A Study On Cheikh Anata Diop - 956 Words

Cheikh Anata Diop was born in Caytou, to a Muslim Wolof family in 1923. After earning his doctorate degree in Paris, he returned to Senegal and started the first carbon dating laboratory at Dakar s Institute of African Studies. Dr. Diop contributed to the scientific understanding of African history by refuting flawed euro-centric ideas on the origins of Egyptian civilization. Throughout his work, the main themes of Dr. Diop s work was that Egypt was the center of a vast network linking Africa s main cultures and languages and that it was the product of cultural influences from the African heartland. Therefore, the originators of classical Egyptian civilization were not Mediterranean whites nor Asiatic invaders as euro-centric scholars claim, but black-skinned, indigenous Africans. Secondly, Greek civilization and by extension western civilization derived many of its practices and ideas from Egyptian culture. While studying for his doctorate at the Sorbonne, Cheikh Anta Diop s ideas encountered resistance from the prejudiced French establishment. His first doctoral thesis was rejected by his professors on the grounds that it was â€Å"unfounded.† He later managed to publish his dissertation in 1954. Even though his work earned him international recognition, it took another ten years before he was granted his doctorate degree. According to Sertima, Diop s doctoral thesis had initially been rejected because it ran counter to what had been taught in Europe for two centuries

The Unexpected Epic Of Bilbo Baggins s The Odyssey

Rachel Johnson British Literature October 15, 2015 Period 2 Bilbo Baggins: The Unexpected Epic Hero Praised for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities, a hero has distinguished courage and ability. An epic hero is a unique type of hero who is often depicted in an epic poem. Homer initiated the concept of an epic hero in the person of Odysseus in the epic poem The Odyssey. Through his works and other author s works, the traits of an epic hero emerge. An epic hero embodies certain traits or characteristics; a strong love for their people, courage and being humble. The hero also grows stronger through a journey that benefits more than just the hero; a selfless act. Bilbo Baggins who is a hobbit who lives in a small house, small town in a small hole. No one would have thought he would become one of the greatest Epic Heroes in literature, because of his size and because he isn t well known. Some call him the unexpected hero, but there is no doubt that he has many of the characteristics of an Epic Hero. He does not exactly have an exigency to go on the journey at first, but as the story unfolds, Bilbo Baggins portrays traits of an epic hero. One of the traits of an epic hero is the love for their people or people in general. This type of love is illustrated through the hero s actions, through the love of people around them and the sense of being a team player. Bilbo invites strangers into his house and feeds them. Bilbo says I am just about to take tea;

Docu. Free Essays

The purpose of this research is to determine what and how sales and inventory system can be a gig help for the business in recording and tracking the sales simultaneously. CHAPTER I Introduction Computer technology nowadays changes very fast. So it is very important for a business to cope up in such changes in order to be competitive with others. We will write a custom essay sample on Docu. or any similar topic only for you Order Now Using a manual sales and inventory for recording and tracking the sales is time consuming and not advisable for a big establishment to use. So, we are proposing this sales and inventory system, a software-based business solution used to simultaneously track sales activity and inventory. With the implementation Of this system in a business, it would be a great help. The program allows the entered sales to be computed accurately. Just by having all the items’ information enters into a database. It is easy to use, effective and efficient in organizing, tracking and calculating the sales. In addition, this study aims to develop reliable and manageable computerized sales and inventory system for Derides Poultry and Agar-Supply for a better manageable of a business. 1. 1 Background of the Study Define a Sales Inventory System In the past, sales and inventory systems were mutually exclusive systems, with one used to sell merchandise and the other used to track it; modern mint-of-sale systems incorporate computerized access to the inventory control system, allowing for real-time updating. An inventory and sales system working in unison effectively tracks product from the moment it enters the store to the moment it leaves, barring losses due to shrinkage. Separate Origins of Sales and Inventory Systems Originally, in the era before computers, sales were tracked with counter ledgers or, later on, mechanically issued receipts from cash registers. Inventories had their own ledger book, meaning that the two systems were entirely separate out of necessity. With the advent of modern computer technology, it has become possible to combine the two systems into one digital process. How to cite Docu., Papers

Protection Of The Patients And Improvement Health Care Services

Question: Discuss about the Protection Of The Patients And Improvement Of The Quality Of Health Care Services. Answer: The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards is a widely accepted Standard Guidelines which is the brainchild of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). Partnership and consultation with technical professionals, jurisdictions and stakeholders have led to the NSQHS standrads that include patients and healthcare professionals alike (Daly et al., 2017). The aim of these standards is the protection of the patients from potential harm and improvement of the quality of health care services provided. The present essay is based on the application of two of the ten NSQHS standards, Standard 3- Preventing and Controlling Healthcare Associated Infections and Standard 10- Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls, to a presented case study and the comparison of the application in the home as compared to hospital environment. The patient in question is 61-year-old Mrs Brown who has been referred to a Hospital in the Home (HITH) service after a Lap C holecystectomy. The medical complications include T2DM, OA and toe amputation. The ongoing care needs include administration of IVABs via a PICC line, monitoring wound area vital sign assessment and general education. The standard 3 of NSQHS standards states that clinical professionals must implement accurate systems for the prevention and management of healthcare associated infections and impart knowledge of the same to others for achievement of desired outcomes. The intention is to safeguard patients from suffering infections while receiving care (safetyandquality.gov.au, 2012). Mrs Brown is at risk of developing an infection at the PICC site as well as the wound site, leading to the requirement of adhering to practices associated with infection prevention. Hand hygiene has been indicated to be the most prominent and effective practice to eliminate infection chances. At hospitals, nurses are to use alcohol-based gels or antiseptic-containing detergents or soaps for this purpose. At home, the same practice is to be adhered to. Since the patient is been given care at her home, it is advisable that the nurse uses sterile barrier precautions such as gloves and mask while coming in contact with the p atient. In addition, chlorohexidine can be used for skin antisepsis (Shaban et al. 2016). Since in the present case the care is given at home, the nurse has the additional responsibility of managing the patient related supplies on the basis of the supposed cleanliness of the patients house. A home appearing to be clean in an apparent manner might be contaminated with a number of pathogens, usually drug-resistant (Qian et al., 2016). The standard 10 of NSQHS standards states that clinical professionals are to implement robust systems that are useful for preventing patient falls and reducing harm from such falls. The intention is to avoid any additional health complications arising due to patient falls (safetyandquality.gov.au, 2012). The patient under scrutiny has suffered a toe amputation, implying that functional deficit is suffered by the patient. The patient is therefore at risk of suffering fall. Thenursing care provided as a preventive strategy for falls needs to be advanced as chances of suffering falls at home are more as compared to that at a healthcare setting. At a health care setting, prevention of falls can be achieved by implementing guarding rails at beds, keeping provision for bed switch for the light and maintaining clean and neat environment (Li et al., 2016). In contrast, fall prevention practices are more detailed at home care setting. The patient needs to be familiarised with the setting, and the personal possessions of the patient are to be kept within reach of the patient. Sturdy handrails are to be placed at hallway, room and bathrooms. It is also advisable to keep the bed brakes locked. Comfortable and well-fitting footwear and clothes are to be worn by the patient. Keeping the care areas of the patient uncluttered is also a duty of the nurse. Lastly, safe patient handling practices are to be followed by the nurse (DiCenso et al. 2014). From the above discussion, it is to be concluded that the NSQHS standards provide a mechanism for a quality guarantee that aids in examining the effectiveness of relevant care systems as reflected by maintaining minimum standards of quality and safety. The NSQHS standards 3 and 10 guides the standards of care practice within the domiciliary care environment as well as the hospital system. While standard 3 deals with prevention of healthcare associated infections, standard 10 involves prevention of patient falls. The patient Mrs Brown had been under risk of developing an infection at the wound site and PICC line used for IVAB administration. In addition, there is an increased chance for the patient to suffer a fall since she had undergone a toe amputation in the recent past. It is the responsibility of the nurse to adhere to the standards as outlined to ensure that quality care is provided in Hospital in the Home environment. References Daly, J., Speedy, S., Jackson, D. (2017).Contexts of nursing: An introduction. Elsevier Health Sciences.DiCenso, A., Guyatt, G., Ciliska, D. (2014).Evidence-Based Nursing-E-Book: A Guide to Clinical Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences. Li, E., Clark, M., Heesch, K., Vallmuur, K. (2016). 94 Falls in middle-aged adults presenting to emergency departments in Queensland, Australia: risk factor exploration. National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2012).safetyandquality.gov.au. Retrieved 4 September 2017, from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NSQHS-Standards-Sept-2012.pdf Qian, S., Yu, P., Hailey, D. M., Wang, N. (2016). Factors influencingnursing time spent on administration of medication in an Australian residential aged care home.Journal of nursing management,24(3), 427-434. Shaban, R. Z., Macbeth, D., Vause, N., Simon, G. (2016). Documentation, composition and organisation of infection control programs and plans in Australian healthcare systems: A pilot study.Infection, Disease Health,21(2), 51-61.

The Transition of Russia to Capitalism

Free Essays on Grendel & Frankenstein an Analysis of the Two

I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, "Is it good friend?" "It is bitter-bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter And because it is my heart." -Stephen Crane This reflects how both Grendel and Frankenstein must have felt during their lonely lives. "Seeking friends, the fiends found enemies; seeking hope, they found hate"(Neilson back page). The monsters simply want to live as the rest of us live. But, in our prejudice of their kind, we banish them from our elite society. Who gave society the right to judge who is acceptable and who is not? A better question might be, who is going to stop them? The answer, no one. Therefore, society continues to alienate the undesirables of our community. Some of the greatest minds of all time have been socially unacceptable. Albert Einstein lived alone and rarely wore the same color socks. Van Gogh found comfort only in his art, and the woman who consistently denied his passion. Edgar Allen Poe was "different" to say the least. Just like these great men, Grendel and Frankenstein do not conform to the societal model. Also like these men, Grendel and Frankenstein are uniquely superior to the rest of ! mankind. Their superiority is seen through their guile to live in a society that ostracizes their kind, their true heroism in place of society's romantic view, and the ignorance on which society's opinion of them is formed. Grendel, though he needs to kill to do so, functions very well in his own sphere. Grendel survives in a hostile climate where he is hated and feared by all. He lives in a cave protected by firesnakes so as to physically, as well as spiritually, separate himself from the society that detests, yet admires, him. Grendel is "the brute existent by which [humankind] learns to define itself"(Gardner 73). Hrothgar's thanes continually try to extinguish Grendel's infernal rage, while he s... Free Essays on Grendel & Frankenstein an Analysis of the Two Free Essays on Grendel & Frankenstein an Analysis of the Two I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, "Is it good friend?" "It is bitter-bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter And because it is my heart." -Stephen Crane This reflects how both Grendel and Frankenstein must have felt during their lonely lives. "Seeking friends, the fiends found enemies; seeking hope, they found hate"(Neilson back page). The monsters simply want to live as the rest of us live. But, in our prejudice of their kind, we banish them from our elite society. Who gave society the right to judge who is acceptable and who is not? A better question might be, who is going to stop them? The answer, no one. Therefore, society continues to alienate the undesirables of our community. Some of the greatest minds of all time have been socially unacceptable. Albert Einstein lived alone and rarely wore the same color socks. Van Gogh found comfort only in his art, and the woman who consistently denied his passion. Edgar Allen Poe was "different" to say the least. Just like these great men, Grendel and Frankenstein do not conform to the societal model. Also like these men, Grendel and Frankenstein are uniquely superior to the rest of ! mankind. Their superiority is seen through their guile to live in a society that ostracizes their kind, their true heroism in place of society's romantic view, and the ignorance on which society's opinion of them is formed. Grendel, though he needs to kill to do so, functions very well in his own sphere. Grendel survives in a hostile climate where he is hated and feared by all. He lives in a cave protected by firesnakes so as to physically, as well as spiritually, separate himself from the society that detests, yet admires, him. Grendel is "the brute existent by which [humankind] learns to define itself"(Gardner 73). Hrothgar's thanes continually try to extinguish Grendel's infernal rage, while he s...

Identify and Explain foreign subsidiary transactions and how Essay

Identify and Explain foreign subsidiary transactions and how determination of functional currency affects group profit for Qantas - Essay Example 2) Maintenance and overhauling cost of each subsidiary is shown in their financial statement as opposed to financial statement of parents. Each subsidiary is likely to incur this cost based on their need for maintenance. This is also based on the underlying principle of matching concept whereby each subsidiary (JETSAR) recognizes the revenue it earns from freight and air passengers it is necessary to match the maintenance cost incurred against the revenue earned. Qantas Ltd cannot undertake the transaction as this would result in bearing expenses for revenue that has not been earned by the parent company. 3) External segment tours and travel revenue of Jetstar would be recorded in the subsidiaries books of account (Qantas, 2010). This is the revenue that does not contain any inter group transaction (that are automatically eliminated in the consolidated statements) but rather pertains to sales made to external customers (Hodge, 2009). This segment is not targeted by Qantas Limited and revenue arises as a result of operations conducted by Jetstar Pacific. The business reason for this transaction not being undertaken by Qantas Ltd is that Jetstar is essentially targeting its flight at different routes in order to maximize cost saving for the entire group such as undertaking the route to New Zealand. The revenue principally arises as a result of operations undertaken by Jetstar and thus are recorded in subsidiaries books. The functional currency is defined as the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (Hodge, 2009). If the functional currency of the subsidiary of Qantas Limited is Australian dollar (AUD) then the subsidiaries financial statements would involve the statement of Assets and liabilities, revenue and income in the Australian dollar only. If the subsidiary has a functional currency other than the Australian dollar for example the American dollar

Design assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Design - Assignment Example Skill-based pay will be introduced in organizations that pay remarkably high wages, provide remarkably high levels of teaching, and make far-reaching use of employee participation practices. These are self-managed groups, open sharing of corporate information pegged with various pay inventions. To design and implement the skill-based pay system, the business ought to first outline the work to be completed, and how it ought to be assigned between individuals and teams. Training must be established that is closely related to the blocks of skill satisfied in the pay system. Activities In a skill-based pay approach, instead of the essential building block of the human-resource management exist as the job, the rudimentary building core block ought to be the individual. The design mission in the organization needs to develop a classical example of what expertise each individual in the organization necessitates. The skill combination is identified in regard to each individual needs. This wi ll enhance to reflect the core capabilities of the organization and the way the business wishes to function from a management style point of understanding. The human-resource subsystems (such as the teaching systems, assortment system, the pay system, the evaluation system and the career progress systems) need to be allied with the development of individuals. This will aid the organization to end up with an accurate skill profile for each individual worker (Piskurich, 2003). A work design is possibly the most fundamental inference that aid in the undertaking of a skill-based tactic to management concerns in relation to area of work design. Personal descriptions ought to be established in relation to comprehensive job descriptions. These personal descriptions have to specify the skills that an individual requires to be effective in their specific work area. It is worth noting that the skill-based approach is most operational in work situations where knowledge work is used. Furthermor e, it is also relevant where individuals can add considerable worth to the product or service. This is because when individuals are self-managing, its efficiency is enhanced. Content As stated earlier, skill-based pay emphasizes on skills and pays individuals in relation to the skills they have. Blocks of skills desirable by the organization, except the job, characterize the basic units of study. In modest skill-based systems, employees may be remunerated for learning what, in principle, multiple jobs are. As a result, skill blocks in skill-based pay systems become equivalent to jobs in job-evaluation systems. Skill assessment, appraisal, authorization, pay rates, and teaching ought to be closely tied to skill blocks. This will allow these systems to work successfully and ensures the organization is being paid value for its investment in salaries, training, and other capitals (Pfeiffer and Ballew, 1998). Testing Methods The principle pay for performance production in any skill-based system relies on how well employees use their skills during a quantified time period. It comprises looking at what individuals add to the performance of their group. Where this is quantifiable, it may make logic to tie part of a person’s benefit to their individual input of their team. It is worth mentioning that the substitute to individual pay for a performance is not to quantify individual performance and to ground pay on organization business unit performance.

Case study of Chipotle Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Of Chipotle - Case Study Example We ought to solidify Chipotle as Mexican-American food. Unlike our competitors, Chipotle does not use many aspects of Mexican culture to advertise its products. This strategy will establish Chipotle as a household name for Mexican-American food, rather than Mexican fast food. No need to create authentic Mexican experience, since our competitors have tried to do the same since our customer value local ingredients more than imported ingredients and enjoy our food because of its taste and is good for them. Thus our strategy for 2014 should be to learn from our competitors and learn from their downfall. We should avoid the idea that we are a fast food restaurant and instead focus on provision of healthy fresh ingredients. This will distinguish us from the likes of Taco bell and others. We should also do massive marketing that shows how we handle our ingredients. Apart from that our clients should know that purchasing Chipotle means contributing to a greener future. Though they may pay dearly for our services, they should not feel the pinch since we are riding on the promise of our mission statement. They will understand that they are paying for local ingredients and a healthier lifestyle. This will keep their bargaining power low and not compromise the quality of our food for greater profit. Last but not least is solidifying Chipotle as Mexican-American food. No need to create an authentic Mexican experience, since this has been created by our competitors. This will make us stand out and be unique in every way, thus endearing us to our

Properties of Dental Plaque Biofilm

Properties of Dental Plaque Biofilm The dental plaque is a complex, metabolically interconnected, highly organized microbial ecosystem. Dental plaque has an open structure due to the presence of channels and voids. It provides Protection from host defenses, desiccation etc. by production of extracellular polymers to form a functional matrix.1 Dental plaque is a microbial biofilm. Biofilms are defined as â€Å"matrix–enclosed bacterial population’s adherent to each other and/or to surface or interfaces†.2Biofilms are surface-associated communities of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular polymeric substance, which upon contact with the host may affect tissue haemostasis and result in disease.3 Periodontitis and caries are infectious diseases of the oral cavity in which oral biofilms play a causative role. The presence of micro-organisms in the oral cavity and their virulence decide the occurrence of a particular disease.4 The three main hypothesis that explain the disease occurrence in oral cavity Specific plaque hypothesis(Loesche 1976): In contrast to the above, this suggests the importance of individual bacterial species within dental plaque as causative of disease5 Non-specific plaque hypothesis (Theilade E 1986): The bacterial dental plaque that accumulates around teeth is a relatively homogenous mass that causes periodontal disease when it accumulates to the point of over whelming the hosts defense mechanism.6 Ecologic plaque hypothesis (PD Marsh 1989): Based on the theory that unique local environment influences the composition of oral micro flora and any disturbance in this balance may lead to increase in pathogenic micro flora over harmless normal oral micro flora.7 Chronic periodontitis is the most common form of periodontitis causing bone loss and attachment loss. This disease has a slow progression and is more prevalent in adults.8,9 Calculus and bacterial plaque are among the etiologic factors; thus, treatment is mainly comprised of removal of supra- and sub-gingival calculus to reduce bacterial content. However, despite this treatment, progressive attachment loss continues in some patients indicating that mechanical treatment is not successful in reducing some periodontal pathogens. Therefore, antibiotic therapy is recommended to reduce the number of these resistant pathogens.8,10 Factors that may contribute to the higher drug resistance in microbial biofilms include Altered metabolism Extracellular polymeric substance Proteomic regulation Genomic regulation Persister cells Stress response Periodontal disease is one of the most common microbial infections in adults. It is an inflammatory disease of bacterial origin that affects the tooth-supporting tissues. There are two major types of periodontal disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis involves a limited inflammation of the unattached gingiva, and is a relatively common and reversible condition. In contrast, periodontitis is characterized by general inflammation of the periodontal tissues, which leads to the apical migration of the junctional epithelium along the root surface and progressive destruction of the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone (11). Periodontitis progresses in cyclical phases of exacerbation, remission and latency, a phenomenon that is closely linked to the effectiveness of the host immune response. Experts now distinguish among generalized and localized chronic periodontitis, generalized and localized aggressive periodontitis (AP), periodontitis associated with systemic diseases, periodontitis associated with endodontic lesions and necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis (12). Of these, chronic periodontitis is the most frequently encountered in the adult population. In addition, certain conditions may be predisposing or aggravating factors for periodontitis, including accumulation of subgingival plaque, smoking and conditions associated with some immune disorder (e.g., diabetes mellitus, AIDS) (13). More than 500 microbial species have been identified in subgingival plaque, which can thus be considered to represent a complex ecological niche (14). Under the influence of local and systemic factors, some of these bacterial species in the subgingival dental biofilm constitute the primary etiologic agents of periodontal disease. Among these species, the most important are Aggregatiba cter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Tannerella forsythia (T.f.), Treponema denticola (T.d.), Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n.), Prevotella intermedia (P.i.), Campylobacter rectus (C.r.), and Eikenella corrodens (E.c.) (15,16). Although A. actinomycetemcomitans is associated with localized aggressive periodontitis, P. gingivalis is considered the major etiologic agent of chronic periodontitis (15,17). Although the presence of periodontal pathogens is essential for the onset of periodontitis, these organisms are not sufficient for the disease to progress. In fact, the host immune response modulates progression of the disease toward destruction or healing (18). However, overproduction of certain mediators, such as interleukin-1ÃŽ ², tumor necrosis factor alpha and prostaglandins, lead to the chronic, persistent inflammation which is in the origin of tissue destruction (19,20). In fact, these mediators can activate one or more tissue degradation factors, not ably matrix metalloproteinases, plasminogen and polymorphonuclear serine proteases, which cause bone resorption (21,22). Mechanical debridement of the dental biofilm and elimination of local irritating factors are the basis of initial periodontal therapies. Longitudinal studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach, which is based on scaling and root planing, reinforcement of the patient oral hygiene practices and regular follow-up to eliminate new deposits (23,24). The effectiveness of this treatment is reflected by the disappearance of clinical symptoms, reduction or elimination of periodontal pathogens and regeneration of beneficial bacterial flora. Not all patients or all sites respond uniformly and favorably to conventional mechanical therapy. Given the infectious nature of periodontal disease and the limited results that can be achieved with conventional mechanical therapies, the use of antibiotics is warranted for certain forms of periodontitis. RATIONALE FOR THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS The academic argument over the importance of a specific or non-specific bacterial etiology for periodontal diseases may never be totally resolved. However, there is little doubt that certain specific organisms are closely associated with some forms of periodontal disease (6). Unlike the majority of general infections, all the suspected periodontal pathogens are indigenous to the oral flora (25,26). Consequently, the long-term and total elimination of these organisms with antibiotics will be very difficult to achieve as immediate repopulation with the indigenous bacteria will occur when the therapy is completed (27). Nevertheless, in certain forms of periodontitis the loss of connective tissue attachment is rapid. Extremely virulent, gram negative organisms populate the deep pockets, and bacteria can actually invade the connective tissue (28,29). Under these circumstances, antibiotics provide a useful adjunct to root planing, which by itself may not remove all subgingival deposits an d certainly would not affect any invading organisms that had already penetrated the soft tissue. Ideal properties of antibiotic Unique target Narrow spectrum-kills only selective pathogen, not normal microbiota High therapeutic index-ratio of toxic level to therapeutic level No/fewer reactions Various routes of administration- IV, IM, oral Good pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics properties E.g. good absorption, good distribution to the site of infection No resistance/ slower emergence of resistance Common antibiotics for periodontitis Antibiotic Dosage Metronidazole 500 mg/t.i.d/8 days Clindamycin 300 mg//t.i.d./8 days Doxycycline/Minocycline 100-200 mg/q.d./21 days Ciprofloxacin 500 mg/b.i.d/8 days Azithromycin 500 mg/q.d./4-7 days Metronidazole+ amoxicillin 250 mg/t.i.d./8 days (each drug) Metronidazole+ ciprofloxacin 500/b.i.d./8 days (each drug) Antibiotics are classified based on their mechanism of action, as follows:31 Agents that inhibit synthesis of bacterial cell walls (e.g. penicillins and cephalosporins); Agents that interfere with the cell membrane of the microorganism, affecting permeability ( e.g. some antifungal agents); Agents that inhibit protein synthesis by affecting the function of 30S or 50S ribosomal subunits (e.g. tetracyclines, macrolides and clindamycin); Agents that block important metabolic steps of the microorganisms (e.g. sulfonamides and  trimethoprim); Agents that interfere with nucleic acid synthesis (e.g. metronidazole and quinolones). CHOICE OF SYSTEMIC ANTIBIOTIC – WHICH ANTIBIOTIC IS THE BEST TO USE? Therapeutic success of an antimicrobial depends on the activity of the antimicrobial agent against the infecting organisms. Periodontitis is a mixed microbial infection making the choice of antibiotic regimen difficult. Certain antibiotics target specific parts of the subgingival biofilm. For example, metronidazole targets the gram-negative strict anaerobes from the red and orange Socransky complexes 40,41 such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tanerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola, while members of the genera Actinomyces, Streptococcus and Capnocytophaga are minimally affected by metronidazole. Metronidazole also has a limited effect on the species Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, which is a facultative anaerobe rather than a strict anaerobe. Amoxicillin has a broader spectrum lowering counts of gram negative anaerobes as well as decreasing the counts and proportions of Actinomyces species during and after antibiotic therapy.40,42 Micro-organisms can be intrinsically resistant to antimicrobials or can develop acquired resistance by emergence of resistant strains of bacteria that would otherwise be considered to be sensitive to the antimicrobial. The literature reports a wide range of antibiotics used in conjunction with non-surgical and surgical mechanical debridement for the treatment of both chronic and aggressive periodontitis. The most commonly used antibiotics include tetracyclines, penicillins (amoxicillin), metronidazole, macrolides (spiramycin, erythromycin, azithromycin), clindamycin and ciprofloxacin. The most common combination antibiotic regimen reported is metronidazole and amoxicillin combined. What is the ideal duration, dosage and timing of the antibiotic? The dosage and duration of the antibiotic prescribed also varies widely among studies and there is no consensus on the ideal regimen. In principle it is important to prescribe an antibiotic in sufficient dose for adequate duration. Another important clinical question is when to start the antibiotics in relation to the mechanical phase of treatment. Indirect evidence suggests that antibiotic intake should start on the day of debridement completion and debridement should be completed within a short period of time ( How critical is patient compliance when using adjunctive antibiotics? The issue of patient compliance has been infrequently addressed in publications evaluating the effects of systemic antibiotics. Some studies have shown that as little as 20 per cent of patients comply with antibiotic regimens prescribed.40,44 One advantage of the antibiotic azithromycin may be that due to its pharmacologic properties and long half life, only one tablet (500 mg) per day during three consecutive days is required as opposed to one tablet three times a day for seven days with other antibiotic regimens.40,45 Compliance in terms of oral hygiene and maintenance care should also be addressed. It should be recognized that in studies where beneficial results following adjunctive antibiotics were reported, patients had received maintenance care and had good plaque control. If a patient was non-compliant with oral hygiene measures and maintenance protocols, then a favourable treatment outcome following adjunctive antibiotics was unlikely. Prescription of antibiotics is no substi tute for adequate debridement, good oral hygiene and regular maintenance care. What are the common side effects following systemic antibiotics? Within the literature there is a general lack of reporting on the presence or absence of adverse events following the adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics. Most adverse effects, which have been reported, are minor and related to gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhoea and nausea. However, serious adverse events such as allergic and anaphlyactic reaction and pseudomembranous colitis, may occur and patients should be informed of the potential for adverse events both minor and major when prescribing systemic antibiotics. Anaphylactic responses to penicillin occur approximately once every 10 000 courses administered, with 10 per cent of these being fatal.40,46 The use of antibiotics should be carefully considered choosing agents that maximize antimicrobial activity and minimize potential drug interactions and adverse reactions. A thorough medical history should be taken prior to antibiotic prescription. An increase in microbial resistance following the use of systemic antibiotics h as been evaluated in few studies. Feres et al.47 identified antibiotic-resistant species in subgingival plaque and saliva samples from chronic periodontitis patients treated by scaling and root planing followed by orally administered amoxicillin or metronidazole. There was an increase in the percentage of resistant subgingival species following antibiotic administration. However, levels returned to baseline after a relatively short period of time (90 days). In Spain, where systemic antibiotics are readily available over the counter without prescription and widely used in the general population, it has been shown that there was an increase in the microbial resistance patterns of oral bacteria to commonly prescribed antibiotics compared to the Netherlands where antibiotics use is more restricted.48 This underlines the importance of development of microbial resistance to antibiotics and the importance of responsible use to prevent the global spread of resistant strains of bacteria. CONTRAINDICATIONS AND UNWANTED EFFECTS Antibiotics are amongst the most widely prescribed pharmaceutical agents in modern medicine. Although only a small number of these drugs have been used in the treatment of periodontal diseases, it is essential that the main contraindications for their use and their possible unwanted effects are known to the periodontist. Generally, the contraindications for use are related to the impaired metabolism and excretion of the drugs. Consequently, disease or impaired function of the hepatic or renal tracts should warrant caution in prescribing systemic antibiotics. When penicillins are prescribed it is vitally important to determine whether or not there is a history of hypersensitivity to the drug. The unwanted effects of penicillin are often mild and characterized by rashes, urticaria, joint pains, and dermatitis, although severe anaphylactic reactions have been reported and can be fatal. David herrera 43 concluded in his systematic review that If systemic antimicrobials are indicated as part of periodontal therapy, they should be adjunctive to mechanical debridement. Lack of data prevents us from making any conclusion regarding the preferred type of adjunctive debridement (non-surgical versus surgical). Furthermore, there is not enough evidence to support the use of adjunctive systemic antimicrobials with periodontal surgery. There is no direct evidence to recommend a specific protocol for the use of adjunctive systemic antimicrobials with non-surgical mechanical debridement. However, indirect evidence suggests that antibiotic intake should start on the day of debridement completion; debridement should be completed within a short time (preferably Antimicrobial resistance in biofilms Antimicrobial resistance can be classified into 3 groups: intrinsic, mutational and acquired resistance.31-33 Intrinsic resistance refers to an inherent resistance to an antibiotic that is a naturally occurring feature of the microorganism. Mutational resistance occurs due to a spontaneous chromosomal mutation that produces a genetically-altered bacterial population that is resistant to the drug. Mutations resulting from the change of a single nucleotide base can result in resistance, as has been well documented for aminoglycosides and for rifampin.31,32 Finally, acquired resistance refers to the horizontal acquisition from another microorganism of a genetic element that encodes antibiotic resistance. This process can occur by transduction, transformation or conjugation. Transduction is a process by which exogenous DNA is transferred from one bacterium to another by the intervention of a bacteriophage, while transformation is the process by which bacteria acquire segments of DNA that are free in the environment. In conjugation the passage of genetic material occurs by direct cell-to-cell contact, through a sex pilus or bridge. This is the most common mechanism of transferring antibiotic resistance genes. 31-33 In general, bacteria use 3 main strategies to become resistant to different antibiotics: (a) preventing the drug from reaching its target 34,35 (b) altering the target 36,37 and (c) inactivating the antibiotic 38,39 Various mechanisms to account for the increased resistances to antimicrobials in biofilms have been postulated. Several of these mechanisms seem to occur in conjunction with the final stages of biofilm maturation .49,50 Reduced penetration into the biofilm may result in antibiotic inactivation because of secretion of certain enzymes, such as ÃŽ ²-lactamases, or binding of the agent by the exopolysaccharide matrix. The exopolysaccharide could inhibit antimicrobial penetration by either binding the antimicrobial 49, 51,52 or serving as a protective coating that prevents or delays diffusion through the biofilm .53,54 The complex heterogeneity within biofilms is evidenced by studies analyzing different microenvironments throughout the biofilm that differ in metabolic activity55, pH , and oxygen distribution56. The ‘biofilm phenotype’ is a collective term used to describe a biologically programmed response to growth on a surface that involves specific physiologies and pattern s of protein and gene expression that are quite different from those of planktonic cells 57,58 and have been linked to aspects of antimicrobial resistance (57,59,60). Increased resistance to antimicrobials is likely a combination of all of these mechanisms and may involve many, if not all, of these factors working together in unison as the biofilm matures.

Infant Immortality Essay example -- essays research papers

Infant Mortality in the United States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trends in infant mortality are considered to be a barometer of technology and an accurate indicator of the health of a society. Despite technological excellence and numerous social programs offered throughout the country, the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the United States continues to be a national concern. For many, â€Å"infant mortality† brings to mind the deprivation and poverty found in third world countries. Yet in the United States, nearly 40,000 children die every year for some of the same reasons that cause infant death in underdeveloped parts of the world (Anderson, 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Infant mortality is prevalent in this country despite a richly developed and technologically advanced society. According to the Census Bureau, the IMR in the United States has dropped almost 66 percent in the past three decades (Eberstadt, 1991). In 1960, out of every thousand babies born, 26 died within their first year of life. By 1991, that number had dropped to less than nine out of every thousand babies (Eberstadt et al., 1991). According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the US infant mortality rate in 1987 was higher than in 23 other countries or territories, including most of Western Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The US infant mortality rate was about 20 percent higher than Norway’s, nearly 50 percent higher than in the Netherlands, and 200 percent higher than Japan’s (Eberstadt et al., 1991). The United States has not always fared so poorly in this international ranking. In the early 1950’s it ranked sixth best (Anderson et al., 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Select Committee on Hunger held a Congressional hearing on infant mortality in the United States on April 29, 1987. Representative Mickey Leland (D., TX), the committee’s chairperson, acknowledged the continued statistical improvements over the prior two decades. But he was very critical of the decline of the United States in the international ranking, expressing dismay that a country as wealthy and powerful as the United States should have an infant mortality rate worse than that of 16 other industrialized nations (Anderson et al., 1987). Through mediums such as this hearing and other forums, the federal government addresses this concern and establish... ...rson must strive to ensure that babies survive. No amount of technological skill can combat the preventative measures of proper prenatal care. The ultimate voice of prevention will only be heard by women who have enough maternal instinct to seek available prenatal and infant care. References   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anderson, G. (December 1987). Dying Young: Infant Mortality in the United States. America Press, Inc., 498-501.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Barnes-Boyd, C., Norr, K., & Nacion, K. (1996). Evaluation of an Interagency Home Visiting Program to Reduce Postneonatal Mortality in Disadvantaged Communities. Public Health Nursing Vol.13 No. 3, 201-208.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eberstadt, N. (Fall 1991). America’s Infant-Mortality Puzzle. The Public Interest, No 105, 111-112.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. (1996). Birth Defects and Infant Mortality: A National and Regional Profile. Petrini, J. (Ed.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strobino, D., O’Campo, P., Schoendorf, K. (December 1995). A Strategic Framework for Infant Mortality Reduction: Implications for â€Å"Healthy Start†. The Milbank Quarterly Vol. 73 No. 4, 27.

History of Management

Without any doubt, the question of work, roles and skills of a manager gets a mixed response. Some believe that these features are the shared by managers all over the world, while others maintain that there are significant differences in management of different countries that have given rise to such a notion and a process as the intercultural management. Which one of the above-stated arguments has an element of truth and could they be both regarded as authentic?First of all it cannot be denied that the science of management has a long history and perhaps all modern mangers employ principles and theories that have been introduced earlier. To start with, it was the Industrial Revolution that established big business and created the need for professional leaders. Furthermore, years of military and church rule added management models and terminology that are widely used today. Let us only recall Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory or that of Frederic Taylor who is commonly regarded th e Father of Scientific Management and proposed some ways of increasing workers’ productivity.On the basis of his research at Bethlehem Steel Company (Pittsburgh) he drew conclusions that the job can be split into minute parts and its performance can be improved by timing performance of each part separately. Furthermore, he suggested rest periods of special interval and duration and a differential pay scale that can be found in the practice of today’s managers (1). The famous method of overlapping tasks during the period of working day in order to avoid workers becoming tired easily was offered by Henry Gantt and displayed in the form of his ‘the Gantt chart’.Though not all of the managers may know the name of inventor of this tenet, but, for sure, most of them are acquainted with its expression and benefits it can provide. Moreover, it was Gantt who stressed the significance of the leadership and management qualities and skills for creating successful indu strial organizations. The man who is dubbed as the Father of Modern Management is Henri Fayol, a French industrialist who developed a framework for studying management and wrote General and Industrial Management (1).He distinguished five functions of managers, such as: planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. As we see, all theorists and pioneers of management theory originated from various countries (England, France, United States, etc. ); however this did not impede the principles they have set out from becoming universal. Times are changing and so are doing the people but some essential things and useful hints are immortal and not subject to ageing. Let us take a closer look into the work of a manager disregard of the geographical location of his working place and language he speaks.Nobody would argue that the better we understand the management role; the better it will be performed and more qualitative services will be provided. Some people wrongly consid er managers to be emotionless and cold fish and claim something like: â€Å"managers see work as something that must be done or tolerated,† â€Å"management focuses attention on procedure,† and â€Å"management sees the world as relatively black and white† (2, 2005:25). Yet, from our point of view, such standpoint is biased and far from being impartial.One should keep in mind that managers are also humans but the best among them have that gift for organizing and feel themselves capable of being at the head of other people and controlling not only their work but their lives in a way. Nevertheless, the manager’s work is not restricted to the above-mentioned issues only. Putting it by words of Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, leadership is just one of the numerous facets of management, â€Å"just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess† (3).Therefore, it would be easier to determine the aim of a manager, which can be expressed as maximizing the output of his company with the help of effective administrative measures. This brings us to the definition of management itself that for short can be rendered as â€Å"the process of attaining organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, controlling, and directing organizational resources† (2). Therefore, any manager must undertake the already mentioned above functions:? organizing ? planning ? commanding ? coordinating ? controlling Note, that leadership is covered by the single function of controlling. Planning comprises development of company strategies and goals. To put it differently, on this stage a manager has to define the direction of his business and some milestones to be taken into account. Moreover, planning involves also defining budget and plans of operation, i. e. methods of achieving previously fixed goals.In brief, on the phase of planning a manager proves to be a good forecaster capable of determining the far-r eaching objectives. The following function and stage is organizing, which means right people on the right working places. In other words, this function presupposes that a manager must objectively consider knowledge and skills of his employees and offer them jobs that are most appropriate. Remarkably that some theorists of management call this function as â€Å"staffing† but to our mind, this notion is an element of organizing.Admittedly that â€Å"given the high levels of discretion enjoyed by knowledge workers, managers' decisions over work distribution, content and resources become more critical for commitment and knowledge creation† (4, 2005:383-424). To sum up, organizing function covers establishing superior/subordinate relationships, as well as determining the scope of staff’s obligations and responsibilities. The ‘controlling’ function means checking that work is carried out in a proper way and funds are spent with regard to their purpose. Th e coordinating function covers training, team building, etc.and refers mainly to work with human resources, but not the production process. It should be added that effective managers should be good communicators and analysts. They should â€Å"have guts† to resist constant stress and be able to operate under unfavorable conditions. Furthermore, managers are responsible for friendly environment within a company, which engages problem-combating, settling conflicts, searching for best solutions, etc. What is more they should be assertive enough to bring forward their ideas and convince the opponents to give preference to their views.Still, that does not mean that all managers should be inborn leaders, whatever. Even more, as J. P. Kotter wrote in his 1991 â€Å"The Best of the Harvard Business Review† article, What Leaders Really Do: â€Å"Leadership is different from management, but not for the reason most people think. Leadership isn't mystical and mysterious. It has n othing to do with having charisma or other exotic personality traits. It's not the province of a chosen few. Nor is leadership necessarily better than management or a replacement for it.Rather, leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary activities. Both are necessary for success in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment† (5, 1991:26). However, in spite of the fact that there are some common features of manager work found in different countries and irrespective of borders, such as the key principles of management in a whole and functions of managers, it has been stated above that managers are the same people. Consequently, their cultural and personal peculiarities are reflected on their work.The former has even given rise to the completely new theory – intercultural management. The most significant factors that have enabled the emergence of this theory are the following: continuous globalization of economy and merge of businesses, establishment of joint ventures, foreign representative offices, etc. As a result, people started to pay more attention to the intercultural diversity of managing styles and traditions along with all-nation values and convictions. Should to go, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, but in order to comply with this rule one should know it.Notably, that in her article in the Financial Times by Elisabeth Marx titled ‘Shock of the alien can sink a merger', for example, it was mentioned that â€Å"Research on cross-border acquisitions has shown that differences in management style (particularly in attitudes towards risk) have a negative effect on company performance. Sadly, very few companies consider the softer, cultural factors of mergers, which may be a significant contributor to their subsequent failures. Far too few companies even begin to consider the effects on staff or the human implication of a merger†.Furthermore, the article goes on to manifest that â€Å"it is easy to end up in a situation where the whole is worth less than the sum of its two parts†. Hence, the reasonable solution here may consist in following the statement and credo: â€Å"Managers' first task is to conduct more extensive business analysis before taking the decision to merge. In addition to carrying out traditional financial and commercial due diligence, they should complete a thorough examination of the cultural compatibility of the parties involved† (6, 2005:2).The same can be applied to all spheres where business is conducted and companies in any country. Yert, the most frequent use of intercultural management tenet is observed within such association as, for instance, international markets, by merging with foreign companies, projects involving multi-cultural teams, international negotiations and so on, and so forth. Other supporting the intercultural management view theories are three well-known analyses of intercultural management by Edward Hall, Geert Hofs tede and Philippe d'Iribarne that illustrate the differences between American and French management styles (7).Citing Edward T. Hall, intercultural differences in communication are based on the context, on time and on space: â€Å"Understanding between people results from the combination of information and its context. Some cultures have a rich context (close links between people, high level of the unspoken/unsaid): these cultures are highly † implicit†; other cultures valuing communication only when it is very clear in itself are said to be † explicit † (7).This can be exemplified by the French dislike of clearing procedures or by their creativity and flexibility, American productivity and utilitarianism etc (8, 2003:1333-1349). To sum up, there are common features that can be found among managers all over the world. Managers employ experience of earlier generations as well as coin modern ones. Today, theorists of management clearly define functions and goa ls of managing work and scope of their responsibilities and obligations. However, on the other hand, it remains disputable wither work of a manager is the same in different countries.Quite to the contrary, the intercultural management theory declares that every nation has its own management style that should be taken into account when conducting international negotiations and making business with foreign countries. The majority of businessmen can no longer escape the necessity to purchase, sell or communicate and work with people from different cultures and thus with different traditions and convictions. And we are strongly sure that our future is multinational one! Bibliography 1. History of Management. Retrieved on December 21, 2005 from: http://ollie. dcccd.edu/mgmt1374/book_contents/1overview/management_history/mgmt_history. htm 2. MANAGERS; PERSONALITY; ENTERPRISES |AU| Welbourne, TM. ; Cavanaugh, M. A. ; Judge, T. A. |AD| U. S. A. ; Cornell University. Centre for Advanced Huma n Resource Studies, IRL School. Ithaca, NY 14653-3901 3. Leader or Manager? Which Are You? Which Should You Be? The Case for Being Well-Rounded by Dick Mooney. Bradford University Journal. Retrieved on December 21, 2005 from: http://www. amputee-coalition. org/communicator/vol3no2pg2. html 4. The difference a manager can make: organizational justice and knowledge worker commitment by Marc Thompson.International Journal of Human Resource Management, Volume 16, Number 3, March, 2005, pp. 383-404 5. The Best of the Harvard Business Review by J. P. Kotter, 1991. 6. Shock of the alien can sink a merger by Elisabeth Marx. Financial Times, 5 April 2001 7. French management style. Retrieved on December 21, 2005 from: http://www. understandfrance. org/France/Intercultural3. html 8. Comparing business ethics in Russia and the US by Rafik I. Beekun, Yvonne Stedham, Jeanne H. Yamamura, Jamal A. Barghouti. International Journal of Human Resource Management. Volume 14, Number 8 / December 2003

Occipital Lobes and Visual Perception

Occipital Lobes and Visual Perception The occipital lobes are one of the four main lobes or regions of the cerebral cortex. These lobes are vital for receiving, processing, and interpreting sensory information. The occipital lobes are positioned at the posterior region of the cerebral cortex and are the main centers for visual processing. In addition to the occipital lobes, posterior portions of the parietal lobes and temporal lobes are also involved in visual perception. Location Directionally, the occipital lobes are positioned posterior to the  temporal lobes  and inferior to the  parietal lobes. They are located in the largest  division of the brain  known as the forebrain (prosencephalon). Located within the occipital lobes is the primary visual cortex. This region of the brain receives visual input from the retina. These visual signals are interpreted in the occipital lobes. Function The occipital lobes are involved in several functions of the body including: Visual PerceptionColor RecognitionReadingReading ComprehensionDepth PerceptionRecognition of Object Movement The occipital lobes receive and interpret visual information. Vision is the ability to detect images of visible light. The eyes transmit this information via nerve impulses to the visual cortex. The visual cortex takes this information and processes it so that we are able to determine colors, identify objects, identify shapes, and other aspects of visual perception. The visual information is then sent to the parietal lobes and temporal lobes for further processing. The parietal lobes use this visual information in conjunction with motor processes to perform such tasks as opening a door or brushing your teeth. The temporal lobes help to connect the visual information received with memories. Occipital Lobe Injuries Damage to the occipital lobes may result in a number of vision-related problems. Some of these issues include the inability to discern colors, vision loss, visual hallucinations, inability to identify words, and distorted visual perception.

Analysis Of Starbucks Five Forces And Value Chain Case Study

Analysis Of Starbucks Five Forces And Value Chain Case Study Analysis Of Starbucks Five Forces And Value Chain – Case Study Example Analysis of Starbucks Five forces and value chain The porters five forces are used, in theory, to analyse the industry and develop a strategy. The effects include competition, consumers, suppliers, substitution of products. Their relationship is explained diagrammatically as below.Starbucks as a global coffee company generated $14.9 billion in revenues in the year 2013. It has a network of over 200,000 partners. Competition: it faces a lot of competition from well-established operators within the industry like McDonalds, Caribou Coffee and Costa. Customer bargaining is very high on its side due to low switching costs. In addition, there is a significant threat to its substitutes from tea, water, soft drinks among many others. Their suppliers also have a very high bargaining power due to the vast demand for coffee while only a few places favor its production. However, there is little threat concerning entrants because of the saturation of the market and massive investments required to establish operations into the market (Lee 2014). Value Chain Analysis allows the firm to know varied aspects of its operation. These include infrastructure, human resources, technology development and procurement. The analysis exists as primary activities and supports roles. Inbound logistics of Starbucks involves establishment and communication of Coffee quality. The company operates in over 50 countries through its licensed stores. Outbound logistics includes sales of the products directly through its stores (Lee 2014). There is little involved in marketing as the quality sells itself. However, the company provides high-level customer service as stipulated in its mission statement.Support services involve infrastructures such as well defined management planning, finance, accounting and legal support. HR is seen by the company as the most valuable asset and accorded the necessary requisite to work. The company uses technology to save on its costs and to bust efficiency and effecti veness. Its procurement wing deals with purchases required in production (Lee 2014).ReferencesLee, H. (2014). Starbucks Building supply chain excellence. New York: Springer.

Business context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Business context - Essay Example The main philosophy of R&D is that the money invested today will fetch higher profits for the company in near future. It is a complex process with a structured framework. The steps of the process consist of â€Å"synthesis and extraction of new helpful molecules, biological screening & pharmacological testing and pharmaceutical dosage formulation with stability testing.† (Pharmaceutical R&D: Costs, Risks, and Rewards, 1993) This process of developing, testing and offering the drug to the market is time consuming and expensive. Due to these factors R&D cost is gradually increasing which is directly affecting the increment of new drug prices. This will be evident if we carefully notice the new drug prices, which are growing more rapidly than the inflation rate, whereas the prices of old drug show decrement. Global pharmaceutical market scenario is extremely complex; here the large public sector investments is in basic biomedical R&D that influences the private sector to intensiv ely fund on new research and development programs. Here the demand for the drugs are also indirectly generated i.e. the doctors and the health insurances act here as mediators to initiate demand for the drugs by prescribing them. Recently apart from the growth in the R&D cost a new crisis also gained prominence in the pharmaceutical world and that is the patentability of drugs and health related innovations. The pharmaceutical companies pour in billions of dollars on the R&D of new products and without the Intellectual Property (IP) protection law the formulations of the drugs are simply being duplicated. These duplicate formulations are synthesized at much low cost and the company, which initially developed the formulation, loses huge amount of revenue. Due to this reason the pharmaceutical companies utilizes the IP Law to monopolize the production and marketing of these innovative drugs. Here this report will make an attempt to focus on the recent scenario of pharmaceutical sector regarding the causes of growing cost in R&D segment and the importance of the intellectual patent tenure alterations for maintaining monopoly of the pharmaceutical companies. (OTA, 1993; Wei, n.d., p.1)     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry Overview on high R&D costs and Patent rights As mentioned earlier, the pharmaceutical companies annually endow billions of dollars in R&D. Recent studies reflect there is a staggering growth of expenses in R&D costs of the global pharmaceutical industry. Though R&D costs are tremendously increasing day-by-day, the pharmaceutical companies think of it as a necessary evil. It is because R&D cost enables the company to synthesize new formulations and helps to open new avenues of opportunity to generate greater profits. R&D costs vary widely between different drugs as this cost depends upon the type of formulation b eing developed. The factors influencing the R&D cost are the probability of success, the molecule base of the new drug or modification of an existing generic drug. Development of innovative drugs cost the most, a rough estimation reveals it generally amounts to more than $800 million (CBO, 2006. p.2); it also includes the cost of failed attempts. This estimate

Ecological Debt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ecological Debt - Essay Example Knowing the definition of ecological debt, I've learned three important things that have opened my mind. First, the major cause of ecological debt comes from the excessive, if not abusive use of natural resources. Industrialized countries are the ones running up an ecological debt by too much consumption of resources from marine, land, forests, oil, etc. coming from the Third World countries. Second, the advantages in the economy of developed countries are causing disadvantages to the countries in the South by inconsiderable exportation of products - both raw materials and prepared goods, and even human services/workforce in very low price range. Between the supplier and the consumer, they take advantage of the monetary aspect, thus ending up exploiting the environment. Furthermore, The World Revolution (n. d.) says, "According to United Nations figures, 20% of the population of the world, the majority who live in the North, consume 80% of the planet's natural resources." Third, beca use of this imbalance, we are now suffering from the effects we have caused to the Earth.

Marketing and Marketing Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing and Marketing Communications - Essay Example Raising visibility requires the same press release appearing in all credible newspapers, the same commercial over all television channels, the same radio jingle over all radio channels, similar hoardings in all important shopping malls etc. Credibility calls for faultless service to the customer. It requires adherence to quality and reliability. Recently Honda Motor Company, Japan's second largest auto maker, recalled 298,231 cars in Japan to repair a fault in the fuel pump relay that could have stopped the engine. In the recent past Microsoft launched its Windows Vista operating software amidst much fanfare and media glare, which raised the level of visibility for the product. Part-II (Three questions to be answered out of six) Ans-2: Internal and External factors influencing Pricing decisions Pricing is a very crucial aspect for managing the business. While carrying out the pricing decisions, a company has to take a comprehensive look at all its internal factors as well as the prevailing market scenario, economic policies and legal framework for the market and the product. Most of the companies begin pricing deliberations based on their own internal cost structures. Internal factors affecting the pricing decisions are basically the profit and cost factors. How the company arrives at the total cost of the product and how much profit is expected from the product makes. In general costs are divided in two components fixed costs and variables costs. Costs of labor, material, energy, supervision, R&D contribution, marketing, administrative, transportation, taxes, channel costs, factory overhead etc. are some of the internal cost components which form part of the pricing decision. On the other hand external factors affecting...While carrying out the pricing decisions, a company has to take a comprehensive look at all its internal factors as well as the prevailing market scenario, economic policies and legal framework for the market and the product. Most of the companies begin pricing deliberations based on their own internal cost structures. Internal factors affecting the pricing decisions are basically the profit and cost factors. How the company arrives at the total cost of the product and how much profit is expected from the product makes. In general costs are divided in two components fixed costs and variables costs. Costs of labor, material, energy, supervision, R&D contribution, marketing, administrative, transportation, taxes, channel costs, factory overhead etc. are some of the internal cost components which form part of the pricing decision. On the other hand external factors affecting pricing decisions include the existing pricing strategy resorted to by the competitors/ alternative products, market profile, customer's buying power, geographical conditions, economic policies prevailing in the country/ market, legal provisions for carrying out business in the market, acceptability of the product in the market, number of competitors and their profit margins etc. Tender Pricing: This type of pricing is based on actual costs of different sub tasks in producing the product.

Into thin Air and To Build a Fire Essay Example for Free

Into thin Air and To Build a Fire Essay Nature is the natural force that governs life: weather and events beyond the control of man. Nature is utterly indifferent to man. Even though man cannot control nature, man can defeat nature. However, human errors can cause nature to defeat man. The two main guides, Rob hall and Scott Fischer in Into thin Air and the Man in â€Å"To Build a Fire† errors played a huge role in their battle against nature. In Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Jack London’s â€Å"To Build a Fire†, man’s propensity to underestimate nature’s strengths and excessive pride led to nature’s victory. In Into Thin Air, the guides’ propensity to underestimate nature’s strengths was one of the human errors that led to man’s defeat. During the expedition, Scott Fischer was one of the main guides to underestimate nature. Before summiting Mount Everest, author Jon Krakauer recalls Scott Fischer stating that he â€Å"built a yellow brick road to the summit†, (Krakauer, 86). Scott Fischer’s tone shows that he is underestimating nature’s strength because he ruled out the perilous obstacles the climbers would encounter while summiting. In addition, in the story â€Å"To Build a Fire†, the man’s tendency to underestimate nature caused him to lose his battle against nature. While traveling through the Yukon, the man encountered the severely cold weather. However, he continued to travel because he believed he could defeat the weather. Jack London writes â€Å"Fifty degrees below zero meant eighty odd degrees of frost. Such facts impressed him as being cold and uncomfortable and that was all. It did not lead him to meditate upon his frailty as a creature of temperature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , (Jack London, pg. 1). The man’s thoughts illustrates that he is underestimating nature’s ability due to lack of knowledge on the fragility of humans; humans always need to be in a stable environment. However, he believes he can survive in fifty degrees below zero temperature without facing any serious life threatening conflicts. In Into Thin Air, lead guide Rob Hall’s excessive pride caused nature to win. The expedition was full of people who were extremely prideful. Rob Hall was one of the most prideful people on the expedition. Author Jon Krakauer recalls a comment made by Rob Hall during the expedition. He states that hall â€Å"bragged on more than one occasion that he could get almost any reasonably fit person to the summit†, (Krakauer, 284). This description proves that Rob Hall is extremely prideful because he completely disvalues the risk aspects of climbing to the top of Mount Everest. Furthermore, Rob hall’s pride led to the down fall of the expedition. When Rob Hall guided everyone on the 1995 Mount Everest expedition safely, he was sure he could guide another expedition and have the same outcome as the 1995 expedition. In the end of the novel, the author states â€Å" After everyone came out of that summit attempt alive, Hall may have well thought there was little he couldn’t handle†,(Krakauer, 284). Rob Hall’s thought illustrates that his pride led to the down fall of the expedition because he did not acknowledge the fact that every expedition is different. Climbing a mountain is extremely unpredictable. He made an enormous mistake by believing from the 1995 expedition. In â€Å"To Build a Fire†, the man’s excessive pride leads him into conflict when he does not heed the advice of others who had experience similar situations. Jack London writes â€Å"All this the man knew the old-timer from sulphur creek had told him about it the previous fall, and now he was appreciating the advice†, (Jack London, paragraph 20). This description illustrates that the man, in his egotistic mind, never believed he would encounter any obstacles and disregards the old-timers advice. It is not until he encounters a hazardous problem that he truly sees the significance of the old-timers advice. In the novel Into Thin Air, man’s propensity to underestimate nature’s ability allowed nature to beat man. Scott Fischer’s comment regarding the summit allowed nature to beat man because it made the climbers lower their guards and not focus on the things that could go wrong while summiting. His comment probably convinced many climbers that climbing Mountain Everest was extremely easy and that they didn’t have put their all in climbing because they had a perfect guide who had everything figured out. If Scott Fischer had focused on things that could go wrong and made a plane, then they would have been able to defeat nature’s strengths. In addition, in the story â€Å"To Build a Fire†, the man allowed nature to beat him due to his propensity to underestimate nature. The man did not fully comprehend the mean of fifty degrees below zero. To the man, it meant only cold and uncomfortable. However, fifty degrees below zero temperature can cause dangerous life threatening problems due to the fragility of humans. If had better comprehend the real meaning of fifty degrees below zero temperature, then nature’s strengths could have been defeated and he would not have lost his life. In Into Thin Air, Rob Hall’s excessive pride caused nature to beat man. Rob Hall, the lead guide of the expedition, had repeated success at getting everyone to the top of Everest. This made him extremely proud. Over time, his pride got the better of him by making him complacent. If Rob Hall had focused on getting the clients to the top safely, then he could have beat nature. However, Hall’s excessive pride caused him to not heed the obstacles him and his clients might have encountered while climbing Everest. Furthermore, in â€Å"To Build a Fire†, the man’s pride also allowed nature to beat him. When the inexperienced man arrived at the Yukon, he decided to disregard the advice given to him. He was so confident that in could survive traveling the severely cold Yukon Territory. If the man had taken the old-timers advice and used it to make rational decisions, then he could have survived. In Into Thin Air and â€Å"To Build a Fire†, man’s tendency to underestimated nature’s power and extreme pride allowed nature to defeat man. Nature always pushes man to his limits. It is up to the man’s decisions that illustrates whether man will win or if nature will win. Man is nature’s enemy. One little human error can lead to nature’s victory.

Aldo Vallone :: The Divine Comedy

The Dante research of Aldo Vallone1 spans forty years, from the publication of his Prime noterelle dantesche (1947) and his bibliographic update of N. Zingarelli's Dante, to his recent annotated edition of the Commedia (1985-87)2. To retrace Vallone's Dantesque journey step by step would involve some 200 items, covering the whole spectrum of Dante scholarship and including interpretive studies of individual works as well as surveys of Dante criticism. We can here indicate only the salient moments of Vallone's critical contributions. The Vita nuova has frequently engaged Vallone's scholarly interest. His editions of the text appeared in 1954 and, with a critical anthology, in 1972 (the latter was expanded in 1975). His attention to Dante's poetic apprenticeship is documented by the analysis of the first nine chapters of the libello, the lectura of chapter XXV, and the study of the prose connectives in the libello.3 Analogous interest is shown in the studies on Dante's early prose: the essays on Dante's Latin and on the vocabulary, syntax, and style of the Convivio. In these studies Vallone analyzes not only Dante's rhetoric but his  «spiritual make-up » as well, underscoring the points of contact with the poetic language of the Commedia.4 In a revealing passage of his  «internal lectura » of Dante's lyric poetry, Vallone reflects on his own methodology:  «I propose a reading which aims to illuminate Dante's "lyrical substance". His poetry contains and offers from within all manner of interpretation. My approach is not simply "explaining Dante with Dante". It strives to locate and verify the internal coherence of the poetic text, in which each feature conforms to an internal necessity and has its rationally appointed place within the whole. My reading identifies in the text the subterranean echoes and hidden links between one verse and another; it undertakes to distinguish the vibration and "force of resistance" under the surface of the word. I intend to pinpoint Dante's intimate reasons for the choice of a given word: a choice that cannot be determined solely by personal taste, but always reflects the poet's experience of life, the rules of his art, and the social context. It is a multiform approach that o perates simultaneously on more than one level. It allows, encourages, even forces the reader to verify his reading at every step. One textual detail recalls and conditions another; and the sum total coincides with the meaning of the opus.

Ethics and Diversity Management Policies Essay -- Business Ethics

Introduction The purpose of this paper is to analyze best principles for implementing and support ethical behavior in an organization and diversity management. The researcher will recommend policies for ethics and diversity management. Furthermore, the researcher will identify policies for monitoring unethical behavior and injustice in an organization. Finally, the researcher will provide the rationale for selected policies. Ethics Policies According to Golja and Paulisic (2010) ethics is defined as a system of moral principles, the rule of conduct recognized in respects to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture and the moral principles of an individual. Camps and Majocchi (2010) defines ethics as rules of conduct, in other words ethics is treating others as you would want to be treated. According to the authors, the best principle for implementing and supporting ethical behavior in an organization is to first champion leadership to support and enforce ethics policies. Once leadership support is ascertained then an assessment should be done to determine what ethical policies are needed to meet the needs of the organization. After receiving the results from the assessment, managers should solicit employees for input and to volunteer with writing and reviewing policies. Throughout this process of establishing ethical policies, employees should be informed and made aware of how the policie s will affect behavior and business practices. Lastly, upon completion of the policies, employees should receive a copy through e-mail, as well as, for clear practice post the policies to the organization’s bulletin board and web-site (Camps & Majocchi, 2010; Mele, Debeljuh, & Arruda, 2006; Schnebel & Biener... ...nizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 53(1/2), 203-211. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy. edmc.edu/docview/198047458?accountid=34899 Stoner, C. & Russell-Chapin, L. (1997). Creating a culture of diversity management: Moving from awareness to action. Business Forum, 22(2/3), 6-12. Retrieved from http:// search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/210208758?accountid=34899 Tsahuridu, E. & Vandekerckhove, W. (2008). Organisational whistleblowing policies: Making employees responsible or liable? Journal of Business Ethics, 82(1), 107-118. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/198214067?accountid= 34899 Weaver, G. (1993). Corporate codes of ethics: Purpose, process and content issues. Business and Society, 32(1), 44-58. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/ docview/199381185?accountid=34899 Ethics and Diversity Management Policies Essay -- Business Ethics Introduction The purpose of this paper is to analyze best principles for implementing and support ethical behavior in an organization and diversity management. The researcher will recommend policies for ethics and diversity management. Furthermore, the researcher will identify policies for monitoring unethical behavior and injustice in an organization. Finally, the researcher will provide the rationale for selected policies. Ethics Policies According to Golja and Paulisic (2010) ethics is defined as a system of moral principles, the rule of conduct recognized in respects to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture and the moral principles of an individual. Camps and Majocchi (2010) defines ethics as rules of conduct, in other words ethics is treating others as you would want to be treated. According to the authors, the best principle for implementing and supporting ethical behavior in an organization is to first champion leadership to support and enforce ethics policies. Once leadership support is ascertained then an assessment should be done to determine what ethical policies are needed to meet the needs of the organization. After receiving the results from the assessment, managers should solicit employees for input and to volunteer with writing and reviewing policies. Throughout this process of establishing ethical policies, employees should be informed and made aware of how the policie s will affect behavior and business practices. Lastly, upon completion of the policies, employees should receive a copy through e-mail, as well as, for clear practice post the policies to the organization’s bulletin board and web-site (Camps & Majocchi, 2010; Mele, Debeljuh, & Arruda, 2006; Schnebel & Biener... ...nizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 53(1/2), 203-211. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy. edmc.edu/docview/198047458?accountid=34899 Stoner, C. & Russell-Chapin, L. (1997). Creating a culture of diversity management: Moving from awareness to action. Business Forum, 22(2/3), 6-12. Retrieved from http:// search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/210208758?accountid=34899 Tsahuridu, E. & Vandekerckhove, W. (2008). Organisational whistleblowing policies: Making employees responsible or liable? Journal of Business Ethics, 82(1), 107-118. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/198214067?accountid= 34899 Weaver, G. (1993). Corporate codes of ethics: Purpose, process and content issues. Business and Society, 32(1), 44-58. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/ docview/199381185?accountid=34899

Rhetoric in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Essay

Throughout various plays and pieces, rhetoric is used to persuade characters into committing to a significant action or decision. In William Shakespeare’s plays, rhetoric is used regularly by characters that plan to persuade others into doing certain actions that satisfy their own personal opinions and needs. As it can lead to many dangerous outcomes, the art of persuasion, evoked through uses of rhetoric, can be seen as a lethal weapon that has the power to cause damage and harm. Similarly, the use of rhetoric also has the power to reveal truths and identities, that have been hidden and kept secret and are only able to be discovered through the schematic initiation of persuasion. To completely persuade someone else, a character must use rhetoric to overcome one of three key decision-making factors: Logos, Pathos, and Ethos. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, appeals to Logos, Pathos, and Ethos are effectively used to reveal character, as seen in Cassius, Antony, a nd Brutus respectively, throughout the play. Cassius chooses to persuade different characters through appeals to Logos, which indicates his true qualities and aspects, and how they reflect his motifs. To appeal to Logos, one must appeal to the logical side of a person’s mentality; they must use reasoning and syllogism to persuade another person into believing that their opinion is completely logical, and is therefore the best decision to make. This can be seen in Cassius numerous times, and it establishes how he is calculating, logical, and cold. In the second scene of the first act, Cassius tells Brutus that Caesar is not the godly king the he sets himself up to be, and persuades Brutus that Caesar must be overthrown. Cassius convinces Brutus that Caesar is not fit for the thrown by using recollections of past experiences, in which Caesar can be seen as frail and impotent, to insult Caesar and convince Brutus that he is surely not strong enough to be crowned the leader of Rome, â€Å"His coward lips did from their colo ur fly, and that same eye whose bend doth awe the world did lose his lustre†. (1.2.122-124) The message is that Caesar is weak, and is no stronger than the average mortal Roman. If Caesar is weak and frail, how will he be able to lead an entire nation? This use of syllogism appeals to Brutus’ Logos, and convinces him that it is only logically fit to have a strong and capable man as leader, if there were to be a leader, through the simple cause-and-effect method. This is an example of Cassius being calculating, logical, and cold as he calculates that Brutus can be persuaded through a reasonable, syllogistic appeal, he uses logic to show Brutus evidence that Caesar is weak, and he is cold to the fact that Brutus is a very close friend of Caesar, and that turning such good friends against each other would be dishonourable, disrespectful, and inconsiderate to the bond they share and the significance of their relationship. Antony uses rhetoric through appeals to Pathos to effectively persuade others, and this reveals how he can be seen as smart, empathetic, and loyal. An appeal to Pathos is an appeal to emotion, rather than logic or credibility. Antony understands the power of one’s emotions, and uses his knowledge of this to persuade people into satisfying his needs by convincing them that their emotional desires are the most reasonable factor in making a decision. In the second scene of the third act, Antony gives a moving speech to the Plebians about Caesar’s death, and how he believes it was a traitorous act by the conspirators, and that his murder must be avenged. Antony knows full well that the common mob is not an intellectual group in the slightest, and chooses to appeal to emotions in an emotionally overwhelmed crowd, showing that he is smart and clever. To persuade the Plebian audience into fully believing that Caesar did not deserve to die, Antony decides to render Caesar’s death as a personal loss to each individual Plebian by overstating the fashion in which Caesar was killed, and by exaggerating the betrayal of Caesar’s close friend, Brutus, â€Å"Through this the well-loved Brutus stabb’d, and as he pluck’d his cursed steel away, mark how the blood of Caesar follow’d it, as rushing out of doors to be resolv’d if Brutus so unkindly knock’d or no, for Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel†. (3.2.174-179) By dramatizing Caesar’s death, Antony convinces the Plebians that Caesar, the man they had loved so much, did not deserve to die in such a gruesome manner, betrayed by his close friends, and thus causes the Plebians to feel resentful and vengeful for the death of such a seemingly innocent man. By persuading the Plebians into believing that Caesar’s dea th must be avenged through an exploitation of their emotional dominance in the decision making process, Antony can be seen as empathetic, as he understands the emotional connection between the Plebians and Caesar and uses it to his advantage, and loyal, as he desires, so strongly, for his best friend to be avenged for such a heinous and disloyal crime. Ethos is Brutus’ rhetorical device of choice, and his various uses of it to persuade other characters shows that he is proud, honourable, and naà ¯ve. In the first act of the second scene, Cassius brings the conspirators to Brutus’ house, where they discuss their plan to kill Caesar. Up until this point in the play, Brutus declares that he is very honourable towards his morals, and only does what he believes is right after considering both sides of an argument. Thus, Brutus can be seen as honourable, and proud of his morals, honour and the fact that he always contemplates the right decision by considering the significance of each factor. Much like the way Brutus presents himself in such a manner during the beginning of the play, Brutus can also be seen as honourable and pride through his uses of rhetoric. In this specific scene, Brutus insists that an oath is unnecessary, as they are all honourable men and plan on doing what is best for Rome, â€Å"No, not an oath! If not the face of men, the sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse-If these be motives weak, break off betimes, and every man hence to his idle bed; so let high-sighted tyranny range on, till each man drop by lottery† . (2.1.114-119) Here, Brutus tries to persuade the conspirators into becoming honourable, if they already aren’t, and believing that their only motif for killing Caesar should be for the greater good of the Roman Republic. This shows that Brutus has pride, as he believes that his mentality of honour is the best mentality for this decision, and he is honourable, as he believes that their actions should only be the most honourable ones. However, Brutus’ pride in his honour causes him to be naà ¯ve and blind to the fact that not every one of the conspirators agrees with his honourable mentality. Brutus’ pride causes him to believe that his personal mentality is the only possible mentality, and renders him blind to the fact that the conspirators are not killing Caesar for Brutus’ honourable reasons. By becoming completely absorbed to the belief that their only possible motif is for honour, Brutus causes himself to be naà ¯ve, through his own honour and pride.

The 8 Most Common Mistakes You Make on ACT English

The 8 Most Common Mistakes You Make on ACT English SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Over the past five years, I've tutored dozens of students on the ACT and seen them miss the same types of questions over and over again. The ACT English section really only tests a handful of concepts, so it's easy to make the same exact mistake onthree or four questions- which really hurts your score. Don't worry, though! I've come up with eightsimple rules you can follow to help you avoid the most common problemson the ACT English and automatically raise your score 1-2 points. Use my ACT English strategies and practice on a lot of realistic questions, and you'll raise your English score. A lot of common mistakes revolve around going with the answer that sounds right rather than the choice that follows the rules. To help you spot the difference, I'llgo through the mistakes most students make in order of frequencyand explain how you can avoid them: Avoiding NO CHANGE Not removing redundant or irrelevant words Insertingtoo many commas Incorrectly punctuating independent clauses Mixing up it's and its Using they instead of he or she Glossing over the question Missing modifier errors Mistake #1: Assuming Every Underlined Portion Includes an Error NO CHANGE seems like it must be wrong, but it's actually correct slightly more than 25% of the time. Don't automatically rule out choice A orF, and don't second guess yourself if you have NO CHANGE as the answer for multiple questions in a row. Instead, if you can't find an error and think NO CHANGE might be the best choice, look at the differences between the answers and try to determine whattypeof question it is. Are all the answers verbs? It's probably a verb tense or subject-verb agreement question. Does each answer have commas placed in different locations? It's likely a comma question. (Keep in mind, however, that some questions test more than one concept.) Once you know what kind of question it is, you can determine whether the original version avoids the error. Is the verb properly conjugated? The commas properly placed? The trick to not being confused by NO CHANGE is treating it like any other answer. If the best version of the underlined portion is the original one, then pick A. For more information on the frequency of NO CHANGE, check out our full analysis. Mistake#2: Leaving in Extra Words Relevanceand redundancy are two of the least intuitive concepts on the ACT English section. Questions that test these topics require you eliminate totally grammatically acceptable phrases that often seem to add information. The key to understanding how to approach these questions is recognizing that not all information is useful. Take a look at this example sentence: Every spring, I go through my yearly house-cleaning ritual and clean my home. This sentence is perfectly grammatical and easy to understand. However, it repeats certain ideas unecessarily. "Every spring" is by definition "yearly," so we don't need the second word. Moreover, the "ritual" is explicitlydescribed as "house-cleaning," so "and clean my home" is redundant. Every spring, I go through my house-cleaning ritual. If an answer restates something that's already been established or adds information that isn't directly related to the point at hand, it's probably wrong. Try taking the extra wordsout and see if the sentence still makes sense (both grammatically and logically). If so, pick the answer that leaves out the unnecessary words. Don't be afraid to choose OMIT the underlined portion, if you think the passage works without the whole underlined section. For a more in depth take on redundancy questions, see our full post on the topic. Mistake #3: Adding Unnecessary Commas Many students believe that you should put a comma any place in a sentence where there's a pause, but this approach will result in your missing a lot of questions. Take a look at the following example: I know Callie thought that accusing Jon, of stealing the headphones, would just cause more problems. These commas may seem correct, but they're actually unnecessary. Although this sentence is fairly long, it doesn't require any commas at all: I know Callie thought that accusing Jon of stealing the headphones would just cause more problems. The truth is that commas are only necessary in very specific situations. A good rule of thumb is "When in doubt, leave it out!" If comma questions are tripping you up, our complete guide to commas on the ACT can help you understand when you need them and when you don't. This is not a wise attitude to take towards commas. Mistake #4: Connecting Independent Clauses Incorrectly One of the most common ACT English comma issues is called a comma splice, it occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses (this sentence is an example!). There are four correct ways to connect two complete thoughts: a period, a semicolon, a colon, and a coordinating conjunction with a comma. Let's look at some alternate versions of the sentence above: Incorrect: One of the most common comma issues is called a comma splice it occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. Incorrect: One of the most common comma issues is called a comma splice and it occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. Correct: One of the most common comma issues is called a comma splice. It occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. Correct: One of the most common comma issues is called a comma splice; it occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. Correct: One of the most common comma issues is called a comma splice: it occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. Correct: One of the most common comma issues is called a comma splice, and it occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. For more information on comma splices and other forms of run-on sentences, take a look at our in depth article. Mistake #5: Confusing It's, Its, and Its' The differences between can seem complicated, especially if you haven't studied them in a while, but they're actually quite straight forward. Its, with no apostrophe, is a possessivepronoun. It's equivalent to "his" or "her," which you'll notice don't have apostrophes either. It's, with an apostrophe before the s, is a contraction of "it is" or "it has." Contractions always have to have an apostrophe to replace the dropped letter or letters. Its', with an apostrophe after the s, isn't a real word. This construction will appear as an answer on the ACT but it's always wrong. When trying to determine whether the word needs an apostrophe, you should replace it with with "it is" (or "it has," depending on context) and see if the sentence makes sense. If so, "it's" is correct. If not, "its" is. Let's go over an example: The cat pinned back its' ears to show displeasure. We know "its'" can't be correct- we just have to determine whether it should be "it's" or "its." Let's plug in "it is" and see if that makes sense: The cat pinned back it is ears to show displeasure. That version doesn't make sense. "Its" is the correct choice, since the pronoun is meant to indicate that the ears belong to the cat: The cat pinned back its ears to show displeasure. For more information on its vs. it's and other apostrophe issues, check out our post on punctuation. This deer may be confused, but you don't have to be! Mistake #6: Using They or Their as a Singular Pronoun When we speak, we routinely use the plural pronouns "they," "their," and "them" to refer to individuals on uncertain gender (e.g. the child, the teacher, the inventor).In written English, however, this usage is considered a pronoun agreement error: the noun is singular, but the pronoun replacing it is plural. Take a look at this example sentence: Incorrect: At the end of many fantasynovel, the protagonist must face their nemesis in single combat. Correct:At the end of manyfantasy novels, the protagonist must face his or hernemesis in single combat. Though it may seemoverly complicated, the second version of the sentence correctly matches noun and pronoun. Pronoun agreement is frequently tested and can be tricky, so consider checkingout our complete guide to pronoun agreement on ACT English. Mistake #7: Not Reading the Question Because most of the questions on ACT English revolve only around underlined portions of the passage, it’s easy to gloss overquestions when they appear. However, as with the other sections of the ACT, it's extremely important to carefully read the questions and think about what they're asking. Usually, the best indication of the answer is right there in the question. This ruleis especially vital toanswering questions that ask about which version of a sentence or phrase is best. It can be tempting to simply pick the answer you think sounds best, but this approach will usually give you the wrong answer. Instead, look atwhat the question is asking for, e.g. "specific details" or "information that sets up a contrast." The ACT English section includesa pretty wide range of questions that usethis format, so if you're struggling with these types of questions take a look at some of our general advice on the ACT English questions and passages. Mistake #8: MisplacingModifiers Misplaced and dangling modifiers- descriptive words or phrases that are incorrectly placed in a sentence- are another type of weird error that oftendoesn't seem wrong. Nonetheless, the ACT includes them fairly frequently, so keep this key rule in mind: a modifier must be next to whatever it modifies. Incorrect: While walking, the banana peel tripped me. Correct: While walking, I tripped on the banana peel. Dangling modifiers (which, like the example above, are introductoryphrases that are separated from the thing they're modifying) are especially tricky. Be on the lookout for sentences that begin with descriptive phrases- they must be followed by the noun theydescribe. For further details on both dangling and misplaced modifiers, see our grammar guide to ACT Englishfaulty modifiers. Keep on going towards the score you want! (Image: Piermario/Flickr) What's Next? Take the time to get comfortable with other frequently tested concepts like subject-verb agreementandpronoun case. Looking to build a study plan? Read our complete plan to studying for the ACT, review what the ACT English actually covers, and take a practice test (or five!). If you're aiming especially high (or even if you aren't), make sure to check out these 9 key strategies from a perfect scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: