering to new health regimens. A post-anesthesia patient has certain un-met needs which may hinder his/her recovery. These needs are not met by either the family or the health center but are imperative for the patient’s recovery. This is where Kolcaba’s nursing theory establishes itself. The nursing staff is required to identify the needs and the wants of the patients and comfort the patient in every way possible. Comfort has a different meaning to each being, thus the nursing intervention should also be implemented accordingly. In Ms.Donald’s PACU settings, she interv enes by listening to her patient and reassuring them, in this way she meets the psychospiritual need of her patients. PACU patients have several problems. These patients who have been through complex surgical procedures or other treatments may suffer from physical, pain, nausea, environmental discomfort, homeostatic imbalance on the physical and environmental level while the detractors of their psycho-spirituality maybe feelings of fear, anxiety and other negative attitudes. While environmental and physical ones are relatively easier to trace and address the other comfort forms have to understand properly. Ms.Donald applies the â€Å"coaching† intervention described in the Comfort theory. The Comfort theory suggests that the patient’s wants and needs can be met by anyone and not necessarily the healthcare staff.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

AN EXAMINATION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC RELIGIOUS Essay

AN EXAMINATION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC RELIGIOUS PLURALISM THREATENS THE WELFARE - Essay Example As briefly indicated in the above, ethnic and religious plurality constitute a potential threat to the very notion of the welfare state and its associate welfare citizenship. Plurality, implying conflict and difference, is antithetical to the very principles upon which the welfare state is predicated; the principles of shared identity, commonality and homogeneity. Even while conceding to the reality of the stated threat, however, this research will posit the claim that the management of plurality through multiculturalism has the potential to control and limit this threat. Understanding the extent to which ethnic plurality and religious diversity can function as a threat to the welfare state, is predicated on an appreciation of the implications of nation-hood and the social citizenry to which it gave rise. If the idea of the nation was invented, imported, and implemented by elites, it had also to appeal to the rest of the population who had not known dignity before the age of nationalism. Weber observes that "the idea of the nation for its advocates stands in very intimate relation to [their] prestige interests" (Weber 1978: 9251530). While the dominant political strata, such as feudal lords, modern officers, and bureaucrats are the primary exponents of a desire for the political power of the state, since "power for their political community means [political, economic, and social] power for themselves" (Weber 1978: 911/520), it is those who appropriate leadership in a community of culture, the "carriers of culture." who promote the idea of a nation (W eber 1978: 9261530). These are, for Weber, primarily intellectuals, but also artists, editors, authors, journalists, etc. (Weber 1946a: 1791485). While, originally, the "masses" had little to gain and little to lose within the political project of the state, or within the "cultural" mission of the nation (Weber 1978: 9211527, 9251530), they can increasingly identify with the nation-state's prestige due to the "democratization of state, society and culture" (Weber 1946: 1781485). The implication here is that the nation emerged as an imagined entity but attained concrete reality because of a shared social identity, a common culture which, in turn, gave rise to shared historical memories and heritage. In other words, the state is inherently founded upon shared social identity and it is the latter which gave rise to the nation, and not vice-versa. Within the context of the stated, the nation may very well be an imagined entity but it, nonetheless, bestows identity upon its populace (Gre enfield, 1992). Citizenship derives from the nation which, in turn, emerged as a direct outcome of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

One of my life experiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

One of my life experiences - Essay Example I began to stutter from the age of six. My habit affected my daily routine activities and had drained me off all of my confidence. It affected my school performance and presentation skills. Once, I was chosen by my teacher to give a presentation on my report. I could not even finish half of my presentation when I was asked to come down from the platform because I was stuttering very much and was being unclear in my speech. Such kind of embarrassments started making me avoid conversations with people and even answering the phone. I had become very conscious about myself since I had to suffer humiliation very frequently due to my stutter. To avoid humiliation, I usually kept quiet in class discussions and different gatherings. These aspects were making me anti-social and isolated from the world. I had come to a point in life when I thought that I would never be able to live a normal and successful life. Around this time, something happened that changed my life forever. I went to an exh ibition in Dubai that displayed inventions from new researchers. The researchers and inventors had to present their ideas in front of hundreds of people. To my amazement, one of the presenters was stuttering while presenting his invention.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Music Therapy and Intellectual Development Essay

Music Therapy and Intellectual Development - Essay Example According to the Canadian Association For Music Therapy (1994), music therapy is the use of music and musical instruments to encourage, uphold and restore mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Key object of this text is to demonstrate effectiveness of music therapy in encouraging cognitive, perceptual, social, learning, and emotional development among children in order to facilitate intellectual development. Appeals to Ethos It is important to start by noting that music therapy is an established health profession which utilizes clinical and evidenced based music intervention to accomplish personalised objectives within a therapeutic intervention. Music therapy can be taken from any place considering that there is no distinctive environment for the therapeutic environment (Green, 1994). It is advisable that before highlighting the needed treatment the qualified music therapist must first assess the strengths and needs of the client in question. Key among the treatment pro vided by the music therapists include but not limited listening to music, creating, singing, and/or moving to music. It is noteworthy that music therapy has no age restriction (Teppo, 2010). ... Additionally music plays a significant role in promoting a positive state of mind which is important in suppressing psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Above all music is important for improving learning abilities especially among children with speech, concentration, social and cognitive challenges. By allowing young children to engage in music therapy which in most cases will involve re-creating and listening to music these children may end up improving the intellectual prowess in varied ways particularly those relating to speech, language and cognitive development. Appeals to Pathos It is unfortunate that several students at tender age get to school with various cognitive language, emotional and language problems. Such challenges have always curtailed effective performance of such students in class exercises and general academic exams. Such students with learning disabilities always lag behind their peers with effective intellectual disabilities. Effect ive integration of music in the school curriculum at early childhood will undoubtedly promote a learning environment that motivate all the children irrespective of their deficiencies wants to engage in learning process. These children who require extra assistance in areas of socialization, motor development, speech and language, self expression, and cognition must be given an opportunity to engage in early childhood music therapy (Barbara & Ray, 2000). This exercise will enable such disabled children to improved their intellectual development and hence compete effectively. Appeals to Logos It is common knowledge that a child may not develop intellectually if he/she is experiencing cognitive,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

August Wilson’s Fences Essay Example for Free

August Wilson’s Fences Essay August Wilson’s Fences The immigration of Africans to America as slaves has had a great effect to many things including literature. Despite their experiences in this foreign land, they brought with them a different culture that had not been experienced in the American society. The stories and experiences of African-Americans have seen authors write books and plays being staged with large audiences. This is due to the different but almost similar stories that these people have to tell regarding their journey to America and how difficult it was for them to fit in the society they found. Introduction In 1983, the American playwright August Wilson released a play titled Fences. The play has a setting of the 1950s and it explores the evolving African –American experience with race relations as one of the many themes depicted in this play. The play revolves around a 53-year-old man named Troy who is an African-America. He is struggling to provide for his family and although he is a baseball player his color is a barrier for him being able to join professional baseball thus receiving little money to support his family. This paper seeks to analyze the play and check on why it was given the title Fences (Wilson). Analysis of the play Fences by August Wilson As earlier stated, the play is about a man named Troy. The play shows how Troy is struggling to not only provide for his family but also to fit in a society in which people are judged by their skin color. The theme of race discrimination is portrayed well throughout the play. First, in the 1950s in which the play is set, people of color were seen as those who do not deserve any good thing in the society. They were associated to social crimes and ending up in jail for a crime not committed was a normal phenomenon (Wilson). However, emotional disconnect with the society they lived in and failure to secure a job so as to earn a living was greatly contributing to them ending up being involved in these social crimes. In the play, Troy is shown as a baseball player a game he had learnt and played while in prison. He had ended up in prison for an accidental murder he had committed during a robbery. From this act it is evident that due to his failure of securing a job, Troy had ended up involving himself in robbery so as to earn himself a living but this time it turned out ugly and he ended up in prison. Further, discrimination is seen at work place where some jobs could not be done by an African-American but instead they were reserved for the whites. This is seen when Troy manages to secure a job with a garbage collecting firm and he is heard asking Mr. Rand; who he refers to as the boss, why black men were not allowed to drive garbage trucks. This shows that indeed there was race discrimination at work place where African-Americans could not be bestowed with some responsibilities. The act of being denied an opportunity to drive a garbage truck can be seen as a sarcastic event. It can be viewed in the way that even if garbage collection was being seen as dirty work that could only be done by those who were seen as less fortunate in the society, the fact that driving a garbage truck was seen as â€Å"literary driving a vehicle†, an African-American would not be allowed to drive the truck since they were restricted to do so during that time (Tamura). In addition, the play shows Rose who is Troy’s wife with whom they have a son named Cory, however, Troy has a son Lyon from a previous marriage but he does not leave with him. Gabriel is Troy’s younger brother who has notable psychological damage after he suffered head injuries when he was serving as a soldier. This new development of Gabriela having served as a soldier brings contrast of sentiments of race discrimination and at the same time it can be viewed as one way in which discrimination of people of the color was being cemented. First as a contrast, this play shows how certain jobs were being reserved for whites. Soldiers were people who not only deserved respect from the society but also received a good pay. Therefore, Gabriel’s employment as a soldier, contrasts the theme of discrimination where some jobs such as a being a soldier were being reserved for those the society thought they owed respect to. However, it can be viewed differently in the sense that owing to the tasks, experiences and challenges that faced soldiers in the battle fields, African-American men were seen as the right people for the job. This follows, the understanding that most of those who served in the army died in war or if one was luck to survive they would come home having sustained severe injuries like in the case of Gabriel. This can be seen as a form of discrimination where those who were less regarded in the society were being recruited as soldiers since the society would be seen not to worry even if it lost them (Tamura). The play unfolds on a payday when Troy and his friend Bono are drinking and chatting. His son Lyon comes to him asking to be lent 10 dollars promising to refund the money soon since his girlfriend had secured a job. Troy gives him a hard time but after persuasion from his wife Rose, he finally lends his son the money. From this scenario, one can see that the family is really struggling to survive owing to Lyon’s inability to raise even 10 dollars thus leading him to borrowing from his father. This shows that African-Americans were struggling a lot so as to survive in a society where living standards were high and a society where job opportunities were rare given the much rooted racial discrimination (Wilson). Further, as the play continues, Cory tells his parents of an opportunity for a college football scholarship. Troy vehemently condemns his son’s thought of applying it and they argue. Troy does not want his son to play basket ball since he does not him to experience the racial discrimination he went through during the time he was playing baseball. The man does not back down his argument and following his experience with racial discrimination he is not ready to watch his son go through the same. As a result, Troy even approaches Cory’s coach and tells him that his son will no longer be playing football. Upon discovery of his father’s lies, Cory confronts him and they end up in a fight that causes Cory to be thrown out of the house by his father. This scenario shows the effect that racial discrimination had to Troy’s life. Following him denying his son the opportunity to play college football with an excuse of racial discrimination, one can see that indeed Troy had gone through tough time due to racial discrimination and he was protecting his son. Despite his time of playing baseball and that of his son playing football being different, Troy could hardly believe that racial discrimination could have melted away, thus, the unmoved stand exhibited by him(Wiggins Miller). Consequently, after Cory is kicked out of the house, they no longer get along with his dad. This can be seen during the final act when Troy dies and Cory refuses to attend the funeral due to the long-standing resentment. However, after his mother’s persuasion, Cory attends the funeral to pay respect to the man who had tirelessly struggled to provide for them even if he was hard headed. The rivalry between son and father can be traced back to have been caused by racial discrimination. This is due to the fact that if Troy had not suffered through discrimination, he could not have denied his son to take the college football scholarship and as a result they could not have argued to the extent of later not setting eyes on one another. One can see the indirect effect that racial discrimination had to people’s lives (Wiggins Miller). Further, during Troy’s burial, Cory had just come from the military training. This can be analyzed as a positive step towards fighting racial discrimination. This follows the fact that during his father’s youth days, certain jobs opportunities such as joining the military were mostly given to the whites. Therefore seeing Cory coming out of the military training it is evident that with time, racial discrimination had come to reduce thus allowing African-Americans be able to get job opportunities which earlier being people of color they could not easily get. In addition, throughout the play, Troy is shown as a man who had a different cultural influence or different socialization. First, this can be seen through his son Lyon who was from an earlier marriage. Further, in the play, Rose discovers that his husband has been having an affair with a lady called Alberta and he had made her pregnant. However, Alberta dies during childbirth and Rose accepts to adopt her daughter Raynell whose father Troy dies when she is seven years old. Being an African-American, the act of having more than one wife is not out of the norms owing to African culture with him. However, finding himself in a society where polygamy is viewed as a thing past by time, Troy could not marry Rose while still having the first wife and he could not bring Alberta as another wife thus he ended up having an affair with her other than coming to the light (Sofola).. In the African culture, to which Troy can still find some association, most communities allow polygamous marriages as this is seen as wealth as the man will have many children from these wives. Traditionally, in the African culture having more than one wife was seen as a public sign that a man had more resources that would allow him to marry as many women as he pleased. However, the culture was against adultery and a man would not be allowed to bear children outside marriage unless he would later end up marrying the lady (Sofola).. Therefore, although the African culture among the African-Americans was fading away, its influence continued to affect them for years. Consequently, Troy was a man who had been influenced by this culture but the society which he currently lived in was not in support of the culture. Therefore, this explains his act in life of having a first marriage, then marrying Rose and finally having an affair with Alberta. Troy’s case shows the effect that migration to the West had to African-Americans; it did not only give them a hard time trying to fit in a society where they were less regarded but it also eroded their cultures and presented them with a different and difficult socialization (Sofola). Having analyzed the play, one would seek to answer the question on why it was given the title â€Å"Fences†. First, the theme of racial discrimination can be seen to have portrayed the title Fences. This is seen throughout the play where lines of racial discrimination were used to deny Troy and other African-Americans job opportunities. This judgment on bases of color is a fence in itself since it prevented them from getting good money to support their families. In addition, Troy could not join professional baseball playing due to the ‘fence’ of racial discrimination. However, to Cory, his father is the fence that does not allow him to get the college football scholarship after he refused him on the grounds of racial discrimination. In addition and to the literal meaning, Rose wanted to build a fence and forced Troy to start so that she could protect what is hers in the inside and leave what belongs to the society outside the fence. Conclusion Throughout the play, racial discrimination is shown as the cause of anything that Troy’s family is going through. One can appreciate the writer’s overemphasize on this issue owing to the fact that this play is set in the 1950’s when racial discrimination was still evidently being experienced. The play assists one to understand the effect that racial discrimination had on the lives of African-Americans as well as the influence of Western culture to their socialization and culture. This play will assist in keeping the history of the experience of African-Americans in the American society and it will remain to be a crucial part of literature.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Effects of Disputes in Construction

Effects of Disputes in Construction This chapter initially deals with the causes and effects of delays in projects relating to the construction, engineering and IT industries, and the resulting disputes within them. The analytic comparison of delays in each of these industries has then been carried out. Various project case studies, pertaining to the causes and effects of delays and disputes, belonging to each of the above industries have then been included to give a reader a wider scope of the subject matter. The characteristics of certain delay mitigation strategies and dispute resolution techniques have also been investigated for the duration of this chapter. Delays in the Construction Industry Construction industry according to George, O. (1990) may be defined as that sector of the economy which plans, designs, constructs, alters, maintains, repairs, and eventually demolishes buildings, of all kinds, civil engineering works, mechanical and electrical engineering structures and other similar works. Delays on projects are a universal phenomenon and the construction industry is no exception. It has been regarded as a serious problem by Al-Khalil and Al-Ghafly (1999), who further state that it proves costly for both owners and contractors. According to the authors, the owner loses by missing out on the potential revenues from the use of the project and by increased overhead cost for contract administration. Meanwhile, the contractor is said to lose as a result of increased overhead costs and lost opportunities for new projects because of diminished financial capabilities. In relation to project management, a project manager firstly needs to be concerned with the causes of delays, which could be at a national level (Kumaraswamy Chan, 1997; Kaming et al, 1997; Mezher and Tawil, 1998; Al-Khalil and Al-Ghafly, 1999) or at a project level (Rad, 1979; Charoenngam and Yen, 1999; Olima and KAmumu, 1999). The next step is for them is to realise the effects of delays in terms of a projects legal disputes (Scott, 1993), cost overruns (Mansfield et al, 1994), delay analysis techniques (Bordoli and Baldwin, 1998) etc. Delay mitigation is the next step which focuses mainly on the strategies used for construction schedule comparison and accelerated working (Conlin and Rectic, 1997; Noyce and Hanna, 1998). The last step would be to analyse or examine the drawbacks of delay mitigation strategies (Cristian and Hackney, 1995) which could contribute to additional delays. The above four steps involving delays in construction projects must be considered by project managers in order to achieve successful project completion and delivery. In a hypothetical case assuming a project is delayed because materials arrive late on site, the project manager must be able to recognise it as a delay factor. Secondly, the project manager must be responsible for calculating the effects of delays, prior to deciding upon the most suitable delay mitigation strategy. If the project manager decides to use overtime work, then this according to Horner and Talhouni (1995) will lead to a reduction in productivity of the workforce, hence a new delay factor would be added to the project. According to Oztas (1995) the word delay is a relative term in construction. The way the contractor, the client, the architect and the engineer view a delay or its effect to the project most of the times, if not all, vary significantly. The differences in opinion can be explained by the role each party plays in the contract, the cost implications a delay causes to each party, or the legal disputes which arise from the delay. Understanding the nature of construction delays will enhance the ability of the project manager to handle them. All four dimensions must be analyzed in order to have a balanced view of the subject. The following section sheds light upon some of the causes of delays in construction projects around the world, its legal aspects and its effects. Causes of construction delays According to a survey conducted within the construction industry by Sambasivan, M. Wen Soon Y. (2007), the ten most important causes of delay were found to be (1) contractors improper planning, (2) contractors poor site management, (3) inadequate contractor experience, (4) inadequate clients finance and payments for completed work, (5) problems with subcontractors, (6) shortage in material, (7) labour supply, (8)equipment availability and failure, (9) lack of communication between parties, and (10) mistakes during the construction stage. These causes of delay were not far from what Sweis, G.et al (2008) had investigated during their survey. They claimed that the most important causes of delay were due to (1) Poor planning and scheduling of the project by the contractor, (2) Financial difficulties faced by contractor, and (3) too many change orders from owners. As far as commercial projects are concerned, the main cause of delay arises from delay in payment, since there is argument between the two parties on how financial backup will be provided. Odeh and Battaineh (2001) carried out a survey within construction projects involving traditional contracts, in which they identified and categorised the causes of delay according to the project participants. They state that as far as clients are concerned, delay factors include owner interference, finance and payments of completed work, slow decision making and unrealistic contract duration imposed by owners. Delay factors relating to contractors on the other hand include site management, improper planning, inadequate contractor experience, mistakes during construction, improper construction methods and delays caused by subcontractors. Consultant related delay factors include contract management, preparation and approval of drawings, quality assurance/ control, and long waiting time for approval of tests and inspections. Apart from the above mentioned categories, the authors also mention contractual relationship issues, which include major disputes and negotiations during construction, inappropriate organisational structure linking all parties involved in the project, and lack of communication between parties. External factors contributing to project delays include weather conditions, changes in regulations, problems with neighbours and site conditions. The authors failed to mention the political and socio-economical factors, which would have been a helpful addition to this study considering delays in construction projects are not all the same. Legal aspects According to Carnell (2000), delay claims are perhaps the most common form of construction disputes. Scott (1993) found that more than 50% of contracts in the UK end up with extension of time claims with supporting evidence submitted. A similar survey by Yogeswaran et al (1999) investigated 67 civil engineering projects in Hong Kong where claims arose. These claims were a result of different factors, mainly including extension of time due to bad weather (82% of projects), variation orders (49% of projects) and delays caused by utility undertakers. However, it should be noted that claims for extra time or cost do not necessarily end in disputes in all projects. From a legal point of view, according to Kraeim Diekmann (1987), delays factors are classified into three main categories: (1) Compensable, (2) Excusable, and (3) Non-Excusable. According to Scott (1993), the latter terms are used in the United States, while in the UK the terms used are: (1) the client is responsible, neither party is responsible and (3) the contractor is responsible. Irrespective of the terminology used in either country, Arditi and Patel (1989) explain the above as: Compensable/Client is responsible: Delays entitled compensable are not caused by the contractor but by the owner. The main delay factors included in this category are: owners delay in providing access to site, changes in scope of work, non payment to the contractor, improper or delayed issue of change orders, inadequate information and supervision by the owner. When a compensable delay occurs, the contractor is allowed time extension and extra costs for losses. Non-Excusable/Contractor is responsible: Non-excusable delays are caused by the contractors inefficiency. The main delay factors in this category include: shortages of qualified workers, technical personnel or materials, failure to coordinate work (i.e. deficient planning), delays caused by subcontractors, defective work that has to be redone, slow mobilisation, low contractor productivity and accidents. The owner in this case reserves the right to charge the contractor liquidated damages for such delays in the total project duration. Excusable/Neither party is responsible: Delays in this category are caused by events that are beyond the contractor or the clients control. Factors include extreme weather conditions, fire, flood, strikes, and lockouts; vandalism, war, epidemics, damages caused by parties others than the contractor or the owner, government actions or construction law. According to Kraeim and Diekmann (1987), excusable delays are listed in a clause in the contract document (i.e. Force Majeure Clause) and that the sole relief for excusable delays is time extension. The authors argue that the situation becomes more complicated in the case of concurrent delays. These types of delays occur when the overall delay is caused by several factors, some of which are within the owners responsibility and some of which are within the contractors responsibility (Arditi and Patel, 1989; pp.146). The effects of delays To investigate the effects of delays in large construction projects, Assaf Al-Hejji (2006) conducted a survey in which it was concluded that 70% of the projects experienced time overruns. Their research showed that only 30% of construction projects were completed within the scheduled completion dates and that the average time overrun was between 10% and 30%. A similar observation was made by Aibinu Jagboro (2002), whose findings for the Nigerian construction industry showed that time and cost overruns were frequent effects of delays. They had stated in their research that delay had significant effect on completion cost and time of 61 building projects being studied. In a similar but a more integrated approach to finding the effects of delays in construction projects, Sambasivan Wen Soon (2007) identified six effects of delays to be (1) time overrun, (2) cost overrun, (3) disputes, (4) arbitration, (5) litigation, and (6) total abandonment of the project. A delay affects both the construction schedule and the cost of a project. The impact on the construction schedule depends mainly on the activities in which the delay is encountered and the existence or not of float in the delayed activities. The cost effects are mainly related with the types of costs associated with the delayed activity, e.g. the liquidated damages for delay. In order to make a general statement, the author believes that the time value of money should be taken into account. The most likely effect of delay is the reduction of the NPV of the investment. Furthermore, as Thomson (1995a) state, since most recourse costs in construction projects are time related, consequently any extension of programme will lead to increased costs. An analysis of the two main effects follows. Impact on the construction schedule Bordoli and Baldwin (1998) classified delay factors in six types according to their impact on the construction schedule. These types are: Date delays: an activity cannot start or finish until a specific date irrespective of when preceding activities were carried out or were planned to be carried out. For example, a delay of this type occurs when the delivery of plant or materials is scheduled for a specific date without which the work cannot start. Total delays: Complete stoppage to all parts of the works occurs. For example, strikes and lockouts or postponements of the works. Extended delays: Duration of an activity is extended. For example when an increase in the work content of an activity occurs. Additional delays: New construction activities are added to the planned work. New or additional work is incorporated into the project, subsequent to the production of the original programme. Sequence delays: Activities cannot start or finish in the sequence originally planned. For example, changes in specification of materials or techniques which result in activities no longer able to be carried out concurrently. Progress delays: when the progress of the works was less than that planned. This could be the result of the use of inadequate labour, plant or materials, or even excessively ambitious time estimates. Examining the latter types of delays gives an overview of the impact delays on the construction schedule. The effect of a delay on the schedule can range from few minutes, hours, days to complete stoppage of works. The schedule is altered in many ways. Activities must be re-planned, changes to the sequence of work can occur, logical linkages between activities could change and resources have to be reallocated. As far as the duration of work is concerned the main factor that must be considered is float. When a delay occurs in critical activities it is clear that the duration of the project will increase if the contractor doesnt accelerate works. When a delay occurs in non critical activities then what is important to consider is the ratio between the float and the duration of the delay. If the float is consumed then this will, in turn, change the critical path of the project by concerting a non critical activity to a critical one. If on the other hand, the delay is less than the float then the overall duration of the project is not affected but the risk of overrun is increased, by the increased probability of further critical delays. Cost overruns There are several scenarios related with the cost overruns of construction delays. Oztas (1995) mentions that delays lead to additional expenses incurred by the contractor and that most of them occur due to prolonging the job, reallocation of work forces, storing extra materials on site, wasting materials, or loss of productivity or workers due to reassignment. It is vital for the project manager to assess the cost overruns in terms of materials, equipment and labour costs. There are several types of costs associated with any delayed activity in a project. Thompson (1995a) identify these as being (1) fixed charges incurred at any point in time, (2) quantity proportional charges related to quality of work completed, output of deliveries of materials, and (3) time related charges which, according to the author, refers to the cost of resources. The author argues that the sensitivity of delay in terms of cost will be determined by the relative contribution of each type of cost mentioned above, and the existence of float. Delays occurring on a critical activity lead to an extension of the duration of the project in most cases, which, in turn lead to an increase in both fixed and time related costs. Another major concern for a project manager in terms of construction costs are liquidated damages. Scott (1993) explains liquidated damages as being a sum of money, usually specified in the contract, being deducted from the contractor in the event of a failure to complete the project in the specified time frame. They state that the contract normally specifies a predetermined time after which it must be substantially completed and available for use. An example of a standard form of contract including a clause of liquidated damages includes the ICE Condition of Contract Edition 7, Clause 47 (Hawker, 1999). Delays as a benchmark of success Construction delays are not necessarily a root cause of failure of a project. Many authors investigating the causes of success or failure of projects agree that the classical triangle of cost,time and quality should not be used as the only measure of success of projects (Morris and Hough, 1987; Gardiner and Stewart, 2000; Atkinson, 1999). The latter argument is based on the fact that most construction projects encounter both time and cost overruns. Rad (1979) estimated that the increase in terms of time and cost of nuclear plant projects in the United States was significant. Similarly Morris and Hough (1987) who evaluated the records of more than 4000 projects between 1959 and 1986 concluded that the success rate of projects is generally poor and that overrun values range between 40 to 200 percent. Perhaps the most extreme view concerning time and cost estimates of projects is expressed by Atkinson (1999) who states: Time and cost are at best only best guesses, calculated at a time w hen least is known about the project. The overall conclusion drawn from current research is that construction delays and cost overrun is not something rare but instead a common phenomenon. Since time and cost may not be the best measures of success, alternatives must be presented. Gardiner and Stewart (2000) state, that the Net Present Value of the investment should be used as a criterion of success. They concluded that: It is recommended changing the performance measures that are common today from: The project was delivered on time, to budget, and of the required quality to: The project was delivered with the best achievable NPV and to the required quality (Gardiner and Stewart, 2000, pp.255) Atkinson (1999) considered a new framework to consider success; The Square Root. The main idea behind this new framework is that the there are four categories of success criteria. The first is the classical time-cost-quality triangle. The second is concerned with the maintainability and reliability of the information system. The third is related with the benefits for the organization in terms of improved efficiency, effectiveness and profits. The last group of success factors such as satisfied users, social and environmental uses and personal development. Examining the discussion related with project critical success factors brings into light different aspects of construction delays. If, on one hand, the primary objective of a project is to finish on time then a delay during construction could be the main cause of failure of the project. On the other hand, if the primary objective is customer satisfaction then a delay may just be the effect of design changes, which will lead to the desired customer satisfaction and project success. In all cases the primary objectives of the project will determine the role of delays to the success or failure of the project. Delays in the Engineering Industry The engineering industry is one of the most important basic industries for any economy. It has been referred to by Desai (1987) as being an economys Engine of Growth. It supplies plant and machinery for other industries, equipments to build up infrastructures, automobiles, aircrafts, and a host of other tools and equipments. The engineering industry has widened its base across a broad spectrum and inducted the latest technology in many areas including, electrical and electronics, mechanical, transportation, industrial and other miscellaneous engineering sectors. According to Mahapatra and Biswal (2007), the development of an economy and the achievement of self-sufficiency in various sectors depend to a very large extent on the development of the engineering industry. Since it being such a large industry, it is also not immune from delays. The project participants in engineering projects are known to be consultant engineers, contractors and owners. Similar impacts are observed on project participants in this industry due to delays, as are mentioned above for the construction industry. The following section looks into some of the causes and effects of delays in the engineering industry. Causes of engineering delays Yates (2007) identified a list of common delay factors belonging to both the planning and operating stages of engineering projects. They are (1) Political and Social unrest, (2) Religious and Social factors, (3) Labour disputes and strikes, (4) Technologic and Economic limitations, (5) Government Restrictions, (6) Global technical delay factors (7) Changes in project requirements, (8) Lack of communication between various divisions, and (9) Miscellaneous planning delays . The author explains the above delay factors as: Political and Social unrest: Certain regions of the world are said to be undergoing drastic and violent changes in their political, economic and social environment. Situations like these limits access to foreign contractors working in large engineering projects, and hence are a cause of major delay in project execution. The author argues that the ruling party in such countries are afraid to make political decisions on social or economic reforms for the fear of jeopardising the delicate balance existing between various ethnic groups, political parties and social classes. Religious and Social factors: With the aid of engineering projects being executed in the Middle East, the author argues that foreign contractors often tolerate delays due to religious festivities in these parts of the world, e.g. during the month of Ramadan. It is in these times that local labourers are hard to hire as they are not readily available due to social and economic reasons as stated by the author. As a result engineering and construction firms often import foreign labours into these parts of the world, by which they experience both time and cost overruns. Labour disputes and strikes: Labour disputes or strikes are said to be a common delay factor in engineering industries and tends to disrupt construction or manufacturing schedule. Project managers need to identify and effectively negotiate with the labour representatives in order to stop further delays emanating from such undesirable events. Technologic and Economic limitations: These include factors such as design standards, constructability issues, performance standards, quality standards, material availability, testing, inspection and safety. On the other hand, economic limitations include factors such as inflation, escalation and the availability of cash flow. Furthermore, the level of motivation in the workforce also plays a useful role in limiting economic delays. The importance of motivation in employees has been discussed earlier in Chapter 2. Government restrictions: These include imposition of legal restrictions, regulations and interference by the local government, which tends to disrupt the manufacturing and construction in an engineering industry. Some governments such as Japan put on restrictions such as acts of protectionism, where foreign firms are not allowed to operate in their country. Other government restrictions include the requirement and inspection of certain permits, before during and at the conclusion of the end product. Global technical delay factors: The results which the author has been able to gather from a global survey of engineering projects indicated the following causes of technical delays: (1) Design modifications, (2) Weather (climate), (3) Material delivery, (4) Equipment delivery, (5) Incomplete drawings, and (6) Material quality. Changes in project requirements: This has been termed by the author as one of the most frequent causes of planning delays. Irrespective of where a project is going to be built, project owners are often indecisive in their approach during the planning stage of an engineering project. The need for project owners to prioritize projects is a critical step towards attaining timely project completion. Lack of communication between various divisions: Ineffective communication in an organisation that is planning and designing projects often leads to multiple delays. A project manager who knows how to effectively document processes helps to reduce delays along with steps like formalising the planning process, scheduling routine team meetings, assigning the project to an experienced project manager, or empowering the project manager to act as a conduit for communication. The need of having effective communication in organisations has been discussed previously in Chapter 2. Miscellaneous planning delays: Other factors that cause global project planning delays include the following: (1) Lack of political and governmental support, (2) Hidden agendas and strong individuals pushing their ideas, and (3) Lack of knowledge about planning processes and strategic planning. Legal aspects Certain contractual claims exist in the engineering industry. An example according to Smith et al (1999) includes a claim made under clause 12 of the ICE contract, which entitles contractors, in limited circumstances, to claim in respect of delay and extra cost should they encounter certain adverse physical conditions or artificial obstructions as the work progresses. In such claims there is no blame on the part of the employer or the engineer since adverse physical conditions are a neutral event, and the issue of suspending the works is merely the exercise of a contractual right. Apart from contractual claims, there are certain claims for breach of contract, for example clause 7(4) of the ICE conditions contract entitles contractors to claim for delay in issuing drawings or instructions by the engineer at the right time. According to the authors, the engineers failure to provide information at the right time is a breach of the express provisions of the contract, for which the employ er is held accountable in law.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Essay --

What is diabetes type 2? Diabetes type 2 occurs when the body produces too little insulin or is unable to use the insulin correctly. (Jen Grogan and Ruth Suter 2008 p. 2.1.13) Diabetes is a chronic disease where there are high levels of glucose in the blood as it cannot leave the bloodstream and cannot enter cells without the assistance of insulin. (Jen Grogan and Ruth Suter 2008 p. 2.1.9) What causes Diabetes type 2? Common risk factors for diabetes type 2 are being overweight, a lack of exercise, if someone has had gestational diabetes, having a family history of type 2 diabetes, high Cholestrol, high blood pressure, increasing age, having a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome or metabolic syndrome, non-Caucasian ethnicity (Brind'Amour, K, 2012) and a diet which is high in fats, sugars and over processed foods. (Jen Grogan and Ruth Suter 2008 p. 2.1.13) Simple carbohydrates which break down quickly during digestion can cause a dangerously high level of glucose in the blood. Complex carbohydrates release glucose more steadily into the bloodstream and help prevent dangerously high levels of glucose in the blood. (Jen Grogan and Ruth Suter 2008 p. 2.1.13 – 2.1.13) What kind of a diet causes diabetes type 2? †¢ High-sugar foods such as sweets, biscuits, syrup, and soda which cause a remarkable spike in blood sugar levels and can also contribute to weight gain. both of these effects can worsen diabetes complications. †¢ Eating concentrated sugar such as raisins or other dried fruits may be a better option than snacking on cookies, but it'll still spike your blood sugar because during the dehydration process, fruits' natural sugars become very concentrated, causing an unhealthy elevation in blood sugar when they are quickly... ...0 IU daily supplement of vitamin D3. Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal foods so vegetarians must include three servings of B12 in their daily diet: fortified soy or rice beverage, nutritional yeast, fortified breakfast cereal or fortified soy or meat.( Beck, L, 2011) Conclusion A vegan diet is a low in sodium and that is high in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy products which can help manage blood pressure. A Vegan diet is low in Saturated fat and trans fat contribute to coronary heart disease and has a variety of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are relatively healthy for diabetics. A vegan diet is also high in whole grains and fibers which help maintain the blood glucose level thus a vegan diet is beneficial to diabetics although a vegan diet must be aided with multi vitamins etc to compensate for the lack of certain nutrients.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay --

Change For the Better Life changes in an instant. One day you’re just playing with your friends and the next your whole life is ending. The events that happen in a person’s life changes how they are as a person; it can either make them a better person or destroy them. In the novel The Separate Peace Finny grows as a person as the story progresses on, he faces tough situations that reveal he’s inner self. In the beginning of the novel, Finny is an outstanding athlete, friendly, and he is able to talk his way out of any tough situation he gets himself into. He is a type of person who will do anything he wants when he wants; he’s carefree. â€Å"I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything† (Knowles 18). Finny is adventurous, he comes up with things knowing the risk of him getting in trouble is high. â€Å"Finny’s life was ruled by inspiration and anarchy, so he prized a set of rules†(Knowles 26). He almost lived by his own rules, he did what he wanted, what made him happy. He is also quite innocent making him naà ¯ve. â€Å"Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies† (Knowles 45). He doesn’t do anything intentionally; he actually thinks so highly of his friends, that they could never do any harm to him. â€Å"No I just wanted to see if I could do it. Now I know. But I don’t want to do it in public†(K nowles 35). In the quote stated, his athletic skills really show and so does his innocence. He didn’t need the whole school to know that he beat a swimming record; him knowing was the best satisfaction he could have. In the midway of the novel, Finny’s life takes a turn and goes downhill from there. Sports are a big part of his life, without it, half of him is basically gone. â€Å"Sports are finished for him, after an accident li... ...ly achieved; when one is able to forgive someone who was set out to ruin their life. All in all, tough situations that a person goes through either make them or break them. In the novel The Separate Peace innocence vanished from Finny. The situations he went through made him understand life better. That life isn’t always full of happiness; there are bumps in the road. He had a harder time accepting that because his life was amazing in the beginning and he didn’t expect it to take a turn that he nearly lost himself. Along with the things he went through he grew as a person; the lost of his innocence made him see things clearer; that there was bad sides to some situations. Finny saw that when Gene confesses that it was his fault that he fell off the tree, but he is mature about it because he was able to forgive Gene. That’s one thing he never lost though, kindness.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The History of Capitalism Essay -- Essays Papers

The History of Capitalism Capitalism is based on the same principles as mercantilism. The accumulation of means, materials, land and other things, this accumulation is called capital and â€Å"the property-owners of these means of production are called capitalists† (Hooker 2). Productive labor, human work that is necessary to make goods and distribute them, takes the form of wage labor. â€Å"The means of production and labor is manipulated by the capitalist using rational calculation in order to realize a profit† (Hooker 2). Mercantilism is the earliest form of capitalism. Mercantilism can be simply defined as the allotment of trading goods for profit. Rome is credited with the first formation of a mercantile society. As the Rome Empire expanded, mercantilism expanded with it, spreading into the Middle East and Western Europe. Due the localizing nature of European economies this enabled mercantilism to expand and was not part of the European culture. Thus by the fifteenth century, when the Roman Empire began to retrench so did mercantilism (â€Å"Hooker†). In contrast to Europe, the Arabic economies grew around a thieving mercantilism. They lived on trade routes between three magnificent empires: Egypt, Persia and soon after the Byzantium, and they found that stealing products, then selling them, to be very lucrative. Thieving mercantilism spread swiftly through Spain, Asia, Middle East, and Northern Africa, where â€Å"Arabic mercantilism assumed an unprecedented global character† (Hooker 1). During the Medieval Age is when the European culture expanded its mercantilism, taking trading to lands far beyond its shores. From the 1300’s onwards, the Europeans would push â€Å"their mercantile practices† forward, (Hooker 1) causing social up... ...ural production of human nature. Of all the economic systems tried to date, Capitalism appears to be the only system that has endured many tests, and has grown to dominate the world. The fact that communism in Russia failed during the 1980 and 1990’s proves that capitalism is the outcome of human nature. Capitalism conforms to the natural laws and conditions of humanity and that anything that falls out of these conditions can only brings misery (â€Å"Wood†). Works Cited - Kan, Fang et al. An Economic History of the Major Capitalist Counties. New York: East Gate, 1992. - Hooker, Richard. â€Å"Capitalism†. The European Enlightenment Glossary. 1996. 8 Nov 2004. - Wood, Ellen Meiksins. The Origins of Capitalism. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1999. Wood, Ellen Meiksins. The Origins of Capitalism. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1999. The History of Capitalism Essay -- Essays Papers The History of Capitalism Capitalism is based on the same principles as mercantilism. The accumulation of means, materials, land and other things, this accumulation is called capital and â€Å"the property-owners of these means of production are called capitalists† (Hooker 2). Productive labor, human work that is necessary to make goods and distribute them, takes the form of wage labor. â€Å"The means of production and labor is manipulated by the capitalist using rational calculation in order to realize a profit† (Hooker 2). Mercantilism is the earliest form of capitalism. Mercantilism can be simply defined as the allotment of trading goods for profit. Rome is credited with the first formation of a mercantile society. As the Rome Empire expanded, mercantilism expanded with it, spreading into the Middle East and Western Europe. Due the localizing nature of European economies this enabled mercantilism to expand and was not part of the European culture. Thus by the fifteenth century, when the Roman Empire began to retrench so did mercantilism (â€Å"Hooker†). In contrast to Europe, the Arabic economies grew around a thieving mercantilism. They lived on trade routes between three magnificent empires: Egypt, Persia and soon after the Byzantium, and they found that stealing products, then selling them, to be very lucrative. Thieving mercantilism spread swiftly through Spain, Asia, Middle East, and Northern Africa, where â€Å"Arabic mercantilism assumed an unprecedented global character† (Hooker 1). During the Medieval Age is when the European culture expanded its mercantilism, taking trading to lands far beyond its shores. From the 1300’s onwards, the Europeans would push â€Å"their mercantile practices† forward, (Hooker 1) causing social up... ...ural production of human nature. Of all the economic systems tried to date, Capitalism appears to be the only system that has endured many tests, and has grown to dominate the world. The fact that communism in Russia failed during the 1980 and 1990’s proves that capitalism is the outcome of human nature. Capitalism conforms to the natural laws and conditions of humanity and that anything that falls out of these conditions can only brings misery (â€Å"Wood†). Works Cited - Kan, Fang et al. An Economic History of the Major Capitalist Counties. New York: East Gate, 1992. - Hooker, Richard. â€Å"Capitalism†. The European Enlightenment Glossary. 1996. 8 Nov 2004. - Wood, Ellen Meiksins. The Origins of Capitalism. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1999. Wood, Ellen Meiksins. The Origins of Capitalism. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1999.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Marketing strategies of the crescent

In the recent years, Amtrak has been forced to undertake new marketing strategies due to declining sales.   As faster and more cost effective ways of traveling have become more popular and cost effective, train travel has had some difficulty keeping up.   However, traveling by train offers some unique opportunities and experiences that are not available with other modes of transportation.   Amtrak is attempting to use these unique attributes to market its train that travels from New York City to New Orleans and back, the Crescent. Amtrak has been marketing the Crescent by emphasizing the comfort that it offers as compared to other forms of transportation.   The new marketing strategies of Amtrak compare the seats of the Crescent with the seats on an airplane and show that the seats on the Crescent more spacious as compared to the seats an airplane.   This marketing strategy is also similar to the new â€Å"travel as you wish† campaign for Amtrak Cascades which emphasizes the comfort and luxuries of traveling by train. Another marketing strategy that Amtrak has employed is by improving the quality of the meals that are served since the Crescent is also equipped with a dining car which serves full meals that are cooked fresh aboard the train.   The menu on board the Crescent has a wide variety of choices to select from and the quality of the food is much better than typical airline food.   In line with this marketing plan, Amtrak has also kept the prices of foods and beverages in its dining car and snack bar reasonable to provide the passenger with all the eating opportunities possible. The marketing strategies for the Crescent that have been utilized by Amtrak also emphasize the fact that train travel is more convenient and enjoyable than any other mode of land transportation, especially for families.   Unlike traveling by car or any other mode of land transportation, traveling by train allows passengers to sit back and enjoy the ride. There is no more need to worry about taking a wrong turn or trying to navigate by using folded maps that are inaccurate or outdated or even finding a nice place to use the restroom.   Amtrak capitalizes on this advantage by marketing its services to families with children by offering discounted rates for children traveling with adults.   This makes train travel a great experience for the entire family because it also allows the children to wander around on board the train as opposed to being confined to the backseat of a car. Boarding a train has also been made much easier by Amtrak to the extent that is has made this even easier than boarding an airplane.   The passengers can avoid long lines and are allowed to keep most of their luggage within easy access of their seat.   This is even better than airplanes which only allow hand carried items of limited dimensions to be stored on board with the passenger and cause a certain level of inconvenience for the passenger, not only during boarding but also upon arrival and waiting at the luggage claim area. Another inconvenience caused by traveling by airplane which Amtrak has used to its advantage it by allowing the use of cellular phones throughout the duration of the train ride.   This advantage appeals to those who have important business to conduct but still prefer to travel comfortably.   The cellular phone use allows businessmen and bankers to be on top of their work while enjoying the many fine facilities and comforts that the Crescent can provide. The Crescent is sometimes equipped with an observation car that allows travelers to climb up to a second level and enjoy a panoramic perspective of their surroundings through its large windows, which unlike in an airplane, allows the train travelers to enjoy much of the scenery as they travel.   This is another advantage that the Crescent has over the modes of transportation because it allows the passenger to literally see life as it passes buy and to experience and behold first hand the breathtaking beauty of America. While there are those who criticize train travel by saying that there are to many stops along the way, the train can still sometimes be a faster option than traveling by car because of the fact that passengers can sleep on a real bed while they travel throughout the night or even during the day thus eliminating the rest stops that accompany traveling by car. The Crescent also offers such comfortable beds that even the passengers sleeping in the coach section of the train have a much more restful and revitalizing rest experience as compared to attempting to sleep in the cramp and uncomfortable seats on an airplane.   Not only does the Crescent allow passengers to be well rested for their arrival at their destination it also makes the travel time much shorter as opposed to traveling by car or by bus. Another convenient aspect of the Crescent, which Amtrak has capitalized on in its marketing strategies, is the fact that most train stations are located right in the middle of downtown business districts.   This is the reason why Amtrak has been marketing train travel as a viable alternative aggressively to business travelers.   Instead of having to go through the hassle of claiming baggage in an airport, finding a taxi, and then finally arriving at your destination, business travelers can walk or take a short subway ride to train station or from the train station to their intended destination. This saves a great deal of time and also allows these weary businessmen to maximize their work days while ensuring that they are not too stressed out or harassed as they normally would through other modes of transportation.   The fact that the Crescent also has comfortable beds and even allow the use of cellular phones provides the businessman with more opportunities to work yet at the same time not feel too harassed or troubled by the time that he arrives at this final destination. Trains are also a good option for business travelers because they are less susceptible to weather delays thus offer greater reliability.   These advantages of trains are the key points in the marketing strategies of Amtrak with respect to its Crescent Line and are the main draws for businessmen. The 9/11 attacks have also increased the volume of passengers on the Crescent Line of Amtrak as more and more Americans realize just how dependent the nation has become on a single mode of transportation which has proven vulnerable to attacks and tragedies.   The tragedy has shown that passenger rail is vital and Amtrak greatly anticipates that more and more Americans will take to traveling by train instead of by airplanes because of this incident.   The spotless record of train travel with regard to hijacking has been a great influence on many American’s decisions to travel by train instead and Amtrak has capitalized on this by giving worried travelers the security option of traveling by train. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina may have greatly disrupted the Crescent’s route from New York to New Orleans but it also created a unique marketing opportunity for Amtrak. Amtrak used this to its advantage and worked diligently to restore train service to the New Orleans area via the Crescent within a month and a half of the aftermath caused by the hurricane and by doing so became one of the first companies to do so. Many of the railroad tracks leading to the city were severely damaged in the storm.   A press released announced the restoration of train service to the city and Amtrak officials stated that they hoped that having the city accessible by train once again would aid the city in its effort to start rebuilding.   The situation allowed Amtrak to show the people of New Orleans that Amtrak values their city and looks forward to things returning to a more normal pace in the area. Another key step in this was in November 2005, when Amtrak began offering discounted rates to passengers traveling to New Orleans.   Travelers received a twenty percent discount on fares to New Orleans.   Amtrak said they hoped that by making it more affordable, more tourists would be able to travel to New Orleans, boosting not only their sales, but the economy of the city.   The discount was also offered to assist aid workers who traveled to the city. Amtrak has also vied for the business of people traveling on cruises out of New Orleans.   Carnival and Amtrak partnered to offer twenty five percent discounts to passengers traveling on the Crescent to reach the port of New Orleans to depart on their cruise.   The two companies hope that this is an incentive for tourists to travel to New Orleans thus helping the city recover faster.   Amtrak was able to capitalize on this situation by showing that they are more than just a company that cares for the welfare of its passengers but also a company that cares for the welfare of America. These key advantages of traveling by train are also the key marketing strategies of Amtrak in increasing the volume of passengers on its Crescent Line.   The relative comfort, reliability, luxury, convenience and security which the Crescent provides is incentive enough for any businessmen or any traveler for that matter to prefer traveling by train over the modes of transportation throughout America.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Chapter 3 Pathology Questions

Chapter 3 Review Questions: 1. What is meant by the following terms: Homologous chromosomes- A matched pair of chromosomes, one derived from each parent. Both members of the pair are similar in size, shape, and appearance, except for sex chromosomes. Autosomes- The general term for chromosomes other than the sex chromosomes. Sex chromosome- The X and Y chromosomes that determine genetic sex. Barr body- The inactivated X chromosome that appears as a small, dense mass of chromatin attached to the nuclear membrane of somatic cells.This structure can be identified in the cells of a normal female and is called a sex chromatin body or Barr body after the man who first described it. Gene- Are segments of DNA chains that determine some property of the cell and are the basic units of inheritance. Sometimes, they are described as being arranged along the chromosome like beads on a string. Gametogenesis- A specialized type of cell division that occurs during the development of the eggs (ova) an d sperm. The development of mature eggs and sperm from precursor cells.Centrosome- A small region of cytoplasm adjacent to the nucleus that contains the centrioles and serves to organize microtubules. 2. How does the process of mitosis compare with meiosis? In mitosis, each of the two new cells (called the daughter cells) resulting from the cell division receives the same number of chromosomes that were present in the precursor cell (called the parent cell). In meiosis, the number of chromosomes is reduced so that the daughter cells receive only half of the chromosomes possessed by the parent cell. This process is not completed until fertilized by the sperm. . What are the differences between spermatogenesis and oogenesis? First, four spermatozoa are produced from each precursor cell in spermatogenesis, but only one ovum is formed from each precursor cell in oogenesis. The other three â€Å"daughter cells† derived from the meiotic divisions are discarded as polar bodies. Seco nd, spermatogenesis occurs continually and is carried through to complation in about 2 months. Consequently, seminal fluid always contains relatively â€Å"fresh† sperm. In contrast, the oocytes are not produced continually.All of the oocytes present in the ovary were formed before birth and have remained in a prolonged prophase of the first meiotic division from fetal life until they are ovulated. 4. What is a chromosome karyotype? How is it obtained? How is it used? A chromosome karyotype is an arrangement of chromosomes from a single cell arrangement in pairs in descending order according to size of the chromosomes and the positions of the centromeres. A chromosome karyotype is obtained by culturing cells in a suitable medium. Usually, human blood is used as a source of cells for these studies; the blood lymphocytes can be induced to undergo mitotic division.Certain chemicals are added to stop the mitotic division after the chromosomes have become separate and distinct, an d consequently , many cells arrested in mitosis accumulate in the culture medium. Additional methods are employed to cause swelling of the cells, which are then prepared, and the chromosomes can be examined. The chromosomes are then arranged according to their size, the location of the centromere, the relative lengths of the chromatids that extend outward from the centromere, and the pattern of light and dark bands along the chromosomes.Then the separated chromosome from one cell are photographed and arranged into a karyotype. The presence of abnormalities in chromosome number or structure can be detected this way. 5. What is the MHC? What is its function? What is its relationship to disease susceptibility? The MHC is the major histocompatibility complex. The antigens present on cells are determined by a cluster of genes on chromosome 6. This group of genes, which was first determined in laboratory animals in connection with transplantation experiments, is called the MHC.Originally, MHC proteins were considered of interest only with respect to organ transplantation because transplantation of cells containing MHC proteins different from those of the transplant recipient was followed by rejection of the transplant unless the immune system was suppressed. They take part in generating immune responses to foreign antigens of all types. The interaction of the HLA antigens with the various cells of the immune system is considered in the discussion on immunity, hypersensitivity, allergy, and autoimmune diseases. 6.What is a haplotype? How are haplotypes inherited by children from their parents? What are the chances that two children will have the same haplotype? A haplotype is a set of HLA genes on one chromosome and is transmitted as a unit. Each child receives one of two possible haplotypes from each parent. Because of the way in which chromosomes are transmitted from parent to child, the child has any of four different combinations of HLA haplotypes. There is one i n four probability that two children will both possess the same pair of HLA haplotypes.