Old Guard or Avant-garde Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Old Guard or Avant-garde - Research Paper Example My first favorite symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich is symphony No 7 which is commonly known as Leningrad. Shostakovich composed this masterpiece in 1941 and it was intended for the extremist Russian government. Shostakovich completed this song at the height of World War I and, therefore, his focus was on the issues happening to the society. Due to the rapidly changing lifestyles, Shostakovich was forced to adopt a musical style that would withstand changes in the society. The symphony can, therefore, be considered as avant-grade music. This consideration is based on the style and the issue addressed by the music. Unlike other music produced in that period, symphony No 7 addressed issues that were not common among musician. Initially, musicians sang about lifestyle issues such as love, happiness, sorrow and prosperity. However, Shostakovich introduced the aspect of musician being critical in the governance of a country. Unlike other musicians, Shostakovich became critical about Russian governance and the oppressive Nazi regime (FIS). All these issues are captured in the lyrics of this piece of music, which Shostakovich created using C sharp major. It was adopted both in the west and in Russia as a symbol for defiance against authoritarian regimes. Shostakovich demonstrated that musicians had a more significant role to play in the society other than been entertainers or philosophers of the society. Through the symphony, the composer demonstrated that artists were essential in influencing. the governance of their country. This is the first aspect that makes it to be classified as avant grade music. Other than the social responsibilities of the artist demonstrated through the symphony, the symphony also had additional stylistic and performance aspect that makes it to be considered as an avant grade creation. Before the creation of this piece of music, long performances were not popular. This resulted from the nature of this musical creation and the intended message contained in it. However, Leningrad is considered as a music peace that had the longest performance. It was unusual to have performance that exceeded thirty minutes. The Leningrad was an exceptional case since its first performance took about one and a half hour (Fay 213). Long performances became a popular trend in music produced after symphony No 7. The length of a musical performance was determined by the content of a piece of music. This piece of music introduced the aspect of creating music with rich

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Essay Example for Free

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Essay The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative assessment about mathematics and science education that is organized by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The survey has been administered periodically in cycles of 4 years since 1995. Initially TIMSS was an acronym for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, which identified its position as the third study following the First and Second International Mathematics and Science Studies (FIMS SIMS) in 1964 and 1982 respectively. A similar study to the 1995 TIMSS (using the same technical framework) was carried out in 1999, and was referred to as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study Repeat (TIMSS-R). The 2003 study was the third cycle of studies based on the 1995 assessment framework, and the acronym TIMSS was redefined to mean Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (http://nces.ed.gov/timss). With funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the TIMSS assessment was to be offered more timely in intervals of 4 years. Table 1 gives an overview on the TIMSS assessment, target populations, and the number of countries that participated in each administration. Table 1. TIMSS assessments and participating countries at the 8th grade level Study Name Acronym Year Number of Countries Target population Grades tested Third International Mathematics and Science Study TIMSS 1994/5 42 3rd /4th, 7th/8th , 12th Third International Mathematics and Science Study Repeat. TIMSS-R 1998/9 40 8th Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study TIMSS 2002/3 46 4th 8th Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study TIMSS 2006/7 Over 60 4th, 8th, (12th rescheduled 2008) TIMSS is considered the largest, most comprehensive, rigorous, and extensive international comparative educational study ever conducted (Alejandro, 2000). It touches on almost every facet of the learning of science and mathematics. The 2003 TIMSS project was comprised of over 360 000 students, over 38 000 teachers, and over 12 000 school principals, and as many as 1 500 contextual variables were included in addition to variables on student achievement scores (Nelson, 2002; TIMSS‟ User guide 2003). TIMSS aims at providing policy makers and educational practitioners with information and indicators about their national educational systems from an international perspective. Alejandro argues that TIMSS serves a â€Å"mirror† function to participating countries to reflect comparatively on their education systems. Martin and Kelly (2004) suggest that TIMSS tests go beyond measuring achievement to including a thorough investigation of curriculum and how it is delivered in classrooms around the world. In a nutshell, the assessment is perceived to be valid and reliable as a measure of student achievement. However, the TIMSS assessments are not without critics. Among the critical voices is that of Wolf (2002) who questions the validity issues of the TIMSS studies. His contention is that TIMSS, being an international assessment, may have testing procedures that are not appropriate for some countries‟ usual testing practices. Related to that, Zuzovsky (2000) specifically questions the reliability of these tests. He argues that the heavily elaborated coding systems inherent in the TIMSS scoring procedures yield lower inter-rater consistency and also that translation of achievement tests into different languages brings the reliability of the assessments into question. The downside of cross-sectional assessments such as the TIMSS projects did not escape the attention of de Lange (2007) who questions the assumption behind international studies that a single test can give comparable measures of curriculum effects across countries. In spite of these criticisms, Alejandro, the chairman of IEA, sees the worth in countries participating in the TIMSS surveys. He argues that â€Å"More than just league tables, the TIMSS data place achievement in an international context where it can be considered from multiple perspectives† (Alejandro, 2000, p. 2). A similar statement was expressed more than 35 years ago by Bock (1970). He perceived the world as shrinking through technology. In support of international studies, he argued that through participation in international studies and by sharing educational reports, countries get a glimpse of each other‟s cultural practices. The TIMSS international reports give an overall impression of the impact that different education factors have on students‟ performance in different countries. It is by further engaging in secondary analysis of the TIMSS data and by conducting further studies related to the findings of TIMSS assessments that countries better understand their schooling system. In particular, it is important to identify areas of concern and address those systematically rather than attempt to replicate another country`s curriculum system simply because the schooling system there seems to be effective. Education indicators are numerous and vary in their effect from country to country. It is possible that each of the 1,500 contextual variables administered in the TIMSS surveys were included because of some supporting literature on their influence on students‟ learning. TIMSS as model of Educational Achievement The literature on models of educational indicators and their performance as a system together with research studies that model student learning achievement as a function of the characteristics of their schools and their family background is extensive (Oakes, 2006; Kaplan Elliott, 2007; Kaplan Kreisman, 2000; Koller, Baumert, Clausen, Hosenfeld, 2001). However, in spite of the extensive literature on the subject of modeling of educational data, no single model of educational performance has gained widespread acceptance (Oakes, 2006; Nelson, 2002). This lack of a global model was noted by Nelson in relation to the TIMSS projects, that, although rigorously executed, and with all its popularity (with more participants than any other IEA study), TIMSS has not attempted to come up with a prescriptive model that relates educational factors to student achievement that can be applicable across nations. Nelson is adamant that any attempt to provide a universal model would not be wise because countries differ in their educational policies and instructional practices so that a one-size fits- all model would not be realistic. That said, though models of educational performance seem diverse as suggested by the literature, in Haertel, Walberg, and Weinstein‟s (2003) view, they have more commonalities than differences. Haertel et al. conducted a meta-analysis of studies that modeled school performance data and found that the presented models had a common structure. Though the models differed in their specifications, their structures were comprised of three categories of pre-existing conditions (cognitive/affective attributes and resources), instructional processes (opportunity to learn, quality of instruction), and outcome measures (achievement, affective behaviors). These models presented student performance as a function of student, teacher, and/or school background variables. Studies of interest to my research are those that modeled students‟ performance as a function of their background variables; the model of interest that informed my variable selection is the Input-Process-Output (IPO) model by Oakes (2006), or Rand Model (Shavelson, McDonnell, Oakes, 2006). The IPO model has similar structural components as the models that were reviewed by Haertel et al. (2003) and models student achievement as a function of some resources. I selected this model for my conceptual framework because of its scope of coverage of educational indicators. The model presents a holistic conception of student learning in a classroom setting and it appears frequently in literature that analyzes large scale data (e.g. Kaplan and Kreisman, 2000; Koller, Baumert, Clausen, Hosenfeld, 2001 analyzing TIMSS data). Additionally, it has been used extensively to guide education researchers in the selection, specification, and analysis of educational variables that correlate with student learning outcomes (Kaplan Elliott, 2007; Kaplan Kreisman, 2000; Koller, Baumert, Clausen, Hosenfeld, 2001). It is taken as one of the influential models in shaping public opinion and policy on how to foster school improvement. TIMSS Input-Process-Output Model The input-process-output (IPO) model by TIMSS is one of the improved versions of the traditional input-output (IO) models of school organizational data (Glasman, Biniaminov, 2001). Glasman and Biniaminov reported that the input-output traditional model employed research strategies that measured changes in the systems‟ outputs brought about by changes in the systems‟ inputs. The IO model was criticized for not taking the academic environment into account and for oversimplifying the schooling process by portraying it as linear. According to Glasman and Biniaminov, â€Å"the input-output analyses [did] not deal with characteristics of the dynamic and ongoing interrelationships between students and teachers or those among students themselves† (p. 509). To overcome the problem, Oakes‟ model added a third component (processes) that mediated the input variables into the output variables and that also provided an educational context for the model. The process component focuses on classroom characteristics such as instructional quality issues (explained in the next section under measures for the model). Oakes‟ model is therefore comprised of three components of an educational system: inputs, processes, and outputs (IPO) (Figure1). Figure 1. A comprehensive Model of an Educational System INPUTS PROCESSES OUTPUTS Fiscal and Curriculum Achievement other quality resources School quality Instructional Participation Quality Dropouts Teacher Characteristics Teaching quality Student Attitudes Background Aspirations Note. The arrows indicate the direction of effect Briefly stated, according to Shavelson, McDonnell, and Oakes, (2001) â€Å"the TIMSS model‟s inputs are the human and financial resources available to education† (p. 13): This includes teacher quality (e.g. certification and experience), student background (e.g. parents‟ education and home possessions), and school quality (e.g. school climate). â€Å"Its processes are what is taught and how it is taught† (p. 13): This includes classroom characteristics such as curriculum quality (e.g. pace and coverage of materials), teaching quality (e.g. integration between teacher, pupil, and materials), and instructional quality (e.g. instructional tasks, teaching methods, and classroom climate) and â€Å"its outputs are the consequences of schooling for students from different backgrounds† (p. 13) such as academic achievement, participation (what percentage graduate versus drop out), and attitudes (e.g. any desires to continue studying math or career goals that are math related). The TIMSS model is complex and provides insight into how the various components of the education system relate to one another. As noted earlier, one of the shortcomings of the traditional input output model was its structure in which nested data was treated as though linear, and the TIMSS model addressed that problem. This was noted by Kaplan and Elliott that â€Å"the TIMSS‟ model, is one instantiation of the organizational structure of schooling that captures its hierarchical nature† (Kaplan, Elliott, 2007; p. 221). The two suggested that the model was multilevel in form and was testable through statistical methodologies that take the multilevel nature of educational data into consideration. Kaplan and Elliot used the model for their framework to propose a model-based approach for validating educational indicators that explicitly took into account the organizational features of schooling. The two contended from their model that it was not necessary for every indicator that has ever been suggested for collection to actually appear in the model. To them, it is the research questions and the goals for the investigations that should determine which indicators to include in a statistical model. Nevertheless, Oakes (2006) advised that a single indicator of each component of the educational system was inadequate. What was needed, in his view, was for each component to have indicators of all its most critical dimensions, and, â€Å"without a series of indicators that assesses all important facets of the schooling processes (the 3 components of the model), we can neither understand the system`s overall health nor determine the conditions under which a particular goal is met† (Oakes, 2006, p. 8). Oakes further observed that each of the three components appeared to be necessary but insufficient by itself to convey full information about school effects. That is, although a system of indicators measures distinct components of the education model, it also provides information about how the individual components work together to produce the overall effect. What can be deduced from Oake`s remarks is that studies that model only one component of the educational system may not be doing an adequate job of conveying the necessary information about the school effects. Conclusions What I considered informative from TIMSS and through the deliberations by Kaplan and Elliott (2007) about TIMSS`s model in general, and its use in particular, was how to utilize its structure to reach the different components of an education system holistically. It was of interest that the TIMSS model has flexible attributes in those variables could be rearranged to reflect the hierarchical nature of classroom data as evidenced in the current study in subsequent chapters. In one study, Kaplan and Kreisman (2000) used the TIMSS` model to validate indicators of mathematics education using its data. Rather than group their variables into the three distinct categories of Input-Process-Output as outlined in the model structure, they contended that since TIMSS` model was inherently multilevel, a subset of the inputs and processes occurred at higher levels of the education system. As a result, they grouped their indicators into three organizational levels: student, teacher, and school. That is to say, although TIMMS` model (Figure 1) groups school resources, teacher quality, and student background as one category of input (or prerequisite) variables, these indicators occur at different hierarchical levels of the school organization. Some of the variables included in the Kaplan and Kreisman model were: †¢Ã¯â‚¬  At student level: mathematics achievement, attitude toward mathematics, utility of mathematics, parents’ education, and mother’s expectations. †¢Ã¯â‚¬  At teacher level: method of instruction, teacher collaboration with colleagues, teacher’s level of education, and teaching experience. †¢Ã¯â‚¬  At school level: opportunities for continuing professional development, good facilities, school climate, level of discipline, and outstanding teacher recognition. Needless to say, Kaplan and Kreisman`s (2000) variables were representative of the three components of the IPO model even though the variables were grouped differently. Some of the variables they used were composite indicators. These were variables such as attitudes and methods of instruction. The two authors ran factor analyses to help group related items into the composite indicators and they had mathematics achievement as their outcome measure. In summary, TIMMS` model is more of a conceptual framework than a prescriptive one. That is, it does not prescribe what variables one should include in a statistical model for testing educational performance, but offers guidance about the components from which to draw the variables. Directions for Future Research TIMSS data have opened extensive avenues for further research work. In conclusion, this paper has evidenced the complexities involved in TIMSS data. It is hoped that this study and other studies that continue to model TIMSS data and pilot TIMSS instruments will help to illuminate the factors that explain student achievement in the us and in many other countries and to direct policy interventions.

Glaciers And Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay

Glaciers And Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay The article is mainly talk about the interaction between glaciers and climate change. Take the Tianshan No.1 Glacier as an example. Glacier produces in climate and by the impact of climate change. The glaciers change is the result of climate fluctuations. And glacier changes in turn acts on the natural environment that contribute to climate change. Tianshan No.1 Glacier has changed significantly in the past five decades, includes glacier surface firn characteristics, ice formation zones, ice temperature, thickness, area and terminus position, etc. These glacier changes related to temperature rise, and respond to recent climate variation. In addition, changes in the global climate and environment caused by glacier change, such as the increase of glacier runoff, sea-level rise, and the reduction of surface albedo caused by area shrinkage etc. The interaction between glacier and climate change not only has important impacts on global climate variation, but also has great significance fo r the study of climate and environment. 1. Introduction Glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation (melting and sublimation) over many years, often centuries. Its movement caused by the action of gravity. Glacier ice is the largest reservoir of freshwater, supporting one third of the worlds population. 11% of the worlds land area is covered by glaciers. The glacier mainly distributed in the Antarctic, the Arctic and high-altitude regions of the middle and low latitudes. It is a product of the climate and a good indicator of climate, also it acts on climate. The glaciers change, especially changes in mountain glaciers, is a barometer of global climate change. Precipitation, temperature is the main climate factors that affecting glaciers. The precipitation decides glacier accumulation, and temperatures decide ablation. Therefore, the amount of precipitation, its distribution during the year, and interannual variability effect glacier recharge and activities. While the temperature impacts ice formation and glacial melt water. The precipitation and temperature codetermine the nature of the glacier, development and evolution. 1.1 Glacier mass balance Glacier mass balance is the key factor that links glacier fluctuations and climate change. Climate change leads to corresponding changes in the material balance state of glacier. While this kind of change in the mass balance of glacier can lead to change in glacier movement characteristics and glacier thermal regime, and thus lead to changes in the glacier terminus position, size and ice reserves. Glacier mass balance formular has two elements: glacier accumulation and ablation. Glacier ice accumulation occurs through accumulation of snow and other frozen precipitations, include rime ice, avalanching from hanging glaciers on cliffs and mountainsides above, and re-freezing of glacier melt water as superimposed ice. The ablation refers to the melting of snow or ice that runs off the glacier, evaporation, sublimation, calving, or erosive removal of snow by wind. Air temperature is typically the dominant control of ablation with precipitation exercising secondary control. With successive years in which accumulation exceeds ablation, a glacier will experience positive mass balance, its terminus will advance and vice versa. 1.2 Research Significance Current glacier recession under the global warming has aroused world-wide attention. The sensitivity of alpine glaciers to temperature change is found to be largely amplified. The number of retreating glaciers has improved significantly. For a number of glaciers, shrinkage rate appears to have accelerated since the 1990s. Increase melting speed of glaciers can lead to sea level rise and submerging of some coastal areas. Moreover, it induces snow and ice related disasters, for example, glacier flood and avalanche, which menace the living environment of human beings and wild animals, as well as change the habits and characteristics of many species. On the other hand, the disappearance of ice-covered regions on the Earth will in turn change the global climate regime significantly. Ice covers, especially those in the Polar Regions, can reflect a great deal of solar energy back to the outer space, which helps to keep the Earth cool. However, with the ice cover melting, the underlain land and the water will expose to the air, and thus certainly absorb much more solar radiation and cause more ice melting. The accelerated glacier recession in China is also very obvious, especially in Northwest China, where glacier melt water runoff increases, area of glacier decreases, terminus retreats, snow line elevates and many small glaciers are disappearing. Glacier is known as the solid reservoir and the cradle of oasis in the arid regions in Northwest China. It is the major water source for human living and development. Study area Tianshan No.1 Glacier(43 °6†²N ¼Ã…’ 86 °49†²E) is located at a height of 3,454 m above sea level, and about 118 km from Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China. It is the headwaters of Urumqi River, approximately 100km from Asia geographic center. In addition, it is considered one of the most important dry land glacier models in Asia, and one of the most famous ten glaciers in the world. It has the longest record of mass balance in the Asian high mountains. The glacial record shows that the glacier has shrunk significantly in last 30 years. The Tianshan No.1 glacier is shrinking at the speed of 3.5 m and 5.9 m every year on its east and west sides respectively. In the past 45 years, its coverage has dropped from 1.94 sq km to 1.68 sq km, a 13.8% loss. The land here is characteristic of alluvial deposits by glaciers, so those conducting geological surveys can explore the development course of the Urumqi River in the past millions of years. Glacier-climate interactions The glaciers change is the inevitable result of climate fluctuations. Atmospheric precipitation and heat status changes, profound impact on the growth and decline of the advance and retreat of the polar ice caps and mountain glaciers. By observing the glacier changes, understanding the glacier dynamic of global or regional, and forecasting global climate change. Glaciers in China are mainly small and medium-sized mountain glaciers in low latitude. They have a good response for climate fluctuations of short cycle. Since the Little Ice Age, the general trend of glaciers around the world is retreat mainly. The Fourth Assessment Report of IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) pointed out that impacts of climate warming on many phenomena are remarkable, such as shrinkage of the Arctic ice cap, acceleration of sea level rise, recession of glacier terminus all over the world, thawing of permafrost, earlier breaking up of ice in the rivers and lakes, prolongation of crop growing season in the middle and high latitudes, and changes in the distribution and behavior of animals and plants. Take Tianshan No.1 Glacier as an example, glacier has changed significantly in the past five decades, includes glacier surface firn characteristics, ice formation zones, ice temperature, thickness, area and terminus position, etc. The main drive forces to the glacier change are the heat and water conditions of the glacier covered region. Glacier melting is tightly related to the temperature variation. According to the records of meteorological stations in the headwaters region, the air temperature has been rising since 1985, and the tendency of rise has accelerated since 1995. From 1997 up to present, the average temperature has increased by 1à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, as the largest rise extent in recent 50 years. The observation of Daxigou Meteorological Station shows that the average annual temperature increased by 0.8à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™(0.017à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™/a) during 1958~2004 with obvious temperature rises especially in autumn and winter. The characteristics of snow-firn stratigraphy and ice formation zone of the glacier are sensitive to the climate change. The climate warming greatly promotes the glacier melting, which consequently alters the properties of snow pack stratigraphy and ice formation zones. According to the analyses of 60 vertical profiles of snow pits obtained from the accumulation zone of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier during the period of 1961~2005, the construction of snowfirn stratigraphy had a remarkable change. The proportion of coarse firn in the snow pits increased from 40% to 65%, and fine firn decreased from 25% to 7%. This indicates that snow pack is severely affected by melt water, which accelerates the process of transformation from fine firn to coarse firn. Compared with the snow-firn stratigraphic constituents and its structure in the 1960s and 1980s, current specimens show remarkable changes, such as reduction of snow-pack depth, simplification of structure, blurred boundaries of snow layers, an d mergence of dust layers within snow pack. The mass balance change is an undelayed response of the glacier to climate change, and it is a sensitive indicator for climate change. For the mass balance of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier, both annual value and cumulative value have shown negative increases since 1958, indicating severe mass losses. In time of 1958-2004, there were 31 negative mass balance years against 15 positive years. From 1997 to today, the negative mass balance has lasted for 10 years, which never happened ever before. The average annual mass balance during 1958-2004 was -233.6 mm water equivalent (weq) and the cumulative mass balance added up to -10746.5 mm weq, which means that the average thickness of the glacier nearly reduced 12 m and the volume loss was about 20.62-106m3 weq. Unlike the glaciers in Europe and mid-America, which accumulate in winter and lose mass in summer, Tianshan No. 1 Glacier has both accumulation and ablation in summer, and there is little snowfall in winter. Previous researches on Tianshan No.1 Glacier have shown that the mass balance was connected with the precipitation, and negatively correlated with air temperature in summer (May to August). However, with the increase in both current temperature and precipitation, mass balance has different responses to them. Retreat of glacier and its impact Under the climate warming, the law of terminus recession and ice thickness reduction are followed by glacier shrinkage. The changes of glacier area and terminus position result from short-term and long-term climate changes. Tianshan No. 1 Glacier has an overall shrinkage since the year 1959 when the observation initiated. The east and west branches of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier separated into two independent glaciers in 1993 due to ablation, during this period (1959~1993) the total terminus retreat was observed as 139.72 m at an average retreat rate of 4.5 m per year. From 1993 to 2004, the east branch of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier retreated at an average rate of 3.5 m per year (a total of 38.7 m), and the west branch retreated at a rate of 5.8 m per year (a total of 64.1 m). The recession rate (the ratio of receded length to the original glacier length) of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier was 7.8% in the period of 1962~2004 for the east branch and 10.5% for the west branch, respectively. The west bra nch terminus retreated 6.92 m in 1999 and 6.95 m in 2000, respectively, which are the highest records in the observation records. Since the ice flow velocities in corresponding years were observed stable at terminus, it is unlikely that the significant retreats were caused by the reduction of ice flux from upper parts of the glacier, and thus, it is clearly due to the intense ice melting. With terminus receding, its altitude simultaneously elevated from 3736 m a.s.l in 1962 to 3746m a.s.l in 1980, and the east branch terminus altitude in 2005 was 3777 m a.s.l, 31 m higher than that in 1980. Glacial ablation will not only lead to floods, landslides and other natural disasters, but also lead glacier runoff also to be reduced, and make the downstream freshwater resources gradually scarcity. Research Cumulative temperature is a major factor affecting glacier ablation. Cumulative temperature, namely, the sum of daily mean air temperature above the melting point during ablation season is closely related to the area of glacier ablation zone. According to the previous studies, the annual cumulative temperature in the headwaters region of Urumqi River rose by 133à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬ ¢d during 1960~2004. Its tendency is coincident with that of average annual temperature, i.e. since the late 1980s the cumulative temperature has risen remarkably, and meanwhile the climate warming showed a accelerated tendency (see Fig.1). Fig. 1 Mass balance of Tianshan Glacier No. 1, accumulated temperature (T ¼Ã… ¾0à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™) and their trends during 1958~2003 During the period of 1962~2006, the area of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier reduced by 0.27 km2. From 1992 to 2006, the glacier area decreased by 0.16 km2, which is 0.04 km2 more than that from 1962 to 1992. Based on the observation over the past 43 years, glaciologists found that the decrease of glacier area has accelerated since 1986. Figure 2 shows the recession process of the glacier terminus, and Fig. 3 displays the morphological shapes of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier in different years. Fig. 2 Morphological change of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier over time.(Dashed lines represent the glacial boundaries of 1962, 1973,1980, 1984, 1986, 1994 and 2001; solid lines represent the glacial boundary of 2006) Fig. 3 Morphological changes of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier in the years of 1962, 1988, 1993,1996, 2001, and 2005 Glacial temperature, especially the temperature of the ice below active layers, determines many physical characteristics of the glacier. The change of ice temperature indicates the change in the glaciers cold reserve, which can cause the change of the sensitivity of the glacier in answer to climate warming. Comparing with three vertical profiles of ice temperature at the altitude of 3840 m in the years of 1986, 2001 and 2006 (Fig. 4), The glaciologist found that it is about 10m in depth that the lower boundary of the active layer of the glacier, below which the ice temperature is little affected by the seasonal variation of air temperature. If ignoring the change of the ice temperature in active layer, the ice temperature from 10 to 22 m in depth had a remarkable rise during 1986~2001. The rise range decreased with the largest value of 0.9à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ (10%) at 10 m depth below ice surface and a negligible change at 22 m depth. Similarly, compared with the ice temperature in 2001, the ice temperature in 2006 had an obvious rise, with an increase of 0.4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ at 10 m depth. Usually, the ice temperature at the lower boundary of active layer is identical with the annual average air temperature. Therefore, the rise of ice temperature is undoubtedly the result of progressively climate warming. Fig. 4 Comparison of ice temperature profiles obtained in 1986, 2001 and 2006 at a site around 3840 m a.s.l on No. 1 Glacier in Tianshan Mountain Fig. 5 Annual mass balance of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier against summer temperature (May-August), annual temperature and annual precipitation at Daxigou Meteorological Station Figure 5 shows the variations of mass balance, summer temperature, annual temperature and precipitation during1959-2004, from which researcher found that during 1960-1986 the mass balance had a weak negative correlation with temperature, while a clear positive correlation with precipitation, indicating that the mass balance is controlled by both temperature and precipitation, with precipitation as the main factor. During this period, the annual average temperature and precipitation were -5.4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™and 425.8 mm, respectively. However, the correlation has altered since 1986. The mass balance showed a negative correlation with temperature and no correlation with precipitation, indicating that the mass balance was mainly controlled by temperature. During this period, average annual temperature and precipitation were -4.9à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™and 491.6 mm, respectively. The results show that temperature and precipitation are usually control mass balance, but temperature is mainly contr ol mass balance when temperature rises to a certain level, though with high precipitation. Existing policy for climate change adaptation As early as in 2006, the Urumqi municipal government had made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹provisions: from pollution to protect important water source in Urumqi, prohibit visitors in Tianshan Glacier. But the absence of fencing and secure, some tourists into the glacier region through various ways, changed the environment of the glacier. The deputy of autonomous regions, Chunyu Cui, proposed to establish an areas about National Tianshan Glacier nature reserves of Xinjiang in 2012. But the policy had not yet been introduced. Conclusions and recommendations Conclusions Taking Tianshan No. 1 Glacier as an example, this article talk about the response of glacier to current climate warming based on the observation dataset of 50 years. The conclusion was drawn as follows: Since the 1960s, snow firn stratigraphic components and structure have shown remarkable changes, including reducing snow pack depth, simplifying structure, and obscuring boundaries of snow layers with different characteristics. The area of glacier ablation zone keeps expanding, the positions of ice formation zones move upwards, and the top of east branch has already shown the characteristic of ablation zone. During 1962~2006, the area of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier reduced by 0.27 km2 (14%). The shrinking tendency has accelerated in recent years. At the altitude of 3840 m a.s.l, a significant rise in the ice temperature was observed during 1986-2001, with the highest rise value of 0.9à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ at depth of10 m. From 2001 to 2006, the ice temperature rose by 0.4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™at depth of 10 m. Average annual mass balance during 1958-2004 was -233.6 mm weq, with the cumulative mass balance of-10746.5 mm weq, which indicates that the thickness of Tianshan No. 1 Glacier reduced nearly 12 m and loss of volume came to about 20.62-106 m3. Mass balance is controlled by both temperature and precipitation before 1986, with precipitation as the main factor. But after 1986, mass balance is controlled mainly by temperature, though with high precipitation. Recommendations In order to protect the glaciers, many experts hope to take measures as soon as possible to protect the natural environment of the glaciers in Xinjiang in accordance with the law, slow down man-made destruction. On the other hand, encourage and support to use the artificial weather fully developed air water resources, to carry out the artificial water project, in order to increase the glaciers snow. There are some suggestions: Through energy conservation, development of natural gas, hydropower, coal bed methane utilization, bio-energy, wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy. Strengthen the planning and implementation of ecological construction and environmental protection. Strengthening climate change communication and scientific popularization to raise awareness of climate change in the whole society.

Overcoming Fear in Frank O’Connor’s First Confession Essay -- First Co

Overcoming Fear in Frank O’Connor’s â€Å"First Confession† Word Count includes detailed outline David W. Madden believes several of Frank O’Connor’s stories reflect his personal life and goals. Jackie, the young protagonist, in the â€Å"First Confession,† loves his mother as equally as O’Connor loved his mother. Madden also believes O’Connor should have selected a religious calling because the priests mentioned in his stories incorporate the instrumental impact on the â€Å"laity’s lives† (3227). Understanding women, contributed by his mother’s influence, frequently are displayed in O’Connor’s writings. Madden feels that some of O’Connor’s stories focus on â€Å"naà ¯ve, sensitive figures who struggle with what seems to them the insoluble mysteries of existence,† such as children’s journey through life (3227-28). The story reinforces the theme that a child overcoming a fear of the unknown can enhance his sense of confidence. The plot of â€Å"First Confession† is about a young boy, Jackie, trying to conquer the terror of telling his first confession. Jackie’s problems begin when his grandmother comes to live at the house. He detests her for being an alcoholic, slovenly ill-mannered woman. Most of all, Jackie is upset that he is excluded from the penny allowance that his sister, Nora, gets. Because his sister and grandmother side against him, Jackie’s life becomes intolerable. Jackie is preparing to receive his First Penance and First Holy Communion. Mrs. Ryan, the religion education teacher, projects a negative image to Jackie about confessing his sins. She is a woman who only spoke of Hell and mentioned Heaven only by accident. Jackie feels she is a lady where â€Å"Hell had the first place in her heart† (176). Mrs. Ryan entices the children with money to stick their finger in the flame of a candle. She associates this with burning in Hell. An example is a horrid story about a man who makes a bad confession. The man wakes a priest in the middle of the night insisting he make a confession. After the priest is dressed, the man is gone only to leave behind his handprints burned into the sheets. Jackie is forced to go to confession with his wicked sister, Nora. When it is Jackie’s turn to go into the confessional, he is so nervous that he kneels on the armrest. Consequently, he slips and plunges out the door. Nora is embarrassed and begins to s mack him. As soon as the priest sees... ...3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mrs. Ryan is trying to teach the children to live a faithful life, not to be afraid of confessing. VIII.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To defeat the terror of the unknown increases one’s self- assurance Works Cited Bowden, Curtis. â€Å"Synopses and Quick Critiques.† Frank O’Connor: New Perspectives. Eds. Robert C. Evans and Richard Harp. West Cornwall, CT.: Locust Hill, 1988. 297-350. Denio, Megan L. â€Å"The Child In, Around and of Father Fogarty.† Frank O’Connor: New Perspectives. Eds. Robert C. Evans and Richard Harp. West Cornwall, CT.: Locust Hill, 1988. 139-147. Evans, Robert C. and Katie Magaw. â€Å"Irony and Paradox in Frank O’Connor’s Style.† Frank O’Connor: New Perspectives. Eds. Robert C. Evans and Richard Harp. West Cornwall, CT.: Locust Hill, 1988. 149-155. Madden, David W. â€Å"First Confession/ O’Connor.† Masterplots II 8. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Pasadena, CA.: Salem Press, 1996. 3226-3228. O’Connor, Frank. â€Å"First Confession.† Frank O’Connor: Collected Stories. New York: Vintage Books, 1982. 175-182. Werber, Owene. â€Å"A Woman’s Voice Speaking.† Frank O’Connor: New Perspectives. Eds. Robert C. Evans and Richard Harp. West Cornwall, CT.: Locust Hill, 1988. 121-350.

Attributes of Professional Bartender Essay

Bartenders know the difference between art and science. They understand that bartending is a science because in mixing drinks there are rules to follow, standards to obey and procedures to do. It is not just pouring all the drinks together in one glass and then serve it. Bartending is also an art because bartenders make an art form out of their profession. Aside from following the standards, they also use their creativity, imagination and individual way of enhancing the usual preparation of the beverage for the purpose of visual perception, odor detection, and taste stimuli. Professional bartenders possess many skills and characteristics that make them successful. 1. Good personality A bartender must have an ability to interact well with different people. He knows how to show his best asset as a bartender when he is in front of the guest. The totality of the bartender can be seen not only with his physical attributes but also through his words, actions and way of thinking. 2. Sense of humor Bartending is a serious job. This needs focus and presence of mind. But, a good bartender knows how to work properly, yet, laugh that sometimes, cracking jokes is being part of his functions. It is nice to learn that laughing is still the best medicine especially in front of unpredictable guests. 3. Well – groomed A bartender must have good personal hygiene; maintaining oneself healthy, wearing clean clothes and proper attire, keeping hair, teeth and fingernails clean and sanitary. A well – groomed appearance helps bartenders seem more approachable and professional. 4. Physical stamina Bartending is a job that requires long hours standing while preparing, mixing, serving and bussing out soiled glasses behind the bar counter. Sometimes, part of this is lifting heavy boxes and cases of drinks to set up the bar. A bartender must be physically fit and strong enough to do the day-to-day activities in the bar. 5. Basic skills in Math In bartending, the fundamental operations in Mathematics are applied. The skills learned about this in school allow the bartenders to make changes and measure drinks accurately and quickly. It also helps the bartender as well as the managers to realize their profit versus expenses at the end of every operation. 6. Multi – tasking Bars are busy especially peak nights and salary days. The bartender must make sure everything runs smoothly during his shift by learning what and how to do other tasks aside from mixing and preparing drinks. 7. Good memory Bartenders need to remember everything from drink recipes to customers’ names. Even brands of drinks, proof, country of origin, and major ingredients are needed to remember when a bartender presents and serves beverages to guests. 8. Great smile A great smile is a key since bartenders smile a lot. It does not only makes the bartender good looking and presentable, but this helps attract guests, let them feel that they are very welcome and a smile will make the first time guest, a regular guest. Bartenders must be aware of everything around them at all times. They have to know the drink levels of everyone’s beverage, and must see new customers as they approach the bar. A second set of eyes in the back of their heads would be a remarkable evolutionary improvement and in failing that, bartenders need to be constantly alert.

Alaska Airlines 3

It was a critical time for Alaska Airlines, and they never encountered such a challenge and crisis in the company's existence. Flight 261 had crashed killing 88 people on board; while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was reporting that the potential cause of the crash was due to a lack of regular airplane maintenance. Most detrimental to the airline was the media published a letter from 64 Alaska Airlines mechanics. The letter disclosed insider information regarding a base maintenance manager’s inappropriate activities of contradicting federal aviation regulations, leading to dangerous operations.This letter also built more evidence that it was Alaska Airlines’ negligence that resulted in the tragedy. In addition to the maintenance crew, the pilots posted a message on the union’s website complaining about the â€Å"misconduct† of Alaska Airlines. It was apparent that pilots, a integral assets for an airline company, did not trust corporate m anagement. Alaska Airlines had been run for 70 years and had climbed in status during the 1990s, if the company could not promptly and appropriately handle this crisis, its reputation could be destroyed.It was time to test Alaska Airline’s capability of handling crisis management, management system and labor relations. Alaska Airline, a veteran in the industry, would have to deal with the public scrutiny as they sorted through the government investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. In the transportation industry, unions are common which made handling this crisis more difficult. The difficulty is due to every move or conversation the airlines make are out for the public to view and criticize. â€Å"Airing the dirty laundry† of Alaska Airlines was an extremely embarrassing situation .Management could not support the criticisms for fear of completely destroying their reputation. However, those criticizing the company were employees and knew firsthand what was happening. In the end, the company has to acknowledge the mismanagement of corporate management team. This spelled trouble for the airline. However, if everything was handled properly, there were still some possible solutions that would be helpful to the airline. If I were Mr. Hamel, I would communicate with the union panel members immediately.Although there were 64 mechanics participating in the complaint, the decisive power and attitude was in the announcement of the union. If the union sends a clear message to the public to criticize Alaska Airlines, it would lead to unpredictable damage to the future of the company. However, if the union spoke cautiously about the letter, it could help alleviate some of the negative press about the airline. Alaska Airlines should address the union so they understand that this was an individual case and not how the company runs its day to day operations.The airline would want the union to allow them to address the issue with the public and en sure safer operations in the future. If the union works with Alaska Airlines, they will secure a valuable opportunity to win back their reputation, investigate the issue and restructure its management. Hamel would try his hardest to persuade the union that this was a win-win solution for the union and Alaska Airlines. Second, Hamel needs to set up a joint investigate panel with the union leaders to investigate the complaints thoroughly.If the contents of the complaint were true, that manager should be held accountable. Holding managers accountable proves to the employees that the company does not tolerate unethical management practices. This should help the employees gain a little more trust into management, knowing that their voices are heard. Then, based on the issue, the investigation could be extended to a broader range to any areas concerning safety. Hamel again should address the union to get cooperation from them.The union needs to see that the airline is taking responsibilit y for their actions and that will regain some confidence from the union and employees. Considering the power of unions in any industry, it is risky for a company to address sensitive issues without union support. Lastly, Hamel should establish regular communication and develop a problem-solving system that keeps the union in touch with their labor style. It would be in the best interest of the Alaska Airlines to work with union from this point on so any conflicts that may arise are more likely to be worked out privately.In today's society all companies are trying to motivate employees to participate in corporate matters and contribute more opinions and ideas. Labor unions can be viewed positively when they help unite the employees and the corporation. The key is how to cooperate with the union and treat it as a resource to develop the business but not a hindrance to the company. By means of tackling this issue strategically, companies can dramatically unite and motivate their employ ees and finally create a long term win-win situation.

New Opioid Dosage Forms and Treatments for Dependence

New Opioid Dosage Forms and Treatments for Dependence Introduction Opioids fall in a class of drugs that have been used for centuries to manage pain and records show that their usage started in times of ancient Egypt. Research has led to the discovery of special receptors that these drugs work on in the brain and initial studies use morphine to demonstrate a ‘morphine receptor’ (Trescot et al., 2008). A variety of receptors for this class of drugs has since been discovered and new opioids have been discovered and synthetically manufactured.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on New Opioid Dosage Forms and Treatments for Dependence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The pharmacokinetic properties of these newer drugs have generated interest in a number of studies and recently the metabolism of most opioids has been clearly understood. A characteristic of most opioids that has led to their misuse and development of legislation to control their use is the pot ential addictive properties that they are associated with during their usage. Specific opioids in special dosage forms are also used for the treatment of opioid dependence. New opioid dosage forms and treatment for opioid dependency have increasingly become part of medical treatments in the recent history with buprenorphine being an important drug for this function (Trescot et al., 2008). This research paper examines the pharmacology of opioids and their use in the treatment of opioid dependency, and specifically it looks at buprenorphine while comparing it with methadone. Factors affecting oral bioavailability of buprenorphine The bioavailability of a drug determines the dosage forms and how much of the unchanged form of the drug reaches the systemic circulation (Griessinger et al., 2005). Each route of administration has factors affecting the bioavailability, which are dependent on the body and drug characteristics. The intravenous route of drug administration provides the highest bioavailability, which is set at 100%. On the other hand, oral administration and bioavailability are affected by the drug characteristics such as solubility, hydrophilic or lipophilic nature, and the receptors that a drug uses to get into the bloodstream (Griessinger et al., 2005). Incomplete absorption of a drug while in the gastrointestinal system causes low bioavailability. Very hydrophilic drugs are unable to cross the lipid cell membrane, while highly lipophilic drugs are unable to cross the water layer that covers and surrounds the cells involved in absorption (Griessinger et al., 2005). These elements are some of the factors affecting the oral bioavailability of buprenorphine. The receptor at the absorption site that the drug interacts with is also a significant determinant of the availability of the drug. Some receptors are involved in pumping the drug back to the gut lumen and when these are inhibited, the bioavailability increases (Griessinger et al., 2005).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The oral availability of buprenorphine is poor and it is affected by all the factors described above. However, the most important factor affecting the oral bioavailability of buprenorphine is the high metabolism by the liver and the intestines (Murphy et al., 2013). When buprenorphine is administered orally, the drug is metabolized in the liver and the gut by special enzymes, which leads to the reduction in the proportion of the drug that is available in the bloodstream. The breakdown of a drug by gut enzymes and processes in the liver has conveniently been referred to as the first pass effect (Griessinger et al., 2005). The main enzyme system responsible for the degradation of the drugs in the liver is the cytochrome P450 (CYP), which is also responsible for the breakdown of buprenorphine. Murphy et al., (2013) posit, â€Å"Buprenorphine is converted in the liver primarily by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 to an active metabolite (nor-buprenorphine with weak intrinsic activity† (p. 316). The breakdown of buprenorphine by the hepatic enzymes causes a reduction in the bioavailability, hence the efficacy of the drug. One way that can be used to increase the concentration of the drug that reaches the systemic circulation is increasing the dosage that is administered via the oral route. However, an increase in the dosage will mean more side effects as the metabolites affect other receptors. Therefore, the increase in dosage is not a desirable way of overcoming the first pass effect. Another way in which the first pass effect affects buprenorphine in the liver is the process of glucuronidation that takes place here. According to Murphy et al., (2013), buprenorphine and its metabolite -norbuprenorphine, undergo glucuronidation in the liver and the process reduces its availability. Various methods have been used to overco me the first pass effect that the drug undergoes when administered through the oral route. Buprenorphine is currently unavailable in oral formulations and the current formulations include the sublingual route and transdermal patches (Murphy et al., 2013). According to Murphy et al., (2013), methods that can be used to reduce the drug first pass effect include the use of sublingual route, the transdermal routes, and the rectal suppositories. When drugs are administered through the oral route, the absorbed drug and its metabolites are absorbed to the portal system where the drug is taken to the liver and further transformation takes place. The use of the sublingual route of administration avoids the portal system that takes blood to the liver, and the CYP enzymes break down less of the drug. Once the sublingual formulation is administered, it goes directly to the systemic circulation, hence avoiding the first pass effect (Murphy et al., 2013). According to Trescot et al. (2008), bupre norphine has high lipid solubility and due to this characteristic, the sublingual bioavailability is high.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on New Opioid Dosage Forms and Treatments for Dependence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This method is one of the ways in which researchers and pharmacists have been in a position to avoid the first pass effect. The use of transdermal patches is also common outside the US (Murphy et al., 2013). Transdermal patches are also effective in avoiding the portal system, hence reducing the first pass effect associated with liver metabolism by the Cytochrome P450 system (Murphy et al., 2013). Drug-receptor relationships Drug receptors are specific to a certain class of drugs and they are located in areas where the drug will have the desired effect. Opioid receptors have been located in the brain tissue and in other tissues in the body, and specific opioids have specific receptors that they bind. The main opioid receptors are the â€Å"Mu (ÃŽ ¼) receptor, the Kappa (ÃŽ º) receptor (agonist ketocyclazocine), the Delta (ÃŽ ´) receptor (agonist delta-alanine-delta-leucine-enkephalin), and the Sigma (ÏÆ') receptors (agonist N-allylnormetazocine) (Trescot et al. 2008, p. 135). Different types of opioids exhibit the several drug-receptor relationships with different receptors being involved. Opioids can be classified based on their drug-receptor relationships and this classification consists â€Å"agonists, antagonists, and partial agonists or antagonists† (Trescot et al., 2008, p. 134). The affinity of these drugs at their respective receptors can be described as being the â€Å"strength of interaction between the drug and its receptor† (Trescot et al., 2008, p. 133). The efficacy of a drug is also considered when discussing the drug affinity and affinity can be described as â€Å"the strength of activity of a drug due to its drug-receptor interac tion† (Trescot et al., 2008, p. 133). According to Trescot et al. (2008), an agonist at a receptor is a drug that processes both affinity for the receptor and as a result, it has efficacy. On the other hand, an antagonist has affinity, but its efficacy is absent (Trescot et al., 2008). Drugs with affinity and partial efficacy can be described as being partial agonists at the particular receptor (Trescot et al., 2008). Partial agonist: Buprenorphine Buprenorphine is classified as one of the opioids with low efficacy despite its high affinity, and thus it is a partial agonist (Trescot et al., 2008). This particular drug exhibits affinity at the Mu receptor where it binds by exhibiting its partial effect. It also possesses kappa receptor antagonism, which forms the basis of its use as an analgesic (Trescot et al., 2008).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The drug-receptor activity for this drug has also allowed its use in the management of opioid intoxication, as an abuse deterrent and a maintenance therapy for the detoxification and management of pain (Trescot et al., 2008). Its partial antagonistic effect at the kappa receptor is restricted to a certain level. This ceiling effect means that the drug is only useful up to a certain level and beyond this point, there is limited effect, but just the side effects that can be attributed to any other opioid (Trescot et al., 2008). Partial agonist: Oxycodone Oxycodone is a partial kappa opioid receptor agonist (Murphy et al., 2013). This drug acts on the kappa receptor in different parts of the body to exert its effect and cause the desired effects. Oxycodone is partial kappa opioid receptor and this aspect means that the drug is not as efficacious as other agonists, and thus it is available in combination form with other related drugs and classes of drugs to provide better efficacy (Mur phy et al., 2013). The drugs that are combined with oxycodone to provide a better effect include acetaminophen and aspirin, which act in concert to produce pain relief (Murphy et al., 2013). Opioid Antagonists: Naloxone Naloxone is â€Å"an opioid receptor antagonist and it acts at different opioid receptors, thus causing competitive antagonism† (Trescot et al., 2008, p. 139). Naloxone has a competitive antagonism at the delta, Mu, and kappa receptors and according to Trescot et al. (2008), this opioid antagonist has a â€Å"high affinity for the mu receptor, but it lacks any mu receptor efficacy† (p. 140). The drug exerts its effects on both the central nervous system and any other peripheral tissue in the body and the pharmacologic uses are dependent on these actions on the receptors. Naloxone is mainly used to reverse adverse opioid effects and it is useful in the maintenance of other treatments, deterrence to the use of opioids, and detoxification (Trescot et al., 2008). However, its main use is in the management of opioid toxicity due to its antagonistic nature at the opioid receptors. Combination of the drug with other drugs such as buprenorphine is also used to prevent users from abusing the second drug when given intravenously (Trescot et al., 2008). Studies are also being conducted to establish whether the drug can be used to suppress tolerance to other drugs such as oxycodone (Trescot et al., 2008). Opioid Antagonists: Naltrexone Naltrexone is also an opioid receptor antagonist and like naloxone, it acts at different opioid receptors by causing competitive antagonism (Trescot et al., 2008). Naltrexone also exhibits competitive antagonism at the delta, Mu, and kappa receptors and Trescot et al. (2008) state that like Naloxone, this opioid antagonist has a â€Å"high affinity for the mu receptor, it lacks any mu receptor efficacy† (p. 140). The drug also exerts its effects on both the peripheral and central nervous system and man y other tissues in the body with the receptors. The pharmacologic uses are similar to those of Naloxone and they are dependent on these actions on the receptors. Naltrexone is mainly used to reverse adverse opioid effects and it is useful in the maintenance of other treatments, deterrence to the use of opioids and in detoxification (Trescot et al., 2008). Like Naloxone, the main use of Naltrexone is in the management of opioid toxicity due to its antagonistic nature at the opioid receptors. Combination of the drug with other drugs such as buprenorphine is also done to prevent users from abusing the second drug when given through the intravenous route (Trescot et al., 2008). Studies are also being conducted on Naltrexone as with Naloxone to establish whether the drug can be used to suppress tolerance to other drugs such as oxycodone (Trescot et al., 2008). Opioid Agonists-Antagonists: Pentazocine Opioid agonist-antagonists have poor efficacy at the mu receptor, but they have agonist ic properties at the kappa receptors (Trescot et al., 2008). Pentazocine is a good example of partial agonist-antagonists and it exhibits all the characteristics that the group processes. Partial agonist-antagonism means that the affinity of Pentazocine at the mu receptors is high with a corresponding low efficacy at the same receptor (Trescot et al., 2008). The drug is used as an analgesic like many opioids, but it also has a ceiling effect where increase in dosage will not lead to increase in analgesic properties, but only the toxicity of the drug (Trescot et al., 2008). Respiratory depression Reparatory depression is a major side effect property of opioids and it is exhibited by the reduction in the respiratory rate leading to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood stream. Opioid activity on the mu receptors is the main known cause of respiratory depression in individuals using opioid drugs. This side effect is potentially fatal and it varies with the tee of opioid that is used. It is also dependent on the personal characteristics of individuals and it is more pronounced in children as compared to adults. Buprenorphine and morphine are some of the opioids that exhibit this property of respiratory depression. However, these two opioids have different characteristics in their respiratory depression as discussed later in this paper. Difference between buprenorphine and morphine Morphine causes direct respiratory depression by acting on the mu receptors in the brain (Trescot et al., 2008). The drug binds to the receptor in the nucleus accumbens in the brain and the result of this activity is a decrease in response to carbon dioxide concentration rise in the bloodstream (Trescot et al., 2008). When the reaction to high levels of carbon dioxide in blood is inhibited, the respiratory level decreases, which lead to the retention of more carbon dioxide in the blood. The result of accumulation of carbon dioxide in blood is a drop in the pH, thus resulting in respiratory acidosis. According to Trescot et al. (2008), the response curve shifts towards the right. One known characteristic of morphine is that acidosis leads to increased delivery of the drug to the brain tissues (Trescot et al., 2008). As the blood carbon dioxide increases due to the depression of the nucleus accumbens and respiratory acidosis occurs, the amount of morphine that is delivered to the brain increases and this aspect further acts to cause profound respiratory depression that may be fatal (Trescot et al., 2008). Therefore, increase in morphine causes an increase in the respiratory depression and it can be said to be dose dependent. Respiratory depression occurring from buprenorphine is not central, as it is evident with morphine. On the contrary, buprenorphine induces respiratory depression by acting on the mu receptors located in the lungs and not in the brain (Ohtani et al., 1997). As stated earlier, buprenorphine is a partial agonist, and thus the respiratory d epression that it exhibits has a ceiling effect (Murphy et al., 2013). The binding of this drug to the mu receptors is also stronger as compared to the binding by morphine, and thus the effects take longer and they may be prolonged (Murphy et al., 2013). The tight binding means that reversal using the opioid antagonists like naltrexone is harder as compared to other opioids. Importance of the difference The differences between the two drugs are significant in the application and daily use of the drugs in the management of pain and opioid toxicity. By exerting respiratory depression centrally, morphine can be used in limited doses, which must be monitored. The toxicity that can come from this drug is also profound and it may be fatal. Higher doses of buprenorphine can be used as compared to the safest doses of morphine. Another implication is that the management of respiratory depression for buprenorphine may be hard using opioid antagonists such as naloxone as compared to the respir atory depression that is caused by morphine. Dose-response curves The dose response curves for the respiratory depression caused by morphine and buprenorphine are different. The respiratory depression in the curves can be represented by the decrease in ventilation rated after administration of the two drugs. Graph showing the ventilation rate against the concentration of buprenorphine (source: Ohtani et al., 1997). Transdermal dosage form of buprenorphine Buprenorphine is available in the oral and transdermal route and a patch is applied to deliver constant drug doses for a period. The transdermal application of buprenorphine has several differences in the dosage, bioavailability, and efficacy to the use of the oral route. The transdermal route is better tolerated compared to the oral route with fewer side effects being experienced due to the use of this path of drug administration (Pergolizzi et al., 2010). The common side effects at the area of application are the development of erythema and pruritus (Pergolizzi et al., 2010). The transdermal route of application of methadone also lasts longer as compared to the use of the oral preparation. According to Pergolizzi et al., (2010), the patch acts as a depot for the drug, thus ensuring a constant supply of the same on the body’s demand. The oral route requires frequent administration of the drug when used to manage pain and in the management of opioid toxicity. On the other hand, a transdermal patch has been used for over three days with researchers showing that it is still efficacious after the third day (Pergolizzi et al., 2010). As earlier described, the first pass effect of a drug is important in the determination of its bioavailability. Through the application of buprenorphine orally, there is a considerable chance of the drug going through the first pass effect, which results in the reduction of the drug’s bioavailability. The use of the transdermal patch allows the bypass of the liver and the gastrointestinal system, thus reducing the first pass effect (Pergolizzi et al., 2010). However, the transdermal route is a slower method of delivery of buprenorphine and it cannot be used to deliver the drug when it is needed more urgently. On the other hand, the sublingual and oral route, according to Pergolizzi et al. (2010), is a faster way of delivery of the drug. Buprenorphine vs. methadone Methadone is a synthetic diphenylheptane and it acts on the mu opioid receptor as an agonist (Trescot et al., 2008). This drug is unique with properties different from those exhibited by other opioids. The difference with other opioids will be compared in this section by using buprenorphine. The half-life of the two drugs, time of onset, and duration of effect and the dosing regimens will be used in the comparison. Half-life Trescot et al. (2008) posits that the half-life of a drug â€Å"is the time that it takes for its blood concentration to reduce by half† (p. 144). The plasma half-life of buprenorphine is 3-5 hours, which means that the drug plasma concentration reduces by half after 3 to 5 hours of administration. The faster reduction in concentration of the drug when given through the sublingual route means frequent administration and this aspect underscores a setback in the management of intoxication since a more frequent dosage is required (Trescot et al., 2008). The transdermal patch also has the same half-life, but the availability is high and it provides a depot for the drug. Methadone has a long half-life as compared to buprenorphine and this aspect can be attributed to the high lipid solubility (Trescot et al., 2008). High lipid solubility means that the drug is widely distributed in tissues, especially in fat tissue, which provides methadone with a very long elimination phase (Trescot et al., 2008). Due to this aspect, the half-life is stated to be between 12 and 150 hours, and hence methadone may be administered once daily or longer than bupr enorphine. A comparison of the two drugs shows that methadone has a longer half-life as compared to buprenorphine. Time of onset/duration of effect The time of onset of effects of a drug is the time that passes between the administration of a drug and the patient to experience its effects. In the case of buprenorphine, the onset of effects is three to four hours after administration through the sublingual route (Murphy et al., 2013). This onset of action is slower as compared to other opioids and it is desired where the treatment of toxicity of opioids is to be treated (Murphy et al., 2013). The onset of action for buprenorphine, while using the transdermal route, is also slower as compared to the sublingual route. The duration of action of this drug is also long and it lasts for 12-150 hours Methadone is similar to buprenorphine in the onset of action, and the process is even slower when given orally. However, the take taken for methadone to act is longer than that of buprenorphine and this case has been reported in some literature to be 4-5 days. This observation means that methadone can be administered in longer doses duration such as once daily and its effects can last longer (Murphy et al., 2013). Dosing regimens used The dosing regimen can be described as the formulation, route of administration, the dosage, and interval of administration of a drug (Murphy et al., 2013). Buprenorphine is available as a sublingual tablet, while methadone is available in most places as an oral liquid formulation (Murphy et al., 2013). The onset of action for buprenorphine, as stated earlier, is slow and this characteristic is compatible with the slow onset of action that methadone has in its functioning. The buprenorphine tablets are dissolved under the tongue, while the liquid formulation of methadone is swallowed. Alternate day dosing for buprenorphine is also possible, while it is impossible for methadone. Conclusion Opioids have been used in the management of pain for a long time and a number of factors have contributed to their preference over other classes of drugs. This paper has described some of the receptors that opioids bind to exert their effects and the receptor-drug interaction has been described by giving examples. A number of opioids are also used in the management of opioid toxicity based on the receptor interactions that they display. The paper focused on buprenorphine to examine some of the pharmacokinetic properties of opioids. Respiratory depression was stated as a major side effect of the opioids and there are established differences between respiratory depression provided by buprenorphine and that produced by morphine. A comparison between methadone and buprenorphine was also provided in the paper. References Griessinger, N., Sittl, R., Likar, R. (2005). Transdermal buprenorphine in clinical practice-a post-marketing surveillance study in 13,179 patients. Current Medical Research Opinion, 21(1), 1147–1156. Murphy, L., F ishman, P., McPherson, S., Dyck, D., Roll, J. (2013). Determinants of buprenorphine treatment for opioid dependence. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 46(3), 315-319. Ohtani, M., Kotaki, H., Nishitateno, K., Sawada, Y., Iga, T. (1997). Kinetics of respiratory depression in rats induced by buprenorphine and its metabolite, norbuprenorphine. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapies, 281(1), 428–433. Pergolizzi, J., Aloisi, A., Dahan, A., Filitz, J., Langford, R., Likar, R., Mercadante, S., Morlion, B., Raffa, R., Sabatowski, R., Sacerdote, P., Torres, L., Weinbroum, A. (2010). Current Knowledge of Buprenorphine and Its Unique Pharmacological Profile. Pain Practice, 10(5), 428–450. Trescot, A., Datta, S., Lee, M., Hansen, H. (2008). Opioid Pharmacology. Pain Physician, 12(2), 133-153.

A Simple Guide to Global Climate Change

A Simple Guide to Global Climate Change A discussion of global climate change, also called global warming, can get very complicated very quickly. Fortunately, it can be explained rather simply. Here are the basics you need to know about climate change: Warmer Land and Sea The climate has warmed and cooled many times during Earth’s geological history, over millions of years. However, the global increase in mean temperature we have observed in the last decades has been both unusually rapid and quite large. It translates to warmer  air  temperatures and warmer sea water almost everywhere on Earth. Less Ice, LessSnow This increase in temperatures has led to increased melting of most of the world’s glaciers. In addition, the thick  Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets are losing volume, and sea ice covers an increasingly small portion of the Arctic while also getting thinner. The winter snow cover in most areas of the U.S. is thinner and does not last as long over the winter. Sea levels are rising, both because of the melting ice, and because warmer water expands and takes up more space. Less Predictable Weather While the word climate refers to long-term statistics on many aspects of temperature and precipitation, weather is a more immediate phenomenon, and is what we feel outside everyday. Global climate change is transforming our experience of weather events in different ways depending on where we live. Common changes include more frequent heavy rain events, regular winter thaws, or persistent droughts. All About the Greenhouse Effect Human activities release in the atmosphere many gases that create a greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases hold back the sun’s energy that had been reflected by Earth’s surface. This heat is then redirected towards the ground, increasing temperatures. Most of the observed warming can be attributed to these gases. How Are Greenhouse Gas Produced? The most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane. They are released when we extract, process, and burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, manufacturing, and transportation. These gases are also produced during industrial activities, when we clear land for housing and farming, and during some agricultural activities. Are Sun Cycles to Blame? The Earth’s surface temperature rises and falls with slight changes during natural sun cycles. However, these solar cycles and the changes they produce are well understood and much less significant than those driven by greenhouse gases. Global Warming Consequences The consequences of global warming include more frequent coastal flooding, heat waves, extreme precipitation events, food insecurity, and urban vulnerability. The global warming consequences are being felt (and will be felt) differently in different parts of the world. Global climate change often affects more those who do not have the economic means to develop ways to adapt to the changes. Of course, climate change affect not only humans but the rest of the living world as well.   Global warming has few positive consequences. Gains in agricultural production, often cited as positive, are easily offset by increases in pest problems (including invasive species), droughts, and severe weather events. We can respond by mitigating global warming, which is to reduce it by curbing greenhouse gas emissions. We can also capture carbon dioxide, the most abundant greenhouse gas, out of the atmosphere and store it safely on earth. We can, in addition, adapt by investing in infrastructure, transportation, and agriculture in order to continue living with the inevitable changes brought by global warming.    What Can You Do? Most importantly, reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, whether you contribute as an individual or as a business owner.

Cafes Monte Case Essay Example for Free

Cafes Monte Case Essay The company located in Milan, Italy. It was found by Mario Salvetti as a manufacturer and distributor of premium finest coffees. The company faces a hard decision that may affect their future. The company wants to know whether or not they should keep working in the same investing. An important meeting was there among the top management team’s members to discuss the future of the company. The company’s performance was good in 2000. Profit was shown at the financial statement. Giacomo Salvetti the CEO of the company needs to decide which to choose as the business strategy for the company: 1) Keep working in the premium coffee market. 2) Transfer to the private brands market. The current capacity of the coffee production in 2000 was 350,000 K/M , with added additional capacity of 150,000K/M. The cost of the additional units was 6 billion liras. More facts about the profitability and the liquidity were required beside the cash flow and the profit plan to quantify strategic alternatives and to help in making this decision. The idea of changing was not easy to the CEO to accept without a clear image of the financial consequences. The report was provided by the marketing manager showed that the premium market is very volatile. On the other hand, the private brands market is more stable. (Full capacity at the price of 8,800 liras). Price is lower in the private market than the premium. The volume is depending of the number of retailers. ( Every additional retailer need at least 500,000 K/Y). The report was provided by the manufacturing director showed that costs are different in each amount of the volume and quality of beans. These costs include the cost of beans, labor and fixed cost. The company is able to save 65% of selling costs, 75% of R&D costs and 50% of administrative costs, if they choose the private brands market.(Director of strategic planning). Private brands’ retailers will pay slowly- 90 days instead of 30 days. (Financial officer). I took the sales price as the current price 8,800 liras. Most of the expenses are decline compare to what they were in 2000 beside also the profit. Marketing expenses were no longer there because the marketing percentage became 0% in this volume of the private market. The reason of having this decline is the gross margin of the private market comparing to the margin of the premium market. Sales price and cost in private market are less than what they are in the premium market. Cash flows are not stable during the year. It looks vary from quarter to another. In the cash flows, the retailers will pay in 90days (3months) period of time as what it is in the private market. The cash opining was 50% in the first month and 25% in next 2 months. The other expenses were divided by the 12 months equally. Variable and selling costs are showing in page(5). I don’t recommend the full transition to private market. The profit will be lower than what it is even if it is less volatile. There is no reason for the company to lose its premium market if the profit is low, too. I would support the chance of mixing the premium and the private markets together, because of the profitability there. Cafes Monte Case. (2016, Apr 28).

Does the salary of human resource managers depend on the sex Research Paper

Does the salary of human resource managers depend on the sex - Research Paper Example This test shall assume equal variances in the hypothesis testing whereby 95% confidence level and a pooled standard deviation shall be considered. The critical value is a two-tail test which will form the rejection regions.This test shall assume equal variances in the hypothesis testing whereby 95% confidence level and a pooled standard deviation shall be considered. The critical value is a two-tail test which will form the rejection regions.Research QuestionAre salaries for female human resource directors equal to the salaries for male human resource directors?  HypothesisThe mean salary for female human resource directors is equal to mean salary for male human resource directors.H0: Mean salary for female human resource directors is equal to the mean salary for male human resource directorsVs.  Ha: Mean salary for female human resource directors is not equal to the mean salary for male human resource directorsThus, at 95% confidence level, we can find the critical region using ÃŽ ± = 0.05. Since the absolute calculated t value is less than the critical, we fail to reject the null hypothesis of the test. Thus, we can conclude that at 5% level of significance, the mean salary for female human resource directors is equal to the mean salary for male human resource directors. Moreover, as much as the means for the two independent samples are literary, not equal, the t-test has statistically proven that female human resource managers’ salaries are not different from that of male human resource managers.

Prevalence Of Community Policing And Its Effectiveness In United Research Paper

Prevalence Of Community Policing And Its Effectiveness In United States - Research Paper Example Thus, policing involves the process of dealing with the lawbreakers and thereby maintaining law and order in the city. Implementing new ideas and reforming the concepts of decision making and creating a new culture in the police departments in relation to a particular geographical place, city or community is defined as community policing. â€Å"Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnership and problem solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues† (Community Police Defined, n. d). Thus, the concept of community policing is comprised of various components such as the community partnerships, organizational transformation, and problem solving methodologies. This paper will discuss the prevalence and effectiveness of the community policing in the United States of America. As stated above, one of the vital components in community policing would be the community partnership, under which government agencies, private businesses, media, non profits and service providers would be involved. Particularly, they will assist the police in developing solutions to the problems which mainly affect the public safety such as crime, social disorder, fear of crime, etc. The other element includes the organizational transformation where the basic structural components such as organizational structure, policies, information systems, etc., are optimized effectively, which allows the effective structuring in the community policing. The problem solving aspects involve the process of engaging in the proactive and systematic examination of public safety problems to develop optimum solutions, and then rigorously evaluate the responses to those solutions. Thus, some of the problem solving activities in the policing include: a) Scanning b) Analysis c) Response d) Assessment (Fri edman, 1992). The concept of scanning includes identifying and prioritizing the problems. Analysis part mainly focuses on researching and collecting the details about the problem. Developing solutions for the problem and implementing the solution encompasses response step in problem solving. The final step includes evaluating the success of the response and assessing the solution. Therefore, from the above sentences the major components in community policing can be well understood. Consequently, â€Å"Community policing is a policy and strategy aimed at achieving more effective and efficient crime control, reduced fear of crime and improved quality of life† (Friedman, 1992). From both community as well as police perspectives, the community policing can be clearly defined as a way to control the crimes which mainly arise due to the societal factors. Some proactive measures need to be implemented in some instances through the way of replacing the reactive policing. Above all, t he decentralized implementation of the community oriented policing is the major prerequisite. This part of the paper will mainly focus on the framework of the community policing. The frame work of the community policing is mainly based on two major entities which include the community encompassing the people and the police departmen

Characteristics of a True Hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characteristics of a True Hero - Essay Example This depiction of a hero is only a myth, in reality, a hero is an individual who has abundant amount of strength that is physical as well as emotional in nature, who is brave enough to put his own life at stake for the wellbeing of others, has the ability to stand against pain and is very humble in nature. In movies, several heroes such as the superman, batman and the ironman have been depicted saving the world and human beings tend to acknowledge these heroes with appreciation (Oropeza 5). In the real world there are several heroes around human beings, but they are simply ignored and their importance is never realized. Body Heroes come in all shapes and sizes and they represent different professions, even a common man and a simple man can even be a hero. An individual is not born as a hero; he develops into a hero as his life basses on. People such as cops, fighters of fire, military officials, lawyers and well as doctors can even be regarded as heroes if they exhibit characteristic s of a true hero and if they make the lives of other human beings better through their fearless nature and valor (Jackson 81). An arm official fighting on the border does not fight because he is a psychopath who has an eye for killing other individuals; his main purpose of fighting is the wellbeing and safeguard of the people of the nation he is representing. Both the cops as well as firefighter have repeatedly risked their lives to ensure that the people of their society are safe. Individuals who are on death bed and experiencing tremendous amount of pain due to their health condition and are still fighting against their health diseases without taking up mercy killing as an option to relief pain are heroes (Walsh 1). The most important characteristic that an individual requires to be recognized as a hero is bravery. Heroes have a special condition called bravery because they stand against their darkest fears and are courageous enough to continue fighting even if they fear that thei r attempts may fail. Heroes tend to be determined in nature, they never back down and continue to fight even if they fail during attempts (Rabieh 163). A hero is a person who makes several moves before he finally achieves what he started working out for. This is because attempts to perform a heroic act can fail again and again, but a true hero is one who continues to keep attempting to win even though previous attempts may have failed. A true hero is one who is dedicated to a particular cause and he is dedicated towards that cause in order to protect the interest of others and not to protect his own interest (Mosse 52). He believes that he has a higher purpose and continues to operate to attain that particular purpose. For example Martin Luther King Jr. was a brave hero who stood against slavery at the time when black Americans were suppressed and being killed for standing against the whites. He was an individual who believed in attaining rights for the blacks in a non-violent manne r and continued to make public speeches and led non-violent marches for over 2,500 times in order to help the black Americans attain their right of voting, equal opportunity and civil rights (Moral Heroes 1). He continued to march and use non-violent measures to protest even though his marches were strongly condemned by the police who tried to stop him by arresting him. He was a believer of non-violent methods of protest and he believed that violent measures were wrong and cannot be used to stand against wrong doings. A hero is one who scores high in endurance and who does not give up

Mercosur and the Creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas Essay

Mercosur and the Creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas - Essay Example In this scenario, the bilateral relation between MERCUSOR and the United States takes a more significant stance (Lorenzo and Marcel). In order to understand creation of free trade in the Americas, it is vital to look at the economic incentives on private and social levels of distinct alternatives for trade liberalization. This implies that information is processed to comprehend the distinct negotiation process that is the bilateral as against plurilateral considering specific national interests in the region. The incorporation process includes many subjects such as intellectual property, harmonization of local policies on competition and labor and environmental standards. The main focus is aimed at looking at alterations in market access linked with the proposed trade liberalization, thus, opening ways for free movement of goods in America. The U.S population and pre-capital product are larger than that of the MERCOSUR countries; this gives the U.S an economic weight than the MERCUSO R countries. The United States has not ignored MERCOSUR countries as a tangible and valid voice in the FTAA negotiations; it has instead preferred to concentrate its efforts towards global ambit. Bilateralism could soon become the new aspect in bringing dynamism to the negotiation process. For instance, in 2003, there was accelerated trade negotiation between the United States with Caribbean and Central American countries. MERCOSUR was created in 1991 and since then, it has achieved regional integration as the fastest means of advancing the process of economic development in global arena. The process of creating free trade is an intricate process in that it includes unilateral opening, pluri-lateral preferential agreements, and multilateral negotiations. The main agenda for MERCOSUR was the establishment of free trade area for Americas (Lorenzo and Marcel 43). For instance, in South America, MERCOSUR has included Chile and Bolivia as associated nations and proposed establishment and creation of free trade area with States of the Andean community of Nations. In addition, MERCOSUR is focused in developing external negotiations because members states have demonstrated the potential to negotiate which increased their credibility. Despite the fact that MERCUSOR is focused in creating free trade in the region, these Nations have experienced internal tribulations that have eventually led to delays in completing their customs unions; this, in turn, has greatly damaged the regions or blocs credibility and negatively influenced its power to negotiate externally. As far as free trade area is concerned, the MERCOSUR is determined in accessing the U.S market and on ground that the free trade area will be beneficial if the U.S accepts access to its markets. At some point, MERCUSOR countries have demonstrated distinct degree of commitment to negotiations in the FTAA platform but their participation in these talks is inevitable because staying out from the negotiation is not a prudent idea since other nations are engaging in the negotiation. MERCOSUR members understand that the best and brilliant way is to work as a bloc or region since this strengthens their negotiating power (Lorenzo and Marcel 59-62). For regional or bloc countries, resolutions on matters of the old agenda such as agricultural rules,

Diversity Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Diversity Analysis - Case Study Example The blacks were supposed to appeal to the locals (mainly blacks) and the whites to the nation (mainly whites) generally. Even though blacks worked in External Deposits they were not allowed to take up management positions in that section. African-Americans were stereotyped. They were seen as people who are just willing to work from nine- to-five. not smart, hardworking and dedicated as whites so they were seen as not the ideal type for External Deposits. The departments were not properly coordinated. They were treated as two (2) different businesses. The customers of the Retail Operations were treated differently from those of External operations. Thus persons who now reside outside the community find that dis dealt with the people outside of the local area. Ron Wilkin’s needs to restructure the organisation and take a good look and consider altering its employment practices. It is clear that they are disorganised. There are no clear guidelines on how people are hired for the Sales Division. There is some confusion as there is no real guideline as to what constitute Retail and what constitute External. Retail has clients who once lived in the local community while External has clients who live in the local community. There has to be a distinction between the divisions or else customers will be turned away soon. Both black and whites should be allowed to top positions in both sections once they have the credentials and the capacity to do the work. All employees need to be provided with adequate feedback on their performance. There has to be some commitment to equity and fairness in how employees are dealt with. Policies and procedures need to be put in place to provide guidelines relating to staff behaviour and what constitutes an action for dismissal. Everything appeared to be going well at Spencer Owen’s until the dismissal of a black manager. There appears to be some difference in how employees are

Characteristics of a True Hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characteristics of a True Hero - Essay Example This depiction of a hero is only a myth, in reality, a hero is an individual who has abundant amount of strength that is physical as well as emotional in nature, who is brave enough to put his own life at stake for the wellbeing of others, has the ability to stand against pain and is very humble in nature. In movies, several heroes such as the superman, batman and the ironman have been depicted saving the world and human beings tend to acknowledge these heroes with appreciation (Oropeza 5). In the real world there are several heroes around human beings, but they are simply ignored and their importance is never realized. Body Heroes come in all shapes and sizes and they represent different professions, even a common man and a simple man can even be a hero. An individual is not born as a hero; he develops into a hero as his life basses on. People such as cops, fighters of fire, military officials, lawyers and well as doctors can even be regarded as heroes if they exhibit characteristic s of a true hero and if they make the lives of other human beings better through their fearless nature and valor (Jackson 81). An arm official fighting on the border does not fight because he is a psychopath who has an eye for killing other individuals; his main purpose of fighting is the wellbeing and safeguard of the people of the nation he is representing. Both the cops as well as firefighter have repeatedly risked their lives to ensure that the people of their society are safe. Individuals who are on death bed and experiencing tremendous amount of pain due to their health condition and are still fighting against their health diseases without taking up mercy killing as an option to relief pain are heroes (Walsh 1). The most important characteristic that an individual requires to be recognized as a hero is bravery. Heroes have a special condition called bravery because they stand against their darkest fears and are courageous enough to continue fighting even if they fear that thei r attempts may fail. Heroes tend to be determined in nature, they never back down and continue to fight even if they fail during attempts (Rabieh 163). A hero is a person who makes several moves before he finally achieves what he started working out for. This is because attempts to perform a heroic act can fail again and again, but a true hero is one who continues to keep attempting to win even though previous attempts may have failed. A true hero is one who is dedicated to a particular cause and he is dedicated towards that cause in order to protect the interest of others and not to protect his own interest (Mosse 52). He believes that he has a higher purpose and continues to operate to attain that particular purpose. For example Martin Luther King Jr. was a brave hero who stood against slavery at the time when black Americans were suppressed and being killed for standing against the whites. He was an individual who believed in attaining rights for the blacks in a non-violent manne r and continued to make public speeches and led non-violent marches for over 2,500 times in order to help the black Americans attain their right of voting, equal opportunity and civil rights (Moral Heroes 1). He continued to march and use non-violent measures to protest even though his marches were strongly condemned by the police who tried to stop him by arresting him. He was a believer of non-violent methods of protest and he believed that violent measures were wrong and cannot be used to stand against wrong doings. A hero is one who scores high in endurance and who does not give up