Internal and External Factors of Management Essay

Introduction Businesses rely heavily on the four basic functions of management Planning, Organizing, Directing, and Controlling; however, the skilled management of internal and external factors will ultimately determine the longevity of the company. Management teams are measured on how quickly they can build a company over a short period. However, the real measure is how well a company can continue to grow. Company success is continually evolving as the world changes, making it difficult on management teams to adapt as internal and external forces mold new paths. Google is a prime example of a leading company who must constantly evaluate their business objectives to keep up with the changing technological landscape. Traditional business models use a top down approach may leave the company unable to change, as the business leader is unable to change. â€Å"It is noteworthy that neither Larry Page nor Sergei Brin, Google’s founders, has proclaimed himself â€Å"chief software architect,† the badge Bill Gates wears at Microsoft† (Hamel, 2006) Instead the founders have designed a concept the makes every idea stand on its own merits. Internal and external factors such as Globalization, Technology, Innovation, Diversity, and Ethics carry large weight in management strategies and the method in which ideas are executed. Planning Planning is the first of the four management functions. Google manages to plan for their future by recognizing that planning requires research and development. Investing in new technologies takes time and money, and not every cent or minute can be dedicated to research without other sources for income. This is why Google invest in smaller companies to fund the evolution of change in the technological world. So even though the company’s overall growth may experience slow periods the overall income will continue to grow with the acquisition of these multiple smaller companies. Organizing Organizing is attracting people to the organization as well as assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals. â€Å"Google is famously elitist when it comes to hiring. It understands that companies begin to slide into mediocrity when they start to hire mediocre people. Google’s grueling hiring process, akin to a Mensa test, values nonconformity nearly as highly as genius.† (Hamel,  2006) Google also allows their employees 20% creative time, which is off budget, and off project. This off shift time can attribute to some of Google’s most profitable ideas and software implementation. Providing the creative outlet for the company’s highly creative employees has yielded great results and is part of Google’s overall planning model. Hamel, G. (2006, Apr 27). Management a la google. The Wall Street Journal Asia. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/315425991?accountid=35812 The ultimate test of any management team is not how fast it can grow its company in the short-term, but how consistently it can grow it over the long-term. In a world where change is relentless and seditious, this demands a capacity for rapid strategic adaptation. In many cases, companies haven’t been changing as fast as the world around them.What the laggards have failed to grasp is that what matters most today is not a company’s competitive advantage at a point in time, but its evolutionary advantage over time. [Google] gets this. While Google’s growth will inevitably slow, there’s a good chance that its revenues will arc upward for years. Why? Because its novel management system seems to have been designed to guard against the risk factors that so often erode an organization’s evolutionary potential: When power is concentrated at the top, a tradition-bound executive team can hold a company’s capacity to change hostage to its own ability to adapt. That’s why it usually takes a financial meltdown and leadership change to set a company on a new course. It is noteworthy that neither Larry Page nor Sergei Brin, Google’s founders, has proclaimed himself â€Å"chief software architect,† the badge Bill Gates wears at Microsoft. Rather than assume they’re infallible seers with a divine right to dictate Google’s next strategy and the one after that, Messrs. Page and Brin have created a Darwinian environment in which every idea must compete on its merits, not on the grandeur of its sponsor’s title. Google understands that even as it’s ramping up today’s business model, it has to be buying options on the future by creating a lot of little â€Å"Googlettes.† Evolution demands a lot of new experiments; but experimentation takes time and money, scarce commodities when every hour of time and every dollar of capital have already been  allocated to some â€Å"mission criticalâ⠂¬  project. That’s why every Google developer can spend up to 20% of his time working on off-budget, out-of-scope projects. This time is more than a perk; it’s Google’s seed corn for the future. The payoff? In one recent period, more than half of Google’s newly launched products could trace their origins to a 20% project. You have requested â€Å"on-the-fly† machine translation of selected content from our databases. This functionality is provided solely for your convenience and is in no way intended to replace human translation. Show full disclaimer Neither ProQuest nor its licensors make any representations or warranties with respect to the translations. The translations are automatically generated â€Å"AS IS† and â€Å"AS AVAILABLE† and are not retained in our systems. PROQUEST AND ITS LICENSORS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES FOR AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Your use of the translations is subject to all use restrictions contained in your Electronic Products License Agreement and by using the translation functionality you agree to forgo any and all claims against ProQuest or its licensors for your use of the translation functionality and any output derived there from. Hide full disclaimer Translations powered by LEC. Translations powered by LEC.

Psy 240 – Lesson 2 Essay

Identify the teratogens covered in this chapter and birth defects/disorders they can cause. Format your response as though you were giving a brief prevention lecture to young married couples. Your answer should be no fewer than 400 words in length. We are all aware of genetic and hereditary factors that may impact the health of the newborn baby. However, our ability to prevent genetic disorders is limited to genetic testing of parents and prenatal diagnostic methods that can reveal early warning signs of genetic defects before birth.Another group of factors that can greatly influence the health and the development of a baby are environmental agents. These agents are commonly referred to as teratogens and include any environmental agent that can cause damage during the prenatal period. Unlike genetic factors, the damaging effects of the teratogens during the prenatal period and after birth are almost completely preventible by the parents. Most common teratogens that can impact pregnan cy and child development are: prescription and non-prescription drugs, illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, infectious disease, radiation and environmental pollutants.Many prescription and non-prescription drugs exert side-effects that may be harmful during the prenatal period. Even when these side-effects are not noticeable or are not affecting the mother they may be interfering with the normal prenatal development of the baby during early and later stages of the pregnancy. For this reason all newly-expecting women or those planning to become pregnant need to consult with a doctor about any prescription drugs they may have been taking and certainly before starting therapy with any new medications.Many people consider non-prescription or â€Å"over-the-counter† drugs to be safe because no physicians prescription is required for their purchase. This is a common and often a dangerous mistake. Many â€Å"over-the-counter† drugs and products are not classified as drugs but rat her as nutritional supplements and as such don't require FDA licensing and control. In general these products can be dangerous to health since their contents and action mechanism have not be adequately or scientifically tested. Their consumption by pregnant or planning -to-become pregnant women can be particularly dangerous.New mothers need to consult a medical professional before using any over-the-counter products including vitamin and mineral supplements. Another category of common products that often get overlooked but can be dangerous to prenatal development and infant health are cosmetics. Many cosmetic products contain chemicals that can be harmful to the mother and the baby. For instance, many anti-acne products and â€Å"blemish-removal† products contain retinol and retinoic acid which can affect the baby during the first trimester.The retinol based â€Å"over-the-counter† products, such as Retine-A cream, are similar to the prescription drug Accutane which is prohibited for use by pregnant women as it causes damage to baby's eyes, brain, immune system, ears and skull. Other commonly used beauty products can be dangerous as well. Some examples are lipsticks that may contain lead, lotions and creams containing paraben, hair colors, tanning products and many more. The best prevention is to avoid use of pharmaceuticals, supplements and cosmetics before and during pregnancy without consulting a doctor first.The use of illegal drugs prior to and during pregnancy and while breast feeding is extremely damaging to the baby. Commonly used â€Å"street drugs† such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamines and their derivatives cause a multitude of prenatal development abnormalities and can cause a lasting damage to the child's physical and mental health. Some of these abnormalities include: low birth weight, respiratory and cardiac difficulties, vision and hearing problems, metabolic abnormalities, premature birth and can cause death during or shortly after birth.Damage to the nervous system is particularly evident among illicit-drugs affected newborns and they are usually irritable, exhibit neurotic crying and often have lasting cognitive and social development difficulties and behavioral problems. The use of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and other so called â€Å"heavy drugs†, pre- and, during pregnancy and while breast feeding is especially dangerous as it causes the drug addiction of the newborn.The maternal use of marijuana causes a multitude of physical and psychological problems to the newborn including low birth weight, brain development abnormalities, depression and learning difficulties. Though it can not be linked to the inherited drug-addiction of the newborn, the use of â€Å"street drugs† by a father has been linked to a multitude of genetic diseases transferred to the off-spring. Though the exact modalities have not yet been determined for every drug, it is certain that use of dr ugs by a father causes mutations of the paternal DNA and therefore impacts the genotype of the baby.Persons with drug addiction problems planning to start a family should consult a medical professional well ahead of becoming pregnant to plan a course of action to cease the drug abuse and limit its damaging effects on the baby as well as parents. Already pregnant women with drug abuse problems need to contact the doctor as soon as possible to assess the risk and plan the best course of action needed. Alcohol consumption is one of the most damaging factors to a healthy pregnancy and birth. Mistakenly, most people consider â€Å"social drinking†, a consumption of one to two drinks daily or few time per week, to not be damaging to health.Though some evidence exists that a low or moderate consumption of alcohol can be beneficial to cardiovascular health, it is well established that even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can be detrimental to the prenatal development of the child. Alcohol causes a variety of prenatal development abnormalities jointly referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The FAS manifests itself in recognizable cranio-facial morphological deformities such as widely spaced eyes, a thin upper lip, small upward pointing nose, short eye-lid openings and a small head.The overall growth of the child is slowed. Furthermore, FAS causes a multitude of mental abnormalities such as attention, memory and language deficits, hyperactivity and abnormal motor skills and coordination. It has been established that these abnormalities result from the damaging effects of alcohol on neuron development in the early phases of pregnancy. Due to the overexpendature of oxygen by mother's body during alcohol metabolism, the fetus is often oxygen deprived which further contributes to development of the above mentioned health problems.Though the amount of alcohol consumed during pregnancy determines the extent of the damage caused, even small amounts of al cohol consumed can cause some of the symptoms listed. This milder form of FAS is referred to as fetal alcohol effects (FAE) and is equally concerning. Similarly to illegal drugs use, a link had been established between consumption of alcohol by a father and the mutations it causes to the paternal DNA which leads to multiple genetic defects of the offspring. All couples planning to bear children should stop all alcohol consumption well ahead of the time of pregnancy.Those with alcohol dependency should seek professional help in quitting drinking as alcoholism is a disease and requires a complex approach to physical and psychological issues that are causing it. The damaging effects of smoking on human health are well known but large number of child-bearing aged women still use tobacco regularly. The use of tobacco before, during and after the pregnancy has been linked to a multitude of infant health problems during the prenatal period and childhood. The tobacco using women are at a hi gher risk of miscarriage during pregnancy.It is a well known fact that nicotine, which is a vasoconstrictor, prevents an adequate blood flow to the uterus and causes defects to the placenta. In turn, the exchange of the nutrients between a mother and the baby is disturbed resulting in fetal malnutrition and low birth weight. As we know, low birth weight is a main predictor of the physical and mental developmental difficulties of the child. Nicotine affected babies are often born prematurely and exhibit cardiac and respiratory problems such as arrhythmia, asthma, sleep apnea, and are at a higher risk of developing cancer during childhood.The rate of infant death is also higher among this population of newborns. Even if physical health problems are not obvious, many nicotine-exposed babies display a certain degree of behavioral problems during their development. These can range from diminished sensory response, such as that to a sound, through over stimulation by touch and vision to a multitude of learning impairments. The best prevention to the nicotine-exposure health related issues is quitting smoking well before becoming pregnant.Even quitting smoking during pregnancy will greatly reduce the health risks to the baby. Joint quitting of smoking by both parents is usually the most successful approach as partners are able to support each other during this difficult endeavor. Exposure to the second hand smoke during pregnancy is equally as damaging to both mother and the baby. Again, quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to the second hand smoke will not only protect the child but also improve the health of the parents in the long run.All sexually active persons need to regularly undergo testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Prevention of, and regular testing for, STDs shows not only a concern about personal health but also a responsible approach to protecting the health of the partner and especially the health of the children the relationship may re sult in. Many STDs and infectious diseases are easily transferred during conception and from the mother to the embryo during this critical period of prenatal development. Many of these infections can cause serious and long-term defects to the fetus as well.Common birth defects caused by infection transmission during pregnancy include mental retardation, cardiac, respiratory and digestive system problems, vision and hearing damage and multitude of other conditions. One of the most dangerous STDs transferred from an infected mother to a baby is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. The HIV-infected babies develop symptoms of AIDS much faster than adults. The disease progression can be as rapid as a few months after birth with most ill babies dying within first 5-8 months after birth.Women aware of their HIV positive status should consult with the specialist if planning on becoming pregnant to asses risk and discuss possible prophylactic methods that can be employed to prevent transmission. Couples and individuals planning on pregnancy should test for infectious diseases before conception and address any concerns they may have with a health care professional. In the case of HIV, many newly-developed anti-retro viral therapies can prevent the risk of transmission onto baby by as much as 95%.Other infectious diseases that should be of concern when planning pregnancy or when pregnant are herpes, hepatitis, rubella, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, etc. Exhaustive testing for infectious diseases by both parents performed by a specialist is the best prevention of pregnancy complications and transmission to the newborn. Another teratogen that is of concern when evaluating the prenatal health is radiation. Though not as commonly encountered as other teratogens, radiation can be as devastating to the prenatal and postnatal development of the child.Exposure to radiation during pregnancy often leads to a miscarriage or birth defects such as physical deformities, ce ntral nervous system abnormalities, slow growth as well as a multitude of learning and emotional problems. Pregnant women and those planning on becoming pregnant should avoid exposure to radiation such as occupational exposure, for example radiology technicians, or medical exposure such as during exams with x-rays and other radioactive agents. Men should avoid exposure to radiation as well, as radioactive agents can cause mutations of the paternal DNA which can lead to birth defects of the offspring.Any concerns about possible radiation exposure need to be addressed with a medical professional as many methods are available to prevent and limit the damaging effects of radiation. Environmental pollution is probably a teratogen that is the hardest to avoid or prevent. As we know our ecosystem, be it the air, the land or the water, is heavily polluted with many agents and has lead to an increase of cancers, respiratory, neurological, hereditary and many other diseases in human populatio n. Unfortunately, environmental pollutants affect humans from our early days of prenatal development.One of the main ways babies get exposed to this teratogen is through the nutrient exchange during the prenatal development. The pollutants transferred through these means include mercury and other heavy metals found in contaminated food and water. The exposure to heavy metals during the prenatal development has been implicated with causing a multitude of abnormalities of the nervous system and psychological disorders. Many toxins commonly found in the products for everyday use cause many metabolic, immunity and respiratory disorders that have a long lasting effects on the health of the newborn.Environmental pollution is directly linked with childhood cancers as well as hereditary predisposition for cancer development. Some of the measures that can be taken during pregnancy to minimize the damaging effects of this teratogen include limiting the consumption of large predatory fish, suc h as salmon and tuna, which are often high in their mercury content, avoiding antibiotics and steroids contaminated meats as well as pesticide treated fruits and vegetables.Staying indoors and using air-filtration systems during high air-pollution days can prevent exposure to carbon monoxide and combustion byproduct gases. The use of industrial and chemical cleaning agents and chemicals should be avoided or limited to a minimum. As we can see there are many teratogens we are exposed to daily and though they damage our health it is especially frightening to think of the effects they have on the health of our unborn babies.Though these concerns are valid they should not stand in the way of enjoying the pregnancy, child birth and child rearing as the most pleasant and enriching experience of the lifetime. As we have learned most of the damaging effects of teratogens can be avoided and prevented through education, being aware of the risk factors and being proactive in taking steps to av oid the exposure and damage by practicing healthy living habits and seeking help when needed.

Project Manager Essay

The main communication method they use is the telephone. This is because it is handy and convenient to use, and it is also fast. They use telephone for various reasons such as to arrange an appointment, to confirm orders, to book activities etc. The alternative method instead of using the telephone could be e-mail and letter, this way they can keep the letter for hard copy and evidence to confirm that they did arrange the appointment if there are any complications. The Fax machine is quite useful because it is fast and the letter can be kept for hard copy so there will be no need to type up any information. A meeting saves quite a lot of time and they get feedback from people immediately. Some information may be confidential so a certain method may need to be used such as face to face or letter, this way no confidential information is being leaked. There are different types of communication used because they need to know which type of communication to use for each purpose for example if it’s confidential they can either use telephone or letter so that no confidential information is being released out. And also if letter or email is being used, this can be kept for future reference and hard evidence for any purpose. Although there are some disadvantages of using the alternative methods, this is due to the confidentiality of information handling. Some information needs to remain or private in a company so a certain method has to be used. How information is collected, processed and stored All administrative staff play a key role in: Collecting information: whether it arrives in the mail, electronically, by telephone or is passed on by word of mouth. Processing information: inputting it, merging it with other information, sorting it, reorganising it, reproducing it or updating current records. Storing information: in filing systems and on computer. The main aspect of a storage system is so you can find things quickly and the items stored are kept in good condition. Information is processed when it is changed or converted in some way. It may be improved or may be prepared for a particular use such as notes from meetings, messages from telephones, sales figures that need to be input into a spreadsheet etc. These roles are important to the Business because it depends how well information has been organised and stored so that it can easily be accessed when it is needed. Every day, Businesses receive a vast amount of paperwork that is generated by organisations such as forms, fax messages, telephone messages, letters, memos reports and many more. So the administrative staff is responsible for the storage, processing and collecting these information in order to keep the constant flow of the Business going. Post arrives at the reception and then is sorted and stored separately by name in a little locker by the reception assistant, each locker is provided with a key so the administration assistant or the manager has to collect their post from their locker. After all the post is bought back to the department to be opened and read, they also have to do certain things such as processing and storing the type of information. For example: When they receive an invoice for the art and crafts equipment, the amount is processed onto spreadsheet on the computer by the administration assistant. This is because they need to record how much money is spent using the company’s money. Then the assistant writes a number on top of the invoice to help keep all the invoices in order which is then kept in a box file then stacked on the shelf. When the cheque is made out, the same number as the invoice is also written on the top of the cheque so they know they match. Records of the young people who join the community are kept on a CD Rom. Their details are also kept in a lever arch file and are updated if any changes have been made. The lever arch file is then stacked on the shelf along with some other files. When an application form is received, it is read by the manager and details of that person are noted down and then the form is filed in a vertical filing cabinet. If the manager approves one or two forms, he then photocopies them and then the original copy is filed and the other is sent to the director. All other information such as catalogues and booklets from the suppliers of office organisations are stored in a tall cardboard box file and is kept on the shelf. Decision making Decisions are made every day within businesses. The Board of Directors makes the major decisions at GAZ and the Project Manager makes the simple decisions such as what equipment to buy.

The Cost and Reimburstements of Medicare Research Paper

The Cost and Reimburstements of Medicare - Research Paper Example This study focuses on cost and reimbursement of Medicare as well as challenges facing the program. Medicare services can be provided to the beneficiaries either through traditional fee-for-service (FFS) program or private health plans such as Medicare Advantage (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008). Whereas clients can be served in any hospital and by any doctor under FFS those using Medicare Advantage should be treated by providers in a network or pay extra charges for treatments received from out-of network providers (Mason et al., 2013). The program is available in four parts namely Part A, B, C and D. "Medicare covers Hospital Insurance (part A), Medical Insurance (part B), Prescription Drugs (part C) and Medicare Advantage" (part D) (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008). Clients who apply for part C receives various benefits offered in other parts. Currently, some people prefer Medicare Advantage because it offers extra services in addition to those provided under FFS. Part A of the Medicare is financed through payroll tax charged on employees and the employers whereby each contributes 1.45% to make a total of 2.9% while for self employed persons they contribute full 2.9% since they are both employees and employers (Mason et al., 2013). Part C and D are financed by premiums contributed by enrollees of the Medicare and revenue from the general fund. Medicare in partnership with local insurance companies pay compensation to claims presented each year by the Medicare beneficiaries (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2008). The Medicare uses various methods to compensate the medical service providers for the services they offer to their clients covered by health insurance. For example, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services introduced Accounting Care Organization model to harmonize medical service delivery among the service providers by enabling them to coordinate their service delivery to reduce expenses, improve quality and outcome of the

Using current and historical examples discuss the interrelations Essay

Using current and historical examples discuss the interrelations existing between global capitalist dynamics, international variations of work and workers agency - Essay Example The incoming research will investigate the existence of global capitalist dynamics, international variations of work and workers agency. The research will prove that global capitalist dynamics have encouraged the transformation of the work and workers agency making it professional. There has been a pressing debate on the importance thresholds of workers, and workers agency in most organizations. Research has established that workers supply variable units of labour time while facing in every period of liquidity constraints. On the other hand, capitalists or owners of the firm do not work for the same model. However, significant amount of debate is centred on the competition part off the job. That is, who receives the job first, how he receives and when does he or she receive the job. While on one side diversity plays a crucial role in bridging the work diversity, it is clear that there are still other competitions in place. Similarly, there is a multitude of theories and research on how capitalists globalization works, who wins and how he wins and who loses as it conquers the globe and transform communities, regions and cities that countries and culture, however there is relatively little theory and research on globalization as a generic phenomenon thought about and even on occasion practiced outside its historical container of globalizing capitalism (Martin, 2010: 604). For that reason, the approach of capitalist globalization is based on the concept of transnational practices, practices that cross boundaries but do not originate with state institutions, actors, and agencies. Doogan (2009, p. 113) believes choice offers as it were the tools with which to construct a series of working hypothesis for keenly contested disagreements between globalization theorists and their opponents. Based on the above, there is a need to focus on debates on whether to what extent does capitalism prevails as a central issue

Computing Business e-Systems and Technology Essay

Computing Business e-Systems and Technology - Essay Example i. Keep all the divisions/ sites fully connected through LAN, WAN or MAN depending upon the distances between those sites. ii. Keep an updated record of the Human Resources of the company. iii. Makes available the daily/ weekly/ monthly reports of different sites. iv. Assimilate latest information about the company's competitors v. Help in preparing a roadmap for future expansion vi. Enhance research, development and innovation activities. vii. Ensure greater ICT focus viii. Help in long range and strategic planning. ix. Help in improving the production processes x. Help in identifying and strengthening the Critical Success Factors (CSF). 2. Such an investment can support a core competency. Great companies invariably have one or two core competencies, something they can do better than anyone else. An IT investment in a company's core competency can create a significant barrier to entry for other companies, defending the organization's primary turf and protecting its markets and profits. 3. An EIS can build supply chain networks. Firms that are a part of an integrated supply chain system have established relationships of trust with suppliers. This means faster delivery times, problem-free delivery. 4. An EIS can bring the company in league with E-commerce. Though a company dealing in defence matters may not that be open to e-commerce like a white goods company, but still the company web sites can be personalized to each customers interests, expectations, and commercial needs. They can also be used to create a sense of community. Both of these tend to increase customer loyalty. Scope and Method During the earlier attempt, the company used in-house talent for developing an EIS....Great companies invariably have one or two core competencies, something they can do better than anyone else. An IT investment in a company's core competency can create a significant barrier to entry for other companies, defending the organization's primary turf and protecting its markets and profits. 3. An EIS can build supply chain networks. Firms that are a part of an integrated supply chain system have established relationships of trust with suppliers. This means faster delivery times, problem-free delivery. 4. An EIS can bring the company in league with E-commerce. Though a company dealing in defence matters may not that be open to e-commerce like a white goods company, but still the company web sites can be personalized to each customers interests, expectations, and commercial needs. They can also be used to create a sense of community. Both of these tend to increase customer loyalty. During the earlier attempt, the company used in-house talent for developing an EIS. An in-house resource has the advantage that it knows more things about the functioning of the company. But it has a significant disadvantage that it doesn't know much about the competitor's strengths and the latest trend in the market place. Moreover Communication Company is not supposed to have the kind of expertise required for a detailed survey and subsequent data analysis. Since the company has al

Farming Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Farming Methods - Essay Example Industrial agriculture is a form of agriculture, wherein the industrialized mode of working has created a great impact in the way this agriculture functions. It consists of the industrial production of poultry, crops and livestock, that enable the packaging of these products right onto the shelves of supermarkets! It involves a great deal of mechanisation and a more economic and consumer-oriented approach. This mode of agriculture also involves the implementation of genetic technology and other scientific methods to obtain the exact kind and quality of the agricultural output involved. This industry is inclusive of meat packaging, fisheries and poultry, besides cereal crops and other food grains. The living creatures that come as a part of this processing are literally abused and malpractice is imposed upon them, which raises numerous ethical concerns. The advantages of this type of agriculture is that, it provides cheap and huge quantity of output, especially with the desired quality and characteristics. We can lay our hands on dairy products, meat and other crops, in super markets and simply consume them without any further thought. However, it is a deterrent to the employment of a big labour force and also raises numerous questions, as far as its ethical aspect is concerned. Firstly, it raises the questions of animal ethics. Industrial agriculture undermines the natural freedom of animals and works against the innate way of how the animals' lifestyle functions. In fact, these animals are fed with artificial fodder and other antibiotics to produce the desired output. This is a great injustice to these creatures that cannot express their discomfort! In addition to this, the antibiotics and other artificial products used as animal fodder can indirectly cause a great deal of harm to humans who consume the end agricultural product. Therefore, it causes harm both ways! Next, it also contributes to the destruction of the environment and the ecological system, since industrial farms use immense amounts of fertilizers and other chemicals to enhance the quality of the agricultural output. They tend to cause an imbalance in the soil properties and the industrial effluents that emerge as waste products cause lot of harm to life forms in and around the region. These are some of the concerns that arise from the implementation of industrial agriculture. This form of agriculture is highly polluting and consists of derogatory practises of animal abuse. In addition to this, the end products, in the long run affect the human system adversely, due to the high amounts of toxins that get accumulated as a result of consumption. Some food for thought: Industrial agri

Organizational Reuirements for Work Teams Essay

Organizational Reuirements for Work Teams - Essay Example In comparison with individual performance, teamwork proves to be very prolific when a certain duty requires performance of a set of numerous skills and experiences of diverse levels. The potentials of employees are best utilized in groups and teams which tend to be more supple and reactive toward varying and serious incidents. Good quality teamwork and the results acquired through a shared and synchronized effort adds a lot to the concept of organizational culture. A work team struggles to make joint endeavor and the result is more dynamic than all efforts when done individually. This benefit is what all organizations are working to get by deploying work teams no matter how expensive team management is. In a hospital setting as mine, work teams are a very effective means of achieving high quality management of patients, hospital, employees, and information base. Metzger (2007) asserts in her article that, â€Å"Most healthcare professionals agree that teamwork provides comprehensive patient care and better functional outcomes for patients.† However, she says that assembling a team within a medical center or a university-affiliated hospital setting is a much difficult task. ... They studied the core competencies required by the team leader that help him to make the team members perform multiple tasks at the same time, and found that, â€Å"Managing a department that is going through continuous changes is often difficult† (p.124). To counter this difficulty, the team leaders are required to develop such competencies and leadership qualities with the help of which they are able to â€Å"perform new roles and functions in the complex health care environment†, according to Guo and Company (2007, p.124). Their study illustrates that ethical leadership is the most important organizational requirement that must be set in place to set the stage for successful work teams. Leggat (2007) asserts that the basic requirement for setting up of effective health care teams within hospitals is its effective team members. If the team members have the required skills and teamwork competencies, then this ensures the successful functioning of work teams and guarant ees that a collaborative effort will be made toward the achievement of high quality health care. According to Leggat, although it is well accepted that effective team members are vital for healthcare work teams, yet it is still not understood as to what basic competencies are required of these team members to be effective. He conducted a survey whose participants were members of a state branch of the professional association of Australian health service managers, and found that â€Å"leadership, knowledge of organizational goals and strategies and organizational commitment, respect for others, commitment to working collaboratively and to achieving a quality outcome† were the most important organizational requirements for the setting up of productive work teams inside a

Expert Systems and the Collision regulations Essay

Expert Systems and the Collision regulations - Essay Example Port corridors have become so congested that it is even tough to row through let alone guide a huge vessel to its berth. The upswing in the accident curve has made scientists sit up and think about safer modes to navigation. Application of technology has certainly made it possible for us to have a safer travelling and transport environment. This paper examines the various devices that have been devised to assist navigators and empower them to make knowledgeable decisions in the event of a crisis. Advance warning is a key area in which these radar based electronic devices have managed to improvise leaving the human element to play a vital role to decide on the final course of avoidance action. The International and Inland Maritime Navigation Rules were formulated in the Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea Treaty in 1972 and became effective on the 15th of July, 1977. The rules were intended to codify the standard behaviour of vessels of all the nations to substantially reduce the possibility of mid-sea collision by promoting orderly and predictable responses to a variety of frequently occurring situations. In the case of aircrafts, they too require such laws and international standards. In the initial days of flying, the pilots trusted their eyes and ears to do the job. All through World War I and later mail aviation happened without any sophisticated navigation equipment except for a front mounted compass. Later as technology developed, wireless communication systems were installed and during the Second World War, an airborne radar was fitted to the aircrafts -not initially to assist navigators to fly, but to hunt down submarines and ships and to shoot at them. Later, as civil aviation grew in volume and planes were taking off airstrips more often than earlier a combination of these two systems - the wireless and the radar helped pilot make decisions that avoided mid air collisions. These systems had their risk. If the pilot was not experienced enough, he could not make the knowledge calculations to prevent a collision in a crisis situation. Huge efforts were being made to train pilo ts to retain their sanity at the time of a crisis. The introduction of the jet age compounded the situation. Aircrafts were now flying higher and faster. The pilots had less response times at hand. Research showed that the aircraft would easily travel a mile along its horizontal displacement vector between the time the pilot pulled the stick and the aircraft even begins to climb. This is a huge gap for error. Needle line consciousness of pilots prevented accidents from occurring. But more planes were lost due to mid air collisions than at landing and take off - most of them quite unjustly described as pilot errors. The complications of aircrafts were constraining to both the regulators and the

M.BH.Q Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M.BH.Q - Assignment Example Everything about him verbal or non-verbal keeps the audience attentive throughout the whole talk. McGonigal is not an attention grabber. This is evident from her less delightful and inspiring introduction to her not so creative visual aids throughout the presentation. The fact that her voice is flat without any intonation even when she is making an important point or an emphasis shows her weakness as a motivational speaker. Her voice volume is low even with the microphone and one has to add the volume to hear what she is saying clearly. She has no facial expression similar to her flat voice and humor is also non- existent. She has constant hand movement and gestures which is distracting. Her lack of pace in the talk makes it even more boring and so is her lack of stage movement. She also seems not confident with her presentation or her ability to present which is not a good thing to exhibit to the audience throughout the talk show. He is one great speaker and definitely an attention grabber with his loud voice and eye contact which he keeps trained on his audience at all times. He keeps asking the audience to finish up his sentences and hence keeps them well engaged and involved throughout the whole talk. Lipkin is also well endowed with humor as the whole session the audience keeps on laughing on his jokes and sometimes he even laughs with them hence leaving time to catch breath and people to absorb what he is talking about. He has different intonations to insist on words he want people to focus on and his facial expression indicates he is enjoying giving the talk as much as his audience is receiving. Robinson is very engaging to the crowd and he catches their attention through his constant questions and need for them to finish up his sentences for him. His humor makes up for his lack of stage movement. His lack of constant had movement and gestures apart from wen

Paper on the modern prison system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Paper on the modern prison system - Essay Example Contemporary research has shown a very high rate of changes in the prison system and it is well to inquire whether this is a consequence of various factors or it is just a mere coincidence. Going through the various factors in the contemporary prison system assists in understanding the changes that have taken place in the system over time and this is best done by using reports from Virginia that has a high number of prisons. The prison system that the country uses today and in the 20th century is the same. In the 20th century, the prisons experienced major reforms in terms of the structure and the staffing. However, one major aspect that the system did not accommodate was the technological characteristic (Wilson). Technology in major institutions is one very important characteristic as in the 21st century; most of the education relayed to students is through technology. For example, calculators have come in as a great deal to serve the contemporary students with faster ways of calculating in fields such as chemistry, physics and mathematics. The fact that there has not been any introduction of the new technology devices in the prison system is a factor showing that it is not a coincidence that there is a lack of literacy in the prison system. Where there are these gadgets in the prison system, many inmates would develop professional knowledge that would assist them in the advancements of a career. Upon release from the system, they would get proper jobs that would help them shun all criminal activities thus making the environment a safer place. Lack of the gadgets in the prisons encourages the prisoners to engage in or form illegal groups in prisons The contemporary days, the economic condition in the outside world is one other factor linked to the high amount of crime in the prisons as compared to older times. In the contemporary times, the rates of recession have been steadily on the rise and thus making people engage in activities that

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay Example for Free

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay Sir William Haley once said, â€Å"Education would be so much more effective if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don’t know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it†. If students were guaranteed to leave school with knowing of what they don’t know and the desire to continue learning, the method of learning will be correct. Today’s education system does not give students the opportunity to enjoy what they are learning. The banking method, where students are empty vessels which educators must deposit knowledge into, deprives them of creativity and the desire to learn. No child is given the chance to shine and be unique. Students today are simply being placed on a conveyer belt, sorted, and then labeled according to their so called intelligence. We need an education system that provides a slower learning method, a method where you focus on what is being learned instead of zipping through it, and the freedom to make mistakes as this will electrify and stimulate students to fulfill their potential. We must recognize students as individuals and keep in mind their diverse backgrounds. In â€Å"Lives on the Boundary,† Rose states, â€Å"The canon has intended to push to the margins much of the literature of our nation: from American Indian songs and chants to immigrant fiction to working-class narratives† (100). The messages that are received from the text are crucial. The students need to be able to relate to what they have before them. One of the problems with today’s education system is we are given material to read, memorize, and expected to repeat it back at the snap of a finger. But without the ability to relate and connect with the material, the learning doesn’t take place. Everything that is read or being said is just going through one ear and out the other. By adding relatable texts, you add life to learning. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life,† Jon Spayde states, â€Å"people cannot learn what they do not love† (69). When students are reading or learning about a subject they love, they are inspired and motivated to learn more. This alone can benefit the learning process for students. It becomes much easier to grasp concepts learned in class. Today’s education system does not allow all students to thrive in their own way. It is fast paced with limited space for creativeness. We are given large amounts of information at a time and attempt to move as quickly as possible through all that we can. There is never â€Å"time† to stay longer on a topic. The instructors try their hardest to keep the pace, but this way of teaching does not benefit any student. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life†, Jon Spayde states, â€Å"†¦we are focusing far too much of our energy and resources on fast knowledge, ignoring all the richness and meaning slow knowledge adds to our lives† (68). When the focus is on just getting through the material, we are skipping over the value and richness of slow knowledge. Instead of zipping through a lesson because it needs to be done by a certain day to move onto the next, the focus needs to be on what is being learned than making a time requirement. Spayde also states, â€Å"You can figure out what you can do pretty quickly, but the ethical understanding of what you ought to do comes slowly†. We need to adopt the slow learning method, without it we are missing out on more than we think. There is so much more to learning than getting through the material, the purpose of it is to benefit and gain from it. With slow knowledge we will achieve this. One of the most important changes that needs to be done is the view on mistakes. In the article, â€Å"How to Make Mistakes,† Dennett states, â€Å"Mistakes are not just golden opportunities for learning; they are, in an important sense, the only opportunity for learning something truly new†. When fear is being put into a student to never make a mistake, their education is stunted. They lose the ability to explore and take the chance of being wrong because they are repeatedly punished for being incorrect. When a mistake is made, students will learn where they went wrong and will then grow from it. The key to progress is making mistakes. The reason we are in school is to learn, but with this opportunity taken away from students their ability to learn is ripped from their grasp. Daniel C. Dennett also states, â€Å"You should seek out opportunities to make grand mistakes, just so you can then recover from them†. Instead of using all of their energy to attempt to be perfect and run from being inaccurate, every student should look for every opportunity to be wrong. Without errors, the students can not accomplish much. If you look at Todays’ education system is in desperate need of change. No student is given the opportunity to show what they are fully capable of. Instead they are told what they can do. They are simply labeled and placed where they â€Å"should be†. But when students begin to pursue their mistakes and soak in the richness of slow knowledge, they will begin to truly learn. Maria Montessori once said, â€Å"If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of mans future. For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individuals total development lags behind? †. If many students are having difficulty learning in the method we have created ages ago, why not change it? The time is now and there is no time to waste. We must refocus this outdated system to insure that the students will have a secure future and keep the standard of living that we have today.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Podcast Information Technology Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Podcast Information Technology Essay A podcast is a series of digital media files either digital audio or video that is episodic; downloadable; program-driven, mainly with a host and/or theme; and convenient, usually via an automated feed with computer software. Podcasting is similar in nature to RSS, which allows subscribers to subscribe to a set of feeds to view syndicated Web site content. The word replaced webcast in common vernacular due to the fame of the iPod and its role in the rising popularity and innovation of web feeds. Moreover, is a free service that allows Internet users to pull audio files (typically MP3s) from a podcasting Web site to listen to on their computers or personal digital audio players. The format used for podcasting is RSS 2.0 with enclosures. The podcasting enclosures refer to all binary (non-text) downloads. You can read the text description of the enclosure before downloading the item to view. The mode of delivery differentiates podcasting from other means of accessing media files over the Internet, such as direct download, or streamed webcasting. A list of all the audio or video files currently associated with a given series is maintained centrally on the distributors server as a web feed, and the listener or viewer employs special client application software known as a pod catcher that can access this web feed, check it for updates, and download any new files in the series. This process can be automated so that new files are downloaded automatically. Files are stored locally on the users computer or other device ready for offline use, giving simple and convenient access to episodic content. Commonly used audio file formats are Ogg Vorbis and MP3. In many respe cts, this is closer to traditional publishing models associated with books and magazines (as opposed to radio, which uses a live stream). Advantages of Podcasting Convenience Since iPods can play back Podcasts, files can be viewed or listened to anytime, anywhere. You do not have to be glued to a computer in order to review the files. Podcasting can be valuable to students or employees who want follow up on information or refreshers in order to fully understand lessons or work ideas. Students and employees can learn through various modalities aside from reading. Audio files and videos can be aids and supplements for studying and working. These files can be quickly and inexpensively created and uploaded to any website. Therefore, lectures and presentations can easily be accessed regardless of time and location, offering flexible learning options for students and employees. Easy Reach With a podcast, you can easily reach your students or employees, any time. More importantly, the information that is sent can be conveniently accessed. No more FAQs that need to be updated. Podcasts do not have expiration dates and they can be permanently archived. Accessibility issues Materials, such as transcripts, must consist of audio or video files in order to be fully accessible. This, as well as editing and uploading high-quality files, can be time-consuming. Large files will require broadband connection, which makes them difficult for those users who only have slow, dial-up connections. Those who are creating podcasts also need to make sure that the file format used will be compatible to all MP3 players and not iPods alone. Productivity Issues Allowing iPods at work or in school can encourage employees and students to work less. IPods in the office or classroom can be a source of distraction. Students and employees can be tempted to watch movies, listen to music or other audio files rather than work. They can be sidetracked by the endless media possibilities that an iPod can provide. This could mean less than average performance and less productivity. Disadvantages of Podcasting Time Consuming Podcasting can be used by professors as a means to provide or receive information from students. However, a disadvantage to this form of data is that the Web is such a vast and very public space where anyone from anywhere can publish files. Therefore, instructors and teachers have to spend time checking if the files and data published are verified. It can be very time consuming especially for larger files. It is also estimated that it takes 45 minutes to produce an 8 minute show. Not Searchable Podcasts are not always easily searchable. Although there are several search engines you can use, it is impossible to directly search within the audio file itself. This could be a huge disadvantage for many individuals, especially those who prefer to gather their data by quickly scanning through the texts. Accessibility Problems Editing and uploading files, especially if theyre high quality files, can be quite a challenge. Large files will demand not just a broadband connection, but a connection that is fast enough. Using dial-up connections for uploading and downloading will probably take too much of your time. Podcast creators will also need to make sure that the file formats they use will be compatible to other devices and not just iPods alone. Limiting Your Audience Not everyone owns a mobile device. Podcasting may just divide the market and alienate those who cannot have access to it. Some people are also just not interested in having to download files from the Web in order to have access to them, and some will prefer reading instead of listening to an audio file. Distracting Allowing the use of iPods in schools and companies can provide distractions and may result in poor productivity. Those with iPods can easily be sidetracked and listen to music or watch movies instead of doing actual work. Distractions for students and employees could mean poor performance. Question2: Facebook and Twitter are examples of Social Networks and Media Sharing tools. By using the concept of anytime, anywhere learning, how these tools can be manipulated to take advantage of the passion of young people for learning by tapping into the tools. Discuss in detail and provide example for each. Your comment and analysis must be supported by at least THREE (3) articles. The articles must be enclosed together with your submission. (If it is longer than 3 pages, then, you may provide the URL). Through my analysis and from my personal comment, I found that, social networks are one of the best tools to engage students to be more IT-savvy. Based by tapping the tools there are more advantages which make the young people especially students to learn and inherit it to more educational purpose. Social network could be a tool which enables real online (and offline) collaboration between learners and presents a way to record the interactions of learners.  Ã‚  Communication Skills The students listed technology skills as the top lesson, followed by creativity, being open to new or diverse views and communication skills. They will meet vast number of people trough this social network from different countries. This make them to look forward towards the communication skills and analyse them how good is their language power are. Towards Technology Students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and customizing content and thinking about online design and layout. Teenagers will more expose to latest technology when they try to explore it. Creative Ideas Theyre also sharing creative original work like poetry and film and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology. This is a very good idea because once we post something on the wall people able to comment on their work and the result is they will be more progressive with their work. Tutor Also have implications for educators, who now have a vast opportunity to support what students are learning on the Web sites. Enable teachers to share good examples of work with others, provide a means to track learner progress and provide a searchable history of work completed and contribute to the overall Assessment system. Those individuals, who would hesitate to approach an instructor for help, may find that the social network provides the kind of support they need, whether from peers or resources tailored to specific learning styles (i.e. video, audio, illustrations). Messaging Learners first access to email and why shouldnt it be a high quality email experience which a learner can keep for his/her lifetime and make it to as a medium to communicate with their lecturers. Exchange of media to accommodate all learner types. While this is true for most digital learning support systems, it is especially true when presented in a social network that includes a wide range of learners. The freedom to use the medium most appropriate for each users learning style will enhance the success of the curriculum. Application Mobile apps and tablet apps which integrate with the network, pulling and pushing content to/from the network. Can be accessible from a mobile device and we should be encouraging our learners to make use of these incredibly powerful devices in class Chat/Video Conferencing We are able to chat with our teacher who is online and discuss about tomorrows topic or which implement from Anywhere/Anytime learning. Restrictive emulation of the traditional training experience Social networks reflects the relationships traditionally shared in a learning situation, between student and trainer/educators, between one another, between the students and the material itself. This is much more conducive to social exchange and interaction than email or remote learning systems have been in the past. Discussion/news feed Here we able to discuss about latest hot news in town. Recently we had an earthquake in Japan. This discussion board act as a tool to help and relay news about latest phenomena happening there. Familiar platform for many learners to operate within As Social Networks like Facebook and MySpace grow in popularity, that paradigm is familiar to users and becomes less daunting when applied to a learning situation. Similar to the way many early iterations of software used the conventions standardized by Microsoft in its Windows operating system for their interfaces. Users were familiar with their function and could understand their meaning transferred. 3 Articles That Support http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/teaching-learning-through-social-networks http://www.quora.com/Education/How-can-we-use-social-networks-for-more-effective-K-12-learning http://socialnetworksforlearning.com/

Zinc Deficiency in Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression

Zinc Deficiency in Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression Study of the relation between zinc deficiency in pregnancy and postpartum depressin Maryam Asltoghiri, Zahra Ghodsi Abstract Maternal zinc deficiency during pregnancy has been related to adverse pregnancy outcome. Recently, zinc deficiency has been on the focus as causing depression. The study was conducted to the determine the relation between zinc deficiency in pregnancy and postpartum depression. This prospective describe-analytical study was conducted on the population of women admitted to Fatemmie hospital in Hamedan city in west of Iran in 2011 .The study sample included 132 normal ( non depressed confirmed by the beck test) pregnant woman who were selected by convenient non-probability methods. Blood sample were collected from pregnant cases in 38-40 weeks and serum zinc was assessed by Enzymatic technique. Standard values under 85 mg/dl were defined zinc deficiency. In 28th days after delivery, they completed the Edinburgh Questionnaire. The relation between their postpartum depression and zinc deficiency was assessed. There was no significant difference in demographic in the between two groups. Th e results showed that zinc deficiency had increased the chance of postpartum depression (p Key words: zinc deficiency, postpartum depression Introduction Women, especially women of child-bearing age, are at high risk of depression ( Escriba`-Agu ¨ir Artazcoz 2011). PPD is a condition occurring in the post-natal period characterized by depressed mood, lack of energy, disruptions of sleep and appetite, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, (Crayton Walsh, 2007 ); irritability, excessive physical complaints, lack of libido (Zauderer, 2009), (Gjerdingen et al, 2009 ). Women with PPD may also have recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, or recurrent thoughts about harming the baby. The onset of PPD may be as early as 4 weeks but is most commonly diagnosed between 6 and 12 weeks postpartum (Posmontier 2008). Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health concern. (Krause et al 2009) Maternal depression is very common globally, the prevalence of which ranges from 15% in the United States to 35% in low-income. Furthermore, the average prevalence of maternal postpartum depression within 6–8 wk af ter childbirth is 13% in the general population. (DiGirolamo Ramirez-Zea 2009) Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that has harmful effects on mothers, infants, family and relationships (Nikseresht, 2010) The consequences of postnatal depression on child development in early infancy, later infancy and early childhood have been the focus of a number of studies, with cognitive, emotional and social development potentially affected. (Leigh Milgrom, 2008). Therefore, identifying and treating depression early is a well recognized, public health priority (Segre et al, 2010) Furthermore, depression appears to be more severe in postpartum women and has an increased risk of recurrence. (Krause et al, 2009) Screening for depression in postpartum women is strongly encouraged. (Segre et al, 2010) Given the high prevalence and serious consequences of postnatal depression, efforts have been made to identify risk factors to assist in prevention, identification and treatment. (Leigh Milgrom , 2008). Most observers consider a history of depression, antenatal depression (Posmontier, 2008), stressful life events, low social support, marital problems ( Escriba`-Agu ¨ir Artazcoz, 2011) antenatal anxiety, negative cognitive attributional style, low self-esteem, and low income Other risk factors for postnatal depression cited in the literature include young age, fewer years of education, a history of miscarriage and pregnancy termination and a history of childhood sexual abuse (Leigh Milgrom, 2008) to be implicated in the development of depression, but there is little information available about biological factors. Zinc, one of the biological factors. The importance of zinc was first documented for Aspergillus niger. It took over 75 years to realize that zinc is also an essential trace element for rats and an additional 30 years went by before it was recognized that this was also true for humans. (Hasse et al, 2008) Zinc is one of the most important micronutrient with essential role in biochemical regulation of the body functions (Arast, 2009) Zinc is a cofactor for polymerases and proteases involved in many cellular functions (e.g., wound repair, intestinal epithelial cell regeneration). Zinc has antioxidant properties and may protect against macular degeneration from oxidative stress (Saper Rash, 2009) Due to the wide prevalence of zinc deficiency and the multitude of zinc’s essential biological functions, nutritional correction of zinc deficiency may have a significant impact on different aspects of human health. (Hasse et al, 2008). The prevalence of zinc deficiency is estimated to be high, with billions of people at risk, in particular in the developing world (Saper Rash, 2009) The importance of zinc in pregnancy period was widely studied in various countries. Variation in zinc plasma levels during pregnancy needs more investigation, because maternal zinc deficiencies may cause some severe abnormalities in the fetus ( arast 2009) The first clinical findings published by Hansen et al. indicated low serum zinc levels in treatment resistant depressed patients. Low serum zinc level was late found in major depressed and minor depressed subjects. (Szewczyk et al, 2010) Siwek and associated in 2010 suggest that Recurrent major depression is associated with decreased blood zinc concentrations that may be increased by effective antidepressant therapy. Given the negative implications of postpartum depression on health and wellbeing of mother and child, the current study aimed to examine prospectively the relationships among zinc deficiency and symptom of depression in Fattemieh hospital in city of Hamedan in west of Iran. Method This prospective describe-analytical study was conducted on the population of pregnant women ( mean gestation weeks = 38-40) admitted to the maternity hospital of Fatemieh in city of Hamedan in west of iran during 9-month period in years of 2011 .The sample consisted of 132 normal pregnant women (non depressed confirmed by the beck test) ranging in age from 20 to 35 years who were selected by convenient non-probability method. Our exclusion criteria were as follow : gestational diabetes, thyroid disorder, preeclampsia, history of infertility and stillbirth, unplanned pregnancy and history of depression . All the subjects were explained about the purpose of the study and were ensured strict confidentiality. Written informed consents were taken from each of women. All participants also reported their age, parity status, level of education, annual household income, marital status and history of abortion. Following University ethics approval, women currently 38 to40 weeks pregnant were invited to participate in a study. Blood samples were collected from pregnant cases and serum zinc was assessed by Enzymatic technique. Standard values under 85 mg/dl were defined zinc deficiency. At this time, They were divided into two groups of Zinc deficiency (n= 68) and normal zinc (n = 64) by their zinc levels. They were homogenized as for the confounders. On the 28th days after delivery ,they completed the Edinburgh questionnaire. We assessed depression with the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), a widely used self-report screening measure, at postpartum. We chose the EPDS because it has been validated for postpartum use and does not include somatic items, such as weight change, loss of energy, and tiredness that may be misleading as indicators of depression in the puerperal period. A score >12 indicates probable depression. Validation of the scale against diagnostic clinical interviews indicated a specificity of 78% and a sensitivity of 86% for all forms of depression. (Herring et al 2008) The relationship between their depression and zinc deficiency in 38-40 was assessed. SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago IL) statistical software was used for data analysis. All hypothesis tests were two-sided and P-values2, t-test ,mann Whitney, v-cramer and relative risk were used to analyze the obatained data. Results No statistically significant difference was noted in duration of marriage ( 4.27  ± 2.21 and 3.90  ± 1.53) ,socioeconomic (0.05  ± 1.02 and 0.05  ± 0/98 ), granida (60.9% and 61.8% no delivery), history of abortion ( 10/9 % and 7.4 % )and satisfaction of marriage ( 69.24  ±10.88 and 70.84  ± 10.47) between normal zinc and zinc deficiency groups ,respectively. Participants age ranged from 20 to 35 years (M=26.97 years, SD=3.75 and M=26.51 years, SD=4.31) in normal zinc and zinc deficiency groups ,respectively. At 38-40 weeks of pregnancy 68 women were placed in zinc deficiency and 64 women in normal zinc. 14.1% of the normal zinc and 38.2% of the zinc deficiency were found depressed on the 28th day after delivery and zinc deficiency had increased the chances of postpartum depression by 3.78 times.(p Table 1 : Comparison of depression on normal and zinc deficiency groups Conclusion The results indicated that zinc deficiency at 38-40 weeks gestation predicted, prospectively ,increased depressive symptoms at 28 days after delivery. This supported the proposed hypotheses and extended findings of our previous research suggesting that womens experiences of zinc deficiency may have clinical implications for the development of postpartum depression. Musavi and associated in 2006 expressed that major depressed subjects show significantly lowered serum zinc concentration. Results of this study, according to our study. DiGirolamo and associated in 2009 expressed similar results .Siwek and associated in 2010 expressed that Serum zinc is a state marker of depression. Szewczyk in 2010 showed that IRS activation is accompanied by a decrease in serum zinc level. In fact, in patients with major depression, a low zinc serum level correlated with an increase in the activation of markers of the immune system. Thus, these findings raise the hypothesis that the lower serum zinc observed in depressed patients may, in part, result from a depression-related alteration in the immune-inflammatory system. The other data supporting an important role of zinc in depression comes from the findings that the lower serum zinc level observed in depressed patients could be normalized by successful antidepressant therapy. However so further well-designed, adequately powered research is required .Lai and associated in 2012 suggest that potential benefits of zinc supplementation as a stand-alone intervention or as an adjunct to conventional antidepressant drug therapy for depression. Given symptoms of antenatal and postnatal depression are highly correlated, further research should evaluate the impact of antenatal experiences of zinc deficiency and indirectly via postpartum depression. Zinc deficiency in third trimester of gestation could be due to malnourishment or other conditions such as plasma expansion during pregnancy. Enhancing the daily uptake of zinc at the third trimester could be supportive.( arast et al 2009 )Zinc can improve depressive symptoms by nitrergic pathway. This element as supplement compounds could be alternatives for antidepressants in postpartum period. (Nickseresht 2010) The findings are limited as the relationships of earlier zinc deficiency with postpartum depressive symptom. Our findings indicate the importance of screening for the possible impact of zinc deficiency in earlier stages, to enable early treatment and even prevention of the development of antenatal and postpartum depression. Corresponding author: Maryam Asltoghiri

Organ Donation Essay -- essays research papers

How do you feel when you have to wait for something you really, really want?.............What if it was something you couldn’t live without?..........My cousin was five years old when he found out he needed a new kidney. He went on the organ waiting list right away. He was called twice during a six month span that they had a kidney wasn’t a good match. He had to wait again. The third time was a charm. A small adult was in an accident and his kidney was a good match. This story had a happy ending, but so many do not. One of the people on the waiting list for an organ transplant might be someone you know. Today I’d like to tell you about first, the need for organ donors in our area, second, how you can become an organ donor after you die, and finally, how your family and organ donor recipients benefit from your donation. People around the world, but also right here in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois, need organ transplants, and they need our help. The problem is that there is a lack of organ donors who make organ transplantation possible. The need is many organs and tissues such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, corneas, bone, skin, heart valves, and blood vessels. In spring 2004 the Official U.S. Government web site for organ donation states that, â€Å"A new name is added to the national waiting list every 16 minutes.† That means that 3 people will be added to the list during the time we are in class today. The problem is that 10 people will die each day waiting fo...

Comparing Wordsworth and Keats’ Romantic Poetry. Essay -- English Lite

Comparing Wordsworth and Keats’ Romantic Poetry. Both Wordsworth and Keats are romantic Poets, they express ideas on nature and send us the message to respect it. They say we have to admire the beauty of nature in different ways. Wordsworh uses simpler language in his poems wether to express simple or complex ideas, by which we understand he aimed his poems to lower classes. Keats instead, uses much more complex language to describe and express his ideas, so we know he aimed his poems to the educated. During the romnatic period, poets would mainly send out the message to admire nature and see the beauty in it. We should fine joy in nature and nature should be our teacher. In the poem â€Å"composed upon Westminster Bridge† Wordsworth makes us all want to see the beauty he saw that morning looking down on the quiet city: â€Å" the beauty of the morning silent, bare†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Meanwhile Keats in â€Å"on the sea† compares the city to the countryside. Both these poems are Sonnets and in iambic pentameter so a regular rhythm is created throughout both poems. The rhyming scheme of â€Å"CUWB† is â€Å"ABBA, ABBA† in the fist few lines just like â€Å"OTS†. The poems differ in the rhyme scheme at the end â€Å"CUWB† is â€Å"CDCDCD† while â€Å"OTS† ends witha rhyme scheme of â€Å"CDEDEC† a more complex scheme reflecting more complex ideas. Throughout the poem Keats repeats some sounds, like echoes in the sea, he creates this effect by by repeating the letter S. Wordsworth uses alliterantion too to emphasise the idea of the cities Majesty. Take, â€Å"sight, so, its† â€Å"houses, seem, asleep† which is designed to persuade us and to create a greater impact on the reader. In â€Å"OTS† Keats uses verbs to create personification throughout the poem â€Å"keeps† makes us think t... ...d for a different effect in â€Å"On the sea†. Wrodsworth has a rhyming scheme of â€Å"ABABCC† to make the sound more flowing. Keats instead has a more complex, furher apart rhyming scheme of â€Å"ABABCDEDECE†. The main message of the poem â€Å"To Autumn† is that autumn is rich, and it is sent out ina more formal way then â€Å"Daffodils† where the message id more personal because it is Wordsworth’s feelings and he sends them straight to you by using often the word â€Å"I† and giving it an endering informality. Both poets send out a similar message in all theur poems for they both wrote in the romantic period and they both believed that nature was more powerful than man, thet we all had to respect it and celebrate the beauty it had created on earth. Perhaps it was his informality and personal approach, and his simpler language, which made Wordsworth mroe popular than Keats.

Reflective Nursing Essay

Case Study One In this case study I will use Gibbs (1988) model of reflection to write a personal account of an abdominal examination carried out in general practice under the supervision of my mentor, utilising the skills taught during the module thus far. What happened During morning routine sick parade I was presented with a 21 year old male soldier experiencing severe acute, non specific, abdominal pain. Under the supervision of the medical officer (MO) I proceeded to carry out a full assessment and abdominal examination, using Byrne and Long’s (1976) model to structure the consultation. I requested the patients’ consent before conducting the examination, as is essential before commencement of any medical procedure, be it a physical examination or a critical surgical procedure (Seidal et al, 2006). The patient was quite agitated on arrival and appeared to be in a great deal of pain, and so before continuing with the physical examination I reassured him and made him comfortable in the treatment room. On examination his abdomen was soft, palpable with no tenderness, on auscultation bowel sounds where normal, vital signs normal, with cramping centralised pain. Feelings I was feeling confident in my ability to deal with the patient and perform the examination effectively as I had practiced this several times previously using the university resources and mock OSCE with my facilitator. As I am often solely responsible for the care and management of patients during out of hours (OOH) I felt comfortable assessing and triaging the patient. However, under normal circumstances I would assess the patient and refer them to the MO if I was concerned about their condition, in order for a decision to be made. I was also being closely monitored throughout which did increase the pressure to deliver the correct diagnosis and make appropriate decisions. However, by utilising the consultation model I feel I managed to keep a focused approach and ensure the correct questions where asked. Evaluation I feel I gained a good history from the patient by using the SOLER principles (Egan, 1990) taught in the history taking presentation. Thus allowing me to form a differential diagnosis and rule out certain causes, such as; constipation, and indigestion. Subsequently, the physical examination enabled me to confirm a diagnosis of acute abdomen. As the patient was not experiencing any worrying (red flag) symptoms associated with abdominal emergencies, such as; appendicitis or pancreatitis. However, I did forget certain aspects of the physical examination and had to be prompted by the MO. Although with more practice such incidence would be reduced. Analysis I was happy that I managed to rule out any distinct causes of the abdominal pain by performing the examination to collect data, analyse it, and use the results to make an appropriate decision (Schon, 1984). However, had I performed the examination without assistance I may not have gained all the information required to confirm diagnosis, as I did forget some aspects. Conclusion The MO seemed happy with my diagnosis and care plan, though he did highlight the importance of practicing the physical examination skills in order to become a more competent practitioner. Overall I feel gaining knowledge and skills in translating a patients’ history and physical examination results, has enabled me to become more confident in making a diagnosis and has improved my decision making skills. Action Plan In order to become a more capable and effective practitioner I must continue to perform physical examinations under the guidance of a more senior practitioner, and utilise their expertise during the decision making process. Additionally, I will continue to develop my consultation and history taking skills by using Byrne and Long’s (1976) consultation model to assist my practice and aid future development. References BYRNE, P, S., LONG, B, E, L. (1976) Doctors talking to patients. London: HMSO EGAN, G. (1998) The Skilled Helper: A problem-management approach to helping. 6th edn. Pacific Grove, London: Brooks/Cole. GIBBS, G. (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: further education unit, oxford polytechnic SEIDAL, H, M., BALL, J, W., DAINS, J, E., BENEDICT, G, W. (2006) Mosby’s Guide to Physical Examination. 6th edn. Philadelphia: Elsevier. SCHON, D. (1984) The Reflective Practitioner: how professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

A Filmic Analysis of Hamlet Essay

Shakespeare’s Hamlet inspired many film directors to adapt the play onto the big screen. In Kenneth Branagh’s version, he takes on the challenge of both directing the film and portraying Hamlet. In Marco Zeferelli’s edition, celebrated actor Mel Gibson stars as Hamlet. The directors use different aspects of cinematography and mise-en-scene to depict distinctive interpretations of the famous â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy. Branagh interprets the scene as a contemplation of Hamlet’s decision whether to kill himself or Claudius, whereas Zeferelli construes the scene as a deliberation of life, death, and the afterlife. Branagh uses props, varied camera angles, and thoughtful acting to describe the â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy as a brooding decision haunting Hamlet of action versus inaction. Branagh begins the soliloquy facing a two-way mirror, with Polonius and Claudius hidden behind it. The audience sees Hamlet staring directly at himself, while also facing the concealed men behind the mirror. This personifies the idea that Hamlet is hesitant about taking action against his own life or taking the life of Claudius: â€Å"Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles / And, by opposing end them† (3. 1. 65-68). The camera angle consists of a medium close-up on the intense concentration of Branagh’s face, expressing the critical contemplation of his life and Claudius’s. Later in the soliloquy, Hamlet uncovers a bodkin, pointing the weapon towards the two-way mirror in a manifestation of action versus inaction. The lighting of the scene highlights Branagh’s face and disposition with explicit detail, leaving no question to the viewer about his intent on either killing himself or Claudius. However, Branagh neglects to analyze Hamlet’s actual contemplation of death itself. Zeferelli focuses on Hamlet’s reflection of death as an experience and also the ambiguity of the afterlife. Mel Gibson recites the â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy in a royal tomb where his father is buried. The morbid setting suggests a theme of death. The low-key lighting emphasizes an ominous quality associated with Hamlet’s musing of the afterlife. Gibson meticulously edges through the graves, using composed speech to reflect upon his life and the life of his father: â€Å"For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, / When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, / Must give us pause. There’s the respect / That makes calamity of so long life† (3. 1. 74-77). Hamlet believes that the hardships of life become resolute through death. The turmoil of human affairs perishes along with an individual’s life. Gibson’s acting and disposition suggest that he thinks death is more appealing than life. His ponderings are not a question of action and revenge but a question of the actual prospects of death and what comes after death. The setting in a tomb highlights this as well as Gibson keenly looking up towards heaven during the soliloquy. Although the two directors interpret the â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy differently, similarities exist between the two scenes. The acting of Branagh and Gibson both reflect deep contemplation; Branagh being more concerted and Gibson being more reflective. Both actors use Shakespeare’s words very thoughtfully and precisely, and keep their voices in a soft but convincing monotone. The camera angles of the scenes are also similar with the shot situated intently on the actors’ faces, either focused in a fixed position on Branagh to represent great credence or zooming in slowly on Gibson’s face to represent a more reflective quality. Both directors do an exceptional job conveying the message that their cinematographic and acting choices suggest. The â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy is interpreted in many different ways, but Branagh and Zeferelli artfully choose one aspect of the scene to focus on.

A Movie Review

This film has a compelling story that has various characters that come from different races and background whose lives are intertwined with each other and set in the city of Los Angeles.It shows the racial disrespect and contempt in the city as well as the drug culture. It is a contemporary film that characterizes a group of racially diverse individuals where one will see whites, blacks, Asians and Hispanics. Each character is portrayed in different racial discrimination situations as an offender at one point in the story and a victim in another.A movie so full of strong racist language and intense confrontations where everyone seems angry and scared of being blatantly discriminated because of their color, yet at the same time each has their own narrow-mindedness that moves them to do the same.The utterances of uncouth words were seemingly done recklessly, inconsiderately or deliberately which somehow leads to violence and crimes.   Anyone, in whichever part of the world, who will watch this movie, can somehow relate to at least one character wherein one shares the same fears, hopes and at times feels impelled to retaliate when pushed to a corner.In one scene, the character named Ria, the Latina detective, had a vehicular mishap with an Asian woman (who mispronounced the word brake as blake) whom she told sarcastically, â€Å"†¦you don’t see my blake lights. See, I stop when I see a long line of cars stopped in front of me. Maybe you see over the steering wheel, you’ll blake too†.   That coming from Ria’s mouth who was also racially discriminated by his own black boyfriend.Several movie reviews has rated this movie with four stars or more.   These movie reviews influence the in some ways help in the success or the failure of a particular movie.   It aids the moviegoers decide whether it is worthy of our time and money to watch or not.   There are reviews that are either made objectively and subjectively.According to Am ber Deggans, who writes for the reel reviews, watching the film is like watching a documentary. The rawness of the emotions of the characters touches us deeply.The portrayal of the abusive and racist cop named Officer John Ryan impels us to hate him for his attitude towards the black community yet seeing him comforting his sick father is so contradictory which just shows us that there is always a good side to people. Film makers usually do their utmost to reach the audience and impart to them that there is a need to stop the anger among us but not many were successful in doing this except for this movie.The characterization of each role was ultimately conveyed to the audience.   The performance of the actors was exceptionally done resulting for the film’s message to be thoroughly communicated. Scenes were sometimes so poignant that it becomes hard for the viewer not to be moved especially if at some point in our lives, we may have encountered a relatively similar if not the exact situation as shown in the movie.  Roger Ebert, who is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic and screen writer rated this movie with four stars. As conclusion to his review, Ebert mentioned, â€Å"I don't expect â€Å"Crash† to work any miracles, but I believe anyone seeing it is likely to be moved to have a little more sympathy for people not like themselves. The movie contains hurt, coldness and cruelty, but is it without hope? Not at all.†Some scenes from this movie give us surprisingly unexpected but realistic glimpses of certain inequities that real people also come across. For a movie that didn’t have ample budget for its production, parts of the movie were quite represented realistically and naturally. Crash strongly depicts a reality that none of us can refute and forces us to face the truth, that each of us carry our own prejudice regardless of which race we belong to.   The social impact of this movie would hopefully lead to a realiza tion of a racist-free community.WORKS CITEDCrash. Dir. Paul Haggis. Perfs. Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito,Brendan Fraser, Thandie Newton, Terence Howard, Ryan Philippe. DVD. Lions Gate Production. 2005.Deggans, Amber. â€Å"MovieReview†. Frank’s Reel Reviews. 2005.4 December 2007.

Economics Reaction Paper on Sabah Essay

A feud between two Muslim governments, ignited by the sultan of  Sulu when he and his subjects headed to Sabah to reclaim their once territory. Some standoff that went on for over a month now. This standoff that gained nothing but transgressions, especially on the  side of the sultanate of Sulu. Their futile measures to repossess Sabah. Their  defiance against the president’s orders to not proceed. This only resulting to the  massacre of the sultan’s clan members. To this day, the sultan, his family, and  followers were being hunted down by the Malaysian military forces. With this,  they always have to take evasive action for them to survive. Then, there’s the  possible criminal charges which the Kiram family might face once they go back  to the Philippines. Additional problems to be solved by the government. The people fleeing  from Sabah, Malaysia because of the ongoing firefight between the Royal Family  of Sulu and the Malaysian Armed Forces there; Heading to refuge camps in our  country. Also, the decline on the supply of goods in Muslim provinces in the   Philippines. The goods and services, coming from Malaysia, are having increase  in terms of their price. All of these are happening because the Malaysian government is  prohibiting the people in our country to enter their territory without their  permission. Now that the facts about this issue are laid down, we will readily  proceed my personal thoughts regarding this matter. First of all, I find it a very impulsive and reckless move for the Royal  Family of Sulu to start yet another dispute between the Philippines and  Malaysia. To make another historical claim in regards with Sabah is like  starting a never-ending war. It only gets worse by the minute. No fruitful  result reaped. Another, I don’t think that our country could ever obtain again the  rights on Sabah. I said it because we have been making claims on this for  many years. Still, nothing has happened. So what makes the sultan of Sulu think that he could, they could? Economics Reaction Paper Passed by: Shunamite D. Purificacion I-22 Passed to: Mr. Serafin Arviola

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Essay

Qualitative and quantitative research are two types of research, each type is presented in a different way and depends on different gathered material. Qualitative research is the collection of information about things and objects. For instance interviews, pictures and items would be items collected during qualitative research. Quantitative research involves the collection and analysis of numerical information that has been researched and collected. This type of research is best at the onset of a research product. It can help steer a research product in a specific direction, and its results are given in spoken word or in the form of images and videos. Qualitative research is focused on results that do not involve numbers. Its purpose is to observe and analyze how people react and think to the research topic and why they react and feel the way that they do. The purpose of this type of research is to gain results that show details about the problem and question at hand. Qualitative research usually answers questions about a broad idea or thought, and considers many details and possibilities. These results are usually gathered by using questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. Qualitative evidence has conclusions that are based on a gathering of thoughts and ideas and can often present answers that are considered opinionated, and can be interpreted differently by different groups. This type of data offers results that deal with human emotions and thoughts. Although qualitative research does not use numerical data its results are very useful and can offer solid solutions and results. Quantitative research has an end result of numerical data that can give results in a numerical report. The research that is gathered in this type of research is measurable and is easier to compare to similar numerical results. The results contain numerical explanations for the questions that are being researched. Quantitative research is usually focused on direct details or specific questions that require specific and conclusive answers. This research is usually used in the end of a research project. This type of research uses questioners, survey or even measurements to collect numerical data, and its end results are presented in the form of charts and graphs. Quantitative data is considered to be more concrete proof or evidence that can be proven and show hard facts. My project for this class will more than likely consists of more quantitative data than qualitative. In my project I want to look into why the consumer feels a certain way. I know for sure that these answers can only be reached through research conducted through survey and personal questioners. Numerical data will not help me come to a conclusion about why the consumer base thinks or feels a certain way.

Individual written assignmnet 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Individual written assignmnet 4 - Assignment Example This prompted me to attend the game early to cofirm whether an arrangement could be done to enable me attend the match. Exactly what did you and the employee(s) say and do? I visited the Old Trafford ticket office near the stadium. They requested me to provide them with the serial number of my ticket or wait for someone for the real tickets to pass-by. They obtained a copy of my license and cross-checked my payment status over the internet. After confirming that all the information I provided was accurate, they let me enter the stadium and provided me with the fan-shirts and bands with a guarantee that non one is going to bother me over tickets issue. Describe and analyse the physical location, surroundings, decor, and general atmosphere of the outlet where the encounter took place: The employees were generally friendly, with constant assurance that the service that I was requesting will be granted so long as the information that I provided is accurate and genuine. The office is loca ted inside the stadium, with the interior appearance designed to represent football mood. What could you and/or the employee(s) have done to increase the level of satisfaction? What improvements need to be made to this Service Encounter? The process should have been made more quickly and directly checking my details online, instead of first checking my licence. How likely is it that you will return to this Service Provider? Extremely Unlikely... ...Extremely Likely 1? 2? 3? 4? Identify and closely apply three (3) marketing models, theories, or concepts (or ‘parts of’ models, theories or concepts) that we have studied which are appropriate to this Service Encounter: Application of marketing theory; the staff at the booking office engages weighty and collaborative decision-making process in finding the solution for the absence of the entry tickets for a pre-paid customer. The Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs is also applicable because the staff ensured that I got the se rvices I required instead of making me go back and pick my ticket. How would you rate your level of satisfaction with this encounter? Select a number corresponding to your feelings for each section Terrible... ...Delighted 1 2 3 4 5 Surroundings X Decor X Interaction with Staff X Staff Knowledge X Overall X Service Encounter 2 Name of Service Provider (company, organisation institution): Crunchy British Grill Type of Service (Profit, not-for-profit, public service, routine, rare): Restaurant Date, time, length, and precise location of Service Encounter: October 10, 2005 at 7.00 PM Exactly what did you and the employee(s) say and do? Some friends and I decided to visit the restaurant for dinner since we were celebrating my cousin’s birthday. Crunchy British Grill was our favourite restaurant due to the famous dishes offered at a fair price. Its location is also favourable since our neighbourhood is close to Manchester where the restaurant is located. Situating the party in the restaurant enabled us to gauge the environment around the hotel with that of the Shaw green neighbourhood that lived since our childhood. Describe and analyse the physical location, surroundings, decor, and general atmosphere of the outlet where the encounter took place: We arrived at the restaurant at 6.00PM on October 10, 2005 and had to wait for two hours before being