Symptoms And Treatment Of Hiv / Aids - 1531 Words

Human immunodeficiency virus, also referred to as HIV, is a virus that weakens the body’s immune system which restricts it from fighting infectious diseases (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2016). HIV can be transmitted through body fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk, or sexual contact (CDC, 2016). There are three stages as HIV progresses; the first stage takes place within the first month it is acquired. These early symptoms are often confused with a cold as they include fatigue, headache, rash, and sore throat (CDC, 2016). If HIV is left untreated, it becomes more severe and advances to the last stage known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). As the disease progresses, patients being experiencing†¦show more content†¦Population African-American males are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS across the United States. According to the CDC (2016), African-Americans accounted for 40% of everyone living with HIV. This community, howev er, constitutes of 12% of the total population (Siddiqi, Hu, Hall, 2015). Furthermore, 31% of this community has never been tested for HIV, increasing the likelihood of transmission (Siddiqi, Hu, Hall, 2015). In 2015, out of 17,670 newly identified cases amongst African-Americans, more than half were men. In recent years, diagnoses of African-American men has continued to increase by nearly 25% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). The age group that is mostly affected by new cases are between 20 to 29 years old (Siddiqi, Hu, Hall, 2015). Mortality rates are equally as high; 53% of deaths due to HIV are African-Americans (CDC, 2017). In 2012, Florida reported the highest mortality rate of African-Americans with HIV, while Idaho reported none (Siddiqi, Hu, Hall, 2015). States with the highest rates of mortality include California, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Moreover, death rates are alarmingly high amongst African-American men over the age of 55. Sexual Orientation Rates of HIV/AIDS amongst gay and bisexual African-American men are increasingly higher than in heterosexual males. Across all gay and bisexual men, African-Americans accounted for the highest rates, 39% (CDC, 2017).Show MoreRelatedSymptoms And Treatment Of Hiv / Aids1789 Words   |  8 PagesTHESIS: Those diagnosed with HIV encounter a litany of complications other than a physical issue, many suffer from mental health illnesses. Many diagnosed with HIV deny the fact that they have this physical issue, resulting in insane mental health. Under the coping section, UCSF leans towards the emotional response to accepting the fact of carrying HIV. Dealing with HIV provides stress and disturbia towards being active, and seeking help. â€Å"Worldwide, 34 million people are HIV positive, 23.8 million orRead MoreThe Disease Hiv / Aids964 Words   |  4 PagesMs.Bertelsen Biology (honors)Period 6 3/24/17 The Disease HIV/AIDS The disease HIV first appeared in Africa in the 1800’s. It originated from a chimpanzee and was likely transmitted to humans when the chimpanzee was hunted down for food and the hunters came into contact with the infected blood. The disease became an epidemic around the 1970’s and has since affected the lives of many people worldwide (aids.gov, what is HIV/AIDS). HIV is also known as human immunodeficiency virus and it is aRead MoreAIDS Essay examples1537 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Paper: AIDS Did you know that in the United States of America the sixth leading cause of death in people from their mid 20’s through their mid 40’s is AIDS (Zuger, 2010)? AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and is a disease derived from the virus known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The immune system gets broken down when someone has AIDS and it is basically the highest form of HIV. When a person has HIV, the CD4 cells get infected and start to deteriorate and once theRead MoreHiv / Aids And Its Effects On Society1500 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), and is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS HIV/AIDS deteriorates a person s ability to fight infections. It can be transmitted through direct contact of a mucous member or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk and through unprotec ted sex and needle sharing. An HIV test checks finding. Medications mayRead MoreHiv And The Human Body1175 Words   |  5 PagesStates alone, 1.1 million people are living with HIV. Additional people become sick, but people continue to spread the virus to others. Do people even know what HIV is? Do they know what this virus does to their body? Such questions make it necessary to examine what can be done. What is HIV; how do people get HIV; and what is being done to help them? HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Humans are the only beings that can get this infection. The HIV infection can find and attack a significantRead MoreHiv / Aids : The Virus And Its Effect On Human1547 Words   |  7 Pages HIV/AIDS: The Virus and Its Effect on Human Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), and is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS HIV/AIDS deteriorates a person s ability to fight infections. It is contracted through unprotected sex or needle sharing. An HIV test checks finding. Medications may subdue the virus and delay the onset of AIDS. HIV/AIDS has had a great impact on society, both as an illness and as a source clear-sightednessRead MoreHiv / Aids : The Virus And Its Effect On Human1501 Words   |  7 PagesHIV/AIDS: The Virus and Its Effect on Human HIV stands for (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). This virus causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), and it means the person is in the most advanced stages of HIV infection. AIDS HIV/AIDS deteriorates a person s ability to fight infections. It can be transmitted through direct contact of a mucous member or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk and through unprotectedRead MoreHIV and Aids are something that have been a major problem in a large part of the world for many1400 Words   |  6 PagesHIV and Aids are something that have been a major problem in a large part of the world for many years. These viruses have destroyed many families and have taken many people’s lives. There are many different ways for a person to receive the virus. As of today, there is still no cure for these horrible diseases. Until scientists and doctors are able to find a medicine that can cure them, many pe ople will continue to be affected by these diseases. This research paper will break down each virusRead MoreHiv Stands For Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This Is A898 Words   |  4 PagesHIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This is a sexually transmitted disease that will eventually morph itself into a disease known as AIDS, which stands for acquired immunodeficiency. HIV breaks down the immune system where it becomes extremely difficult to fight diseases that attack the body. Though HIV is most commonly transferred sexually, other way like through contact with infected blood, or from a mother to a baby through child birth, and if that doesn’t do it then the person who isRead MoreCD4 Cells Essay846 Words   |  4 Pagescells are targets for contracting HIV as a transmembrane protein that is part of the virus has a high affinity for CD4 cells, this protein is gp41 (Coico, Sunshine, 2009, P. 269). Dendritic cells, CD4+ T cells, and macrophages all contain CD4 and th erefore, are targeted by HIV. Another glycoprotein that is introduced by HIV is gp120. Gp120 and gp41 are bound to each other and, once gp41 is bound to the CD4 molecule, gp120 binds to a second molecule, allowing HIV to invade the cell (Coico, Sunshine

Chapter One of Great Expectations Essay - 767 Words

COURSEWORK ‘How effective is chapter one as an opening to â€Å"great expectations†?’ The first chapter is set in the grave yard, where pip is looking at the tombstones of his dead parents and brothers. ‘Arranged in a neat row beside their grave, and were sacred to the memory of five little brothers of mine- who gave up trying to get a living exceedingly early in that universal struggle’. He is stating that all of his brothers gave in to death, which gives the idea that life expectancy was low for everyone. He then goes on to describe the area surrounding his home ‘Ours was the marsh country, down by the river, within, as the river wound, twenty miles from the sea’. He is clearly explaining that he lives quite close to the sea,†¦show more content†¦children’s tombstones. The style of writing contains a lot of repetition, this gives a persistent effect, e.g. ‘†you bring me a file.† He tilted me again. â€Å"And you get me wittles† he tilted me again† â€Å"you bring them both to me† he tilted me again â€Å"or I’ll have your heart and liver out!† he tilted me again’. Also it very clear that the story is written from an adults’ point of view looking back to when he was a child because the language is so mature and complex that it’s just impossible to think that a 9 year old child could speak that way. The sentences are long, descriptive and seem to always follow a rhythm. Dickens plays around with language to give a clear image of pip’s imagination. ‘The shape of the letters on my fathers, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair. From the character and turn of the inscription, Also Georgiana Wife of the above, I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly’. The quote shows how pip imagines his parents from the lettering of their tombstones. In the first chapter Pip meets the convict. He doesn’t think much of the meeting later on is life but this meeting ends up being the most important event in the novel. That meeting probably led to pip thinking that Miss Havisham, an old yet rich and heart broken bride, thought that she was his benefactor and that he was meant to grow into aShow MoreRelatedChapter One of Great Expectations Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the Significance of Chapter One of Great Expectations in Relation to the Novel as a Whole? Great Expectations is a novel written by Charles Dickens and is considered to be one of his best stories. The plot follows a young boy named Phillip Pirrip or Pip and it focuses on his growth as he matures from a young boy into a fully grown man. He had always had great expectations of himself, wishing to become someone of high social class - as this was set and written in the VictorianRead MoreEssay about Chapter One of Dickens Great Expectations1858 Words   |  8 PagesChapter One of Dickens Great Expectations The title of the novel that I studied is, Great Expectations, written in the 19th century by Charles Dickens. Pip, an orphan often goes to the cemetery to mourn for his dead parents and brothers. While mourning one day, a convict hiding in that same cemetery scares him. All that he thinks of is to listen and obey the man. As the story evolves, we are also introduced to the sentimental part of Pips life. He is in love withRead MoreChapter One and Thirty Nine of Great Expectations Essay1814 Words   |  8 PagesCompare chapter 1 of Great Expectations, in which Pip first meets the convict, with chapter 39, when the convict returns. Charles Dickens is considered to be one of the greatest English novelists of the Victorian period. This greatest of Victorian writers was born in Landport, Portsmouth, on February 7, 1812. His father John worked as a clerk in the Navy Payroll Office in Portsmouth. It was his personal experience of factory work and the living conditions of the poor that created in DickensRead More Compare Chapter One of Great Expectations, in which Pip first meets1737 Words   |  7 PagesCompare Chapter One of Great Expectations, in which Pip first meets the convict, with Chapter 39 when he returns. Pip Pirrip is our main character of the story ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. From what we’ve read in chapter one, we have found out that he is an orphan living in Kent with his older sister and her husband, Joe Gargery. We are not sure about his age but we can guess that he is around eight years old. He meets an escaped convict by the name of Magwitch, who asks himRead MoreEssay about Settings in Great Expectations928 Words   |  4 PagesShow how Dickens uses settings in Great Expectations to enhance our understanding of character and the symbolic elements of the plot - Great expectations Show how Dickens uses settings in Great Expectations to enhance our understanding of character and the symbolic elements of the plot. As we notice in the novel Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses many different narrative techniques other than the usual description. One of these techniques is that of describing character throughRead More How the Views of Magwitch Change through the Course of the Novel734 Words   |  3 PagesHow the Views of Magwitch Change through the Course of the Novel Great Expectations is about a boy called Pip, who has Great Expectations and doesnt want to be poor all his life. Along his way, a lot of strange things happen to him, such as meeting strange people and getting money off unknown people. Great Expectations was wrote in 1860 and was Dickens thirteenth novel. This essay will be about how our views on Magwitch change through the story, such as at the beginning us thinkingRead MoreThe General Theory Of Employment, Interest, And Money.1653 Words   |  7 Pageshis toddler years in Cambridge where he attended kindergarten. In 1889, he attended his first kindergarten lessons at Perse School for Girls where he was supposed to attend lessons for five days a week. At the initial stage of education, he showed great interest in Arithmetic, laying a firm foundation for his future career as an economist (Bateman, et al. 2010) As his health was not good at this time, he had to take his lessons from home lessons since he could not attend classes on a regular basisRead MoreEssay about Great Expectations, Life of Pi and the Great Gatsby1274 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish Literature Summer Task The Great Gatsby, Life of Pi and Great Expectations: The Opening Chapters The opening chapters of each of these three books are both similar and different in many ways, and succeed to keep the reader interested enough to carry on their journey with Pip, Nick or Pi. The way characterisation is put forward in these three novels is rather similar, in the fact that all three are written in the first person, giving the impression that the character in question is tellingRead MoreThe Relationship Between Pip and Abel Magwitch in Charles Dickens Great Expectations1125 Words   |  5 PagesMagwitch in Charles Dickens Great Expectations In this essay, I am to observe the changes in the relationship between Pip and the convict Abel Magwitch in chapters 1 and 39 by examining Read MoreCharles Dickens: Great Expectations Essay988 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens: Great Expectations Describe how Dickens creates atmosphere and introduces characters in Chapter One of Great Expectations. In this essay I am going to describe how Dickens successfully uses tension and drama to create atmosphere and to introduce his characters status, emotions and identity in the opening chapter of Great Expectations. The central character, Pip, is followed from youth as he makes the journey from poverty to riches and back again as

Tetracycline Dizziness and Vertigo

Question: Discuss about the Tetracyclinefor Dizziness and Vertigo. Answer: Introduction Bacterial infections are caused when a harmful strain of bacteria enter the body. Less than 1% of the bacteria cause infections inside the body. These pathogenic bacteria are the main cause of symptoms and disease in humans. It causes infections like typhoid, tetanus, food borne diseases, cholera, tuberculosis and leprosy. The bacteria invade the bodies of the human beings and can survive and multiply. The body fluids as plasma is rich in vitamins, sugar and minerals that act as nutrients for the bacterias survival. Bacteria circumvent the immune system of the humans through many strategies. There is molecular mimicry, suppression of the antibiotics or release the antigen directly into the bloodstream. They also adopt strategies that are directed against the phagocytes that are microphages. The suppression of the antibiotics is the best form of attack by the bacteria where they suppress the specific cells that target and react against them. This mechanism is the main targeting site w here the antibiotics work to stop the progression of disease or the pathogenic condition (Nguyen et al., 2014). Out of all antibiotics, tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that is used extensively to treat bacterial infections. It is prescribed as it prevents the growth and spread of the bacterial infection. It is naphthacene antibiotic that inhibits the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex. This results in the inhibition of protein synthesis. It binds to the 30s ribosomal subunit in the complex of mRNA translation machinery and is called 30s inhibitor. It is 6-carbon ring fused together. It is bacteriostatic in nature; however, it has wide bacterial resistance. It slows down or stops the growth of the cells as it disrupts the processes that lead to synthesis of new proteins. They preferentially bind to the ribosome of the bacteria as there are structural differences in the RNA subunits. The transport system of the bacteria is exploited by tetracycline and that increases the concentration of the antibiotic within the host cell to be higher than the surrounding concentration. In this way, tetracycline works to target the bacteria and stops the progression of the bacterial infection. Current Treatments The drugs within the tetracycline class are tetracycline, chlortetracycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline and minocycline. However, among all these, doxycycline and minocycline antibiotics are the currently prescribed drugs under tetracycline classification. These kinds of tetracyclines have longer half time and better absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It requires only once-daily administration as the half time is about 17 hours. The adverse events are also of low frequency and less side effects of these drugs. Doxycycline is excreted through intestinal tract and that allows treatment even in the renal insufficiency. The greatest advantage of tetracycline is that they are well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. They have a penetration power into the cells and various tissues. Tetracyclines are a broad class of antibiotics effective on gram negative and positive bacteria. The main mechanism of action lies in the inhibition of protein synthesis via binding to the bacterial ribosome 30s. Tetracycline is an effective prescribed anti-malarial drug and effective over many pathogens. It exerts its antibiotic effect by bacterial ribosome binding and as a result, the protein synthesis is arrested. Generally, bacterial ribosomes have a high-binding affinity for the 30s subunit ribosomes and allosteric action of tetracycline when bind to the amino acyl-tRNA at the acceptor site (A-site), protein synthesis is ceased (Forsberg et al., 2015). Minocycline has the ability to cross the cell membranes being a potent anti-apoptotic agent. The mechanism of action lies in targeting the apoptotic signaling pathways. It is a synthetic derivative that is highly active against the resistant bacterial strains like Escherichia coli. According to a study conducted by Vedatam and Moller (2015) showed that this class of tetracycline is highly effective against the 87% of this strain of bacteria. The mechanism of action lies in the cessation of protein synthesis by binding to 30s ribosomal subunit that prevents the binding of tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex and interfere with the protein synthesis. Minocycline has less photosensitisation reaction as compared to other tetracyclines like doxycycline. It has a long half-life of 11 to 23 hours. It has high concentration in the tissues as it is widely distributed in the sputum and cerebrospinal fluid as compared to any other tetracyclines. As compared to blood, its concentration is higher in the body tissues with a percentage of 2 to 4 times higher. This drug has excellent administration in renal impaired patients. Generally, tetracyclines are greatly avoided in the impaired kidney patients, however, minocycline can be used in patients with kidney malfunctioning as the drug is eliminated through gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tracts. It has low level of bacterial resistance as compared to tetracycline. One of the common resistance mechanisms by the bacteria is that it produces a thick lipid bilayer that does not allow the antibiotic to penetrate. However, minocycline is the most lipid soluble among all the tetracyclines and so it has minimal antibiotic resistance. The biggest disadvantage of minocycline is that it is most expensive than any other tetracyclines. It is highly contradicted in children leading to permanent teeth discoloration and enamel hypoplasia. The long-term consumption of this drug can give rise to complications like lupus-like syndromes leading to autoimmune responses where the body attacks its own cells. There are many symptoms of serum sickness-like reactions (SSLR) also occur where there is delayed allergic reaction and the bodys immune system interprets the drug as a foreign material. There is also intracranial hypertension or pseudotumor cerebri developed as a rare condition due to minocylcine use. Some vestibular side effects are also witnessed in minocycline and not in any other tetracyclines. It can cause nausea, severe dizziness, vomiting, ataxia and vertigo. According to a study conducted by Chang, A.K. and Olshaker (2014) vertigo was seen in 86% of the individuals. Hyper pigmentation is also manifested as a potent ial irreversible reaction. The hyper pigmentation of the skin increases with the duration of use, however, it is dose independent in nature. The daily administration of large amounts of ascorbic acid can help to prevent the hyper pigmentation. Doxycycline are tetracyclines that are absorbed readily and bind to the plasma proteins at varying concentrations. They are concentrated in the bile by the liver and in the excretion in the urine and faeces in a biologically active form at high concentrations. It works by inhibiting the matrix metalloproteinases that contribute to activities of tissue destruction. After the oral administration, they are virtually readily absorbed. The half-life of this drug does not change in people with renal function impairment. It has the ability to inhibit the protein synthesis of the bacteria by binding to the 30s ribosomal subunit. It has a bacteriostatic activity against the gram negative and gram-positive bacteria. The greatest advantage of this drug is that it has excellent safety with least adverse effects (Stone et al., 2016). It is highly suitable for the impaired renal function patients as it is eliminated via non-renal modes with no accumulation. The half-life is also long with once or twice daily dosing. It is highly effective against all kind of common pathogens that are likely to cause infections in upper respiratory tract like Streptococcus pneumonia. It has great anti-inflammatory effects and against the penicillin-resistant pathogens. It is also effective in inhibiting the metalloproteinases that are enzymes inhibit the gelatine and collagen production. Most importantly, this drug does not affect the intestinal flora as it is completely absorbed in the body. However, there are some disadvantages of Doxycycline. According to a study conducted by Dubey et al., (2015) showed that photosensitivity reaction manifested as an adverse effect of this drug. There is also a risk for intracranial hypertension and oesophageal ulceration. Moreover, prolonged use can result in superinfection. Structure-Activity-Relationships (SARs) of Tetracyclines There are a series of compounds that are developed to inhibit the 30s ribosomal subunit that is targeted by tetracycline. Neomycin and paromomycin are the aminoglycosides that were examined in bacterial cells Escherichia coli that have an inhibitory effect on the 30s ribosomal subunit. These drugs inhibit the protein synthesis, viable cell number and growth rate of the bacteria with inhibitory concentration of 50%. Paromomycin stimulate mistranslation via locking of the 30s particle so that mismatching of the base pair is stimulated in the presence of these antibiotics. This mechanism greatly suggest that these drugs affect the 30s ribosomal particle function having an inhibitory activity on the growing bacterial cells. The mode of action of these aminoglycosides is to inhibit the protein synthesis via pleiotrpic actions leading to alteration in translation at the steps of initiation, elongation and termination. The naturally occurring crystal structure of the antibiotics and the semi-synthetic structures bound to the ribosomal particles have an insight into the facilitation and designing of the drugs targeting bacteria. These drugs causes misreading on the 30s subunit and paromomycin stimulate mistranslation by locking to 30s particle conformation so that the base pairs mismatch as stimulated by these antibiotics. Neomycin also works in a similar fashion locking the conformation that prevents the 30s subunit conformation and in turn prevents the synthesis and maturation of the 50s ribosomal subunit. In some bacterial cells, the accumulation and turnover of 30s stalled precursor particle that is combined with the inhibition of translation account for the antibiotic bacteriocidal activity (Zimmermann et al., 2016). Examples of naturally occurring tetracycline drugs are chlortetracycline, tetracycline and oxytetracycline. The semi-synthetic drugs are minocycline, methacycline and meclocycline. Based on the duration of action, tetracycline and chlortetracycline have half life of 6 to 8 hours. The drugs with immediate acting with half life of 12 hours like in metacycline and demeclocycline. The long acting drugs are 16 hours or more like doxycycline and minocycline. Tetracycline is used for the treatment of various diseases including the gram negative bacterial infections. In pneumonia, tetracycline travels through the membranes via the porin channels and gets accumulated in the periplasmic space. The movement through the cytoplasmic membrane is driven by the energy of proton motive force. After tetracycline enters the bacterial cell, it bind reversibly to the 30s ribosomal subunit of the prokaryote that stops the protein synthesis. A novel synthetic protocol for the synthesis of tetracycline analogs involves the synthesis of tetracycline ring system where a highly functionalised chiral enone (5) acts as the key intermediate using a convergent synthesis. This approach is useful for the preparation of hexacylcines, pentacylcines, C5-substituted or unsubstituted tetracyclines, 6-hydroxytetracyclines and tetracyclines with heterocyclic D-rings. The first step is the reaction of the enone with the anion that is formed by the deprotonation of the toluene (6) or benzylic halide undergoing metallation. This toluene deprotonation is useful in the preparation of 6-deoxytetracyclines that are without or with C5 substituent as well as for the pentacyclines. For this protocol, any kind of organometallic reagent can also be added during the cyclization process. The structure activity relationships (SAR) of tetracyclines are synthesized to create new antibiotics that can overcome the resistance mechanisms of tetracycline mechanisms. It is the relationship between the chemical structure and its biological activity of the molecule. The SAR analysis helps to determine the chemical group that is responsible for evoking the target biological effect in the body (Marczak, Grabowski and Feder 2015). An active tetracycline has antibacterial activity that have a DCBA naphthacene ring that is linearly arranged with an A-ring C1-C3 diketo substructure. It also have an exocyclic C2 amide or carbonyl group. They act as protein synthesis inhibitors in the bacteria that need the amino group at teh C4 position and keto-enolic tautomers at the C1 and C3 positions of the A ring. The amino group that is present at the C4 position plays an important role in the antibacterial mechanism. The dimethylamino group at the C4 position with natural 4S isomer is pivotal for the optimization of antibacterial activities. The epimerization that occurs at the 4R isomer greatly decreases the activity of the Gram-negative bacteria. The chemical modification of the amide group at the C5 and C9 position greatly affects the bioactivity and are designed to generate antibacterial activities at varying degrees. In the tetracycline structure, the D ring is subjected to maximum change as it is highly flexible. The modifications done at the groups R1, R2 and R3 allows high bacterial specificity and in fulfilling the demands of the changing pharmacokinetics. This varying and flexible structure of tetracycline makes them effective antibiotics against bacterial infections. Ongoing Research and Future Directions Extensive research is going on identifying the tetracycline-resistant strains of bacteria to understand the underlying mechanism that leads to resistance. Moreover, there is also ongoing research to study and identify the sites of the resistant pathogens so that the risk of exposure can be reduced in the bacterial infection. There is also research going on in identifying the specific genes that are responsible for the resistance. By identifying the resistant genes, it would be easy to develop methods that inactivate these genes. There is ongoing research to study the tetracycline-resistant determinants like tetA, tetB and tetC genes. These genes are responsible for pumping out of tetracycline from the bacterium called tetracycline efflux. The gene tetM, tetracycline resistant gene is under investigation that is found in gram negative and positive bacteria (Daghrir and Drogui 2013). Although extensive research has been made to enhance the antibacterial activity of the tetracycline drugs, there is limited research made to reduce the anti-bacterial resistance. Despite of the new developments that are being made to study the bacterial resistance leading to development of new antibiotics, bacteria are continuing to evolve and develop resistance. Future research is required that would help to study the bacterial resistance and would be beneficial to develop new antibiotics. The investigations into the genetic mechanisms are required so that the underlying resistance mechanisms can be understood. As research progresses, study of antibiotic resistance should focus on the mechanisms of tetracycline efflux, ribosome protection and modification of tetracycline (Sharma et al. 2016). Tetracycline class acts as protein synthesis inhibitors and the investigation of these compound series helps to understand the underlying mechanism that is involved in the bacterial resistance. The series of the tetracycline compounds could also be improved to understand the underlying mechanisms involved in the progression of bacterial infection and ways to inhibit it through the development of the drugs. This tetracycline series could be further improved or progressed to the clinical trials as it is a broad spectrum of antibiotics. It has the capacity to alleviate many neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis. This involves the anti-apoptotic effects of tetracycline that can be utilized through randomized control trails. Moreover, doxycycline under tetracycline class can also be improved through gene therapy via plasmid that encodes tumor necrosis factor-alpha for the treatment of arthritis. Tetracycline has poor affinity for 80s eukaryotic ribosomes and weak in inhibiting protein synthesis. Therefore, clinical trials can prove to improve this activity of tetracyclines. It can also be improved and used as tool to study the gene function. Furthermore, it can also be used in clinical trials to study the gene alteration that contribute to the tetracycline expression and related phenotypic consequences. It can be improved to increase the efficiency of the antimicrobials against the gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria. It can also be progressed to clinics for studying the development of drug-resistance in bacteria so that it is able to maintain the effectiveness of the antibacterial drugs (Myers et al. 2016). References Chang, A.K. and Olshaker, J.S., 2014. Dizziness and vertigo.Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby. Daghrir, R. and Drogui, P., 2013. Tetracycline antibiotics in the environment: a review.Environmental Chemistry Letters,11(3), pp.209-227. Dubey, K.K., Agrawal, D., Soni, S.L., Namdev, A. and Singh, S.P., 2015. A Review On Oro-Dispersible Doxycycline TabletsAsian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development Vol,3(6), pp.1-10. Forsberg, K.J., Patel, S., Wencewicz, T.A. and Dantas, G., 2015. The tetracycline destructases: a novel family of tetracycline-inactivating enzymes.Chemistry biology,22(7), pp.888-897. Marczak, M., Grabowski, T. and Feder, M., 2015. Relationship between Tetracyclines Structure and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration of Streptococcus spp.Drug research,65(08), pp.410-415. Myers, A.G., Charest, M.G., Lerner, C.D., Brubaker, J.D. and Siegel, D.R., Fellows Of Harvard College, 2016.Synthesis of tetracyclines and analogues thereof. U.S. Patent 9,365,493. Nguyen, F., Starosta, A.L., Arenz, S., Sohmen, D., Dnhfer, A. and Wilson, D.N., 2014. Tetracycline antibiotics and resistance mechanisms.Biological chemistry,395(5), pp.559-575. Sharma, V.K., Johnson, N., Cizmas, L., McDonald, T.J. and Kim, H., 2016. A review of the influence of treatment strategies on antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes.Chemosphere,150, pp.702-714. Stone, L.K., Baym, M., Lieberman, T.D., Chait, R., Clardy, J. and Kishony, R., 2016. Compounds that select against the tetracycline-resistance efflux pump.Nature Chemical Biology,12(11), pp.902-904. Vedatam, S. and Moller, A.R., 2015. Minocycline: a novel stroke therapy.J Neurol Stroke,2(6), p.00073. Zimmermann, L., Das, I., Dsir, J., Sautrey, G., Barros RS, V., El Khoury, M., Mingeot-Leclercq, M.P. and Dcout, J.L., 2016. New Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Amphiphilic Aminoglycosides Active against Resistant Bacteria: From Neamine Derivatives to Smaller Neosamine Analogues.Journal of Medicinal Chemistry,59(20), pp.9350-9369.

Voice Recognition Essays (559 words) - , Term Papers

Voice Recognition The future is here! Computers deciphering speech, cars commandeered by satellite and miracles of miniaturization are a reality. Are you ready to take advantage of this technology? Voice recognition along with these other new advances in technology are going to vastly increase the accessibility and function of personal computers. As viable working speech recognition software reaches the people the way we work with computers will be transformed. This hands-free technology will allow our words per minute to be dictated by our ability to express coherent ideas verbally, versus our typing skills. At first we may have to tolerate some clunky or limited command interactions but as the software evolves we can expect to see even greater accessibility for people of lesser computer skills. For those who use computers daily, hand held computers with voice input will increase their own ability to multitask. We'll soon be able to walk, talk, word-process and chew gum all at once. The miniaturization of technology is putting greater power in our grasp daily. The personal computer will soon be off our lap and in our palm. What used to take up the space of a desk may soon be no larger than a Walkman. This technology is bound to put a dent in your pocketbook, however we can expect that competition in the market will eventually lower prices. Advancements in heads up display, or HUD technology will further integrate the computer with our everyday lives. Developed early on for fighter pilots, the military now has a lightweight headgear unit for the foot soldier. This marriage of information at a glance and sustained interaction with the non-virtual world will be a breakthrough for ease of use in the civilian domain. If you thought Walkmans were annoying, we may now have to listen to the chatter of these people walking around with their computer headsets. Those with the latest in guidance and navigational technology in their automobiles will now be able to compute on the commute. As these couplings of advancement in technology become a reality an even broader segment of the population will have access to these tools. Whether or not these advancements will increase a connectedness through communication amongst people or further detachment in the first person remains to be seen. I personally am excited at the thought of having this technology at my side in the not so distant future. How soon will we have the voice recognition software? Three companies; Dragon Systems, Lernout & Hawspie and IBM, are selling remarkably good software that lets you speak into a microphone to dictate documents and control your PC. The programmers certainly have their work cut out for them. Will we forgive them if we dictate Recognize Speech and it comes out, wreck a nice beach? I believe as the technology continues to be refined, voice interfacing will become par for the course. Technology advancements have brought us an ease of use, which with continuing development promises to draw more people closer yet to their PC's. Fifteen years ago computers were a hobby at best for the public at large. The early Tandy's and Commadore 64's had little practical application and multi-tasking was a gleam in the BASIC programmer's eye. With the rapid pace of advancements, one can only imagine what the next fifteen years hold in store. Technology Essays

Biographical Profile of William Wordsworth

Biographical Profile of William Wordsworth William Wordsworth, with his friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge, began the Romantic movement in British poetry with the publication of their Lyrical Ballads, turning away from the scientific rationalism of the Enlightenment, the artificial milieu of the Industrial Revolution and the aristocratic, heroic language of 18th century poetry to dedicate his work to the imaginative embodiment of emotion in the ordinary language of the common man, seeking meaning in the sublimity of the natural environment, particularly in his beloved home, England’s Lake District. Wordsworths Childhood William Wordsworth was born in 1770 in Cockermouth, Cumbria, the scenic mountainous region of northwest England known as the Lake District. He was the second of five children, sent away to Hawkshead Grammar School after his mother died when he was 8. Five years later, his father died, and the children were sent to live with various relatives. The separation from his orphaned siblings was a severe emotional trial, and after reuniting as adults, William and his sister Dorothy lived together for the rest of their lives. In 1787, William began his studies at St. John’s College, Cambridge, with the help of his uncles. Love and Revolution in France While he was still a university student, Wordsworth visited France during its revolutionary period (1790) and came under the influence of its anti-aristocratic, republican ideals. After graduating the next year, he returned to continental Europe for a walking tour in the Alps and more travels in France, during which he fell in love with a French girl, Annette Vallon. Money difficulties and political troubles between France and Britain led Wordsworth to return alone to England the following year, before Annette bore his illegitimate daughter, Catherine, whom he did not see until he returned to France 10 years later. Wordsworth and Coleridge After returning from France, Wordsworth suffered emotionally and financially, but published his first books, An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches, in 1793. In 1795 he received a small legacy, settled in Dorset with his sister Dorothy and began his most important friendship, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In 1797 he and Dorothy moved to Somerset to be closer to Coleridge. Their dialogue (really â€Å"trialogue†Dorothy contributed her ideas as well) was poetically and philosophically fruitful, resulting in their joint publication of Lyrical Ballads (1798); its influential preface outlined the Romantic theory of poetry. The Lake District Wordsworth, Coleridge and Dorothy travelled to Germany in the winter after the publication of Lyrical Ballads, and on their return to England Wordsworth and his sister settled at Dove Cottage, Grasmere, in the Lake District. Here he was a neighbor to Robert Southey, who was England’s Poet Laureate before Wordsworth was appointed in 1843. Here also he was in his beloved home landscape, immortalized in so many of his poems. The Prelude Wordsworth’s greatest work, The Prelude, is a long, autobiographical poem which was in its earliest versions known only as â€Å"the poem to Coleridge.† Like Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, it is a work that the poet labored over during most of his long life. Unlike Leaves of Grass, The Prelude was never published while its author lived.

Mise-En-Scene Hp Essays

Mise-En-Scene Hp Essays Mise-En-Scene Hp Essay Mise-En-Scene Hp Essay Harry Potter films are great interpretations of the film element mise-en-scene. In The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two; such sub elements that relate to the mise-en-scene include the setting, costume, figure, expression, movement, lighting, color, and objects within the frame. Putting together each scene or frame to make all of the sub elements that in full make up the mise-en-scene determines the mood of both the scene and the characters in it. An audience is able to get a sense of what is happening within the scene that is used with unspoken words before the actual movie hits theatres. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two begins with showing Harry Potter standing in his doorway showing the full setting. The setting included an average styled house, which gave way to knowing who part of Harry Potter as a person is. He has grown up in his uncle’s house and being surrounded by the atmosphere where being abnormal made him isolated and unwanted. In this scene where Harry has a backpack on his back, the door ajar, and letting his owl go shows that he has grown into the man that he eventually turned out to be which is someone who isn’t afraid to step out of the box and be there for his loved ones. It’s nighttime and the mood is one that is mysterious and dark. His facial expression within this scene is one of great melancholy and sullen. His expression, objects being worn, and setting is showing that he will be setting on a mysterious adventure. Another sub element of a mise-en-scene is costume. Harry Potter is wearing jeans, a simple red t-shirt, and a jacket. This simple combination of clothing suggests the year the movie setting is taken place. His clothes suggest that he is neither wealthy nor poor, however just middle class. Lastly his glasses are his trademark, because he is always wearing them throughout each of the films. As Harry is letting his owl go, his expression is one of regret. He regrets the separation of him and his owl because ever since he first received the letter of acceptance into Hogwarts, Harry and Hedwig have been the greatest of friends. The distance between Harry and Hedwig gives a balanced shot between the two. Lighting brings out much in this scene. Harry is wearing a red t-shirt that brings much added attention to him because his entire setting around him is a neutral dark night. The red is used to draw the audience to pay closer attention to him because he is known as an important character. The red also suggests that he has much love for his owl as well as his family and friends who are compared to the conflicting internal evil that feature within the film. The overall low-key use of light within this scene is used to specifically reflect Harry Potter’s gloomy expressions. The overall use of a mise-en-scene within the Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows part two is greatly used. Mise-en-scene relates to the theatrics of space and how it is then constructed for the camera. How the space is arranged and how each actor and the objects within the space relate within it render exciting topics on film. The balance that exists between the action and the scene itself speaks louder than the actual words being said by the actors themselves. The use of each actor, the costumes, and the lighting used throughout Harry Potter made the mise-en-scene flow perfectly. The audience always understood what was happening throughout the movie whether it be to make the mood a light-hearted or serious.

The major challenges for China; Why the past successful export-led Essay

The major challenges for China; Why the past successful export-led growth model cannot continue; How the Chinese economy should be further reformed - Essay Example Despite all these down turns, there is hope for the resurgence of this economy; the Chinese government has re-embarked on strategic plans that would enable resurrection of its previously steadily growing economy. A country with settled political situations, democracy and that is well equipped in terms of technology has all the privileges to kick start the road to an impressive economy. The Chinese economy has been one of the most consistent and swiftly growing with a sustainability growth rate of 10% (Naughton, 2007). China has portrayed a dynamic and unrivaled density; however, it is still transforming from two transitions as first, it â€Å"is still completing its transition away from bureaucratic socialism and toward a market economy† (Naughton, 2007, p. 4). Naughton further explains the second transformation with which China is transforming, which is the fact that â€Å"China is in the middle of the industrialization process, the protracted transformation from a rural to an urban society† (2007, p. 4). These two transitions are still far from completion and therefore China still has challenges. The Chinese economy can now be compared to those of developing nations. While this economic similarity exists, so do the challenges. One of the crucial challenges that have been faced recently due to the transition is the shift from the socialist type economy to the market based economy. This challenge was however fixed but again, it led to the rise of another challenge related to development. According to Naughton, these challenges are â€Å"the need to invest in human skills and physical infrastructure, the need to create effective institutions, and the need to protect underprivileged and vulnerable sections of the population† (2007, p. 5). Although there are many positives related to the growth such as improved living standards, many Chinese have fallen in the hands of uncertainties marred with risks. Majority

Thinking Cross-Discipline 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thinking Cross-Discipline 3 - Essay Example After this, I had to explore the chronological evolution of bankruptcy in the society that I am studying. Here, the major problem that I encountered was about which examples and instances in history to pick. As I am not a historian or researcher in history, I found this job very challenging. I had to pick up representative examples from history, the correct examples that point to a common tendency or sign that leads a company to bankruptcy (Ekvall and Smiley, 2007, p.83). When the turn of business as a discipline came under the purview of my topic area, the many sub-disciplines of business like economy, management, marketing, public relations needed to be understood to arrive at analytical inferences. I had to have some general knowledge on matters like debt restructuring and debt advice to understand and analyse company bankruptcy as a business phenomenon. Especially, understanding the technical financial details of bankruptcy was a difficult task for me who had not studied economics as such. The financial history of the debtee is yet another multidisciplinary area where business and history combine (Ekvall and Smiley, 2007, p.83). The management aspects of bankruptcy was also intriguing as there are plenty of examples of companies facing debt crises and recovering from them. It is necessary in this context that I clearly argue why certain companies go bankrupt in the face of their debts. There are global, national and local factors involved. Also t here are sector-wise specific problems and issues that lead a certain company to bankruptcy, which also I needed to have certain idea about. Practical recovery measures like out of court work outs, and sale of assets to avoid bankruptcy declaration are all part of business, management and economics and need to be understood and weighed (Ekvall and Smiley, 2007, p.32-38). Psychology as a distinct discipline also had a role in my topic area and

Interim Report IDBI Federal Essay Example for Free

Interim Report IDBI Federal Essay Problem statement: To study workmen compensation in IDBI and determine the satisfaction level of employees. Description of the Project: Reward system is a tool by which employee can attract, motivate, and retain employees. It involves everything the employee perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship successful. The reward system consists of many components out of which â€Å"Compensation† is one the most the important factor in employee satisfaction. Organization try to understand the type of compensation required for each of the employees and the one which has high impact on the system. Research Objective: Employee’s preference towards total rewards system depends on one’s perception and the motivation level he has achieved in life. Various theories have been incorporated to justify the preference. The theories are explained in Literature review. Based on the problem definition, we formulated our hypothesis. * Objectives of the Project: To study the workmen compensation in IDBI -Primary objectives: The main task of the project is to identify: * The various compensations offered to workmen in IDBI and policies used to evaluate various compensations. * The satisfaction level of employees with their compensation at IDBI. -Secondary objectives: * Is there any preference given to compensation by employees at any level of choosing job. * How compensation help organization to retain and attract employees. * Methodology: * Primary Data: the main data collection will be done by surveys on the present as well as past employees if possible. * Secondary Data: the secondary data will be as provided by the company guides through their records and manuals. Hypothesis 1: Employees are satisfied by the timely compensation provided to them under various circumstances by the IDBI. Hypothesis 2: Employees are not satisfied by the timely compensation provided to them under various circumstances by the IDBI. The research is restricted to IDBI employees only, the population size consist of all the employees present in the organization. We shall try to involve the response of every employee. The various theories which help us to understand the satisfaction and retention level of employees in the organization are: The motivational theories which were crucial for this kind of study were Maslow’s need Hierarchy and Herzberg’s two-factor theory * Maslow Need Hierarchy: People are motivated by inner needs. Needs form a hierarchy from most basic to higher order. The value of compensation will depend on the level of pyramid at which the person is residing. * Herzberg’s two factor theory: Employees are motivated by two ways of motivators: Hygiene factor and satisfiers. Hygiene factors in their absence prevent behaviors but their presence cannot motivate performance. Satisfiers such as recognition, promotion and achievement motivate performance. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs the person who has achieved the levels of physiological needs and safety would be motivated by other factors. For the people at level 3 may not consider monetary rewards as driving force. Therefore there are chances that employees will not take compensation into matter for changing their jobs. Reward system is a tool by which employee can attract, motivate, and retain employees. It involves everything the employee perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship successful. The reward system consists of many components out of which â€Å"Compensation† is one the most the important factor in employee satisfaction. Organization try to understand the type of compensation required for each of the employees and the one which has high impact on the system. Introduction * Insurance sector in India In India, insurance has a deep-rooted history. Insurance in various forms has been mentioned in the writings of Manu (Manusmrithi), Yagnavalkya (Dharmashastra) and Kautilya (Arthashastra). The fundamental basis of the historical reference to insurance in these ancient Indian texts is the same i.e. pooling of resources that could be re-distributed in times of calamities such as fire, floods, epidemics and famine. The early references to Insurance in these texts have reference to marine trade loans and carriers contracts. The insurance sector in India has grown at a fast rate post-liberalization in 1999. In the last decade, total premium grew at a CAGR of 25% and reached a total of $67 billion in 2010. Indian Life insurance industry (which contributes 88% of total Life and General insurance premium in India) has emerged as the 9th largest life insurance market in the world. Yet, Insurance penetration (measured as ratio of premium underwritten to GDP) was only at 5.2 % in 2010 – significantly lower than Asian peers like South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong which boast an insurance density greater than 10%. With low insurance penetration levels, growth potential remains promising. More importantly, the pace and nature of growth will likely see a change where new behaviors and dynamics of demand and supply will apply. On the demand side, growth is being fuelled by the growing population base, rising purchasing power, increased insurance awareness, increased domestic savings and rising financial literacy. The suppliers are correspondingly playing a market making role as competition heightens and differentiation become necessary for profitable growth. The major insurance companies in India and their market share is as follows– Initially there were only two insurance companies that operated the insurance sector in India, namely, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the other General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). On December 2000, the subsidiaries were declared independent and began to operate as independent as independent insurance companies. According to statistics the life insurance premiums and general insurance premiums accounts to 2.5% and 0.65% of India’s GDP respectively * Role of HR in Insurance Industry The Human Resources function in the insurance industry is of utmost important. The business of acquiring clients, providing proper awareness and converting them into customers thoroughly depends on the sales force. India being a developing nation, majority of households do not have disposable income. There is a shift in customer loyalty in no time owing to the digital revolution. The population that has enough disposable income at hand also requires proper financial advice. The sales person, hence, need not only be well versed with the art of selling but also needs to be sound with financial knowledge about the products and its implications. Thus acquiring talent and retaining it is a major concern in this industry. The reason being a multifaceted personality is required to work for the company. The major compensation provided to these employees is often variable which keeps them on the edge of performing better every day. * Introduction (Company) IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company Ltd is a joint venture of IDBI Bank, Federal Bank and Fortis (Ageas) Insurance International holding 48%, 26% and 26% stake respectively. With the Insurance Regulatory and Developmental Authority (IRDA) setting regulations to protect the interest of the customers, the insurer companies need to maintain a capital structure in the form of solvency ratio. A higher solvency ratio will lead to the company with a higher surplus. As per the Annual Report 2011-12 released by IRDA, IDBI Federal holds a high solvency rate of 6.61 in March 2012. With a very high solvency rate which is second among all the private and public life insurers of India IDBI Federal poses as a healthy and safe insurer. As on March 2013, there are 10 products in the rack of IDBI federal. They are Bondsurance, Group Microsurance, Childsurance, Healthsurance, Homesurance, Incomesurance, Lifesurance, Loansurance, Termsurance, and Wealthsurance.

Affirmative Action Is the Wrong Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasi

Affirmative Action Is the Wrong Action The United States of America has long been a country divided by race. Hate has pervaded her existence since her conception, and now today’s society is forced to deal with those issues. Minorities have suffered at the hands of the white male majority for centuries as the social activities of the old war were brought to the new colonies, only to ferment and continue to affect the lives of all who lived within her borders. There is no doubting that this continued discrimination is a problem; however, the question arises with how to deal with it. Legislation has been passed to remedy the situation, yet has been seemingly ineffective. Affirmative action has caused problems without fulfilling its purpose. The downfall of affirmative action is that it is the wrong action; the United States society has problems, including an underlying tension of hate, but they cannot be fixed by the government’s laws; they will be fixed when society changes how it views its members. Affirmative action was put into affect with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Eastland 22). The purposes of affirmative action are noble at best-in theory they would serve to end the discriminatory practices so rampant in the American society. The goals were to repair or negate the effects of past discrimination, move towards diversity in both the private and public sector, to encourage representation in the work force, and to increase the economic levels of both women and minorities (Doverspike 3). The outlined goals of affirmative action are what we need for this country. The United States society needs to change the way it sees and treats its citizens. The methods that affirmative action uses, however, are not conducive to ac... ...l Perspective. Vancouver: The Fraser Institute, 1982. Doverspike, Dennis, Mary Anne Taylor, and Winfried Arthur, Jr. Affirmative Action: A Psychological Perspective. Huntington: Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2000. Eastland, Terry. Ending Affirmative Action: The Case for Colorblind Justice. New York: Harper Collins, 1996. Puddington, Arch. â€Å"Affirmative Actino Should Be Eliminated.† Affirmative Action. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. 70-83. Rosenfeld, Michel. Affirmative Action and Justice: A Philosophical and Constitutional Inquiry. New Haven: Yale. 1991. Skrentny, John David. The Ironies of Affirmative Action: Politics, Culture, and Justice in America. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Urofsky, Melvin I. Affirmative Action on Trial: Sex Discrimination in Johnson v. Santa. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1997.

Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership Essay

How does a civilization attain the most effective leadership? More importantly what is considered effective leadership and who developed the theories surrounding it? These questions are debated through the ages of postmodern and modern civilization. Bass (1974) wrote that, â€Å"from its infancy, the study of history has been the study of leaders† (Wren, 1995, p. 50). Four of the godfathers of what is considered modern leadership theory are Plato, Aristotle, Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli. Over the course of this analysis, the leadership theories of each of these titans will be evaluated. Each view contains commonalities and disparities which offer conflicting perspectives on the complex topic of leadership throughout the ages of modern society. The goal is to broaden these views with critical evaluation, vetted scholarly sources and well-reasoned judgments. The conclusion arrived at will offer heighten awareness at the age old highly debated question; what is effective leadership? Plato vs Aristotle Plato and Aristotle were both titans of Greek thought during the fourth century BCE Athens, and both shared similar experience and backgrounds. Partly this was because Plato was Aristotle’s teacher. Takala the author of Plato on Leadership states â€Å"Ancient Greece (400 B.C.) has been regarded as the home of systematic administrative thinking; it has been seen as the place where the Western administrative thinking was born† (Takala, 1998, p. 787). This fact cemented Plato’s title of godfather of modern leadership theory that presented a systematic political and administrative model linking what life could be in an ideal state (Takala, 1998). There are many parallels in Plato’s rhetoric that mirror contemporary leadership debate. The most glaring is the emphasis on education and a class based system that focuses on what he termed, just social order. A† just social order† is defined as â€Å"one where order and harmony are maintained by each class of citizens carrying out the tasks for which they are suited and not interfering with the work of others† (Takala, 1998, p. 791). Plato in his most famous work the Republic speaks to the importance of virtue derived from knowledge. His top three credos for a unified and virtuous state were: 1. Know the good is to do the good. 2. All the virtues boil down gaining wisdom or what he paraphrased the †unity of the virtues† (Takala, 1998). 3. In order to become happy in a new state virtue must be present. The second titan of the three discussed is Plato’s protà ©gà © the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle had many views that mirrored the views of his mentor the most glaring being the dependence on education for laying the foundation for a modernized society (Kodish, 2006). Where these two minds disagree comes down to the action needed to secure leadership. Aristotle poked holes in all of the three points above given by Plato is these fundamental ways: 1. Just knowing the good was not enough for Aristotle. The concept of free will was relatively new, and he failed to see the need to practice being virtue. 2. For this reason, although wisdom is the highest form of virtue, it is by no means the key to possessing all virtues. In other words, Aristotle denies the unity of the virtues. 3. Finally, Aristotle thinks that although virtue is necessary to the good life, it isn’t sufficient. That is to say a person can be virtuous but still be unhappy. In particular, does a person truly need good fellow citizens to achieve happiness (Kodish, 2006). The most general difference Aristotle and Plato held was a difference of values surrounding the human condition. Aristotle saw the positives in society, and therefore prescribed freedom and equality; Plato saw the negatives and prescribed various illiberal and discriminatory ideals (Wren, 1995). Lao-Tzu vs Machiavelli The third titan of thought was Lao-tzu â€Å"an ancient sage of the sixth century and his book the Tao Te Ching (how things work) was used by political leaders† of his time in history (Wren, 1995, p. 69). The forth titan in Nicollo Machiavelli and his work the Prince is a classic on the pragmatic  use of power in society (Wren, 1995). Aristotle and Plato represent the western view of leadership during the age of modern leadership theory. To further broaden our view of leadership theory and practice this analysis also explores eastern views through the eyes of two more of history’s most influential minds. Lao-tzu’s theory is fundamentally different mainly due to its message of simplicity. He believed that a truly effective leader should be loved by the people he/she lead (Gerald, 2005). Compared to other scholars of the time like Machiavelli who felt fearing a leader was the best way to get results (Wren, 1995). In Machiavelli’s own words he wrote â€Å"I reply that one should like to be both one and the other, but since it is difficult to join them together, it is much safer to be feared than loved when one of the two must be lacking† (Machiavelli, 2006, p. 44). The differences between these two influential minds stem from the trusting (Lao-Tzu) or not trusting (Machiavelli) your followers to make good choices. The Tao Te Ching attempts to foster leadership by stepping away from the era-specific tyrannical view of what motivates the human condition. The 46th chapter of Tao Te Ching bares these words: â€Å"There is no greater misfortune than wanting more.† If you are content, Lao Tzu continues, â€Å"you will always have enough.† Unfortunately for Westerners, our motto seems to be â€Å"more for me now† (Gerald, 2005, p. 48). Conclusion Throughout the above analysis, there have been commonalities and disparities presented from the classic works of four godfathers of modern leadership theory and practice. Each mind brings a modified view of what leadership should or could be in a modern society. Whatever personal views arise after reviewing these masterworks there are some truths furthering the argument that leadership theory is an ever evolving door and a melting pot of ideas derived from many figures throughout history. The only constant is that there is no ideal way to lead; there are only methods that have garnered results in their own time and place in history. References Gerald, W. P. (2005, April 9). A look at thoughts from Tao-Te-Ching. Kingston Whig, 1-48. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/352713307?accountid=458 Kodish, S. (2006). The Paradoxes of Leadership: The Contribution of Aristotle. Leadership, 2: 451, 451-458. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1742715006069175 Machiavelli, N. (2006). Qualities of the Prince. New York Bedford/St Martin: in World of Ideas. Takala, T. (1998, May). Plato on Leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 17, 785-798. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25073123 Wren, T. J. (1995). The Leader’s Companion Insights on Leadership Through the Ages. New York NY: The Free Press.

Toys and Games industry

Toys R Us is one of UK’s leading toy and game retailer. This report conducts an academic research focus on Toys R Us (UK) in toys and games retailing sector. In the first part of this report, we will discuss the toys and games industry background and the overview of Toys R Us. Then, the research will focus on Poster’s Five Force Model and Porter’s Generic Strategies. In the next parts, this report will concentrated on the potential strategies which Toys R Us might pursue in the future. Conclusion and recommendation will be mention in the final part of this report and the recommendation will be covered the best strategy for Toys R Us which can be used for the future competitiveness.1.1 Industry Background After the decline in 2008 and 2009, the toys and games market has grown about 5% just under  £2.2 billion. The market has opportunities to increase the sale revenue from 2010 to 2015 (MINTEL 2010). The Figure 1 shows UK retail value sales of toys and games betw een 2005 and 2015. (Figure 1, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)According to MINTEL 2010, the main players in the toys and games industry in UK is Argos, Toys R Us, Disney and some internet specialists such as Amazon and Ebay. The Figure 2 shows the retail market share for those main players. (Figure 2, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)1.2 Company overview Toys R Us is UK’s leading traditional toys and games retailer with over 1500 stores and 71,000 employees (including part-time employees) in 33 countries and the company’s headquartered in Wayne (DATAMONITOR 2011). Toys R Us offer Toys, Baby care, Video games, Multimedia PCs, Bikes and outdoor fun products (Toys R Us 2013).2.0 Poster’s Five Force Model2.1 The threat of new entrants According to Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010, the threat of new entrants is depends on the level of entry barriers. In the UK toys and games industry, there are strong competitions for the pricing. According to MINTEL 2010, since 2008, co nsumer prices for the games and toys have fallen, so most retail cut down the price therefore strong competition in the toys and games industry. Moreover, Economies of Scale can be also related to the entry barriers. Finally, the government policy is major source of entry barriers. For example, national land policy can be effect the manufactory and location of stores, the entry barrier is also influence by high VAT rates for the company which standard rate is 20% and reduced rate is 5% in 2013 (GOV.UK 2013).2.2 The bargaining power of suppliers Toys R Us has increase the number of suppliers over 3000 manufacturers. Mattel, Hasbro and Namco Bandai are the main suppliers for Toys R Us. Those 3 manufacturers are top 20 suppliers in toys industry and Best-selling Toys of the year are always given to those 3 suppliers (GIMD 2011). Nintendo and Sony are also the main suppliers for Toys R Us. Those 2 companies are famous video games suppliers. Nintendo has produce NINTENDO 3 DS and Sony ha s produce PlayStation 3 and PSP, those 3 product all have good sale revenue in the games market (Toys R Us 2013).2.3 The bargaining power of buyers As this report has mention before, Toys R Us is one of UK’s leading toys and game retailer, therefore the company has strong brand image, when consumer planning to purchase toys or games, Toys R Us is always become a first choice for purchase toys and games because the strong brand image. Moreover, there are limited numbers of global retailer in the traditional toys and games industry therefore Toys R Us has strong buying power (GMID 2011). The Figure 3 shows the child/youth population by age and gender between 2005 and 2015 in UK. From this table, we can see the populations between ages 0-14 are increase from 2005. The target market for Toys R Us are children, if the populations of child is increase, the buying power will also increase. (Figure 3, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)2.4 The threat of substitute products Toys R Us is mainly focus on traditional toys and games sector. However, since the new technology is coming to the market, such as Ipad, X-box 2 and some new online games, the consumers’ needs are changing. More young children prefer the game in Ipad video game and online game rather than traditional toys; therefore Toys R Us is facing on high threat of substitution.2.5 The intensity of rivalry among competitors in an industry Woolworths was the biggest toys and games retail in UK, after the collapse of Woolworths in 2008, Toys R Us, Argos, Disney and other online retail such as Ebay and Amazon became the major players in toys and games industry. In 2009, Argos has 24% market share which are top one in UK toys and games market. Toys R Us has 17% market share and Disney only has 3% market share (MINTEL 2010). Figure 4 shows the outlet, sales, positioning and evaluation of those major players in toys and games industry in 2010. (Figure 4, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)3.0 Porter’s Generic StrategiesIn this part, this report focuses on Porter’s Generic Strategies to analysis the strategic positioning of the major play in toys and games industry. According to Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010, Porter’s Generic Strategies include three strategies which are Differentiation, Focus and Cost leadership which a company can use for achieve competitive advantage and overcome five force. Figure 5 is made by the Porter’s Generic Strategies; this graph shows the main competitors for Toys R Us in toys and games industry. From this graph, we can find out Toys R Us is using differentiation strategy, the strategy for Disney Company is Focus strategy, Argos and amazon concentrated on Cost Leadership strategy. (Figure 5)Differentiation can be defined as a strategy based on creating differences in the company’s product and service (Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010). As this report has mentioned, Toys R Us is using Differentiation strategy. The Company is pro viding different customer service as other competitors in the toys and games industry. According to Toys R Us 2013, every store of Toys R Us has an extensive Babies R Us department, inside of the Babies R Us included furniture, car seats, bedding, strollers, safety products, nappies and baby food for all parents and babies.Moreover, the company can be achieved the Differentiation strategy by strong brand image and wide range of products. As this report mention at the induction, Toys R Us is one of UK’s leading toy and game retailer therefore the company has strong brand image to achieve the differentiation strategy. According to MINTEL 2010, Toys R Us provides large range of toys and other children-related products. There are some advantages of Toys R Us using the Differentiation strategy. Firstly, this strategy can improve consumers’ loyalty. Differentiation strategy can also help company to decrease the threat of substitute products. On other hand, there are few disa dvantages for differentiation, consumer may prefer to purchase product from the company who using the cost leadership strategy.Disney Company is using focus strategy. The products from Disney shop are related to the Disney film (Disney store 2013). The company is focus on the customers who like the Disney brand images, most consumers will decide to purchase from Disney store if they like watch the Disney films especially young children. Argos and Amazon are focus on cost leadership strategy. Both companies are offering wide range of toys and games with low prices.4.0 Potential strategies might pursue in the futureIn this part, this report will mainly focus on the strategies which the Toys R Us may pursue in the future.4.1 Vertical Integration Vertical Integration is an expansion or extension of the company by becomes its own supplier or distributor (Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010). According to GIMD 2011, the key strategic objective and challenges for Toys R Us is extending private l abel ranges. Vertical integration is one of best strategy to achieve this objective. If Toys R Us becomes its own supplier, the company will much easier to extending private label ranges. Moreover, the  company’s transaction costs are much higher than administrative costs, so vertical Integration becomes an attractive strategy for Toys R Us.There are few benefits for Vertical Integration. Firstly, the strategy has benefits on access to new business opportunities, this will be helpful for Toys R Us achieve the objective of extend private label ranges. Secondary, this strategy can help Toys R Us to make sure the quality of the product, therefore this will help to increase the consumers’ satisfaction. Finally, Vertical Integration can help company to reduce the transaction costs.4.2 Strategic Alliances Strategic Alliances can be defined as two or more companies have a cooperative relationship (Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010). As this report mention in the second part, mo st young children are prefer video games rather than traditional toys, so Toys R Us might concentrate on video games sector in the future, to development a new video game, the company will need a strong technology, the company might think about the Strategic Alliances. As this report mention before, Nintendo is a famous video game manufactures, the company has sold about 2.4 billion video game since 1983 (Nintendo 2013).If Nintendo become an alliance partner with Toys R Us and development a new product with strong brand image from technology and high level of technology skill Nintendo, both companies will easy to increase the market share in the toys and games industry. The advantages for Strategic Alliances will be reducing manufacturing costs in the value chain. Moreover, this strategy will also help on developing and diffusing new technologies.4.3 Internal DevelopmentInternal development is focus on new products and new technology. According to GMID 2011, a key objective and chal lenge for Toys R Us is development of exclusive products, this strategy may help Toys R Us to achieve this objective. Moreover, the company is not having to using the Strategic Alliances to development a new video games, this strategy can help company to development own innovative product without having to share the wealth with alliance partners.5.0 Conclusion and RecommendationIn conclusion, this report has concentrated strategic analysis on Toys R Us in toys and games industry. In the first part, the report has discussed the industry background and company overview. Then, the analysis of Poster’s five force model takes the second place. In the third part, this report analysis the Poster’s Generic strategies which show Toys R Us are concentrated on Differentiation strategy. Finally, the report mentions the several strategies which Toys R Us might pursue in the future.After the report analysis those strategies for Toys R Us, we can give the recommendation on the best s trategy for the future competitiveness. Figure 6 shows the benefit and risk of the three strategies for Toys R Us, compare those three strategies, all of strategies have both benefit and risk for Toys R Us, but we recommend that Strategic Alliances is the best strategy for Toys R Us in the future.New product development is the main objective of Toys R Us, if the company can develop own video games product, it will easy to increase the market share in toys and games industry, Strategic Alliances is the only strategy which can help Toys R Us to achieve the goal in the fastest time. Internal Development may also help company to develop new product, but the company will need spend high cost on new product development and Toys R Us may not have enough technology skill on video game as the company such as Sony and Nintendo. (Figure 6)

7 Free Online Courses That Will Make You Happier

7 Free Online Courses That Will Make You Happier Here’s something to smile about: These 7 free online courses are waiting to teach you how to create a happier, more fulfilling life. Learn about the study of happiness from professors and researchers at top universities as you implement techniques such as meditation, resilience, mindfulness, and visualization into your own life. Whether you’re going through a rough spot or are simply looking for a few tips on creating a happier life, these courses can help bring a little sunshine your way. The Science of Happiness (UC Berkeley) Created by leaders in UC Berkeley’s â€Å"Greater Good Science Center,† this extremely popular 10-week course gives students an introduction to the concepts behind Positive Psychology. Learners study science-based methods of increasing their happiness and monitor their progress as they go. The results of this online class have also been studied. Research shows that students who consistently participate throughout the course experience an increase in well-being and a sense of common humanity, as well as a decrease in loneliness. The Year of Happy (Independent) Want to make this year your happiest yet? This free email course walks recipients through one major theme of happiness each month. Every week, receive an email related to that theme containing videos, readings, discussions, and more. Monthly themes include: gratitude, optimism, mindfulness, kindness, relationships, flow, goals, work, savoring, resilience, body, meaning, and spirituality. Becoming a Resilient Person: The Science of Stress Management (University of Washington) When stress strikes, how do you react? This 8-week course teaches students how to develop resilience – the ability to positively withstand adversity in their lives. Techniques such as optimistic thinking, relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, and purposeful decision-making are introduced as ways to develop a toolbox for dealing with stressful situations. Introduction to Psychology (Tsinghua University) When you understand the basics of psychology, youll be better prepared to make decisions that bring you ongoing happiness. Learn about the mind, perception, learning, personality, and (ultimately) happiness in this 13-week introductory course. A Lifetime of Happiness and Fulfillment (Indian School of Business)   Developed by a professor nicknamed â€Å"Dr. HappySmarts,† this 6-week course draws on research from a variety of disciplines to help students understand what makes people happy. Be prepared for videos featuring interviews with happiness experts and authors, readings, and exercises. Positive Psychology (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Students in this 6-week course are introduced to the study of Positive Psychology. Weekly units focus on psychological techniques that are proven to improve happiness levels - upward spirals, building resilience, loving-kindness meditations, and more. Psychology of Popularity (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) If you think that popularity doesn’t affect you, think again. This 6-week course introduces students to the multitude of ways that experiences with popularity in their younger years shape who they are and how they feel as an adult. Apparently, popularity can even change DNA in unexpected ways.

effects of drugs essays

effects of drugs essays Good morning! To start my presentation, (shut off lights) close your eyes, everyone think of a pleasant experience... walking on the beach, cuddling with a boyfriend or girlfriend, eating chocolate cake... Feel the pleasure Biologically, you are secreting dopamine into the amygdala region of your brain. Receptor sites open up to receive the chemical and cause that pleasure part of your brain to fire. Wow, isnt that nice! Most drugs do exactly this, but at much more intensity. They cause huge amounts of dopamine to flood the amygdala region. Today, I am doing my presentation on the effects of drugs on the brain. Even though drugs effect our body in different ways, it most horrifying effects our brain. Drugs of abuse are valuable tools for brain functions because they can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters, which in return effects our homeostasis and behaviour. If your curious, drugs of abuse range from alcohol, to nicotine, to marijuana, to cocaine, etc. We have a specific region in our brain, called the amygdala region. This region regulates our feeling of pleasure and can be activated by drugs of abuse. Drugs of abuse produce the feeling of pleasure because they alter the neurotransmitter dopamine, a major brain chemical. Most drugs increase the release of dopamine from the neurons, this makes us feel good (reward us). The increased dopamine levels give drug abusers the rush or a high that they enjoy for a short period of time. The feelings of pleasure the drug creates only lasts for a short time, but drugs can cause changes in the brain that last a very long time. Drugs may alter synaptic transmission by directly affecting the receptors. Some drugs activate receptors, such as the THC, the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana, while others block them, such as cocaine and amphetamines. The synapse is extremely complex, there are a variety of sites at which drugs may effect synaptic ...

Wuthering Heights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wuthering Heights - Essay Example However, before embarking upon the middle chapters, it would be advisable to throw light on the circumstances leading towards the middle part of the work. The story of the novel under examination revolves round the Earnshaw and Linton families on the one hand, and the cruel and wild villain-protagonist Heathcliff on the other. Brought and sheltered by Mr. Earnshaw, the wild boy Heathcliff was abhorred by his son Hindley Earnshaw, though was recognized by her daughter Catherine Earnshaw as her playmate. Hindley had inflicted punishments and pains on Heathcliff after the demise of Mr. Earnshaw, which turned this wild boy vindictive and revengeful for the future years to come. The Earnshaw family was the owner of the Wuthering Heights; consequently, Catherine got married to Edgar Linton, the estate owner of Thruchcross Grange. Since Heathcliff was also in love with Catherine, he could not endure unpleasant words about him from the mouth of Catherine in the presence of her attendant Nell y. As a result, he ran away from the Heights to return as a rich man after few years. Chapter 15 opens with the Heathcliff’s visit to Catherine (now Mrs. Edgar Linton) in Thrushcross Grange, where he finds her combating with serious illness. Nelly is attending her at there, while Edgar is out of the house. Since Edgar does not have any good opinion of the wild man, he would not tolerate Heathcliff’s presence in his house and bedroom. Consequently, Nelly requests him to leave the place without delay. Somehow, he turns a deaf ear, and has shower of kisses on Cathy’s face. In return, she blames him and Edgar as the main reason behind her fall health. In the meanwhile, Edgar enters and rebukes Heathcliff, leading the way towards scuffle between the two. It turns Cathy pale and fainted, and she turns unconscious. The next day, Cathy dies after giving birth to her daughter Catherine Linton. On the one side, Edgar appears to be mourning the death of his wife and by kee ping him recluse for many days, and on the other side, Heathcliff expresses his extreme grief for the loss of his childhood friend and beloved playmate. The next month Isabella Linton calls at Nelly at Thrushcross Grange and narrated the pathetic circumstances she has been undergoing at the hands of Heathcliff. Since, she seeks fears her life at the hands of his beast-like husband, so she leaves the Grange for good. The next chapters elucidate Catherine’s life as a young girl and the birth of Isabella’s son Linton. Catherine pays an accidental visit of Wuthering Heights where she has an encounter with her cousin Hareton Earnshaw, the son of Hindley. However both of them are unable to recognize each other as cousins. Hareton treats Catherine in a respectable manner. Since Isabella has also passed away when Linton is only few years old and the child comes under the supervision of his uncle Edgar. Although Catherine feels happy and delighted to find a play in the person o f his cousin, yet the boy is taken by his father Heathcliff. Chapter 17 also discusses the conflict between Hindley and Heathcliff, where the latter turned out to be triumphant in the scuffle and inflicted the former with serious injury in the wrist. Being a regular heavy drinker, Hindley’s health started falling very fast; as a result, he also died the same year six months after the death of her sister Catherine Earnshaw. Consequently, Heathcliff became the owner of the entire Wuthering Heights estate. Heathcliff’s ill intentions have not found satiety as yet; on the contrary, he reveals his plan before Nelly that he would take away the Thrushcross Grange from the Linton family through his son Linton; and he applied the

The Co-Ordination of the Human Body by the Endocrine and Nervous Research Paper

The Co-Ordination of the Human Body by the Endocrine and Nervous System - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the central nervous system (CNS) is the largest part of the nervous system and includes the brain and spinal cord. The spinal cavity holds and protects the spinal cord, while the head contains and protects the brain. The CNS is covered by the meninges, a three-layered protective coat. The brain is also protected by the skull, and the spinal cord is also protected by the vertebrae.  The bodies of the nerve cells lie in the CNS, either in the brain or the spinal cord, and the length of the cellular processes of these cells, known as axons, extend through the limbs and the flesh of the torso. The large majority of the axons which are commonly called nerves are considered to be PNS. The cell bodies of afferent PNS nerves lie in the dorsal root ganglia.  Autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls smooth and cardiac muscles and organs of the digestive, circulatory, excretion and endocrine systems (involuntary actions). ANS consists of two set s of neurons with opposing effects on most body organs. The Endocrine System in humans (overview): The endocrine system is the internal system of the body that deals with chemical communication by means of hormones, the ductless glands that secrete the hormones, and those target cells that respond to hormones. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating metabolism, growth, development, and puberty, and tissue function and also plays a part in determining mood. The endocrine system functions in long term behavior and works in conjunction with the nervous system in regulating internal functions and maintaining homeostasis.  Hormones regulate bodily functions and are specific in their responses. They can only initiate responses in target cells, which are specifically equipped to respond. Each hormone is recognized by those target cells with receptors compatible with their structure. A hormone receptor is a protein within the target cell or built into the plasma membrane. Once a hormone is released, the first step is the specific binding of the chemical signal to a hormone receptor. The receptor molecule enables the target cell to respond to the hormones chemical signal. These responses vary according to the target cell and lipid solubility.  The control of hormones can be done by 3 methods:  1. Many hormones are controlled by some form of a negative feedback mechanism. In this type of system, a gland is sensitive to the concentration of a substance that it regulates. 2. Some endocrine glands secrete hormones in response to other hormones. 3. A third method is by direct nerve stimulation.  

Can we consider Russian democracy imperfect Essay

Can we consider Russian democracy imperfect - Essay Example Political stability is strongly associated with the strength of democracy in a country. Politically non stable countries cannot be considered as strong democracies since political stability is one of the measuring units which determine the success of democracy in a country. Long standing democracies always will have political stability. In former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill’s opinion, â€Å"No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time† (Democracy, 2004) In a democratic country, judiciary, executive and parliament are considered as the essential entities apart from a well defined constitution. The democracy will be strengthened in a country when these three forms of democracy combine well and function together in accordance with the constitution. The judiciary must be free from any prejudices and bias and they should never keep any political intentions. The success of democracy remains in avoiding the clash between the judiciary and parliament. Both bodies should have mutual respect and should function for the growth of the country rather than political or individual gains. Constitution and democracy are interrelated. Without having a well defined constitution democracy may not be strengthened. Constitution is an instruction book which provides orders to the government and the public regarding the functioning of political, social, economical, cultural, and secular aspects. It defines what is legal and what is illegal in a country. It establishes the relationships between the government and the public with respect to the rules and regulations of a democratic country by which the government and the citizens should function. Until the early twentieth century Russians had very

Communication Barriers Essay Example for Free

Communication Barriers Essay The problem that is to be addressed will be the communication barriers between employees and management. Some people have a problem with the way they receive the conversation or the way people talk to them and other people have a problem with the way they use their verbal and nonverbal communication skills. There are many ways to determine the proper way to communicate and to miscommunicate. Solving the problem of non-communication in the work place can be easy, but at the same time it can be very costly. The movie Devil Wears Prada is a great example of miscommunication. The main owner, editor or â€Å"CEO† of that corporation talks to the new girl as if she has worked there for years. The new girl is given directions and does not know how to proceed with them because she was not trained properly. In the movie the CEO makes a statement â€Å"Emily? Emily? † Finally someone tells the new girl that the CEO means her and the new girl goes into the office. CEO states â€Å"Get me that guy I talked to yesterday about the skirts and scarfs on the phone. † The new girl goes back out of the office to her desk and starts looking for a phone number, but she has no idea who to look for, the first assistant, just coming back from lunch, asked the new girl â€Å"What are you doing? † The new girl tells the first assistant what the CEO said and within seconds the CEO was talk to the guy she spoke to yesterday about the skirts and scarfs. In this incident, there was minimal communication and there are also many ways to fix this. For instance, the first assistant should have taught the new girl about the phone directory, terms, and where to find other things that could be useful. If the new girl was trained correctly, then while the first assistant was at lunch, the new girl would have been able to handle the phones, but would still have problems not knowing what person the CEO talked to yesterday about the skirts or scarfs. With this part of the communication barrier, the CEO should have been more informative on the information that she gave the new girl. For instance, if the CEO had given the name of the person she talked to, then it would have narrowed down the people she to yesterday or vise-versa, or the CEO could have given the company name and with the correct training could have determined the person she talked to the day before. There are many ways to work on the communication between the CEO, manager, and another associate. The main objective should be to train the person properly before â€Å"throwing them to the wolves,† or putting them â€Å"on the sales floor† If the person is trained properly then they will learn the terminology, phone directory, and also know where to find other things related to going the job. When giving tasks to carry out, you would need to give specifics on what you want and names or descriptions of what is expected. When receiving the tasks, if you do not understand, then ask questions on what the other person is looking for or how to go about doing getting the job done.

Internet accessibility for people with disabilities :: Essays Papers

Internet accessibility for people with disabilities The Internet has quickly become one of the most beneficial tools in use today. With the click of a button, you can find information on practically anything. In fact, Internet use is so widely used, that it is no longer an eminent skill, but is an ability that is now expected of people. Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, not everyone can take advantage of this useful tool. With over a half-a-billion disabled people in the world, there should be steps taken to make the Internet more disabled-friendly, which indeed there is. By taking advantage of adaptive technologies, using proper etiquette when sending email, and designing web pages with the disabled in mind, the Internet will soon become useful to more people than would otherwise be the case. One of the major advances in helping the disabled is the use of adaptive technology. Adaptive technology can be described as any hardware or software used to provide alternative methods of input and output. There are two distinct forms of disabled-friendly input devices on a computer, pointing devices and voice recognition. Pointing devices do the same job as a mouse; move the pointer to a certain location on the screen. This equipment comes in different forms, trackballs, oral fixtures, and eye-coordinated input devices are all examples of special pointing devices. The other form of an input device was voice recognition. This form does the job of the keyboard. The user talks into a microphone, and his speech is translated into text by the sound card. Though voice recognition has been around for a couple of years, it is just now getting to the point where a user doesn’t have to pause between words. Companies such as Dragon Systems, IBM, and Lernout & Hauspic, are the leade rs of voice recognition software. However, changing the output of a computer for disabilities is much more common than changing the input. The most common way of changing the output is by screen magnifiers, screen readers, and Braille displays. A screen magnifier is a program that follows the mouse pointer and magnifies that area. This is idea for people with limited or damaged vision. The software used to magnify will do so from about 1.5 to 20 times, depending on which program it is. Products such as MAGic, ZoomText, and InLarge are very popular right now, also Microsoft includes screen magnification in versions of Windows 98 and beyond.

Community Based Rehabilitation

A Documentation of such a comprehensive finish cannot be completed without the help of numerous sources and people throughout the long rugged path of success. I too realized this fact and so, I take this opportunity to thank them all. Personally this documentation has helped me to gain knowledge and skills to understand people with disabilities and their struggle for survival.Therefore it indeed gave me a great opportunity to study the Community Based Rehabilitation programme (CBR) of Women's Develop Centre (WDC) understand the services they provide to the people with disabilities. This documentation would not have been possible if not for the generosity of number of person who spent their time with me. In particular, I wish to acknowledge Ms. Pearl Stephen, Founder Director, Women's Development Centre (WDC) who prompted me to undertake this study and for giving me the guidance and support. I also wish to acknowledge the support and informative guidance of Ms.Dammika Podiemanike, Coo rdinator, WDC CBR programme. I extend my thank you to all the staffs of CBR programme for helping me throughout this study by providing and facilitating to obtain necessary information Finally, I must mention here that all those who supported me in helping me to document have done so with an expectation of a successful documentation. Such an expectation has been my source of inspiration and encouragement. I express my sincere thanks to all of them albeit that I may not be able to present their names.Having completed the documentation, it is my hope that it will serve as a source of information for those who are interested on the subject of community based rehabilitation especially who are interested on research on such a subject, for donors to get an understanding as to how their resources are serving the humanity and most of all as a reflective material for WDC management and staff for appreciating their own work as well as for further enhancement of their programme. It is my wish that this documentation will bring more light to further enhance safeguarding the rights of the disabled persons.Ranjan S. K. Nellimale Documenter August 2007 CONTENTS 01. INTRODUCTION01 02. BACKGROUND DETAILS01 †¢ The aim of WDC is to †¢ WDC Vision †¢ Mission †¢ WDC Target Group †¢ Major areas of work †¢ District Level Women’s Fora attached to WDC Women’s Network 03. OBJECTIVES OF THE DOCUMENTATION11 04. METHODOLOGY OF DOCUMENTATION11 05. THE METHODOLOGY USED FOR DOCUMENTATING11 06. COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION11 †¢ What is CBR? 07. WOMENS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION13 †¢ Vision of CBR Unit of WDC †¢ Objectives †¢ Activities A. Kandy Community Based Rehabilitation Centre15 Day care centre †¢ Counselling †¢ Speech and Language Therapy a. Speech class b. Speech Therapy c. Language Therapy †¢ Physiotherapy unit †¢ Special Education class †¢ Behaviour Modification B. Voc ational Training Centre (VTC) Ampitiya23 C. Manikhinna Community Based Rehabilitation centre26 D. Matale Community Based Rehabilitation Centre28 E. Teldeniya Community Based Rehabilitation Centre29 F. Haragama Community Based Rehabilitation Centre31 G. Madolkale Community Based Rehabilitation Centre33 H. Ulapane Community Based Rehabilitation Centre34 I.Pothgoda Community Based Rehabilitation Centre36 J. Galpihilla Community Based Rehabilitation Centre38 K. Community Blind Rehabilitation program39 08. REMARKS 42 †¢ Intervention †¢ Rehabilitation †¢ Prevention 09. CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT44 10. KEY LEARNING FROM THE DOCUMENTATION PROCESS 45 1. Impact on the disabled persons 2. Impact on Family living 3. Access to services and facilities 4. Impact on social relations 5. Capacity Building of Vocational Training 6. Access to loans for those with vocational Training 7. Community Awareness 8. Self Help Group formation 9.Parental Capacity Building 10. Advocacy 11. RE COMMENDATIONS49 12. ANNEXURES54 COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAMME OF WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT CENTRE 01. INTRODUCTION The concept of Community Based Rehabilitation programme is that disabled people should have the right to a good life and fulfil their needs. The help they need should be available to them at a low cost. It should offer to them and their family a way that suits their usual way of living, whether in a village, a town or a city. They should have education like everybody else and there should not be any disparity.They should be able to take up the normal activities like jobs and earning their own living without discrimination and exploitation. They should be able to take full part in all the activities of their village, or town or city or within their families. The idea of CBR is that, even if people learn very slowly, or have problems seeing or hearing or, find it hard to move about, they should still be respected as being men and women, girls and boys. Nobody should look down on them, nor be treated any less than a normal person just because they have a disability. 2. BACKGROUND Women's Development Centre (WDC) is an organization established in 1987 and registered as an NGO in 1989. The aim of WDC is to: Help Women enhance their participation in Socio-Economic life and help them take up leadership roles in various capacities. WDC Vision: To create a society where women and children are actively involved, having equal opportunity to, access to, and control over resources and working in the area of advocacy and policy to their own betterment and of their families.Mission: Facilitate and create an environment to strengthen the position of women and children in society by addressing women’s and children’s issues and community awareness, thereby reducing victimization improving opportunities for engaging in income generation activities and awareness to improve their lives with increased knowledge and through group support and ac tivities. WDC Target Group: WDC’s work involves women from disadvantaged communities but also expands to include youth and children from all ethnic and religious groups’ predominantly in rural areas.Major areas of work: †¢ Crisis Intervention †¢ Community based Rehabilitation †¢ Network with seven district fora and other organizations with similar aim and objectives. †¢ Community development (health, community organizing, community awareness and working with schools) †¢ Pre-schools and day care centres †¢ Resource centre †¢ Legal aid/counselling programme †¢ Disaster intervention District Level Women’s Fora attached to WDC Women’s Network 03. OBJECTIVES OF THE DOCUMENTATION To explain the concept of the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program as implemented by WDC. †¢ How far has the CBR program brought positive impact to communities where it is implemented. †¢ To identify where changes are required f or a more effective CBR programme. 04. METHODOLOGY OF DOCUMENTATION The Community Based Rehabilitation program (CBR) has been documented by using Descriptive method. The documenter used mostly interviews and observations to gather information. 05. THE METHODOLOGY USED FOR DOCUMENTING The initial discussion with Mrs.Pearl Stephen as the author and initiator of the program as well as other key individuals helped in developing the interviews and observation guide. The information gathered were summarized and analyzed to provide major leanings and conclusions. 06. COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION Community Based Rehabilitation approach is said to be suitable for developing countries with limited resources to provide wider coverage of services. The importance of CBR approach is the transfer of minimum rehabilitation skills and responsibility to minimally trained family members and other volunteers in the community.The last decade saw the growth of community based rehabilitation in many dev eloping countries, along with changes and adjustments in the concepts and practices related to this field especially in countries like Sri Lanka. What is CBR? Mrs. Pearl Stephen, Founder Director of WDC who initiated CBR, perceives that any intervention to disabled people is liberation for those who are the care takers of the most marginalised persons. In fact, it is the rationale for a women’s organisation such as WDC to be involved in the issues of the disabled.According to her, it is a programme that safeguard the rights of the disabled persons changing their surroundings, including enabling the family and the community in this task. It is a sustainable process that utilises as much local resources and techniques as possible to intervene, rehabilitate and minimise occurrence of disabilities. â€Å"A strategy within community development for the rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities and social integration of all people with disabilities† (UN definition) †Å"CBR is a strategy for enhancing the quality of life of disabled people by improving service delivery, by providing more equitable pportunities and by promoting and protecting their human rights† (E. Helander ). 07. WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION The Women’s Development Centre (WDC) is a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based in Kandy. The aim of the organization is to promote women’s status in society by building capacity, developing partnerships and supporting awareness on health, legal rights, gender leadership development crisis intervention and skills training, networking and action- research on women’s issues.The WDC began by running a community health training program in collaboration with local medical officers of health. As the health volunteers gained the trust of many families and communities in which they were working, they learned of many disabled children who had received little, if, any, help. Many were hidden away in shame and fear, some even physically imprisoned in there homes. The parents were in desperate need of help and support in coping with the stresses and difficulties of caring for these children.Following requests from the parents, it was agreed that a rehabilitation programme be started in November 1990, with the children already attending the WDC centre in Kandy on two mornings in a week. Some of original health volunteers become the ‘rehabilitation workers’ and their training was extended by attendance at paediatric, psychiatric and ENT clinics as well as short courses at a special school for hearing – impaired children. The programme was well attended and rapidly developed, with new centres opening in local villages in response to community requests.There are 10 community based rehabilitation (CBR) centres run by WDC in number of places such as, Ulapane, Manikhinna, Pothgoda, Madolkalele, theldeniya, Galphila, Matale, Ampitiya, Haragama and in Kandy. The village centres are in temples halls and other community premises. They function with the co-operation / support of the local community. These different centres work with hospitals, schools, department of education, the divisional secretariats and the various service departments within these secretariats. The programme taps a lot of local resources from parents, divisional secretariats, department of social services etc.Most of these departments have a lot of respect for the quality of service rendered by WDC unit and the rapport they are able to develop with the departments and the clients alike. Vision of CBR Unit of WDC: Create an environment where the person with special needs while enjoy equal rights and maximum benefits within the family and society. Objective: †¢ Minimize conditions that lead to disabilities †¢ Rehabilitate persons with disabilities while being in community †¢ Advocate on issues related to disabilities of persons Activities: †¢ Maintain community based rehabilitation centres Maintain special education units †¢ Maintain vocational training centres for person with special needs †¢ Implement community education programs †¢ Develop and support networks with and for people with disabilities †¢ Mainstream of work and issues of person with disabilities A. Kandy Community Based Rehabilitation Centre The Kandy CBR group currently functions as a separate unit close to the WDC main office. A total of 48 staff are spread over ten CBR centres. There are 10 Staff members rendering their support to the Kandy centre.In general, all of the centres whether in the urban areas like Kandy or other centres in rural areas, there are a basic set of services and activities rendered. Therefore, this document would not try to elaborate all these activities in all the centres but try to indicate some of the unique features of the different programmes. The centre in Kandy, in the sense, can be seen as the h ub and coordinating place. It is the training and orientation centre as well as assessment centre of many disabilities where a large number of clients from different parts of the island access their initials services and referrals.The babies and children attending the CBR programmes have wide range of disabilities like hearing and visual impaired, language disorders, learning difficulties, and behaviour problems, physical and mental disorders. There is lack of space for special education schools and units so the children will move from the centres to get special education. However, some of the children are having multiple difficulties which make such placement more difficult. There is a system to assist the very young and other children with difficulties.Those who come to seek the services of the WDC Kandy centre come from various parts of the island through different sources, such as through referrals from hospitals, doctors, hospital clinics, special education department, organiza tions and some times any one who has heard of this CBR program from a friend or relatives also bring their children or direct. Some of the services rendered by CBR Kandy centre is counselling, speech and language therapy, day care centre, visual program, physio-therapy and special education class. Day Care Centre: The Day Care Centre of the WDC CBR unit entertains children requiring Day care facilities for both WDC staff and others. The uniqueness of this centre is the ability to integrate both normal and children with special needs. Presently there are 18 children (both girls and boys) in the pre school age in this day care centre. Two of the children are from crisis intervention centre of WDC at Haragama which serves women and young girls who have faced violence. Shabana is a 6 years old child having a physical disability in her hand, arly she got physiotherapy treatment from the centre and now she receives normal pre school education. †¢ Counselling: Counselling is an a inte ractive process conjoining the counselee who need assistance and the counsellor who is trained and educated to give this assistance, the counsellor can initiate and maintain the interactive process if he/she communicates feelings of spontaneity and warmth tolerance, respect and sincerity. One of the main work done by CBR Kandy unit is providing counselling to the parents and the children with disabilities.When the parents approach the organization for help, the first thing that the CBR counsellors do is a detailed assessment regarding the problems of child and the related causes by using formats developed by them. In this process the CBR counsellors try to help the parents to clarify the problem and the way how to build the helping process. In the end of this process the counsellors will direct the parents towards next step and to the type of service required. †¢ Speech and Language Therapy: The main objective of this unit is to help children in improving Speech and Language sk ills. a.Speech class: Speech class are conducted for children who are having speech difficulties such as stammering, autistic, Down syndrome etc. it is an individual effort with each child. These children are referred by schools and hospitals. The children go through initial assessment while being in the speech class. Those who require intense rehabilitation are identified and provided with further intervention. After the initial assessments and corrective measurers, these children are referred to special education units and followed up on a monthly assessment basis. Some children are also followed up at homes during home visits . Speech Therapy: Those who are supported through speech therapy are those with more intense speaking disabilities such as those who have difficulties with voice and exeursing the tongue. Sometimes such intervention require around one year of treatment process. c. Language Therapy: Language therapy is often for the children who have extreme difficulties in s peaking such as deaf children. Such children are assessed and intervened to improve sounds, sign language etc. The deaf children in particular are referred to the deaf school in Dodanwala to enable them to continue their school career.Even while the children enter the deaf school, they are still followed up until they reach a level of improvement. †¢ Physiotherapy unit: The Physiotherapy unit plays a vital role to improve the functional ability of children with physical disabilities. This unit performs a number of important services such as assessment of the level of functional ability of the children, perform rehabilitative exercise on children, education and trains parents on exercises, nutritional and health requirements of children to improve these condition.The other function of the unit is also to improve appropriate and affordable rehabilitative devices that could also be turned out in the rural homes. †¢ Special Education class: The children who come to the special education unit are referred by schools or these who are on the verge of dropping out of schools due to learning difficulties. These are children who require special attention or not able to cope in class room situations. Special education class provide the children with learning difficulties to over come their problem and to develop the knowledge.It provides the children to understand the weakness they have and to get the help of the staff of the centre. The staff have developed a good relationship with the children and it helps most students to improve. †¢ Behaviour Modification: This unit is one place where children who have extreme behaviour difficulties such as those who are hyperactive or are not able to concentrate. They are received to a special unit where they are provided with guidance and unique activities to help them sit in a place, improve concentration, improve working together, learn patience, etc.After these, children learn to control themselves, they are moved to other section for rehabilitative exercises. B. Vocational Training Centre (VTC) Ampitiya The aim of the vocational centre of CBR is to assist children with special abilities to develop their skills to enhance their dignity by helping them to explore and learn about their inherent skills and develop them further to enable productive and more independent living. The children have special talents. After their education, if they are not supported to enhance, they may be lost while they enter the lager society.This is especially true for the children with mental and physical disability. They normally do not get sufficient assistance from government. To cope up with this situation and to reduce the problems they face, in 1999 WDC started the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) within the CBR. In the beginning VTC started with 24 students and given them training in carpet making, envelopes, paper bags and in carpentry. The Ampitiya centre belongs to the (government) department of social s erves and WDC was requested to run this centre.As WDC maintain very good rapport with government departments but lacks required resources, this request was considered timely and opportune. This centre has three units for residential care, vocational training and school for special education. Mostly, the vocational trainings are for those children who pass out from various rehabilitation centres and have no other future prospects. At present, there are around 20 children both females and male children learning various skills, not only at the Ampitiya centre but also in other community level rehabilitation centres.The type of vocational training are Carpentry, Eakle broom production, Candle production, Cement flower pots making, Handloom, Sewing/rug – making, Fabric/Pottery paint, Envelop making, Paper bag making, Home gardening, Greeting cards, Stocki-net flower making and Patch work. It must be mentioned that it is not easy to train children with disabilities with certain phy sical mental disabilities. The teachers require patience and concentration all the time especially when they are training to use various tools. While some products can be promoted to competitive markets, this is not always possible.Some children take a very long time to learn the skills but some perhaps cannot go beyond making rugs. Some of the trainees who train the children themselves have been trained by the VTC As part of network building the teachers of VTC also visit Digana rehabilitation hospital for spinal injuries to give vocational training for patients. This training while it goes as part of rehabilitative exercises, also provides a good training to start own employment in their houses. Further staff of Digana hospital says that those training also have tremendous psychosocial impact on the patients.There are many programmes conducted in collaboration with the government organizations and most of the time the VTC receive invitations /requests to participate in their progr ammes. Specially sports events and other competitions. It really help student to appreciate their own capacities. In the year of 2007, 3 students were selected from Amptiya VTC to represent Sri Lanka for Para Olympics in china. C. Manikhinna Community Based Rehabilitation Centre Manikhinna centre was started in the year of 1992. During the 14 year period, it has provided a variety of services to the community.Currently the centre is located at the Ganadevi kovila, old temple and provides the services to the children with disability as well as to the community. The main aim of the centre is to use the available resource in the community and use them for the development of socially handicapped people. Mainly this centre carries out the process to rehabilitate mentally and physically challenged children. Counselling, speech therapy, mentally retarded (MR) class, vocational training and Physiotherapy are the major activities carried out in this centreThe centre maintains good relationsh ip with the temple and the local politicians and the benefit of good rapport improves their service to the community. Manikhinna Community Based Rehabilitation centre has provided many services to the community. The program has enabled the community to build some houses and toilets among the needy families. Parents too get self employment training in order to make the family financially stable. The centre strongly believe to make a better environment for the child. Making the family self employed help the child considerably in the rehabilitation process.The training to parents on self employment further helps to integrate the children with disabilities within family and community. So many changes have also occurred in the community sine the CBR program began in this community. Among them is the awareness of disabilities that has taken place among the community and community under stand this kind of children require special attention and care. When the Manikhinna centre initially sta rted, the staff visited many communities. In the process they also identified villages classed as ‘Low caste’, and those ‘working with devils’. hese village were normally neglected by other villages, and government officers never visited them nor did the temple accept their alms. However, when the CBR staff started to visit them, inviting the priests and government officers to the CBR centre, the situation started gradually changing. Sudeep is a 16 year old boy having learning difficulties. According to the doctors he is a mentally retarded child. He come from a poor family and his father left him and the family. CBR helped his mother to build a house because they do not have proper shelter. Currently this child is attending Speech and Language Therapy classes in the CBR centre.It is interesting to note that this child manages to read and write to some extent. When the documenter asked Sudeep whether he could visit his newly built house he was overjoyed. Wi th outmost interest Sudeep help the documenter to visit his house and get information about his village. The development that has taken place in this child is important to the society as well as for the child’s own future. D. Matale Community Based Rehabilitation Centre Matale Community Based Rehabilitation Centre was started in the year 2000 and currently it is situated at Hunukate Alokaramya Temple.The service rendered by the staff of this centre are recognized by the people and they give their fullest support to the CBR program. There are 75 children currently getting the services from this centre. It carries out the rehabilitation activities for mentally and physically challenged children. It provides Counselling, speech therapy, MR class, self employment training and Physiotherapy. Due to ignorance and lack of awareness most of the community people face many problem. The CBR centre has taken steps to conduct awareness programs to the community, such as the orthopaedic ca mp conducted by the ‘Centre for Handicap’ organization.It is a good example of how the CBR unite coordinate with other organizations to improve the services for the people. Anther awareness program is on nutrition. It is an important program for the community as most of the parents and children do not have proper nutrition. Good nutrition has been identified as one of the most important aspects to minimize disability. Documenter got the opportunity to speak with the midwife of the community and learned how the CBR program benefited the lives of people. According to her earlier there was no awareness among the people about the disabilities and they totally neglected those people with disabilities.But when the CBR staff started to work with the people they became aware about the problem and sought the help of the CBR centre. She also mentioned that the staff are able to build a good rapport with people and provide a lot of support to those who approach them. Amila Kumara is a student doing his advance level (A/L) this year. His mother is working abroad and his father is dead. At the time he approached the CBR program, he was totally neglected by his family members due to his physical disability. He has difficulty to walk.Due to this difficulty he did not attend the A/L classes. But with the support of the CBR centre he has improved a lot and now he can walk by himself. He got so much of motivation from the CBR staff and support that encouraged him to do his A/L. He will sit for the examination this year. He is so happy about the CBR program and he says that because of this program his life has changed. E. Teldeniya Community Based Rehabilitation centre Teldeniya centre was started in the year of 2004. Currently the centre is lacated in the Teldeniya primary school.With the limited space this centre is functioning well and provids much services to the community. In this centre Counselling, speech therapy, MR class, self employment training and Physio therapy programs are available for the community. As the centre is located within the school premises, it has developed a strong relationship with the school programs and work closely with the school to provide better services. This centre also conducts awareness programmes and organized women's groups. This centre too provides training on self employment. Tailoring class seem popular.There is a teacher employed by Government handling this class for the parents of these children. In this centre staff have been able to create a good environment with government officials as well as other top level officials in order to provide better service to the community. Documenter got an opportunity to speak with the school principal and learn how the CBR program fulfils the needs of the community. According to him, prior to the program there were no support to the children with mental and physical disabilities, they where totally neglected within the schools as well as in the community.The CBR programme provided these children with disabilities an opportunity to come out of their difficult situation. According to the principal earlier there was no one to help the children with leaning and behavioural difficulties in their education in the school. Teachers were disinterested in such children as they where more interested to help the able children. After the rehabilitation programme was started, we are now able to send these children to this centre and now I am happy to see the improvement of these children due to the help they got form this program. Some of the children we sent to this centre have come back and are now studying with normal children, It is a joy nice to see how they have change†. Deshika Kolabaga is a 6 year old child having much difficulty in her behaviour pattern. Since 3 years she is attending the CBR centre and gets speech therapy and special education support. According to her mother Deshika underwent so much of difficulty with in the family due to her ways of behaviour. All her family members neglected and reject her. But since she started to attend the CBR program she has remarkably improved.She has been able to get over most of her behaviour problems, she is now able to do her work normally and manage to win every one hearts in the family. The family members now understand that she has to get special care and attention from the family. Desheka’s mother is so happy about the staff of the organization and says that it is due to their care and support that her child has improved and she is thankful for them. F. Haragama Community Based Rehabilitation centre Haragama centre was started in the year of 2004, since then there have been so much of changes in the community because of the CBR program.It has given lot of services to the community for the upliftment of children with disabilities. Currently the centre is located close to the WDC Crisis centre. Like other CBR centres this centre too caries out the duties of reh abilitating mentally and physically challenged children. It provides Counselling, speech therapy, MR classes, self employment training and Physiotherapy. Most of the parents of children who come to the centre said that prior to bringing their children to the centre, they faced many difficulties due to lack of awareness on how to handle the children.But with the CBR programme, life has become much easier. It has also facilitated looking at the problems as a community. The parents of these children are very poor and therefore the CBR programme also help the mothers through skills training on basket making etc. It is expected that after this training the mothers will engage themselves in self employment. The documenter had the opportunity to speak with a group of basket-making women in the centre, they were so happy and willingly came forward to explain how and what kind of service they get from WDC as an organization.The mothers explained that prior to coming to the CBR program, they faced much hardships and their children experienced many difficulties in learning, behavioural problems, etc due to the disabilities. However the mothers are very happy about the improvement that they see in their children. They also feel relieved due to this improvement. The mothers also appreciate the training they received to work with their children to participate in the rehabilitation process of their children. G. Madolkale Community Based Rehabilitation centre This centre was started in the year 2000.The program in particular supports the disabled children in the plantation sector. Currently the centre is located close to Paramsehwara Tamil College Madolkale, and looks after around 24children. Because this centre is located in close proximity to plantation sector, most of the children come from families working in plantation sector. Serving the plantation itself is a unique experience for the WDC/CBR unit, as there are very few programs implemented to serve the estate sector. Compared to all other projects of WDC/CBR unit, the parents of most children have a very low level of literacy.In general, though it is a community living close to each other, it is not a close community that supports one another. Since both parents go to work, the children with disabilities and practically the mothers who are burdened with many functions face a lot of difficulties. Initially the staff also found it difficult to located children. It was also difficult to make parents understand why it is important to pay special attention to children with disabilities. Gradually the programme has taken root in the community. The parents, teachers and children are now able to understand its importance.Because the school community and children appreciate the program, the organization enjoys good reputation. There are 24 children who attend speech class, speech therapy, MR class, and self employment training. Other than this, 2 families receive the help of WDC. One parent was helped to cement the floor of their house while another received tea plants to initiate an income generation activity. As the staff identified the problems of low nutrition being low, they also conducted training and education session on nutritionThe documenter had the opportunity to speak with some of children who were engaged in sewing handkerchiefs. These were children with learning difficulties as well as physical disabilities. According to them they are happy now because they get the opportunity to learn some useful things for their future and these children really feel more secure due to the CBR program. There are other skills training activities such as bag making, making envelopes and candles, etc. H. Ulapane Community Based Rehabilitation centre Ulapane centre was started in 1995.During the 17 year period it has given many services to the community to help through many development activities. Currently the centre is located in at the Ulapane Maha Vidyalaya and providing the services to the children through the special education unit. In my view, compared to other centres, Ulapane is a difficult terrain to work due to hilly slopes. The area that the staff are required to cover is wide. Children are brought to this centre from very faraway places. The staff also require to travel far to make home visits.There are also many physically disabled children that the parents are unable to bring to the centre on a routine basis. Therefore, the staff are required to make much effort to visit all of them despite transportation difficulties in the area. Also the resources are very limited Like other centres it mainly carries out the process of rehabilitation of mentally and physically challenge children. It gives Counselling, speech therapy, MR class, vocational training and Physiotherapy. This centre has built a good reputation among the government officers and the social welfare organizations. According to the school Principal, the CBR program has created so much of awar eness about disabilities in the community that it has become easy to identify disabilities among the children. Initially people did not have an understanding what this center was doing for children with disabilities but, with time, they have gained understanding and started to help the school in ways they could. He said â€Å"It is a privilege, as a Principal, for me to take part in this program†. Listening to the Principal it was clear to me that he is satisfied with the CBR program and appreciates the work they are doing.The change in awareness and the quality of life of children are remarkable. The staff of the Ulapane unit also indicated that apart from the services they render to the children, the mothers of the children also have become members of a women's forum. Through this forum, the mothers get training and support to develop income-generation towards economic empowerment. Ashma is a girl having learning difficulties. She has been dropped out from two schools and n ever given enough support and guidance for her education. She has been totally neglected from the school and it created some confusion and difficulties for her.When her father started to take her in to the CBR program she started showing improvement in her education and her father is vary happy about her development. According to her father she is getting proper care and support for her education due to which she is motivated and shows interest in studies. The Father said now he could understand why she was not able to study well in the schools, that it was due to the lack of capabilities of the schools teachers to understand slow learning. When such children started attending school and fall into the wrong and incapable hands of teachers, the school careers of children are ruined.Such children then become isolated and ashamed. They are branded as those who cannot study, rather than saying that they were in the hands of incapable teachers. From the above case-study, it is clear that the kind of service provided to the community become more important and indeed it create lot of awareness about disabilities and what kind of services are available for them. I. Pothgoda Community Based Rehabilitation Centre This centre is located at Pothgoda Rajasinha Vidyalaya as a special unit. This unit started to work in the community since 2002.The importance of this unit is mainly to concentrate to bring behavioural changes and help slow learning children to get proper support through education. The special emphasis of this unite is to provide special education to the children who are having learning difficulties due to M/R. It should be noted that not only children with MR face difficulties of being misunderstood, the parents too face difficulties and are saddened by the fact that they are not able to understand their children. The parents of these children are engaged in cultivation as their main occupation and most of the parents are poorly literate.This has an impact on the development of the children. Children with disabilities normally get isolated from the families and get neglected. They may not receive proper care and support. Therefore, the services of the CBR unit become important to develop the sensitivity of the family towards children with disabilities, so that proper attention could be paid to children. From the perspective of the children, when children are not understood and proper attention paid by the school, most children end up as drop outs from schools. Therefore, such units are playing an important role to lift the education level of children.They are able to make improvements and get back to the normal education after they gain improvement. The staff also shared that in families where there are children with disabilities, the families also have many conflicts that make the life of children extremely difficult. The staff understanding this situation, also provides counselling. According to the principal, this unit has had major i mpact on the community and to lift the standard of education of the children with disabilities. Recently, the unit also conducted an awareness program to the school teachers on depression. Another awareness programme for the community was on nutrition.Such programmes have provided many benefits for the children and their families. He noted with satisfaction that some children have been able to get back their normal class after improvement. J. Galpihilla Community Based Rehabilitation centre Galpihilla Centre has been started 1998 and currently located at the Galpihilla primary school. The function of this unit is to provide special education to the children who have been identified to have learning disabilities. Most of the children in the unit have multiple difficulties and shown improvement with CBR intervention. The children who come to this centre come from the nearby community.As has been explained, in relation to other centres, it needs to be reiterated the hapless situation o f the children with disabilities where there is no understanding how to handle and care for such children. According to the principal most families in the community are poor and this poverty situation directly affects children with disabilities. With the intervention of the CBR on the lives of children to develop their level of independence, it has helped to free the time of the parents which adds to their awareness and their co-operation in this regard. Rumasha Abeyanaike was born in 1990 with physical disabilities.Her father is a labourer. His earnings are not enough to meet the needs of family. In 1992 she came to the special unit for treatment. Because of her physical disabilities she was not able to move freely. With the help and support of the centre she gained control over her limbs and posture. With the exercises, by the CBR staff and at home by her parents, within about 4 years she was able to sit. When she was able to control her limbs, she was trained to use thread frames to develop skills. She excelled in both education and in making lace work. Over the years she also learned to work with out help.All these achievements have made her family very happy. K. Community visual Rehabilitation program Community visual Rehabilitation program is one among the important activities carried out under CBR program. It mainly concentrates on the blind or the people who have difficulties in their vision. Currently this program functions as a separate unit under CBR program. This program was introduced in 2001. Because of a good network system that WDC has developed they received an invitation from an organization based in the south of Sri Lanka to send three volunteers for a training program on blindness.After this training program was over, the 3 volunteers trained other staff in the WDC. A study that was subsequently conducted around Kandy, identified 128 persons with vision difficulties. Identification of such a large number of persons from all ages with vision difficulties is an eye opener to the divisional secretariat as the general perception was that blindness is not a problem in Kandy. The aim of this program is to deviate from a purely clinical model of intervention.Therefore, the intervention contains a package of service of screening, awareness on prevention of blindness or to make those with vision difficulties independent and productive; counselling to those affected and their family members; reducing poverty through involvement in income generation activities etc. While all 128 persons were referred for medical support, initially the programme identified 4 people for holistic care intervention. The expansion of the programme firstly concentrated in the Gangawata Korale divisional secretariat for 23 persons and later to Pathahewaheta and then to Harispathuwa divisions.In 2004, the number of clients in this programme increased to 43 persons. The clients feel that since they participate in the rehabilitation programme, they receiv ed more respect from the family members, earn as well as, save money, and it has contributed to improve the quality of their lives As part of the programme, the blind people underwent special training and counselling programme like how to do their day-to-day activities; how to use the white cane; and the ways of earn a living. Because of this program, some are engaged in small seale trade such as selling cloths, tea, etc, while some make paper bags, lamp wicks, joss sticks, etc.Kusumawati is a middle-aged lady with vision problem. When the Community visual Rehabilitation program reached her, she was living with her sister and was dependent on her. Once she got sufficiently rehabilitated, she started working in a near by joss sticks factory. However she did not receive sufficient salary. The CBR staff helped her to manufacture joss sticks in her house. She was able to earn and save money from her business, and build her own house and started to live on her own. Now she cooks her own meals and does her day to day activities by herself. From the financial ssistance she gets from the government and with the income generated from her small business, she is able to live happily. Above case study a good example of how a Community Blind Rehabilitation program could help the lives of needy people. There are many social welfare organizations in and round Kandy district but the only organization giving support to blind people to improve mobility and to start self employment is Women's Development Centre (WDC). Joss Sticks making Goat rearing 08. REMARKS There is sufficient evidence that the CBR programme makes a big difference in the lives of the children with disabilities and their families.Most of the children in the CBR program come from the poorer sector which itself is a big a hindrance for development, as children tend to lack the basic needs that are vitally important. The programme has proven its viability to improve the quality of life. †¢ Intervention: It is evident from many responses, that the CBR staff are experienced and skilled than most others like teachers to make good assessments of client to identify the condition of the children with disabilities. , whether they come from schools or community. They are able to be holistic in their assessments.They are also better able to build good rapport and win confidence of the children, their families and others such as school teachers, principals etc. Their level of professionalism and also the way they receive other support in the assessment enables them to develop more effective rehabilitation plan that is holistic. †¢ Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation is the most important process in CBR programme. It creates opportunity for the children with difficulties to receive right intervention and rehabilitation to overcome their problems with the help of the staff in the CBR program.There is a wide range of difficulties which are visible, with children like the physical disability, learn ing difficulties, behaviour problems, blind, profound deafness, hydrocephalous, down syndrome, multiple disabilities, speech problem, autistic and mental retardation. In the CBR programme they carry out activities to help the children to over come their problems and through this process they are rehabilitated. The activities such as Counselling, speech therapy, MR class, vocational training, special education class, awareness programs and Physiotherapy.It is remarkable to see how the staffs of the CBR program work closely with the children as well as with the parents to fulfil the task to improve the status of children and create an environment for the personal development and make rehabilitation process efficient. What is also interesting is that of available facility for those who get sufficiently rehabilitated, to follow vocational training to make their future independent and skilled, with life-long impact. The vocational training helps them to be employed or to start their own business with the support of their family members. Prevention: although it not possible to totally eradicate people becoming disabled, the CBR program carries out a number of programs to minimize people becoming disabled. While some of them are to raise awareness among the communities such as on intake of proper nutrition, discouraging marriages among blood relations, other are to eradicate poverty, poverty being the root cause for many evils including disablement. Further, the programme also helps marginalized community to learn various services such as health, come to receive rubella or other referrals or even making education more easily available to marginalized. 9. CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The CBR approach is a holistic process spanning from individual development, continuing through to community. The process can be summarized in the following manner emanating fram the individual ` Speaking about a person with disabilities, he/she is a person with many problems/ difficu lties from within and outside. So the CBR process renders services to solve the disabilities within and this makes the rehabilitation process more effective. When the mind of the person becomes stable and strong, it leads to the improvement of the body conditions.It then leads to develop the spirituality of a person. It is clear when a person develops ones spirituality it leads to the development of his/her social status. All these processes together with other support, then leads to economic improvement. When the rehabilitation of a person is achieved, the process does not end there. It then leads to have positive impact on the community. Rehabilitation process should develop like a scale and it will be a continuous process. 10. KEY LEARNING FROM THE DOCUMENTATION PROCESSAs a documenter, in this section, I wish to present my overall impressions regarding the CBR programme. In overall performance, there are many positive outcome and impacts as a result of the CBR programme. 1. Impac t on the disabled persons: There is an observable change in the quality of life of the children and adults with disabilities as they get enrolled with the programme. They improve in mobility, coordinating limbs, enable continuation of education, improve in communication etc. ost of all, it enhances their dignity transforming them from a dependent, helpless person to an a independent person with abilities. Therefore, the process promotes individuals to become more independent and productive. Engagement on vocational training is a good example of improvement towards economic independence. For creating this impact, the skills of the staff, their commitment, rehabilitation techniques and in particular the social counselling process, have found to be important. 2. Impact on Family living: Within the family, the disabled persons have gained more recognition and acceptance.There is also marked improvement in the sensitivity of family members towards them and therefore, the disabled persons have been able to get appropriate support from the family members. Instead of the dependant persons that were there before, with CBR intervention, the disabled persons are able to contribute to the house-hold chores or in some instances, contribute economically. By this contributions they make, some of the family members who were earlier trapped in to care giving roles, have been freed to become productive by themselves.It is notable in particular, how the mothers have been made free to a large extent. However, it must also be mentioned here that during the initial period of rehabilitation, the work of the mothers also increase tremendously. This extra commitment on their part has not been without rich reward. 3. Access to services and facilities: There is more recognition for the disabled person within the various services such as health, education, resource provision by the divisional secretariats etc.It also has improved the system of providing the referral the much needed atten tion from the service sector. 4. Impact on social relations: In general, there is increased awareness among communities regarding disability situations and therefore the need for community members to work together. While there is more recognition for the disabled persons within the family, especially parents have come together to discuss common issues regarding the disabled children. In the CBR centres, there is a marked contribution by parents together as a community to make the programme a success.Particularly in one community, the programme also helped to unify a socially isolated community. 5. Prevention of Disabilities: Promoting the use of Rubella vaccine, improved nutrition through awareness and training on use of low-cost and natural foods, awareness on compatible marriages etc are seen as specific contribution of the programme. Apart from the above, the following are also identified as areas where there needs to be further improvement: 6. Capacity Building of Vocational Tra ining: The present vocational training that are done especially in the rural centres, has a greater otential for improvement in terms of concept and technical inputs. Developing of capacity of teachers handling this work is important. Further, they also require knowledge and skills to make links to markets and the demands. 7. Access to loans for those with vocational Training: At present, WDC CBR programme provides a lump sum amount to those graduating from the VT. What is not clear is the after-support to family as a unit such as access to loans and follow-up in the development of the income generating activity to a viable enterprise. 8.Community Awareness: It is observed that the greater emphasis of the CBR is on the families directly involved in the programme. This the documenter sees as a limitation. Involvement of the community as a whole will create a bigger and sustainable impact. 9. Self Help Group formation: Strong Self-Help groups in the communities where the CBR programme is implemented is considered an asset as it is not only able to provide stability, but also provide economic support involving both the family members of CBR and other members in the community.One other ability of a self help group is also its ability to tap resources within and outside community. 10. Parental Capacity Building: It is noticed that for any emergency or a need, look up to the staff of CBR to provide leadership. Through community capacity building programme, while it can reduce the work load of staff, it could also provide sustainability to the programme. Therefore, it is desirable that within the programme, capacity building of staff be treated as a specific focus to achieve the set objectives of the programme. 1. Advocacy: There are many issues for which advocacy are required. It is unclear on WDC role on policy advocacy. Two specific areas that has paused a challenge are the effort to do away with the special education units and the other is the poor knowledge of p arents and the clients on the rights for services and facilities for the disabled persons. 12. Linking community Development and Networking: The link between the efforts of the CBR with the community development and Networking which are key direction of WDC dose not surface clearly.Therefore, this coherence of the programme requires further enhancement as finally, goal achievement in communities are common. 11. RECOMMENDATIONS The current CBR programme has a big impact on the lives of the disabled people and make the way for the social development. It is indeed a programme with lot of potential. However there are still areas with the CBR program, the staff can look, further father develop and improve the standard of the community based rehabilitation process. 01) Developing the capacity of the staff in Assessing local needs and resource identifications:There is no one model of rehabilitation service that will suit all circumstances based on local situation. What is needed is a needs -based model for the different circumstances. Some early programmes of CBR were not successful because they did not undertake any research on the perception/needs of the target population, or even considered the availability of local resources. Although there has been improvement in this, the resource identification can be further harnessed. Additionally, there is much room for research based model development.While WDC staffs do understand the cultural barriers and surrounding, the disabled persons, their families and even how such children are hidden due to many different reasons, it is certainly beneficial to conduct in depth study to explore information in order to develop local models of intervention in a more accurate way. In this servies, information within the family systems, factors that influence marginalization of disabled person from participating in social activities, career aspiration by the disabled person, etc. should receive critically sharp focus. 02) Disability re lated Policies, and Programs and Preventive Measures:It is apparent that the WDC staff contributes much in the intervention, prevention and rehabilitation process of the disabled and over the years there is both qualitative and quantitative improvement in their work. This does not mean that there is no room for further improvement. The documenter observes that the knowledge of WDC staff in relation to the policies, programmes and preventive measurers that is available in the larger environment, including in the international arena would help in raising the awareness of communication and in motivating the communities more to wards advocacy.3) Building up resource centre for CBR: It is important to maintain an information centre or resource centre to provide the latest information about community based rehabilitation programs in different parts of the world and its new findings for the development to build or improve the capacity of the staff. There is also a need to upgrade the knowl edge of CBR staff in terms of latest development in the field of disability through personal enhancement as well as having access to IT information. Family Help Line: It is observed that the families of the disabled children supported by WDC mostly live in remote areas with minimum access to infrastructure such as transportation etc. Such families can also be identified as multi-deficit families with poverty, voieance, marginalization etc. Due to remoteness of location of the families, for staff to visit with limited resources is seen as difficult. A family – help line is therefore suggested to be developed when such families could reach at time of needs especially for legal, counselling and referral support, as such a system to access will support as an initial measure.This may be a neighbourhood women's group, knowledge of professionals help with close proximity etc. This may work as a quick and effective linkage between community and the CBR program. †¢ Support Groups : It is observed that most of the families of the disabled children are accessing the CBR centres for every need related to their family needs, thes creating an a opportunity to make the families totally dependaed on CBR program. So in the long run this is not good to reach the CBR objectives. Therefore, formation of Support groups in their communities is strongly recommended.Support groups enable individuals with disabilities and their families to exchange ideas where both positive and negative views can be expressed. It also provides a capacity within the community in emergency situations which support groups can provide. ? Hope ? Information ? Friendship ? Sharing ? Problem-solving ? Personal growth ? Advocacy 04) Forming neighbour hood Groups: It can consist of 10 to 20 members in neighbouring villages near to CBR centres having homogeneity in social status, sex, income, occupation, disabilities. It is the basic organization of poor and the marginalized formed and working at the grassroots level.It is a group that can take responsibilities in the issues where CBR program is functioning. It will be a great chance to build up a strong community relationship to reach disabled people in all communities. 05) Awareness programs: Although CBR programme conducts many awareness programs to the community, it is important to conduct awareness programs to increase the knowledge and to build a strong support system. It provides a foundation where the CBR programs can be implemented more effectively with the help of the community. The awareness program can cover the flowing anticipated outcomes Local leaders have increase awareness and their capacity to make changes in their community and the values to organise local people to take positive steps to support the rehabilitation of disabled people.†¢ Local people have to increased their sensitivity towards the disabilities and their vulnerabilities. †¢ Local people have greater confidence in their own ability to make appropriate changes as they can to promote community based support to the people with disabilities. †¢ Effective and ongoing community organization and action on safe-guards rights of the disabled. Improved local services and facilities in education, health, sanitation which have a big impact on the disabled children. †¢ To develop educated and confident people to take and speak of the issues related to self help measures. 06) Training of the CBR staffs: Efficient training of the newly appointed staff in the CBR program in order to have a positive out come in whole program. It is suggested that the staff get training in every aspects of rehabilitation care in the main Kandy centre, by being able to spend certain amount of time in every unit till they are exposed and skilled.