The effect of Vitamin D3 supplementation on body fat mass in healthy, overweight and obese Saudi women

Research background As observed in European and North American communities, levels of obesity in the Saudi Arabian population are on the increase. The epidemic of obesity has been described as the fastest-growing public health challenge in a number of countries. The cost implications alone from the treatment of people with obesity have put a strain on the medical services. One such example is published in an American study in 2008, which showed that that$147 billion needs to be spent every year in America for the management of obesity and obesity related disease. This figure was double of what it was a decade ago. Obesity is a term used to indicate excessive deposition of fat in the body. As mentioned before, it is the most common nutritional disorder in developed countries, and is as well significantly rising in the developing countries such as Saudi Arabia. This can be evidenced from the data reported by the Saudi National Nutrition Survey published on WHO (Health Journal, 2007). Recent studies have found the insufficient level of vitamin D in obese people(Turner, et.al. 2013; Wortsman, et.al. 2000).Although the specific mechanism that results in this shortfall is not yet fully understood, but Turner, et.al. (2013) suggested that the deposition of vitamin D3 in body fat compartments results decreased bioavailability of vitaminD3 from cutaneous and dietary sources. In addition, it has been proposed that intestinal absorption of vitamin D is reduced in patients with obesity (Wortsman, et.al. 2000). Lack of absorption of vitamin D weakens the calcium metabolism in patients with obesity; this in turn, affects the function of the thyroid glands. Altered thyroid gland can no longer perform its physiological roles, one of which is to activate vitamin D in the body. Moreover, studies have reported low level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in obese adults and are linked to increased body fat mass, suggesting the association between low circulating concentrations of vitamin D metabolites and obesity. (Rock, et.al. 2012; Boqacka, et.al. 2011). Furthermore, it has also been reported that after absorption in the intestine, the storage of vitamin D occurs in adipose and muscle tissue, which then slowly releases into the blood stream. Defect in this storage system or pathway may result the deficiency of vitamin D and may have an impact in determining the level of body’s fat and adipose tissue (Salehpour, 2012). Hence, it is believed that the deficiency of vitamin D may induce obesity. Research aims Having reviewed the available literature in the subject, this research project is therefore aimed to: Investigate the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation in healthy, overweight and obese women of Saudi Arabia Investigate the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on body composition in overweight and obese women of Saudi Arabia These aims were targeted with the views to providing evidence regarding the association between vitamin D supplements and obesity. Saudi population were given the preference as the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, as well as of diabetes in Saudi Arabian population is very high (Ardawi, et.al.2012). Research methods Female population between the ages of 18 and 50 will be studied. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 2 groups will be randomly given a vitamin D3 supplement or a placebo (control group) for 12 weeks. Comparison of the levels of vitamin D3 in three different groups of people, healthy, overweight and obese will be done with an aim to measure its implication in these people.After this, analysis will be done measuring different factors that are associated with obesity. Inclusion and exclusion criteria Old, healthy, overweight and obese Saudi women participants with BMI ?25 kg/ and ages between 18-50 years will be included for the study. Healthy participants will be free from metabolic bone disease, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, renal disease and will not be on anymedication, or vitamin supplements. , pregnant or lactating women will be excluded from the study. In addition, individuals with changes in body weight more than 3 kg within last three months prior to the experiment will also be excluded from the study. Finally, the participants who follow the weight-loss programs or are taking weight loss drugs and smoking will be excluded from the study. Research intentions To address the aims, this study is based upon the following research intentions. These will betested in the laboratory. Assessment of body fat mass and fat free mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis at baseline and end of study Assessment of energy and nutrient intakes by 24h food recall and validated food frequency questionnaires, which will then be analyzed for nutrient intake Analysis of blood serum 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone at baseline and end of study Measurement of vitamin D level in the participants’ blood to determine the fluctuation in its level and its affect. Measurement of vitamin D levels of obese and healthy weight participants to establish the difference in the level of vitamin D in these two groups of people. Measurement of vitamin D post digestion to determine the amount of ingested vitamin D to show their fluctuationsbefore and after ingestion in the participants of different groups. To conclude, the main aim of this study will be to investigate the effect of Vitamin D3 supplementation on body fat mass in healthy, overweight and obese Saudi women. The association between vitamin D deficiency and obesity is well established. Obesity still remains one of major health challenges. Despite of intense research, the exact cause of obesity still remains obscure. Both genetic and environmental factors have been reported to be associated with obesity, but none of them completely illustrate the mechanism behind it. But recently, the link between vitamin D3 and obesity has gained some interest. Since obesity is associated with many pathological conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease, unraveling the potent cause and mechanism of obesity will provide insights into the development of promising therapeutics for obesity and obesity related diseases. Also, in the future, References Alqurashi Khalid A, Aljabri Khalid S, BokhariSamia A. (2011) Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a Saudi community. Ann Saudi Med.;31:19–23. Ardawi MS, Sibiany AM, Bakhsh TM, Qari MH, Maimani AA. (2012) ‘High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among healthy Saudi Arabian men: relationship to bone mineral density, parathyroid hormone, bone turnover markers, and lifestyle factors’ Osteoporos Int. 23(2):675-86. El Mouzan MI, Al Herbish AS, Al Salloum AA, Al Omar AA, Qurachi MM (2012) ‘Regional variation in prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi children and adolescents.’ Saudi J Gastroenterol, 18(2):129-32. Rock, CL, et.al.(2012). Obesity. Weight loss is associated with increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in overweight or obese women. 20(11), 2296-2301. Salehpour A, Hosseinpanah F, Shidfar F, Vafa M, Razaghi M, Dehghani S, Hoshiarrad A, Gohari M. A (2012) ‘12-week double-blind randomized clinical trial of vitamin D? supplementation on body fat mass in healthy overweight and obese women.’ Nutr J. 22;11:78 Turer, CD, Lin, H and Flores, G. (2013).Pediatrics. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among overweight and obese US children. 131(1), 152-161. Wortsman, J, et.al. (2000). American Society for Clinical Nutrition. Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. 72(3), 690-693.

Influences of health care delivery

Describe one factor which influences wellness attention bringing in the UK Team working It is of import to look at how team working be improved in order to continually better the criterion of attention given to the patient. Sometimes team members will work good together but sometimes tensenesss can develop between different professionals looking after a patient. There are some state of affairss where a squad attack works better than an single one ( Pickering and Thompson, 2003 ) for case where a mixture of accomplishments is required and it can besides forestall fight where the latter may be damaging to the overall service of attention. For squad work to be effectual there must be equal administration. There can be two facets of the success of squad working, foremost how good the external aim is achieved and secondly the internal mechanics of the group embracing how good the single group members work together ( Pickering and Thompson, 2003 ) . Pickering and Thomson ( 2003 ) have summarised some of the factors which help a squad to work good and besides those factors which can adversely impact its public presentation. In the former class are ;The undertaking is focussedEveryone participates in a relaxed ambianceCommunicationConsensus determinationsAppropriate feedback and ego ratingActions clearly assigned to team membersLeadershipThingss adversely impacting squad work include the followers ;Poor communicatingMembers fostering their ain terminalsLack of leadingNo apprehension of functionsThere is inherently the possibility for a grade of struggle between professionals who are at different degrees of experience within their forte. NICE overcomes, at least the theoretical constituent of, this by doing mention to â€Å"health professionals† instead than depicting them as belong to any one peculiar group. Another disadvantage of a squad construction can be people merely go oning to work as persons, nevertheless â€Å"wo rking â€Å" together † instead than working â€Å" aboard † can excite people and consequence in new ways of undertaking old problems.† ( Davies, 2000 ) . Collaboration with other squad members is most effectual when the squad members recognise each other’s differences and besides readily accept that each member’s position from their ain professional point of view, is merely every bit valid as those of the other members. The differences through can make tensenesss. When the squad is set up single members need to hold assurance in the other squad members. There does, nevertheless necessitate to be some regulations so that certain members do non over shadow the others who need still to be heard. Troubles can originate in big squads. In some multidisciplinary squads the squad members may non all be clearly demarcated. There may be considerable convergence of functions. To assist get the better of this it is of import that the overall aim is clear to all involved and that each individual is cognizant of the duties of the other members in order to avoid duplicates and skips. Team undertakings may alter and the squad needs to be antiphonal to this with an effectual agencies of accommodating its work and even altering its members. Overwhelmingly the most of import facet of squad working is communicating and this is so in all facets of squad working. Critically measure how this influences the proviso of quality wellness attention in regard of the client ‘s professional pattern Team working has an influence on the professional pattern of chiropody in a figure of ways. Podiatry services are frequently provided as portion of a multidisciplinary squad, possibly no-where is this more evident than the podiatric attention given to people with diabetes. For this ground this subject will be analysed in greater item to analyze the of import facets of squad working. At the phase of puting up or modifying a podiatric service the chiropodist is involved as portion of a squad measuring future alterations, make up one's minding on way of alteration and puting up execution. Chiropodists as a squad will hold different countries of involvement within chiropody. For case some may hold an involvement and particular accomplishment in pediatric chiropody, others in general work, others in forensic facets. The manner they work good as a squad will act upon patient result and interaction with other services e.g. the tribunals. Another of import facet of the squad attack is the pa tient being involved as a squad member, once more peculiarly of import in diabetics. Here the chiropodist has a function in patient instruction. The different types of squad working outlined above require different accomplishments of the chiropodist. For case in the multidisciplinary squad of import qualities are a regard for others ways of working and understanding, giving and having feedback. When puting up a service leading qualities, assertiveness and coaction are of import. Multidisciplinary squad Diabetess is a peculiarly of import status for the chiropodist. It has important prevalence with high hazard of terrible wellness effects. Diabetes mellitus affects 1-2 % of the population and half of all lower limb amputations are done because of diabetic complications ( Lorimer, 2002 ) . The chiropodist has an of import function in bar of complications of the diabetic pes since 15 % of diabetic people have a pes ulcer and most leg amputations are preceded by ulceration ( Lorimer, 2002 ) . Diabetess is a multisystem upset and there is hence a demand for close affair between the different squad members who may consist ;ChiropodistDiabetologistSpecialist nurseVascular and orthopedic sawbonessOphthalmologistIn add-on the patient’s attention is frequently shared with their general practician. There are interacting pathological procedures ensuing from the effects of diabetes which contribute to the pes jobs ;Vascular coronary artery disease and little vas disease cut down blood supplyReduced blood O transporting capacityReduced opposition to infection and hapless lesion healingNeurological abnormalcies impede esthesis ; pain no longer protects against hurtPoor vision impedes the diabetic person in inspecting their pess and their manual sleight for cutting their nailsNephritic damage predisposes to oedema which compounds many of the jobs already discussed.In working as a portion of the multidisciplinary squad within diabetic attention there is a really clear undertaking focal point, which is so of import for the effectual operation of a squad attack. The St Vincent’s Declaration has the clearly defined purpose â€Å"a decrease in all lower limb amputations from sphacelus by 50 % over 5 years.† The papers â€Å"Working together to pull off diabetes† is really utile from the point of position of educating other members of the squad. It reinforces the thought of consistence of advice given to patients by different members of the multidisciplinary squad peculiarly by druggists, chiropodists, oculists and tooth doctors. An extra of import characteristic is that it promotes acknowledgment of the factors that require pressing attending by a different member of the squad. To do this work efficaciously it is of import that clear referral mechanisms are in topographic point so that the patient can be easy referred straight to the appropriate member of the squad. Knowledge of the aims of other squad members enables a proactive attack to the jobs within the other subjects. The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot describes, in its practical guidelines, five basiss of attention in the diabetic pes ;Inspecting the pes on a regular basisDesignation of the pes at hazardEducating the patient, their household and health care suppliersAppropriate footwearTreatment of non-ulcerative pathologyThe National Service Framework for Diabetes describes agreements for pes attention for diabetics with Foot Protection Programmes for those at hazard of pes complications and to boot a Multidisciplinary Foot Care Service where the squad members here have more extended accomplishment and cognition to cover with diabetics who really have developed pes jobs or who are at particularly high hazard of so making. Involving the patient in the squad Giving advice to the diabetic patient is an of import facet of attention ( NICE 2004 ) . Patients must have pes attention instruction and advice about suited footwear. It is peculiarly damaging to the pes good being of diabetics if they smoke. It is hence of import that the chiropodist stress this and help with supplying aid about smoking surcease AIDSs. This is emphasized in the Prodigy guidelines. Since diabetes is a multisystem upset smoke will be holding an inauspicious consequence on other bodily systems. It is extremely likely that the patient will be having recommendations and advice about halting smoking from many different members of the multidisciplinary squad. This presents a peculiar challenge to the chiropodist. He or she does non desire to lose out treatment of the inauspicious effects of smoking but does non desire to be seen as yet another individual pecking about the inauspicious effects. Merely showing the information in written literature may non do, it might non be read or it might merely intensify a job of information overload. Clearly this illustrates a manner that the chiropodist must work as a portion of the squad holding wi th other squad members how to near the smoke issue and who should make this and with what grade of accent. Communication is critical if this is to work satisfactorily. For case the diabetologist needs to cognize at what degree of hazard the patient’s pess are soon in. If the pes state of affairs is become critical all avenues of trying smoking surcease will necessitate to be invoked. Similarly good diabetic control ( Turner, 1998 ) and control of blood force per unit area ( UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group, 1998 ) are to the advantage of the diabetic’s pess and the chiropodist needs as consciousness of this in order to reenforce the appropriate advice. Davies C 2000 Getting wellness professionals to work together BMJ 320:1021-1022 Diabetes Care and research in Europe 1990 The Saint Vincent Declaration. Workshop study diabetic medical specialty. 7:360 Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Foot Problems for Peoples with Diabetes. Prodigy guidelines. International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot hypertext transfer protocol: //www.iwgdf.org/ accessed 20 March 2006 Lorimer D French G O’Donnell et Al 2002 Neale’s Disorders of the pes, diagnosing and direction. Churchill Livingstone, London. McInnes 2005 Where were you on World Diabetes Day? The diabetic pes 8 4 National Service Framework for Diabetes Department of Health ( 2003 ) London National Institute for Clinical Excellence ( NICE ) guideline for type 1 diabetes in grownups ( 2002 ) , ( 2004 ) Pickering S and Thompson J, 2003 Clinical administration and best value. Churchill Livingstone. London St Vincent Declaration. Department of Health/British Diabetic Association. St Vincent joint Task Force for Diabetes. British Diabetic Association, 1995. Turner, R.C. , Holman, R.R. , Cull, C.A. et Al ( 1998 ) Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional intervention and hazard of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes ( UKPDS 33 ) . Lancet 352 ( 9131 ) , 837-853. UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group ( 1998 ) Tight blood force per unit area control and hazard of macrovascular and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. British Medical Journal 317 ( 7160 ) , 703-713. Working together to pull off diabetes – a usher for druggists, chiropodists, optomotrists and dental professionals. 2004 The National Diabetes Education Program.

Health and Fitness on nutrition needs for body Essay

Nutrition for athletes Journal of sports science. 22(1): 39-55. (2004) Journal on Timing of Energy and Fluid Intake. The journal I read says physical activity increases rate of energy and fluid loss. Your body needs fluid intake and food intake when you exercise if not it results in loss of fat free mass and it increases dehydration risk. The article states years or research says that a diet high in complex carbohydrate, moderate in protein, and relativity low in fat is best for both health and physical activity. Weight loss, weight gain, and weight stability are a matter of energy balance. It also states that you should consider that the weight of fat is not the same as the proportion of fat. Carbohydrates 7 to 8 g/kg body weight per day. Complex carbohydrates rather than sugars are preferred sources. Protein in adult’s 1-2g/kg body weight per day. Protein in a child is 2g/kg body weight per day. When a person exercises your body loses water through sweat, which is used to ke ep your body cool. That’s why when you are exercising its very important to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated so fluid intake is very important. Water helps regulate your body temp. Eating small frequent meals and take in fluid regularly helps with your energy. The more frequent the eating pattern, the lower the body fat and the higher the muscle mass. Frequent eating with smaller meals reduces the size of within day energy deficits and surpluses, helps to stabilize blood glucose, and also results in lower insulin release than calorically equivalent large meals. Excess weight and obesity are significantly more common among people who consume three or fewer meals a day than those having five or more daily eating/snacking opportunities. In general these finding all imply that the dynamics of energy intake and energy expenditure should be closely matched during the day. Sustaining blood volume is critical for maintaining the delivery of nutrients to cells, removal of metabolic byproducts from cells, and sustaining the sweat rate during physical activity. Everyone loses fluids while sweating. Heat dissipation through the evaporation of sweat is the primary mechanism for removing exercise associated heat. About 75 to 80% of the energy burned for muscular work is loss as heat and can result in a 20 times higher heat production during exercise than at rest. The same exercise done outdoors on a hot and humid day would require even more sweat loss to remove the excess heat because the evaporation of sweat is less efficient with high humidity. It is not uncommon for the fluid requirements of some athletes on such days to exceed 3 liters per hour. A person gets thirsty after about 1.5 l of body water. Thirst is a warning sensation that encourages drinking before body water drops to a critically low level. A person should drink small amounts frequently to avoid thirst. A person needs sodium when they loss sweat. Sodium also encourages a person to drink. My conclusion to this journal is that fluid intake is important while exercising. Your body sweats and fluids are needed. Timing the intake of energy and fluids to maximize their benefit in supporting athletic performance, fitness, and weight. Exercise uses energy and fluids which your body needs.

Film Analysis Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Film Analysis - Movie Review Example She happened upon a truck stop Baghdad Cafe which is already dilapidated, yet struggling. Meanwhile, the owners of the cafe Brenda played by C.C.H. Pounder was also having an argument with his husband, and the husband left Brenda, too. Brenda is a tough wife-mother and short tempered. She was skeptic when Jasmin rented a room at an adjacent motel and remained suspicious of the foreigner’s motives. But later on, Jasmin and Brenda became friend and Jasmin was even allowed to work at the cafe. Percy Adlon claimed that the movie â€Å"exemplifies how one person in the right place can affect a community of lives,† may be a fictional exaggeration but achievable in reality through concerted efforts of major and minor characters. But the movie was able to build up in its simplicity through the gradual introduction of various characters. There were Brenda’s children including her son played by Darron Flag who played the piano, the glamorous tattoo artist Debby played by C hristine Kauffman, a former Hollywood set painter Rudi Coxx played by Jack Palance. The last two are just two of the regulars of the almost deserted cafe. So much like in real life, it took effort and initiative to foster change at any environment. And Jasmin’s German fastidiousness soon crept up she started cleaning her motel room and the cafe. She also developed fascination with savvy-talking Rudi who proposed to paint a series of portraits of Jasmin, with every painting bolder than the last. To keep herself engaged and busy, Jasmin also started learning the magic kit found in her suitcase and showing her skills to the thinning cafe customers. However, it was this small magic show that soon spread by word of mouth among the trucking community. The cafe soon peaked and packed. Through the presence and efforts of one person- Jasmin – Baghdad Cafe became a place to go. It became an interesting place because Jasmin started to care for the place and the people in it. The desert setting, a â€Å"middle of nowhere† feeling that is also a metaphor of what Jasmin and Brenda are going through: like a mid-life crisis that is so vast, bland, and nowhere to escape. The boomerang represents a reciprocal experience of what one gives and being returned, such as what Jasmin gave to the others, and then, returned back to her. The magic tricks, too, meant to represent the efforts that individuals provide for others may actually serve as trigger for surprising things to come. Such can be said to Rudi Coxx who has retired as a painter, and yet, he strangely began to have interest on the work again. In the beginning, a common denominator about the characters in Baghdad Cafe is their being stuck on a rut. Life has become so mundane and boring they seem to have succumbed to an end, a plateau. This can be said of Jasmin, Brenda, Rudi, and the rest of the characters of Baghdad Cafe. Yet, when Jasmin started to make the most of what she have, with cleaning materia ls at hand, perspectives have changed. From Brenda’s suspicion arose the glaring message that Jasmin might be sending. However, Jasmin did things out of sincerity and a need to address her own rut. Through her efforts, Rudi also started to have interest about painting, again. Brenda and her children became more inspired to improve the cafe. The presence of Jasmin, one person in the right place, has helped change the perspective of

Positioning and differentiation strategies Essay

Positioning and differentiation strategies - Essay Example Positioning strategy is influenced by the attributes, the types of the consumers who are involved in this process, application and the object attributes. Differentiation strategy is concerned with developing the unique products and services for different types of customers. Differentiation strategy is considered as one among the three generic marketing strategies. Mayo Clinic has been established for offering the best available services to its patient through the integrated clinical practice and the education and research. For developing the reputation of the clinic it has focused on the positioning strategy. Mayo Clinic in order to attract more of its customers or patient has concentrated on the needs and the requirements of the patients and it has also developed the level of commitment of its staff. In terms of the cost, Mayo clinic have engaged lot of engineers in there clinic who are constantly engaged in improving the efficiency of the science and technology. The clinic has a training centre that guides or assists the staff in the use or the application of the technology for removing or decreasing the waste and therefore it has taken various initiative that will result in the better or suitable outcome that will be safe for the patients and therefore it has focused on providing the better services at a affordable and reasonable cost that will increase the value of the clinic. Mayo clinic has positioned itself as a diagnostic centre. The positioning is considered as an important strategy for developing and increasing the customer base and also the brand equity. The positioning strategies of Mayo clinic is mainly focusing on driving the growth , achieving the goals and the objectives defining the brand, improving the services and understanding the patient and offering the best available services to its patients. Since there are different positioning strategies adopted by

Essay 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

2 - Essay Example However, Etzioni claims that these jobs do not provide educational advancement due to their highly structured nature (Etzioni 303). The jobs offer many skills without considering the length of time the employees need to acquire these skills. In addition, there are evidences of many students dropping out of schools to take up the low-skill jobs on full-time basis. Supporters of teen jobs claim that the jobs help poor performing students in academic and those from lower-class families get income and some training. However, Etzioni refutes the claim by arguing that the jobs only perpetuate the students’ unfortunate statuses. Many teens in these part-time jobs also work for too long, approximately 30 hours per week. Hence, they lack enough time to attend to their schoolwork. Others also claim that teen jobs offer an opportunity for teens to learn teamwork and work under supervision. However, they tend to teach the wrong kind of compliance. Furthermore, the control is tight and inappropriate because most places of work try to save on cost by employing teens instead of an adult figure in the supervising position (Etzioni 305). Thus, the teens cannot get a chance of learning from an elderly, more knowledgeable, and stricter supervisor. Consequently, inappropriate teen values dominate in these places, fueling degradation of values among young sters. Additionally, parents cannot precisely evaluate the money that the youths receive. In most cases, the teens channel most of their earnings to purchasing youthful status symbols that cannot contribute to any meaningful developments. Etzioni’s essay clearly reflects some of the experiences I went through in paid teenage jobs. Most teen employments only provide an opportunity for students to escape responsibilities and school to gratify their desire to embrace the American adult consumerism. In one of my junior years in high school, I Essay 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11 2 - Essay Example On the other hand, Immanuel Kant developed the Kantian ethics which refers to deontological ethical theory that was developed as a result of enlightenment rationalism which looks at the intrinsic value of an act. If the act is intrinsically good, then it can be decided that the act has good will in it and it can be adopted as a good act. Kant developed categorical imperatives which are commands that determine the actions that will be accepted or rejected in a given societal set up. In deciding whether to do an action or not, one must decide whether anyone else will choose your line of thought if faced by a similar dilemma. If the choice would be different then the action should not be done. One should also ensure that the action done is in respect to human beings and not just self-centred. The two theories have a number of things in common. First they uphold doing what is good to humanity. Unitarianism ensures that one evaluates the magnitude of the consequences and whether the positive results will out-weigh the negative ones. Kantian ethics emphasizes on the need to do good to the society and doing the actions that are not self-centred. On the contrary the actions done should always reflect on the betterment of the whole societies’ living. This means that the two theories ensures that the actions that individuals will do in a given situation must be analysed well and if the consequences will be positive to the individual and the society then it should be done. For instance, our leaders are often faced with situations where they have to make decisions that can either be of benefit to themselves or the whole society. Being the lawmakers in parliament, they can use their mandated powers to draft laws that can increase their salaries and benefits at the expense of the tax-payers money. In such a situation the decision to do such an act should be driven by an evaluation of the

Outsourcing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Outsourcing - Term Paper Example focus more on core competences, allows organization to provide products and services to consumers on much cheaper rate, it allows best utilization of time and factors of production, and with activities it also transfers the risk attached to those activities. With advantages, outsourcing has some disadvantages as well, which includes Increase in unemployment in outsourcing country, it often eradicates direct communication between an organization and its clients which hinders organization to build strong relationship with employees, it rises the risk of losing control over operations, it makes the sensitive information vulnerable as chances of leakage of information increases with outsourcing, and it makes organizations largely dependent upon the outsourced partner (Bettis, Bradley, & Hamel, 1992). There are number reasons which explain why organizations outsource their functions and business processes, one of the basic and major reasons is that it saves money and allows organization to pool that money in more productive activity There are many things which companies consider while looking to outsource as the success of outsourcing such as, Companies’ capability to manage in mobile locations; Companies’ capacities to expand and to build outsource partnerships, and companies’ skills and abilities to what to produce and not to produce while being competitive in the market (Boudreaux, 2008). There are number of exogenous factors which also need to be considered by companies while looking for outsourcing, which are Political stability of a country where function or process is outsourced, Language skills of outsourced partner, Infrastructure stability of outsourced partner, and flexibility of intellectual property rights and business contracts in the country of outsourced partner. Companies should concern about handing over technology to other businesses as this practice is quite worrying for them who outsource functions or business processes in order to save

As you suggest Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

As you suggest - Movie Review Example Piketty programs significance of wealth in contemporary economies is reaching levels only previously seen during World War I. From this, Piketty formulates a outstanding hypothesis about capital and inequality, it’s and that wealth increases quicker than economic productivity or growth. A proposition to assure every citizen an annual salary of Fr.30,000 is underway in Switzerland. The salary is paid irrespective of the citizen’s employment starters or wealth. The proposition has gone a sufficient number of supporters to prompt a referendum in the country. Paul Solman, an Economics columnist, speaks about this proposition in the fast rate at which it is acquiring traction across political party margins outside Switzerland in developed economies such as the United States. However, Solman says views on this idea vary on, if, and how and assure the basic salary would be practical (Solman, 2014). Solman, P. (2014). Idea of paying citizens a yearly stipend is gaining support in Switzerland. PBS. Retrieved from

Integrated Marketing Communications (Marketing Communications Essay

Integrated Marketing Communications (Marketing Communications Management, Copley) - Essay Example This is more like an effective communication with the target market. Sales promotion is a marketing communication tool specifically designed to provide consumers with some incentive inducing immediate response, possibly in the form of purchase. Sales promotion tools and techniques may include coupons, sampling, refunds and rebate, bonus packs, price off deals. For example Kellogg's may come up with a new brand of cereals. To encourage product trial, Kellogg may place a coupon in Kellogg's Corn Flakes. The crossruff coupon may encourage those who purchase and use Kellogg's Corn Flakes to try the new Kellogg brand. When we talk of sampling, Proctor and Gamble has always used sampling to get homemakers to try a new brand of detergent. They mail a sample to adult females in households across US. Sampling is very common with food items. A decade ago the advertising to sales promotion ratio was around 60:40, but today in many consumer packaged companies sales promotion accounts for 65 to 75 percent of the combined budget. Haagen Dazs ran a cents off sales promotion called Sweet Charity where the price savings would be contributed to support public television. This offer enhanced the Haagen Dazs image by making it "a patron of the art". Public relation is an important tool to maintain a positive image of the firm in the minds of the customers to enhance repeat patronage. The most common use of public relations tools to achieve goals of the habit formation strategy is publicity. Microsoft's campaign launching Windows 95 was an MPR success story. No paid ads for Windows 95 had appeared by August 24, 1995, the launch day. Yet everyone knew about it. The Wall Street Journal estimated about that 3000 headlines, 6852 stories, and over 300 million words were dedicated to Windows 95 from July 1st to August 24th. Microsoft team around the world executed attention-grabbing publicity. Another example of Wine Growers of California who had hired public relations firm of Daniel J. Edelman, Inc, to develop a publicity campaign to convince Americans that wine drinking is a pleasurable part of good living and to improve the image and market share of California wines. Direct Marketing Direct Marketing will be addressed as a marketing communication tool used in the form of direct forms of distribution. Direct mail, catalogs, telemarketing, direct response advertising, new electronic media and direct selling are one of the few examples. Citicorp, AT&T, IBM, Ford and American Airlines have used integrated direct marketing to build profitable relations with customers over the years. Retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and Fredrick's of Hollywood regularly send out catalogs to supplement in store sales. Personal Selling Personal selling which is the face-to-face interaction with one ore more prospective purchasers for the purpose of making presentations, answering questions and procuring orders. Looking at this example we learn how John Deere used personal selling as means of selling its products. In 1993 when the dwindling demand for farm equipment and the aggressive actions of competitors pushed Deere's managers to create a strategy that involved its hourly assembly workers in finding and approaching prospects. Deere sent some of its experienced and knowledgeable workers to regional trade exhibits across North America to pitch the company's equipment to dealers and farmers. Once the new reps had wooed potential customers with

Childcare and Education Essay Example for Free

Childcare and Education Essay B) Evaluate the role of play in meeting the meeting the individual needs of children who are ill Role play is one way in which you can meet the individual needs of children who are ill as it allows the children to freely express themselves and their feelings without the worry of being told what to do and how to do it in a safe environment free from harm an example from one of my day nursery placements was when the room supervisor had the role play area changed to a doctors surgery because quite a lot of children where ill with the chickenpox, so that they werent worried about going to the doctors and could act out different scenarios with their friends. Role play is very adaptable and can be changed to meet each individual childs specific needs an example would be if one of the children in the practitioners care had to go through very serious treatment at the hospital then the practitioner would change the role play area to a mock hospital set up so that the child can express themselves and find out information on what going to hospital is like and for them to be able to explain to their friends what is going on with themselves. Child-led activities and Adult-led activities are another way in which the practitioner can meet the individual needs of a child who is ill, this type of activity allows the child who is ill some control on what their role is in the activity and how they go about completing that role throughout the activity an example from my current primary school placement would be when we did a science experiment on materials. The teacher explained what the children needed to do and showed them a visual demonstration, then the children split into groups of three on separate tables about the classroom. The children then following what the teacher had said carried out the experiment with the different roles split between themselves. One would record the information and draw around the surface splat, another would be dropping the plasticine and the last one would be holding the three different length rulers. Observation and planning helps in meeting the needs of a child who is ill because as a practitioner it allows them to be able to see where the child needs further assistance and for the practitioner to plan the further assistance.

Assessment Frameworks in Social Work

Assessment Frameworks in Social Work Case Study The role of social work intervention is an intensely complicated one in which legislation passed in recent years has had a significant impact. On the one hand this legislation has worked so that social services have become increasingly integrated with various other local authority departments so that they can work together in effective unison. At the same time work has been undertaken to unsure that those on the receiving end of social care do not feel stigmatised or discriminated against by the care they receive, or feel confused about why they have been targeted. Problems of discrimination, as well as important problems regarding poverty, are ones which need to be taken into due consideration. These issues are especially important when it comes to children and families, as we shall see in the specific case of Karen. In the recent history the issue of social care has found itself featured increasingly prominently on the political agenda. This is because social care is an issue in the United Kingdom which requires special care, particularly when it comes to potentially vulnerable young people. It is generally believed that the welfare of parents is closely linked to the development of children (Kirk, 2003), and therefore in areas which are suffering form poverty in the UK, and where there is a cycle of poverty, there are children who are particularly vulnerable, and who in particular need to be draw to the attention of social services. Stratham identifies the following groups of children who are likely to put set aside for special treatment by social workers, and who are seen as especially vulnerable. They are as follows: Children and young people living away from home, including those looked after by local authorities or privately fostered. Asylum-seeking children and refugees, both with families and unaccompanied. Children with troubled parents, for example those living with domestic violence or whose parents have mental health, drug or alcohol problems. Some of these will be young carers. Children engaged in antisocial or offending behaviour Children whose families are homeless, and those children who are not in school. Teenage parents. Children who are abused, including those abused through prostitution and child trafficking (Stratham, 2004). A particular problem facing those working in social care is the fact that those who are in most need often tend in turn to be those who are least likely to reach out for family help, or even help from health services. Therefore when dealing with parents who have substance abuse problems or mental health problems, it is vitally important that effective links be made between the various health and social work departments. Families need to feel respected and not stigmatised by the provision of services (Stratham, 2004). Legislation, practice guidance and policy have had a significant impact on the area of social work intervention in recent years. Social Work as a profession began in the late 1800s (Eliot, 2006); however it is in the past twenty years or so that we are concerned, as this period has seen a glut of legislation and guidance to help make the delivery of social care more effective and, in turn, more palatable to those on the receiving end. In the 1980s the press reported many cases of child neglect which built in to an increased hysteria around the issue of child protection. This resulted in an increasingly authoritarian mode of child protection, which focused strongly on dealing with the perpetrators of neglect, rather than attempting to create a framework to detect and prevent warning signs (Frost, 2000). The first piece of legislation to attempt to dramatically alter the way that children’s protection was organised came through the Children’s Act of 1989. The 1989 Children’s Act empowered local authorities, and made them responsible for social services provision (Penn Gough, 2002). The aim of the Act was to entrench the partnership between the state and families, and it applied to the needs to the child and the provision of services (Cleaver Walker, 2004). Ideally the power in the partnership between the state and the parent will be evenly balanced as a result of the Act. When the Labour Government came to power in 1997 they began to introduce a raft of reports and legislation dealing with specific issues concerning child care. The ‘Supporting Families’ Green Paper of 1998 was concerned with representing the spirit of the 1989 Act, and moving new initiatives forward. The importance of the role of the voluntary sector in early years child care was noted in this Green Paper, and schemes such as Home Start were encouraged. Home Start offered support to mothers of children aged under five. The Green Paper stressed the importance of formal and informal support networks in early years child care. The paper stressed that schemes were needed to meet the physical and emotional needs of children, the social and educational needs of children, to help confidence in parenting and to provide respite to parents under stress. Home Start works with referrals from Health professionals, often to issues such as stress which is an affliction linked strongly t o poverty. Schemes such as Home Start were not intended to act as a replacement to traditional social services (Frost, Johnson, Stein Wallis, 2000). As part of the ‘Supporting Families’ Green Paper, responsibility for Day Care Centres was shifted by the government from the Department of Health to the Department of Education (Moss, 2006). In 2000 the Children Needing Care Act was introduced to prevent such phenomena as ‘foster drift’ (Eliot, 2006). The intention of this Act was very much to prevent a situation in which vulnerable young children fall entirely out of the social care system. In 2003 the Government published a further Green Paper entitled ‘Every Child Matters’. This was to become a very important document in the government’s social care policy. It was introduced largely as part of the fallout from the Victoria Climbie case, which had caused widespread press outraged at failures which occurred in social care provision. The paper set out five main aims for potentially vulnerable children. These aims were as follows: to be healthy, to stay safe, to enjoy and achieve, to make a positive contribution, and to achieve economic well-being. These aims were to underpin future government legislation on social policy (Stratham, 2004). The Children’s Act of 2004 was a further step towards acting upon the Every Child Matters Green Paper. It set up the new role of Children Commissioner – a role independent of central government and concerned with the wellbeing of children (Moss, 2006). The Care Quality Commission for England was launched as part of the Health and Social Care Act of 2008. This Act abolished several bodies to make way for this new Commission which was to be a new care standards regulatory authority whose mandate is to integrate the areas of social care and health. By this time the government’s approach of social care was becoming increasingly linked to the areas of physical health and wellbeing of young and vulnerable children. According to Stratham the integration of children’s social care with education and health was vital, as it helped to set up a proper new support service which was more likely to spot signs of neglect in early years (Stratham, 2004). It is clear that the government has moved in recent years to integrate several authorities with social care. The Health and Social Care Act of 2007 introduced measures to integrate social care between the services. At the same time it set up the new National Service Framework, a ten year programme intended to stimulate long term improvements in children’s health. This Act was aimed at everyone who comes into contact with and delivers services to children. The current focus of the government is very much on early intervention, in the welfare of children. The Government now requires all local authorities to have a Children and Young People’s Plan. When looking at this increased integration there are several arguments both for and against these developments. Whilst on the one hand these moves definitely make sense as these disciplines certainly are linked with each other, on the other hand the result of this can sometimes be an increased in paperwork, and an increasingly confused megalith in which one hand does not know what the other is doing. An increase in paperwork has certainly been a complaint of other organisations under New Labour, most notably the Police. It is therefore also worth noting that increasingly social services and the police have been encouraged to work together in recent years, particularly in the area of children’s wellbeing. Members of social work teams are encouraged to contact a local Police Authorities Child Protection Officer. It is often difficult to coordinate services in any local authority, and when social services are required to cooperate with so many departments it seems inevitable that problems will occur. There is a further problem which is that any changes in the social care structure or methods to reduce poverty which are introduced tend to be slow to trickle down to the grass roots, and to those experiencing most poverty where this care is most needed (Penn Gough, 2002). The trend in the Government’s approach to social care has changed in recent years to a shift towards empowering individuals involved in the system as opposed to forcing themselves onto people, as many felt was the case in the eighties. This seems to be backed up by the introduction of procedures such as the Assessment Framework (New Statesman, 2007). One of the main strands of government policy has been the introduction of anti-poverty measures. This is why Gordon Brown’s introduction of the Sure Start initiative was widely seen as so important as it made an attempt to put an emphasis on children born into poverty (Kirk, 2003). One introduction designed to help those on the receiving end of social care intervention was the Common Assessment Framework. A common parental complaint before the introduction of the Assessment Framework was a lack of information from social workers, regarding why they were being targeted and what the process was etc (Cleaver Walker, 2004). The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a standardised approach to conducting an assessment of a child’s individual needs. The Assessment Framework encourages parental involvement in the assessment process, and means that social workers have to compare information. The main point of the Common Assessment Framework is to encourage social workers to talk through the role of the assessment framework with parents. Questions have been raised from certain sections of the social work community about relevance of the assessment framework, with claims being made that some families find it intrusive. However a report conducted by Cleaver and Walk er entitled Assessing Children’s Needs and Circumstances suggests an improvement in the overall provision of social care since the Assessment Framework was introduced. Core assessment means there are in detail discussions between parents and social workers (Cleaver Walker, 2004). *** The process of social work intervention is one which works on many levels. There is macro intervention by social workers which takes place in the community as a whole, however more relevant in this case is Micro intervention which is intervention on an individual level to those who are in most need of intervention. Local authorities can initiate care proceedings in the protection of children. These proceedings are initiated in the case of fear of ‘significant harm’. There is confidentiality regarding reporting of abuses which are generally encouraged by the police and social services but which can lead to abuses of the reporting system. A single incident will often trigger a referral if problems have been brewing for a while. Suspected physical abuse is a prevalent issue, and one which social workers need to act most swiftly on, often in conjunction with the police (Cleaver Walker, 2004). Also if there is suspected alcohol and drug abuse then this is a big problem where the raising of a child is concerned (Penn Gough, 2002). The importance of service user rights are paramount for many reasons. Service user rights are largely protected by processes such as the Assessment Framework, where users gain a greater understanding of the processes of the system. Those who report suspected abuses have confidentiality rights in the social work system. As has been mentioned many feel this can lead to abuses, are not helpful in explaining to those on the receiving end of social care interventions why they are being targeted. In the case of Karen it is clear that members of the social work team should tread carefully. On the one hand the identity of the neighbour who has reported the abuse must be protected. On the other hand Karen needs to be able to understand why she is being targeted, and therefore the various steps of the Assessment Framework need to be talked through with her. If there are problems regarding the children’s safety and hygiene it is vitally important that you liaise with the relevant health services, and work closely in conjunction with them. If your assessment shows neglect then the next step that you would have to taken is a potential court action for care of the children. The ASPIRE model stands for Actualising Social and Personal Identity Resources. The Aspire Model has been designed to harness the potential associated with important subgroup social identities (Haslam, 2003). Application of that model within an organisation is specific to certain goals, and in this case thi s model can be useful in properly formalising integration between social work and other services. Discrimination is a problem for all social work departments, and there are many issues relating to discrimination which social work teams have to be very much aware of. It is important that social work should be non-stigmatising and it is also crucial that it should not be discriminatory (Frost, Johnson, Stein Wallis, 2000). Issues which need to be taken into consideration include poverty – an issue which is highly prevalent in Karen’s case – and also issues of race and gender. It needs to be taken into account that most users of social care are female. This is firstly because females are often the primary carers of children (Kirk, 2003), however there are other core reasons for this fact. Of the fifty parents surveyed in one study undertaken by Penn and Gough, only three respondents were men. This is because of the fact that men tend to be less likely to want to liaise with social services, due to an overall suspicion of the process, and of receiving this sort of help in general (Penn Gough, 2002). Other studies seem to suggest racial minorities are less likely to be knowledgeable of the role that social services can play if they are experiencing problems. Some research suggests that Black and Minority Ethnic parents are less likely to be aware of the possible role that social services can play (Stratham, 2004), and are therefore less likely to seek help (Penn Gough, 2002). There are certainly problems is members of ethnic minorities are not fully integrated into the community. On top of these other discriminatory issues it is also widely considered that social care as it stands discriminates against the elderly and disabled in society (Guest, 2007). In Conclusion social work traditionally tends to focus on issues such as emotional support. However the issues which are raised by those who are users of social care tend to be more likely related to financial assistance (Penn Gough, 2002). Against this backdrop the best that social care workers can do is to ensure that they work together with the relevant authorities, particularly those in health, to try and ensure the best start possible for children, and to root out potential neglect. At the same time they need to ensure they have good relations with those whom they are trying to help, and this is why the Assessment Framework is so important. In this way if final decisions have to be taken then they will do, and it is vital that the intervention process is followed. Bibliography Cass, B., Exploring Social Care: Applying a New Construct to Young Carers and Grandparent Carers, Australian Journal of Social Issues, Volume: 42. Issue: 2, 2007 Cleaver, H., Walker, S., Assessing Children’s Needs and Circumstances, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004 Eloit, A., Reflections on Working for Childrens Social Services in the United Kingdom, Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, Volume: 9. Issue: 1, 2006, Frost, N., Johnson, L., Stein, M., and Wallis, L., Home Start and the Delivery of Family Support, Children and Society, Vol 14, 2000 Gilbert, F., Finally, Freedom: Well Learn to Love the Bill, New Statesman, Volume: 135. Issue: 4782, March 6 2006 Guest, The Wheels Are Coming off Social Care: Our Way of Looking after the Old and Disabled Is Already Failing and Will Get Worse, New Statesman, Volume: 136. Issue: 4864, October 1, 2007, Haslam, A., Social Identity at Work, Psychology Press, 2003 Kirk, R. H., Family Support: The Role of Early Years’ Centres, Children and Society, Vol 17, 2003 Moss, P., Farewell to Childcare?, National Institute Economic Review, Issue: 195, 2006 Penn, H., and Gough, D., The Price of a Loaf of Bread: Some Conceptions of Family Support, Children and Society, Vol 16, 2002 Stratham, J., Effective services to support children in special circumstances, Thomas Coran Research Unit, UCL, 2004 National Service Framework Documents, Department of Health, cited at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/NationalServiceFrameworks/Children/DH_4089111 New Statesman, Round Table: A New Deal on Social Care? Participants Debate the Harsh Realities Confronting Society in Deciding the Kind of Autonomy We Want over Our Care and How We Can Find the Money to Fund It, Volume: 136. Issue: 4864, October 1, 2007, Western Mail, Discrimination of Princes Trust Loans and Grants, February 15, 2005, Western Mail, Quality of Patient Care Has to Be at the Heart of a Progressive Health Service, April 10, 2006,

American Immigration Essay -- United States History Historical Essays

American Immigration During the early 1900’s a vast amount of people both immigrated and migrated to the United States in search of money, better jobs, new lives, etc. Yet, the people who immigrated and migrated to the United States were each a part of different cultures: from Italian to German, French to Jewish, Irish to African American (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). New York City was a prime location for the immigrants and migrants of the time to create their new lives. They joked that â€Å"The Jews own New York, the Irish run it and the Negroes enjoy it† (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). The single line clearly shows how each group, Jewish, Italian, and African American, had distinct experiences from one another. Although they had experiences that were different, the immigrants and migrants all experienced some of the same feelings, being in a new place, being discriminated against and being alone. After immigrating and migrating to the United States, Eastern European Jews, Italians, and African Americans had experiences that were unique as well as similar to each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first experience of immigrants and migrants was the area of neighborhood they chose to live in. In New York, African Americans migrated primarily to Harlem, yet were scattered in different neighborhoods. This was an ideal location for African Americans, since â€Å"most people in New York were so busy they hadn’t time to spend hating other people† (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). Although most of the New Yorkers did not discriminate, there was still a portion of the population that contained Southern whites, who felt that the African Americans were taking over the white neighborhoods (American Cities/New York/African American/Intergroup Relations/Color Lines). Within these neighborhoods was where the African Americans encountered prejudice and persecution (Global View/Arrival/Northern Train Stations/letters/The Exodus During the World War). Although the African Americans moved north to escape the effec ts of slavery, the prejudices still followed them to New York, where being spread across the city did not help.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Italians and the Eastern European Jews, on the other hand, immigrated to New York â€Å"as part of a larger family, kin or vi... ...merican ideals to prove that.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eastern European Jews, Italians and African Americans had experiences, which allowed the groups to connect and feel as one group, immigrating and migrating to find a better life, and also separated them from one another. Through the neighborhoods they lived in, the organizations and churches they began, the jobs they worked in, and accepting American ideals as their own, the immigrants were similar in their experiences. The African Americans experienced more prejudices due to their race then the Italians or the Jews. This, overall, affected their way of life and experiences in America, while the Italians and Jews led fairly typical American lives. This same problem of forcing American Ideals upon immigrants to prevent discrimination is still an issue today. Should the only way for immigrants and migrants to live enjoyable lives are to conform to American ideals and morals, or should each individual be allowed the choice to be different and not undergo assumptions made by the American Citizens? People should be treated equally whether they choose to assimilate or continue to follow their culture. This is the land of the free home of the brave.

Study Proposal for a Social Studies and Premedical (Premed) Student Ess

Study Proposal for a Social Studies and Premedical (Premed) Student As a Social Studies and premedical student, I aspire to lead an international health and development non-governmental organization (NGO). Combining my skills as a physician and practitioner of development, I plan to enhance the health of marginalized, persecuted, and exiled populations. Through direct interaction with government bodies and humanitarian NGOs, I hope to highlight and curb the medical and psychological burdens stemming from human rights violations. Building on my skills as a humanitarian law and refugee tracing instructor, I also wish to train international and indigenous relief personnel to ensure the sanitary, nutritional, and health standards of uprooted populations. Aspiring to bring holistic leadership to the health and humanitarian sector, I must thoroughly understand and know to confront the social, political, and cultural factors linked with poor health. I therefore propose to pursue and academically focussed MPhil in Development Studies preferably from Oxford U niversity or from the Univers...

Mary Kay Letoureau :: essays research papers

Mary Kay Letourneau was a 34 year old teacher from Seattle, Washinton who was convicted of second degree rape on a twelve year old boy. As a result of this affair this already mother of four had two childeren with this 12 year old boy. She originally was senteced to spend 90 days in jail and was to take medicine for being bi-polar. She violated parole by again having sexual intercourse with Vili once again. She was senteced to seven and a half years in jail and was recently released from prison. The area of this situation I will be writing about is the incidicent that happend in the marina with Vili and Mary. Both were found in a mini-van by the police late at night , approximatly 0100 am. Vili appeared to be hiding under a sleeping bag and the police asked how old he was. She replied and said he was 18. The police became suspcious after the youth did not have any idenitification amd said he was 14. The police brought the two of them to the station where Vili's mother was called and she ok'd the fact that Mary was watching over VIli. Some questions come of this situation. Was the police response standard protocol? Was their investigation solid? Was the out come fair? And, If I was the commanding officer what orders would I have given to the investigators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Was the police response standard protocol? Yes, the police initially questioned what a watchman thought was a person or incident. Upon arrival the found what looked like a young boy hinding in a sleeping bag so , they questioned the individuals in the mini-van. Vili who was originally said to be 18 years old could not produce documents to prove his age and then later said he was 14 so they were taken to headquarters because of that issue and other suspcions. After arriving at the station VIli's mother was called because Mary told the police officers that she was his teacher ans was watching him overnight. Vili's mother assured police that her son was under the care of Mary. In this siutation the police had reasonable suspition after the officers asked the age and they gave a conflicting answer along with the absence of identification. The actions of the police to take them to headquarters in nornal in instances when a person cant prove age or identity.

Rene Descartes and a discription Essay

Rene Descartes (1596-1650) was not only a philosopher but also a mathematician and scientist. As a philosopher, he used skepticism as a means of finding the truth of all. His idea was to doubt everything, and in doubting everything, anything that couldn’t be doubted was definite. â€Å"I will doubt everything that can possibly be doubted, he reasons, and if anything is left, then it will be absolutely certain. † (Moore/Bruder 93) This, Descartes felt was the only way to obtain truth and knowledge. This method was to take away all the confidence in everything that was taught to us, what we sense and believe, and the things we take as being obvious. To truly determine if we know anything is for certain we must doubt it all disregarding all we knew about it before. So everything we currently believe is open to discussion and can be questioned. Descartes’ ‘Method of Doubt’ incorporated two well-known conjectures, a dream conjecture and the evil demon conjecture. What the dream conjecture is, is the notion that everything that is reality might just be a dream. Adding to the dream conjecture, is the evil demon conjecture. This evil demon conjecture, in essence, is the concept that if this all [reality], is just a dream, then perhaps there is an evil demon that is deceiving our minds with these false images of reality. So, we can’t assume that our bodies or that anything of our experience exists and can be trusted to be true. For everything we know could be just a dream and not real at all and controlled by a deceiver. No, Descartes was not out of his mind. He was aware that these two conjecture he composed sounded far-fetched. However, that was the whole point. Descartes was on a quest to find certainty in an any-case-possibility. What Descartes came up with after going through and doubting everything was the cogito, ergo sum or â€Å"I think, therefore I am. † What this meant was if you are thinking, you are existing. â€Å"The self that doubts its own existence must surely exist to be able to doubt in the first place. † (Moore/Bruder 93) Subsequently, this was the only true thing we can know to be real. We know that we exist at least in a form of a mind. So we can doubt our physical existence but not our mental existence because you can think. To take this a step further he developed the clear and distinct test. The clear and distinct test was a test to find out what was true with â€Å"clarity and distinctness. † Meaning, anything that is clear and distinct is true. Using this clear and distinct test, Descartes came to the conclusion that God, in fact, exists. Descartes believed he viewed God clearly and distinctively, and further, God would not let an evil demon toy with his mind, if such a thing did exist. Descartes also thought that there were two distinct substances beyond God, and these two substances were material substance and mind substance. The material substance was all that exists and occupies space and the mind substance is that of thought. â€Å"Because a substance, according to Descartes, â€Å"requires nothing other than itself to exist,† it follows that mind and matter are totally independent of each other. † (Moore/Bruder 95) The result to these two substances being independent of each other is called parallelism. â€Å"The mind, they argued, does not really cause the body to move. When I will that my hand should move, my act of willing only appears to cause my hand to move. † (Moore/Bruder 97)Descartes felt that God was the one who was involved in the mental things that happened and the sequence of material actions. He believed God was the reason those two things happened to happen together. This idea was called occasionalism. Descartes was first to make this systematic account of the mind and body relationship, and also the soul’s contact with the body. (Rorty). Descartes essentially through everything, approached all metaphysical issues by going back and trying to pick apart everything about the basic things. â€Å"Descartes tried to discover metaphysical truth about what is through epistemological inquiry about what can be know. † (Moore/Bruder 97) The profit of Descartes’ ideas is that in the dismissal of everything makes you question and look at elements that may be overlooked because it is human to draw on experience. So, to clear oneself of all former beliefs leaves everything wide open for exploration and opens up a wider scope. The problem I find in his distinct and clear theory is Descartes proof of God’s existence. In â€Å"proving† the existence of God he uses circular reasoning. This circular reasoning is called the Cartesian Circle. The Cartesian Circle is the circular reasoning that, on one hand, we can only know that God exists because we clearly and distinctively perceive it, and on the other hand, we can only know that our clear and distinct perceptions are true because God exits. (Loeb 200-235) This type of reasoning doesn’t make any concrete conclusions on the existence of God. It just keeps going around in a circle, one right after the other. Descartes believe that only his perceptions could be deceived not his mind. So since God was good and perfect, he wouldn’t allow him to be deceived, therefore God exists. To explain his ideas on the existence of God, Descartes states that if one can have an idea of a perfect being, which is God, then a perfect being must exist if we can think it in our minds. All of this to me, doesn’t show any solid proof. Even though you can think something in your mind, doesn’t mean it must exits. I can think lots of things in my mind personally, that doesn’t necessary mean that somewhere, maybe not in the physical world I experience, truly exists. Also, if God did exists, and if God is perfect, as Descartes claims, then why does Atheism and such religious beliefs exist? Wouldn’t perfection be if God could exist and not be questionable? Because what Descartes believes is all that we can perceive clearly and distinctively exists, and he had not given any way that explains how you can perceive God clearly and distinctively, other than stating he can perceive in his mind. Also, another thing that is a problem in Descartes’ method is his goal of proving the existence of the outside world was not valid by any substantial means. There is no proof that any physical object exists aside from a near universal belief that the external world exists. What Descartes says, is that since God makes us believe that there is an external world, then there must be one. However, there are lots of mistakes in his proof of God and it isn’t truly valid. So, therefore we cannot say anything in this external world does exist or either God, based on the knowledge I have obtained on the subject matter on Descartes. From what I have read on Descartes and his philosophical ideas, there are many holes and things to argued; as I’m sure is in most theories. Nonetheless, even though his ideas aren’t entirely credible to myself, I feel that his contributions to the field of philosophy are eminent. Descartes had brought lots of old questions of past philosophers and tried to rationalize them, he failed in my opinion to come up with any competent answers for what he was trying to prove. However, he did prompt other philosophers in his progression to come up later with some better answers to some of these ideas.

Gas Injection

In the production of oil from subsurface reservoirs, 65% of the oil initially in place (OIIP), on average, is left in the reservoir after more oil as possible has been recovered by natural depletion and with the aid of water flooding. Residual oil and gas are enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. EOR techniques are classified into thermal (such as steam or hot water injection) techniques and non-thermal techniques (including designer water flooding, gas injection and chemical flooding). The former is primarily intended for heavy oils, while the latter are normally applied in light oil reservoirs. There are some of the non-thermal enhanced oil recovery methods, such as polymer flooding, alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) and alkaline flooding are much expensive and are also subjected to some operational restrictions, such as temperature (reservoir) and formation permeability. Gas injection techniques in various forms consisting of hydrocarbon gas injection (including natural gas, enriched natural gas and a liquefied petroleum slug driven by natural gas) and non-hydrocarbon gas injection (such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and flue gas) are widely used to reduces the residual oil saturation. In gas injection, a compressed gas such as carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas (consisting primarily of methane, CH4), nitrogen (N2), or flue gases are injected into the reservoir to displace oil toward the production wells. The injected gas either partially dissolves in the oil (immiscible gas flooding) or mixes completely with it (miscible flooding), leading mainly to swelling of the oil, viscosity reduction in the oil phase and also for miscible flooding, lowering of the interfacial tension (IFT) between the displacing phase and oil . CO2 injection is preferred because it applies for two different purposes; improving oil recovery and CO2 sequestration for diminish the greenhouse gases emissions. Several problems such as corrosion in the production wells or injection and surface facilities as well   , CO2 separation from the saleable hydrocarbons, large requirement of CO2 per increase in barrel and asphaltene precipitation which causes formation damage and wettability alteration have been reported for CO2 injection process. Injection of N2 or nitrogen-contaminated lean hydrocarbon gases are appropriate EOR processes for deep reservoirs, high pressure reservoirs, with light or volatile oil that are rich in light and also intermediate hydrocarbon components (C2–C5) due to their miscible displacement potential. Low cost, abundance and availability of nitrogen are the most reported advantages for nitrogen injection. Nitrogen is produced by cryogenic processes from air for a long period of time.CO2 (carbon dioxide) flooding enhances oil recovery by the following main mechanisms: (1) oil swelling, (2) reduction of crude oil viscosity, and (3) reduction of interfacial tension (IFT), the latter pertains to miscible flooding . The mechanism of swelling of oil by carbon dioxide injection which makes the volume of oil increase would help discontinuous oil droplets trapped in a porous medium to merge with the flowing oil phase. Reduction in the viscosity is another major mechanism which is significant at even moderate pressures. The amount of solution gas or oil ratio in case of nitrogen injection is lower than that of CO2. The swelling factors of N2 were also lower than those of CO2 due to nitrogen lower solubility in the oil. If the pressure is low (lower than 3 MPa), solubility of nitrogen and flue gas is negligible. The viscosity reduction due to N2 injection is much lower than that of carbon dioxide injection. Addition of N2 to the injection gas implies that some mechanisms other than swelling and viscosity reduction are important. One possibility is the buildup of free gas saturation with the N2 containing injectants that may decreases the relative permeability to water, thereby improving the mobility ratio. Moreover, nitrogen has a higher molar volume than CO2 which tells that one mole of nitrogen displaces a higher volume of gas than that of CO2. Therefore, N2 is more favorable in terms of displacement volume. So that our focus in this study is on N2.Literature review on N2 miscibility Immiscible gas injection can potentially recover a large amount fraction of the remaining oil after primary depletion or water flooding (WF). However, such potential has hardly ever been realized because of the low vertical efficiency and areal sweep efficiency. Nitrogen injection process is also performed either by miscible or immiscible, depending on the injection pressure of N2, reservoir temperature and reservoir oil composition. Miscibility is theoretically defined as the conditions at which there is no interface between the reservoir oil and displacing phase . In other words, it can be say that two phases are miscible when a single phase fluid is produced after intermingling of two fluids with each other at any ratio. The lowest operating pressure, at reservoir temperature, at which miscibility is achieved between reservoir fluid and injection gas is termed as the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) . There has been a few correlations in the literature for N2 MMP estimation producing different average absolute error values. A study done by Fathinasab, Ayatollahi and Hemmati-Sarapardeh   had resulted in a correlation for MMP which will be used for pure N2, nitrogen mixtures and lean gases. The developed correlation yields the least error and is a function of average critical temperature of the injection gas, reservoir temperature, C7 + fraction molecular weight of crude oil, volatile components (mole fraction) and intermediate components (mole fraction) of crude oil. Since N2 is not as good a solvent for oils as carbon dioxide (CO2), or even methane (CH4), the pressure required for nitrogen to become miscible with any oil should be greater than that for methane which, in turn, is higher than CO2 . This especially makes nitrogen attractive for highly undersaturated reservoirs at immiscible conditions. Literature review on challenges in gas flooding and a solution The major technical challenge of immiscible gas injection is to maintain proper sweep efficiency of the injected gas, improve gas utilization and delay its breakthrough. These result from a combination of gravity override and gas channeling through high permeability streaks in the formation. Gas segregation, channeling and fingering through high permeability streaks are inherent in any gas injection; they are due to the excessively higher mobility and far lower density of gas (displacing phase) compared to oil or water (displaced phase). Unfavorable mobility ratios lead to even more severe channeling in heterogeneous reservoirs and heavier oil reservoirs. Consequently, the drive fluid does not contact a large part of the reservoir and the volumetric sweep efficiency of the reservoir remains poor . Furthermore, a displacement is adversely affected by capillary end effects, arising from the discontinuity of capillarity in the wetting phase at the outlet end of the core, that, for the gas/oil system, cannot be overcome by high gas throughput rates. WAG injection is implemented to improve mobility ratio and sweep efficiency.

Cost when using photovoltaic cell Essay

Solar energy industry utilizes prize per Watt peak, which is the primary unit of measurement for computing cost. Current prevailing price for solar energy generation is at around $4/Wp. Basically; cost would depend on the total installed cost for the system. Around 40% to 50% of the cost would be for the solar module. A complete system includes the entire required component for a functioning system. As of 2003 a residential system would cost at around $8,000 – $12,000 per kWp installed (SolarBuzz, 2006). Based on data, a 1kWp unit would produce differently depending on the location and levels of sunlight. Generated data for Southern California produced 1800 kwh/year while for Northern Germany was 800 kwh/year and 1600 – 2000 kwh / year in India using the same 1kWp unit of solar system. However, gradual improvements on the silicon crystal model of PV cells contributed to a dramatic reduction of the cost of photovoltaic electricity (Cartlidge, 2007). Actual generated power would still depend on the location and prices are variably dependent on the local tariffs. Compared to other existing rates for energy generation distributed solar PV would be 30cents to 50cents/kWh the current rate is still far from the 3 – 5 cents / kWh rate for combined cycle gas turbines. Although there is a promising trend of decreasing rate of generation cost due to decrease in installation cost (Space_Daily, 2005). The amount of roof space needed to roof-mount a solar system is based on the size or â€Å"generating capacity† or â€Å"rating† of the system you purchase. Most residential systems require as little as 50 square feet of mounting area for a small â€Å"starter† system, or as much as 500-1,000 square feet for a PV array capable of meeting all of a homeowner’s needs. Commercial systems are typically much larger than residential systems. A rule of thumb is that a square foot of single- or poly-crystalline PV module area produces 10 watts of power in bright sunlight. Therefore, a 1000-watt system requires about 100 to 200 square feet of roof area, depending on the type of PV module. The amount of roof area needed also depends on the PV module’s efficiency in converting sunlight to electricity. Table 1 provides approximate roof area requirements as a function of PV efficiency (percent) and rating (watts). Table 1: Roof Area Needed for Various Sizes of PV Systems Although the efficiency (percent of sunlight converted to electricity) varies with different types of PV modules, higher-efficiency modules typically cost more. One of the main barriers to the development of rural electrification markets with photovoltaic is the financing of the high up-front investment of an SHS, which is the critical point for most of the rural households, as well as for many photovoltaic intermediaries. Depending on the size of the local market, taxes the share of locally manufactured components and governmental policy regarding solar technology and rural electrification, an SHS costs between US $500 to US $1,500. Even with the existence of subsidies for the installation of an SHS, such investment costs are much too high compared to the average income of the target households. For this reason, financing schemes allowing payment by installments must be offered – they are needed in national electrification programs as in commercial markets. In this connection, micro-finance institutions (MFI) could play an essential role in the dissemination of SHS. This not only represents a solution for the existing barriers regarding the electrification of remote rural households, but also offers new market opportunities for . MFI for example, ill form of rural electricity loans, which additionally offer the convenience of secure guarantees of the hardware, especially the solar panel. PV today is economical only if it does not have to compete with grid electricity. Nevertheless, the technology is only at the beginning of its development and hopes are high for further large cost reductions. At present, however, it is not obvious that the cost of PV can reach present levels of the cost of base load electricity, but it call reach consumer retail prices. Besides development of technology, market expansion is a proven way of bringing down cost. In several countries that take their obligation to reduce greenhouse gases seriously, comprehensive support programs for distributed PV installations have been legislated. One example is the German renewable energy law, which stipulates that utilities have to pay for PV electricity fed into the grid about 0. 5 $/kWh for twenty years. This reimbursement is reduced by 5% each year for new installations in order to stimulate cost reduction (Elwell & Komp, 2007). Manufacturing of PV cells undergoes many processes. After producing the solar cells, they have to be transported and assembled. Solar cell usually have a life span of 25 years. After which they are disassembled and transported for proper disposal. A study was conducted to measure the total energy consumed in the manufacture alone of the solar cells. Using the Sharp ND-205U1 module, which cost $850, a forty-four-module order would require $28,900, not including the cost of wires and inverters installed along with the solar modules (Riley & Meyers, 2005). Renewable sources in Middle East In the Middle East, governments are pushing for finding an alternative to fossil fuels to meet its energy requirements. Renewable sources are being eyed. Due to the depleting supply of fossil fuels, United Arab Emirates has already undertaken projects in preparation for meeting the required power needed. It is estimated that by 2015, 14% of estimated power requirements would be saved with the utilization of wind and solar energy. By 2050 it is forecasted that almost half of energy requirements of UAE would be supplied by wind and solar energy with PV generation forming the largest percentage of the two (WFES, 2004). Other Middle East countries are likely to follow in their endeavor to preserve the region’s main source of wealth – oil and gas. Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran Bahrain and Lebanon have already implemented or will be implementing strategies in harnessing these renewable sources abundant in the region (Middle_East_Electricity, 2005). One project initiated in Israel, which aims to provide electricity and water supply in a small rural village in Palestine. Greenstar identified one of the four-target villages Al Ka’abneh, West Bank, Palestine. The purpose of the project is to supply electricity with the installation of PV cell system. Before the project was instituted, the village had no electricity and water was not sanitized, thus resulting to health problems as one of the prevalent challenged areas of the village. The locals were taught how to maintain and utilize the PV system installed in their village and care was delegated to them. The project supplied the village with a 100 kW PV generator, which was used to power the village’s health clinic, mosque and school. Aside from the generator, the village was also supplied with a PV powered water pumping and desalination units. Among the lessons learned from the project is that solar energy provides simple solutions to simple electrical needs of small isolated villages where a national grid is rendered superfluous (Greenstar, 1999).

Monkey King

Monkey king is a one of the most widely known Chinese mythological creature. It was first appeared in the novel called Xi You Ji (Journey to the West). As the legend begins, the Monkey King is born from the earth and known as the stone monkey. Then he entered a cave which other monkeys are not brave enough to get into. The stone monkey was the only one to do so and they declared him King. Day by day, he feared that he would soon die and began a quest. It was on this journey that he learned the secrets of Martial Arts and immortality. At the same time, his behavior makes the gods in the heaven very angry. So they decide to catch him in order to make sure that they can take control of him. Unfortunately, due to fact that monkey king is a skilled fighter no one can defeat him. Eventually, these gods call upon Buddha to help them. The Buddha decides to let the monkey help a Monk to get the sutras. Along the way, the Monkey King is filled with antics of trickery, deceit, disobedience†¦ and yet through it all, he still helps the monk and can be seen as overall having a good heart. It's just in his nature to play. We all like him because everyone in the society wants to live a life like monkey king. When he is angry, he needn’t to hide his temper. When he is sad, it is possible for him to cry loudly without thinking other things. So the monkey king is an ideal character of us. Throughout history, the story has been a major part of Chinese culture. It has been made into a famous Chinese Opera, which is still being performed today. It has also been made into a cartoon which is still popular among teenagers. The cartoon called Havoc in the Heavenly Kingdom is Chinese first comedy cartoon. Millions of Chinese children hear the story of the monkey king before they go asleep. And millions of children buy the toy of the cute monkey because of monkey king.

Bartonella henselae Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bartonella henselae - Research Paper Example B. Henselae comes from the rickettsiaceae family and has been identified as a gram negative bacterium. The Gimemez staining procedure has served to be the most appropriate method. It is a bacilliform bacterium which has a curved shape along with a length of up to 2 microns and a diameter of up to 0.6 microns. The bacterium possesses the capability of growth outside cells. An interesting characteristic is that the pathologies resulting from the bacterium result mainly in the seasons of autumn and winter. This is believed to occur due to the breeding season of the cats and owing to the fact that cats are kept inside the house during the cold seasons. This raises the suseptibility of the bacterium to infect the human beings. The severities of the pathological conditions that affect the individuals differ according to the immune status of the patient (Acha et al 2003; Feigin 2004; McCue et al 2007). This paper will serve to analyze the prevalence of the bacterium accompanied with the dis eases that result due to the bacterium. Furthermore, it will highlight the diagnostic techniques that assist in identifying the bacterium along with the appropriate treatment modalities for the pathologies. Body: The epidemiological patterns for B. Henselae are not known for all the diseases. But, Cat Scratch Disease which is the most common pathology occurring due to B. Henselae occurs throughout the world and there is no predisposition for selective geographic areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, there are 24000 people who contract the disease every year. 2000 people need to be admitted in the hospital because of the problem. The disease affects the younger age groups more mostly due to the increased contact with the cats. The cats become infected with the bacterium owing to bites by fleas and ticks. It has been analyzed that locations with greater fleas tend to show more cases of cat scratch disease owing to the higher infectivi ty of cats. Furthermore, it is also seen that a few dogs may also become infected with the bacterium (Fiegin 2004; Yanoff et al 2008). The bacterium infects the human beings owing to contact with the cats. This has been demonstrated to be true in 90 percent of cases. This may occur due to being bitten by the cat or by being scratched or licked by the cat (McCue 2007). The cat scratch disease that results due to this mainly comprises of pathologies of the lymph nodes associated with raised temperature and lethargy. The first sign is the formation of a papule. The incubation period of the disease is 3 to 5 days. This pathology results mainly in patients who have a competent immune system. The disease is not very severe but in some cases it may extend to infect other organs owing to the systemic spread of bacterium. The disease may present with serious problems including enlargement of the spleen, inflammation of the liver as well as pneumonia (McCue et al 2007; Wilson et al 2002; Yano ff et al 2008). Bacillary angiomatosis is another pathological condition which results due to the bacterium B. Henselae in which there is the formation of vascular lesions on the skin, lymph nodes, brain and the bones. These lesions consist of bacteria and this pathological state mainly develops in the patients who suffer from AIDS. This is owing to their low immune competency. If the bacterium enters the circulation, the patients present with

Final project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final project - Essay Example The main conditions found in comorbidity to MDD includes Obsessive Compulsive disorder,Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Panic Disorders. (Kessler,1996) Currently the treatment of MDD is centred around the selective serotonin reuptake receptor inhibitors (SSRI). This is based on the fact the main mood elevator neurotransmitter of our body and found at synaptic junctions are actively reuptake so the availibilty of serotonin at the synapse decreases, reducing the mood and causing depression. SSRIs inhibits this uptake by inhibiting the reuptake receptors of serotonin in the presynaptic regions found in the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmentum area and hence causing mood elevations. Although antidepressant medications are often prescribed to people with MDD, it is estimated that 20-40% of depressed people do not benefit from taking medication ( Kirsch 2008,Hays,1995)).Apart from the efficacy these medications can also cause side effects like drying of mouth, insomnia and others amongst the few. Thus, researchers are developing other possible ways to reduce depressive symptoms. One such depression treatment alternative to medication is the transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS. Briefly, TMS treatment involves placing a coil on the scalp surface and passing a current through it (the exact details of the strength and rate of the current are beyond our purposes). When the current passes into neural tissue it affects the way the neurons operate, in a therapeutic way. Objective and Aim of the Study We wanted to analyze whether the TMS approach is effective in reduction of the episodes of depression from the baseline levels at the end of week 4 in the major depressive disorder patients. Methodology The study was conducted across multiple sites but the procedures were the same across locations. The sites involved were Florida, Oregon, and Washington. Across locations, participants with a history of antidepressant-resistant MDD were randomly assigned to either a n active or a sham TMS condition. In the active condition, participants were actually given the TMS treatment. In the sham condition, participants were not given the TMS treatment but went through a similar procedure in each session (e.g., they came in for sessions in which a coil was placed on their heads but no current was run through it). So the sham condition was considered to be a type of placebo treatment. This was done to minimize the treatment limited bias of the study. The study was run double-blind so that neither the participant nor the assistant running the session was aware of which condition the participant was in. Thus the experimental design of the study was a randomized, multicentric, placebo controlled double blind study. This design definitely was important to give the way for a powerful analysis. The MADRS scores which is the set of scores that signifies the extent of depression of various parameters were analyzed to give a final depression score. The convention is, more the MADRS scores more is the depression and vice versa. Thus the results were analyzed by comparing the MADRS scores at baseline and at 4 weeks after the TMS treatments were implemented to see the effect of that approach on MDD patients. Statistical analysis was carried out through SPSS software and paired sample t test was carried to find out the levels of significance. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results We analyzed findings on 4 questions to reach a conclusion. Q1.Ignoring the TMS condition and

The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution Research Paper

The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution - Research Paper Example One of the important amendments of the Constitution is the 8th Amendment and its significance lies in the fact that it has, though the years, promoted humane and civilized forms and methods of punishing criminals. This amendment is adopted from an ancient English law and incorporated into the US Constitution at the time its framers were drafting the basic law of the land. The History of the 8th Amendment The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution states thus: â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed and no cruel, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† The 8th Amendment was first suggested by James Madison, the fourth president of the US, for inclusion to the US Constitution while the framers were working on its draft. The Commonwealth of Virginia, from where Madison hailed, had its own version of the passage incorporated in its Declaration of Rights. Its origin, however, was the 1689 English Bill of Rights. The inclusion of this passage in t hat law was to limit English courts from imposing punishments and fines that were excessive, cruel and unusual as was the practice of the English courts in the time of the House of Stewarts under King James VI who would impose such punishments such as quartering, boiling alive, disemboweling, decapitation and crushing criminals with heavy weights (Gill 114). On the other hand, the â€Å"excessive bail† clause was included in the 1689 law to prevent the English judges from circumventing the Habeas Corpus Act of 1969 by setting bail at very high amounts so arrested persons were unable to meet them. Finally, the â€Å"excessive fines† clause was also â€Å"intended to limit only those fines directly imposed by, and payable to, the government† (Excessive Bail 2011). Cases Involving the 8th Amendment Most of the cases decided by the US Supreme Court involving the 8th Amendment are related to the issue of the death penalty and its possible infringement of the â€Å"c ruel and unusual punishment† clause of the 8th Amendment. Some of the well-known cases involving the 8th Amendment are: Weems v US 217 US 349 (1910); Stack v Boyle 342 US 1 (1951); Furman v Georgia 408 US 238 (1972); Gregg v Georgia 428 US 153 (1976); Browning-Ferris Industries v Kelco Disposal, Inc 492 US 257 (1989), and; Austin v US 509 US 602 (1993). In Weems v US, the US Supreme Court held that the â€Å"cruel and unusual punishment† clause of the 8th Amendment can apply not only to court punishments, but also to legislative laws and rendered the punishment of 14 years of imprisonment with hard labor on top of civil and political disabilities as disproportionate to the crime of falsifying public documents. In Furman v Georgia, the Court ruled that the manner of imposing the death penalty in which there is an absence of standard to guide the jury as to when to impose the death penalty is â€Å"cruel and unusual† and therefore unconstitutional. However, in Greg g v Georgia, the Court clarified that the death penalty per se does not infringe the 8th Amendment so long as its imposition is not purely discretionary to the jury and laws exist that define the crimes that should be meted with the death penalty. In Stack v Boyle, the Court held that setting bail at an