Saturday, November 30, 2019

The First free essay sample

In the first part of this lab, E. coli cells were transformed with an R-plasmid carrying a tetracycline resistant gene, giving rise to tetracycline resistant E. coli strain. This was accomplished through transformation, which allowed E. coli to directly uptake the naked DNA molecule carrying the antibiotic resistant gene (1). However, in order to take up the DNA and incorporate them into their genome via recombination, cells must be competent (1). Therefore, E. coli cells which are not competent under normal conditions were treated with cold and high concentration of CaCl2, in order to make them artificially competent (1). The transformants were grown on the LB with the tetracycline antibiotic, and on the LB without the tetracycline. Then the viable competent cells and the viable cells were counted to calculate the frequency of transformation. In the second part of the lab, lateral gene transfer by generalized transduction was done on E. coli cells. In the process of transduction, the transfer of genes is facilitated by bacteriophage, which is a virus that infects a bacterial host (1). We will write a custom essay sample on The First or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Generalized transduction involves lytic infections that kill the bacterial cells, and during the process, bacterial DNA is packaged into a new phage head which in turn injects the DNA into another bacterium (1). In this lab, P1vir phage was used and grown on the donor strain by making a phage lysate. P1vir phage kills bacterial cells by lytic infections, which is required in the generalized transduction (1). On the other hand, the wild-type p1 is a lysogenic phage and therefore could not be used for the generalized transduction (1). In order to prevent excessive killing of the recipient E. oli strain, the P1vir lysate was tittered by serial dilutions. This would also prevent infection and lysis of the transducing particle. In generalized transduction, trp-pyrF region of CSH61 chromosome, which was the P1vir lysate, was laterally transferred to the recipient CSH54 strain. The genotypes of transductants were tested by patching them onto a Petrie plate lacking tryptophan and uracil, whi ch will allow growth of trp+, pyrF+, and not the trp+,pyrF- transductants. Trp gene encodes for trypsin, while the pyrF gene encodes for pyramidines, such as uracil. Thi, his, and pro genes encode for thiamine, histidine, and proline respeictively (1). Finally, the frequency of transductant was used to obtain the distance between the trp and pyrF gene. Discussion In the transformation experiment, E. coli cells were transformed with Plasmid DNA containing the tetracycline resistant gene, and were tested for competency by growing them in LB in presence of tetracycline antibiotic. Tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that works by inhibiting translation, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. It attaches to the 30S subunit of ribosome and prevents the charged aminoacyl-tRNA from binding (3). As shown on Table 1, Tube 3 and Tube 2 did not have any growth of E. coli cells. Tube 2 contained E. coli cells only, and when cultured on the LB plate in presence of tetracycline antibiotic, the growth was inhibited by the antibiotic. Because the E. coli cells in tube 2 lacked the tetracycline resistant gene contained in the plasmid DNA, it was unable to grow in the presence of tetracycline antibiotic. Tube 3, lacked the E. coli cells and so, there were no cells to grow in the LB plate with or without the tetracycline. Tube 3 instead was used as a control, to test for contamination in the plasmid DNA and the calcium chloride. In tube 1, which contained the E. coli cells and the plasmid DNA containing the tetracycline resistant gene, transformation occurred. As a result, E. coli cells have acquired the tetracycline resistant gene, being able to grow on the LB plate in the presence of the tetracycline antibiotic. Therefore the viable competent cells were counted from tube 1 contents in 102 diluted LB (with antibiotic), which had cells between 30 and 300 colonies. On the other hand, the total viable cells were counted from tube 1 in 106 diluted plate that was grown on LB without the antibiotic. As shown on table. 2, the viable competent cells were calculated to be 24350 cells/100ul and the total viable cells were found to be 370,500,000 cells/100ul. Finally, the transformation frequency, which is the ratio of transformants per viable cell, was calculated and was found to be 6. 49 x 10-05 as shown on table 2. In the generalized transduction experiment, trp gene from the donor strain of CSH61 (P1vir lysate) was laterally transferred to the recipient strain, CSH54. CSH61 strain are trp+, pyrF+ and the CSH54 strain are trp-, pyrF-, and because trp and pyrF are linked together on the same chromosomal fragment, they are cotransduced (1). The transductants were identified by selecting for the trp+ marker by growing in absence of tryptophan, however the pyrF marker may be present or absent, depending on the crossover event during recombination. This was identified by patching the transductants onto a Petrie plate lacking tryptophan and uracil. The trp+, pyrF+ transductants will be able to synthesize both tryptophan and uracil, and therefore will grow in this minimal medium (1). However, trp+, pyrF- transductants cannot grow in the medium, because they won’t be able to synthesize uracil (1). As shown on table 3, 57. 5% of transductants were trp+, pyrF+ while 42. 5% were trp+, pyrF-. This means trp is cotransduced with pyrF at 57. 5% frequency, which indicates that they are very closely linked. Markers which are separated by less than 0. 5 minutes are cotransduced at 35-95%, and so, trp which cotransduced with pyrF at 57. 5%, is very closely linked (1). This closely matches the actual cotransduction frequency of 55% between trp and pyrF in E. oli (2). According to the Wu formula, the cotransduction frequency of 57. 5% yielded distance of 0. 084 minutes, which was very close to the distance of 0. 09 minutes at cotransduction frequency of 55% found in literature (2). Bacterial genes can also be analyzed by a method known as Southern blotting (4). In this method, DNA is treated with restriction enzymes, which cuts the DNA into fragments of different size. Then the fragments are run on an agarose gel by electrophoresis, which separates the fragments by size.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How to Become a Cardiovascular Technologist

How to Become a Cardiovascular Technologist You may consider yourself an expert in affairs of the heart (or, like many of us, less than expert but determined to keep going), but can you work an EKG machine? How about defibrillator paddles? For those, you need fully trained professionals- cardiovascular technologists. If you’re looking for a healthcare career that’s on the forefront of heart health and emergency medicine, becoming a cardiovascular technologist could be the right path for you. The Role of  Cardiovascular TechnologistsCardiovascular technologists work with physicians and other medical professionals to treat diseases and issues that affect a patient’s heart (cardiac) and blood vessels (vascular system). These techs specialize in the equipment and procedures used to diagnose heart disease, provide emergency treatment, or treat chronic diseases. Cardio technologists’ responsibilities may include:Performing stress tests on patientsTaking patient historiesImplanting stents, pacemakers, an d other internal devices that treat heart ailmentsUse defibrillators and other equipment to perform life-saving treatment during heart attacks or other emergency situationsUsing diagnostic or imaging equipment such as electrocardiograms (ECGs/EKGs), Holter monitors, X-ray, sonograph, and other biomedical tools and devicesThere’s also opportunity to specialize. Many cardiovascular technologists choose to focus on particular areas:Cardiology- Technologists specialize in implanting catheters, pacemakers, and other internal devices.Echocardiography- Technologists specialize in using ultrasound equipment to test and diagnose.Electrocardiography- Technologists specialize in performing EKGs, running stress tests, and fitting patients with monitors that record heart activity.Vascular technology- Technologists specialize in monitoring blood flow.This is also a role that involves a lot of direct patient interaction and care as well as technical expertise, so a good bedside manner is es sential for cardiovascular technologists. Cardiovascular technologists typically work in hospitals or clinics in cardiac catheterization labs (also known as cath labs), which are specialized examination rooms set up with cardiac-specific equipment. They can also be found in other types of diagnostic labs as well.The BenefitsBecoming a cardiovascular technologist offers a number of benefits, both unique to the job itself and general to jobs in healthcare:Increasing demand. As a society, our heart health†¦isn’t great (thanks for that, delicious bacon). As the need for more diagnosis and treatment grows, so will the demand for the technologists who specialize in the heart.A full-time schedule. Cardiovascular techs typically work a standard 40-hour work week, although this may include nights, weekends, or periods of being on call.No advanced degree required. Cardiovascular technologists typically complete a 2-4 year program that includes instruction in biology in medical sci ence, as well as training them on equipment and completing clinical rotations. A master’s degree is typically not necessary.Being a superhero. Those who specialize in cardiac issues are taking on a very demanding task, but are also taking part in a literally life-saving career.The QualificationsAs a cardiovascular technologist, you can expect to meet these preliminary requirements:A high school diploma (or equivalent), plus completion of a 2-4 year degree or certificate program. If you take a two-year associate’s program, you can expect to spend an additional 1-2 years if you want to specialize in a particular area.Clinical training (often provided on the job).Any training program you undertake will need to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).In addition to the educational requirements, you should also have these skills:Good bedside manner for patient careProblem solving skills in high-pressure situationsCompute r skillsStrong technology/equipment handling skillsExpertise in biology, anatomy, physiology, and medical terminologyThe ability to work on your feet for long periods at a time, often wearing protective gear like lead vestsThe DecisionOnce you feel comfortable that you have these skills and qualifications (or are interested in pursuing them), it’s time for a pre-flight checklist to make sure you’re committing to the right path.Are you comfortable in a fast-paced, pressure-filled medical environment with potential crisis situations?Are you extremely detail-oriented?Are you unfazed by blood and bodily fluids in your professional environment?Are you able to keep calm and do what you need to do no matter what’s going on around you?Can you commit to the education and training it takes to become a cardiovascular technologist?Are you willing and able to keep on top of medical equipment and technology trends?â€Å"Yes† is the optimal answer to all these, but itâ €™s important to be honest. If you feel like you’re not going to be able to be the person wielding the paddles in an emergency heart attack situation, now is the time to admit that to yourself. If you feel like you can overcome any initial obstacles and meet the baseline requirements, then this really might be the right path for you.The OutlookAs you read earlier, this is a career path with a very bright outlook right now. Healthcare in general is growing by leaps and bounds, and cardiovascular health is a major part of healthcare needs now and for the foreseeable future. The median salary for cardiovascular technologists is $54,880, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau also projects that the field will grow by an astonishing 22% by 2024, faster than most other careers. And in fact, U.S. News and World Report lists it as #13 in its survey of Best Health Support Jobs. This is a promising career path that is demanding and will challenge you every day, but it is also one that provides great rewards, and puts you at the forefront of modern medicine.If you think that becoming a cardiovascular technologist is the right choice for you, good luck!

Friday, November 22, 2019

Discussion Questions to Use in English Conversation

Discussion Questions to Use in English Conversation Asking good questions is essential to having interesting conversations. Sometimes, its difficult to come up with good questions when learning a new language like English. Here are several questions divided up by category to help classes improve their conversational skills by discussing topics that play an important role in their daily life. If you are teaching questions, can feel free to print out the questions for use in class. If you are learning English on your own, use these questions as cues to help you have conversations with other English learning friends or English speakers. Language Learning Do you speak any other languages?How many languages do you speak?Which languages do you speak?How long have you been studying English?How much do you study English every day?What is the most difficult thing about English for you?Are you studying American English or British English?Does listening to songs in English help you learn the language? How?Why are you studying English?Do you use English at work? If yes, how do you use English at work?Do you use the Internet to help you with English? If yes, how do you use the internet to help you with English?What is the easiest thing about English for you?How do you learn new vocabulary in English?In your opinion, what is the best way to learn English?Do other people in your family speak English?How do you think English will be helpful for your future?What could you do to improve your English even more?Which activities do you find most helpful in English class?Which activities do you find least helpful in English class?Do you think learning English with a native English speaker is a good idea? Education Are you a student?Where are you currently studying?How long have you been studying?If you are not a student, when did you finish studying?What did you study when you were a student?Which classes do you like the most?Which classes do you like the least?Which classes do you think will help you the most in the future?Which classes do you think arent necessary for your future?Who is your favorite teacher? Why?How often do you go to school?How much homework do you have to do?Are you going to graduate soon? If so, when?Which techniques help you with your homework?How important are computers for your studies?Do you go to university? If so, what is your major?What could your teachers do to help you learn more?Is higher education expensive in your country?How often do you skip class?How do you have to take tests? Hobbies and Activities Do you have any hobbies?How do you stay fit?Do you play any sports? If so, which sports do you play?In your opinion, what are the advantages of team sports?In your opinion, what are the advantages of individual sports?How do hobbies help people enjoy life?Do you belong to any clubs? If so, which clubs do you belong to?How much time do you spend doing your hobbies?What type of outdoor activities do you enjoy?What type of indoor activities do you enjoy?How long have you been doing your favorite hobby?How many different types of hobbies can you name?Can you name any of the hobbies of your friends?How much do you spend on your free time activities?Is your hobby expensive? If so, why?Have you made any friends through your hobbies?What days of the week do you do your hobbies?Where do you go to participate in your hobby?Which hobby would you like to take up?Do you think everyone should have a hobby? If so, why? Money and Work Do you have a job? If so, what is it?How important is money to happiness?What do you enjoy about your job?Whats the most challenging part of your work?Whats the most satisfying part of your work?Describe your colleagues.Would you like to try another profession? If so, which?How long have you been working at your current job?Do you invest any of your savings?How do you take care of budgeting?How many people work in your family? What do they do?Is unemployment a problem in your country?What type of education do you need for your profession?What type of continuing education do you do for your profession?In your opinion, how important is a big salary to job satisfaction?Have you ever had a promotion? If so, when were you last promoted?Describe your boss.Do you enjoy working with people?Which sector do you work in?Do you have a retirement plan at work? Family and Friends How many siblings do you have?Are you married? If so, tell me about your husband / wife.Who is your best friend? Tell me about him / her.Do you have any children? How many children do you have?Do you have a lot of acquaintances?How do you make new friends?Whats a good way to make new friends?What type of things do you like doing with your friends?Which activities do you enjoy doing as a family?Do you eat together as a family? If so, which meals?Tell me about your favorite aunt or uncle. Why are they your favorite?If you dont have any children, would you like to have children?Do you spend more time with your family or your friends?Do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend? If so, tell me about them.What bothers you about your brother or sister?What bothers you about your father or mother?Are you an only child?How would you describe your best friend?Have you ever done business with friends or family? If so, what was it like?What should parents do or not do for their children? Technology How important is technology in modern life?Which technologies do you use at work?Which technological gadgets do you have?How much time do you spend on the computer?Do you use social media? If so, how much time do you spend on social media?Which technology could you live without?Which technology could you not live without?In your opinion, whats the most important type of technology in our lives?Are you comfortable using a computer?Do you think we can trust what we read on the internet?How can we recognize if something is trustworthy on the internet?What type of device would you like to buy?How much money do you spend on technology every year?Can you program a computer? If not, would you like to learn?Do you spend more time watching TV or surfing the internet?Do you ever shop online? If so, what type of things do you buy online?What would happen if we lost electricity for a long period of time?If you could, would you use less or more technology every day?What type of technology do you find frustrating? Which type of technology do you find the most helpful in your daily life?

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

E-Learning, the Possibilities of Replacing Traditional Learning Essay

E-Learning, the Possibilities of Replacing Traditional Learning - Essay Example This type of learning is also delivered via multimedia programmes that use text, graphics, video conferencing, and animations to better engage the learner, beneficial for auditory and visual learners as well (Takiya, Archbold & Berge, 2005). Traditional learning generally involves one or more instructors in an environment that promotes physical or auditory interaction with an instructor in the pursuit of knowledge sharing. E-learning, theoretically, provides this same function allowing for students in multiple environments to glean important knowledge using technology as the medium and replacing the physical interactivity between instructor and learner. As technology continues to improve, more and more colleges, businesses and universities are promoting new e-learning possibilities as a means to save on costs and improve the learning process. However, it is unclear as to whether e-learning maintains the same quality outcomes of traditional learning as the research evidence conflicts in relation to results of this type of learning. ... red it a vital tool for staff training, whilst 54 percent already had an e-learning programme in place or were considering developing and launching e-learning in the next year (isoph.com). This is a high volume of real-time environments that believe in the quality and integrity of these systems to achieve their learning goals. One benefit of e-learning is the self-paced functionality of the educational materials. Students or employees who learn via technology rather than in traditional format are able to schedule their own working times so as not to conflict with lifestyle needs. What this produces is more flexibility and also improves the level to which slower learners impede the progress of other students in a typical classroom environment. â€Å"Advanced learners are allowed to speed through or bypass instruction that is redundant while novices slow their own progress through content† (Kruse, 2009, p.1). What this theoretically produces is much less disruption to other stud ents and eliminates frustration with fellow learners (Kruse). In a typical environment, more gifted students often feel this frustration when content and progress is slowed by redundant learning efforts. In the United States, the state of Maine established e-learning in middle schools that reached over 42,000 students and included 5,000 instructors. When surveyed, more than 80 percent of educators believed it created more engaged students who produced higher quality learning outcomes (Intel, 2009). In Malaysia, e-learning programmes measured in 10 primary and secondary schools reported 85 percent of teachers believed it created a more collaborative and innovative learning environment when implemented in the classroom (Intel). According to Lowes (2005) students demand certain criteria when learning

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Managerial Functions of Abu Dhabi Media Company Essay

Managerial Functions of Abu Dhabi Media Company - Essay Example These roles define the overall roles of the company’s executives in promoting the objectives of the organization through the established processes and business operations. As a result, the company is diversified with regard to service provision though its core business is media and entertainment. The functions of management of the company reflect its diversified nature in the sense that the managers of the firm play a wide range of duties in overseeing the vast operations of the company. For Abu Dhabi Media Corporation, the managerial roles of its executives describe the course of management that incorporates several business functions like marketing, finance and accounting. Therefore, roles provide constructive methods of categorizing data regarding management along with the most primary managerial processes of the corporation since its incorporation in June 2007. Every business organization has goals and objectives that govern its existence and operation in the business sphe re. Accordingly, each organization endeavors to achieve some purposes that are predetermined and practiced through the entire course of its existence. In order for a company to succeed in its endeavors, its needs people as employees through which the company performs its processes. However, since people need direction the aspect of leadership and management is of core importance. Managers of an organization represent the people who administer the achievement of the organization’s objectives. Managerial functions provide a template upon which the managers of the respective company base their decisions, actions and operations. The managerial roles of Abu Dhabi Media Corporation define the frontiers of operation and operations that govern the roles of the company’s management. Abu Dhabi Media is a media corporation based in Abu Dhabi and owns a number of media houses in the UAE including TV stations, newspapers, Printing Pres and radio channels like Abu Dhabi Television, Holy Quran Radio, Al Ittihad newspaper and Image Nation (Books LLC, 2010). The organization was incorporated in 2007 as a corporation fully owned by the government. The legislation was enacted to lead to the growth of a multifaceted media firm in the Emirates. Among the objectives of forming the organization was to establish a cultural hub in the Middle East, as well as concentrate attention on Abu Dhabi as the commanding zone of the Emirates. Therefore, the crown prince of the Emirates founded five-member board of directors which comprised of chairman, deputy and three other members. The board was the supreme decision making organ of the comprehensive corporation that is responsible for the expansion of the vision and objectives of the organization and provide leadership. The corporation’s first assignment was the formation of the initial newspaper in English in Abu Dhabi, in mid 2007. As the company expanded, it established a number of TV stations along with radio channels that are under different management. Each subsidiary of the holding company is managed by an executive director under whom there are several managers who execute the decisions and vision of the company through their roles. Currently, the following functions of manager are incorporated in the normal functioning of the media company; staffing, organizing, leading, controlling, planning and directing. The roles, which

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Mental and Behavioral Health Services Essay Example for Free

Mental and Behavioral Health Services Essay While the future of Mental and Behavioral Health Services continue to strive through many striving goals to develop continuous practices, treatments, evaluations, policies, and research, advancements are taking place to better the future of this program and its outreach to the people. Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.1 When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translated to 57.7 million people.2 Even though mental disorders are common in the population, the main load of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion — about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 — who are suffering from a serious mental illness.1 In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada.3 Many people suffer from mo re than one mental disorder at a given time. Roughly, 45 percent of those with any mental disorder meet the criteria for being strongly related to having 2 or more disorders.1 Awareness of having a disorder is very uncommon in the U.S. DEFINED FUTURE PROBLEMS Behavioral health is a state of mental/emotional being and/or choices and actions that affect wellness. Substance abuse and misuse are one set of behavioral health problems. Others include, but are not limited to, serious psychological distress, suicide, and mental illness (4. SAMHSA, 2011). Many of these problems are far-reaching and take a toll on individuals, their families and communities, and the broader society. Research allows us to get a better picture of what the future looks like and what people need to be continuing to do and improve on. By looking over research, statistics predict that by 2020, mental and substance use disorders will exceed all physical diseases as a major cause of disability worldwide. The annual total estimated societal cost of substance abuse in the United States is $510.8 billion, with an estimated 23.5 million Americans aged 12 and older needing treatment for substance use. Along with that, every year almost 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking and more than 34,000 Americans die every year as a result of suicide, almost one every 15 minutes. Also, Half of all lifetime cases of mental and substance use disorders begin by age 14 and three-fourths by age 24—in 2008, an estimated 9.8 million adults in the U.S. had a serious mental illness. The health and wellness of individuals in America are jeopardized and the unnecessary costs to society flow across Americas communities, schools, businesses, prisons jails, and healthcare delivery systems. Many programs and services are working together to minimize the impact of substance abuse and mental illnesses on America’s communities. Many practitioners have a very deep understanding approach to behavioral health and perceive prevention as part of an overall continuum of care. The Behavioral Health Continuum of Care Model helps us recognize that there are multiple opportunities for addressing behavioral health problems and disorders based on the Mental Health Intervention Spectrum, first introduced in a 1994 Institute of Medicine report, the model includes these components: ( It is important to keep in mind that interventions do not always fit neatly into one category or another) * Promotion: These strategies are designed to create environments and conditions that support behavioral health and the ability of individuals to withstand challenges. Promotion strategies also reinforce the entire continuum of behavioral health services. * Prevention: Delivered prior to the onset of a disorder, these interventions are intended to prevent or reduce the risk of developing a behavioral health problem, such as underage alcohol use, prescription drug misuse and abuse, and illicit drug use. * Treatment: These services are for people diagnosed with a substance use or other behavioral health disorder. * Maintenance: These services support individuals’ compliance with long-term treatment and aftercare. Two strategies for promoting the more important and most effective openings in having access to mental and behavioral health services include providing education to reach the public, and the prevention and early intervention matters intertwining with the Continuum model components of treatment and maintenance. 7 The New Freedom Commission Report and Surgeon General’s Report both emphasized the importance of changing public attitudes to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. Advocates for the mentally ill identify stigma and discrimination as major impediments to treatment. Stigma prevents individuals from acknowledging these conditions and erodes public confidence that mental disorders are treatable. A plurality of Americans believe that mental illnesses are just like any other illness; however, 25 percent of survey respondents would not welcome into their neighborhoods facilities that treat or house people with mental illnesses, suggesting that some level of lingering stigma persists.8 Sixty-one percent of Americans think that people with schizophrenia are likely to be dangerous to others9 despite research suggesting that these individuals are rarely violent.10 With that being said, the media plays a large role in shaping how the youth think and behave from many of the messages kids receive from television, music, magazines, billboards, and the Internet use. However, the media can be used to encourage positive behaviors as well. Four evidence based communication and education prevention approaches are through public education, social marketing, media advocacy, and media literacy that can be used to â€Å"influence community norms, increase public awareness, and attract community support for a variety of prevention issues† (SAMHSA). Public education is usually the most common strategy and is an effective way to show support to the development and success of programs and increase awareness about new or existing laws, publicizing a community based program, and reinforce instruction taught in schools or community based organizations. Through social marketing, practitioners use advertising philosophies to change social norms and promote healthy behaviors. Social marketing campaigns do more than just provide information and tries to convince people to adopt a new behavior by showing them a benefit they will receive in return.11 Social marketing campaigns are being used in a variety of social services and public health settings. Media advocacy involves shaping the way social issues are discussed in the media to build support for changes in public policy. By working directly with local newspapers, television, and radio to change both the amount of coverage the media provide and the content of that coverage, media advocates hope to influence the way people talk and think about a social or public policy12. Media literacy is a newer communications strategy aimed at teaching young people critical-viewing skills. Media literacy programs teach kids how to analyze and understand the media messages they encounter so they can better understand what they’re really being asked to do and think. Inferences about a program effectiveness relies on three things: (1) measures of key constructs, such as risk and protective factors or processes, symptoms, disorders, or other outcomes, and program implementation, fidelity, or participation; (2) a study design that determines which participants are being examined, how and when they will be assessed, and what interventions they will receive; and (3) statistical analyses that model how those given an intervention differ on outcomes compared with those in a comparison condition 19 In the past, practitioners and researchers saw substance abuse prevention different from the prevention of other behavioral health problems. But evidence indicates that the populations are significantly affected by these overlapping problems as well as factors that contribute to these problems. Therefore, improvements in one area usually have direct impacts on the other. According to the Substance Abuse and National Health Services Administration, not all people or populations are at the same risk of developing behavioral health problems. Many young people have more than one behavioral disorder. These disorders can interact and contribute to the presence of other disorders. Besides extensive research documenting strong relations between multiple problems, it’s not always clear what leads to what. Mental and physical health is also connected. Good mental health often contributes to good physical health. In the same way, the presence of mental health disorders, including substance abuse and dependence, is often associated with physical health disorders as well (OConnell, 2009). One major advancement that has been recently made is from The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, adding a new search feature to its National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) Web site. The feature allows users to identify NREPP interventions that have been evaluated in comparative effectiveness research studies. Both the Obama Administration and the U.S. Congress have championed additional investments in comparative effectiveness research to enhance public understanding about which healthcare interventions are most effective in different circumstances and with different patients. The new NREPP feature can provide added information for States and communities seeking to determine which mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment interventions may best address their needs. The Surgeon General’s notes that â€Å"effective interventions help people to understand that mental disorders are not character flaws but are legitimate illnesses that respond to specific treatments, just as other health conditions respond to medical interventions.† (7) The two major influences that are targeted upon are risk and protective factors. According to SAMHSAs levels of risk and interventions, some risk factors are causal; others act as â€Å"proxies†, or markers of an underlying problem. Some risk and protective factors, such as gender and ethnicity, are fixed, meaning they don’t change over time. Other risk and protective factors are considered variable: these can change over time. Variable risk factors include income level, peer group, and employment status. Many factors influence a person’s likeliness to develop a substance abuse or related behavioral health problem. Effective prevention focuses on reducing those risk factors, and str engthening those protective factors, that are most closely related to the problem being addressed. Taken into consideration that preventive interventions are most effective when they are appropriately matched to their target population’s level of risk, The Institute of Medicine defines three broad types of prevention interventions, universal, selective, and indicated. Universal preventive interventions take the broadest approach, targeting â€Å"the general public or a whole population that has not been identified on the basis of individual risk† (OConnell, 2009). Universal prevention interventions might target schools, whole communities, or workplaces. Selective preventive interventions target â€Å"individuals or a population sub-group whose risk of developing mental disorders [or substance abuse disorders] is significantly higher than average†, prior to the diagnosis of a disorder (5. OConnell, 2009). Selective interventions target biological, psychological, or social risk factors that are more prominent among high-risk groups than among the wider population. Indicated preventive interventions target â€Å"high-risk individuals who are identified as having minimal but detectable signs or symptoms foreshadowing mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder† prior to the diagnosis of a disorder (6. IOM, 2009). Interventions focus on the immediate risk and protective factors present in the environments surrounding individuals. A more harsher or serious way of approaching prevention is through policy adoption and enforcement. Policy can be broadly defined as â€Å"standards for behavior that are formalized to some degree (that is, written) and embodied in rules, regulations, and procedures.†13 In order to work, these standards must reflect the accepted norms and intentions of a particular community. There are six major types of policy SAMHSA uses to prevent alcohol and other drug use through economic policies, restrictions on access and availability, restrictions on location and density, deterrence, restricting use, and limiting the marketing of alcohol products. Policy can be an effective prevention strategy—as long as the laws and regulations you put in place are consistent with community norms and beliefs about the â€Å"rightness† or â€Å"wrongness† of the behavior you want to legislate14. â€Å"The key to effective enforcement is visibility: People need to see that substance use prevention is a community priority and that violations of related laws and regulations will not be tolerated.† 6 Strategies that we use today for Enforcement are through surveillance, community policing, having incentives, and penalties, fines, and detentions. There have been many areas of progress in preventive intervention research since the 1994 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders: Frontiers for Preventive Intervention Research. Experimental research has greatly improved mainly due to the advances in the methodological approaches applied to intervention research. For a range of outcomes, while the different types of intervention research has increased, so has the number of studies providing economic analyses in the costs and benefits of these interventions. As the 2001 U.S. Surgeon General’s report on children’s mental health indicated, there is a current need for improved and expanded mental health services for children and adolescents (15). There is a greater need for greater access to a variety of mental health services for children including both medication for emotional or behavioral difficulties and treatments other than medication. Recent research studies have documented the increased use of psychotropic medications (16). Less is known, though, about the use of nonmedication treatments for the emotional and behavioral difficulties of U.S. children. These treatments may include community-based services such as behavioral and family therapy provided by mental health professionals in clinic and office settings and school-based services such as assessments of mental health problems, individual counseling, and crisis intervention services for students (17,18). With the information collected by the mental health service questions in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), it will be possible to monitor future trends in the use of both medication and other treatments for the emotional and behavioral difficulties of children. Recommended changes by the Surgeon General include: †¢ improve geographic access; †¢ integrate mental health and primary care; †¢ ensure language access; †¢ coordinate and integrate mental health services for high-need populations. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001) 1. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27. 2. U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates by Demographic Characteristics. Table 2: Annual Estimates of the Population by Selected Age Groups and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2004 (NC-EST2004-02) Source: Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau Release Date: June 9, 2005. http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/ 3. The World Health Organization. The global burden of disease: 2004 update, Table A2: Burden of disease in DALYs by cause, sex and income group in WHO regions, estimates for 2004. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 2008. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_AnnexA.pdf. 4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2011). Leading change: A plan for SAMHSA’s roles and actions 2011-2014. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA. 5. O’Connell, M. E., Boat, T., Warner, K. E. (Eds.). (2009). Preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among young people: Progress and possibilities. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. 6. Compton, M. T. (2009). Clinical Manual of Prevention in Mental Health (1st ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. 7.. U.S. DHHS. 1999. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. 8. Pescosolido, B. et al. 2000.Americans’ Views of Mental Health and Illness at the Century’s End: Continuity and Change. Public Report on the MacArthur Mental Health Module, 1996 General Social Survey. Bloomington, Indiana. 9. Steadman, H.J. et al. 1998.Violence by People Discharged from Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Facilities and by Others in the Same Neighborhoods. Archives of General Psychiatry 55 (5): 393–401. 10. Borinstein,A.B. 1992. Public Attitudes Toward Persons with Mental Illness. Health Affairs 11 (3): 186–96. 11. Kotler, P. and Roberto, E. (1989). Social marketing: Strategies for changing pubic behavior. New York: Free Press. 12. Wallack, L., Dorfman, L., Jernigan, D., and Themba, M. (1993). Media advocacy and public health: Power for prevention. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. 13. Bruner, C. and Chavez, M. (1996). Getting to the grassroots: Neighborhood organizing and mobilization. Des Moines, IA: NCSI Clearinghouse. CSAP Community Partnerships (unpublished document). 14. Bruner, C. (1991). Thinking collaboratively: Ten questions and answers to help policy makers improve children’s services. Washington, DC: Education and Human Services Consortium 15. U.S. Public Health Service. Report of the Surgeon General’s Conference on Children’s Mental Health: A National Action Agenda. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services. 2000. 16. Martin A, Leslie D. Trends in psychotropic medication costs for children and adolescents, 1997–2000. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 157:997–1004. 2003. 17. Steele RG, Roberts MC (Eds.). Handbook of mental health services for children, adolescents, and families. New York: Springer, 2005. 18. Foster S, Rollefson M, Doksum T, Noonan D, Robinson G, Teich J. School Mental Health Services in the United States, 2002–2003. DHHS Pub. No. (SMA) 05–4068. Rockville, MD: Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2005 19. Committee on the Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse Among Children, Youth and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions, Institute of Medicine, National Research Council. 10 Advances in Prevention Methodology. Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2009.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Affirming Discourse :: Julia Cameron Attention Literature Essays

Affirming Discourse Both the Malcolm X "Coming to Awareness of Writing" reading selection form The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Julia Cameron’s essay "A Few Irresistible Reasons for Paying Attention" are great examples of using different ways to heal mental pain by paying attention to a particular subject. The Julia Cameron’s essay shows the examples of Julia’s and her grandmother Mimi’s life, which reveal reasons for paying attention. First, Julia shows her grandmother’s life and how she by paying close attention to her big interest, observing flora and fauna behaviors, heals her "mental pain": Mimi's husband, my grandfather Daddy Howard, an elegant rascal with a gambler's smile and a loser's luck, had made and lost several fortunes, the last of them permanently. He drank them away, gambled them away, tossed them away the way Mimi threw crumbs to her birds. He squandered life's big chance the same way she savored its small ones. "That man," my mother would say (167). Second, Julia found out the importance of paying attention as a means to heal mental pain after her marriage blew apart. She moved to a different place and lived alone, trying to survive as long as the pain will go away. She learned that her attention to the cat was an act of connection. By accident, she met a new friend, a gray striped cat [Its normal for a lonely human being finding something interesting in his/her environment]. After a while they get used to each other. By spending more time with the cat, Julia's pain began to go away. The in third reason she found out that pain taught her to pay attention: Writing about attention, I see that I have written a good deal about pain. This is no coincidence. It may be different for others, but pain is what it took to teach me to pay attention. In time of pain, when the future is too terrifying to contemplate and the past too painful to remember, I have learned to pay attention to right now. The precise moment I was in was always the only safe place for me (168). She healed the pain or she knew that the pain was always bearable. The Malcolm X article illustrate his life in the prison. This part shows an interesting and strong approaching to life. In this few paragraphs Malcolm X is trying to show a view for reader how he has came to the awareness of English language in time he was cut away form the world.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Psychology Dementia Paper

Alzheimer’s In The Early Years Early-onset Alzheimer's is an uncommon form of dementia that strikes people younger than age 65. In that case, some of the first episodes of symptoms with the early onset start as behavioral problems. The caregiver’s of the early onset patient’s experience a lot of stress in their job of taking care of patients with dementia no matter the gender. The biggest portions of people that suffer from early onset dementia tend to have shown up in family members that are very close to them.Alzheimer’s cannot be reversed so in that case once you have been diagnosed with it, there’s no possible way to change it and all cases end in mortality. There are two types of early onset dementia. There is pre-senile dementia also classified as Alzheimer’s disease because this often happens in patients that are younger than 65 years old. This is cause by the degeneration of the front temporal lobe, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration.The patients that tend to be older than 65 that develop dementia share the same characteristics but often nowhere near as sever but could also still be diagnosed as Alzheimer’s depending on the patient’s conditions. Cerebrovascular disorders are age-related processes. In that case VaD, or vascular cognitive diminishing, usually arises in patients older than 65 years of age, but less frequently in patients younger than 65.The early clinical features of front temporal lobar degeneration are changes in personality and social behavior rather than impaired cognition. With progression of the disease, impairment of cognitive functions, including memory, becomes obvious and slowly increases in severity. Stereotypical speech, with prominent reduction of vocabulary, occurs in the advanced stage of illness. Sematic dementia and progressive non-fluent aphasia are characteristic clinical symptoms of front temporal dementia.Rapid progression of cognitive i mpairment with neuropsychological syndromes and neurological symptoms, like spastic pyramidal signs, myoclonia, and convulsions, has been considered characteristics of early onset Alzheimer’s. However, it was reported recently that the spastic paraparesis, seizures, and myoclonic convulsions do not always occur in early onset Alzheimer’s, although language problems and visuospatial dysfunction are common.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Peanut Butter As A Healthy Food Choice Health Essay

These words might remind you of the celebrated quotation mark from ‘The Godfather ‘ , but trust me friends, these are genuinely my feelings when I talk of the benefits of doing insignificant butter A a portion of your day-to-day diet. Peanut butter has ever been into our kitchen either doing its manner through the yummilicious peanut butter sandwiches or through more sophisticated dishes like pasta or salad. The nutritionary value of the peanut butter can be estimated by the fact that it is even used as a base exigency nutrient for dearth afflicted states due to its high fat and protein content. But you have heard about it incorporating concentrated fats.Then how precisely does peanut butter tantrums into the class of a healthy nutrient pick, you may inquire! Well, here are some of the facts listed about the nutritionary value of peanut butter that will turn you intoA an devouring fan of insignificant butter:Ai Peanut butter is a really high caloric, yet really healthy nutrient. One helping ( about 2 tablespoons ) of peanut butter contains: Protein ( 8 g ) , Fiber ( 2g ) , vitamin ( 2mg ) , Ca ( .04g ) , thiamen ( .04g ) and Cu ( .17mg ) .AAi Protects against high hazard of cardiovascular disease due to high degrees of monosaturated fats and resveratrol.Resveratrol is said to incorporate the antibacterial and antimicrobic qualities in it. i Over the old ages, many surveies done have shown that people with regular consumption of A peanut butter in their diets are less likely to develop bosom disease or Type2 diabetes.Ai When taken on a regular footing, helps protect against Alzheimer disease and formation of gallstones.In add-on to it, peanut butter contains higher degree of antioxidants than present in A apple or carrots. i A Contains dietetic fibre upto 8 % which is known to cut down the blood sugar degree and besides reduces the hazard of colorectal malignant neoplastic disease ( one of the deathly diseases doing many A deceases in states like U.S. ) . i Vitamin B3 contained in it is known for its benefits such as helping in the recovery of cellA DNA harm and proper operation of sex variety meats by doing the proper secernment of sexual endocrines. i Rich beginning of K and Ca supplying benefits like high blood pressure decrease, healthy castanetss and decrease of musculus cramps. Ok, I know, now you can barely resistA yourself from ingurgitating into all types of peanut butter dishes! ! But do one thing sure, that if you are allergic to the peanut butter, so confer with your physician before doing it a portion of your diet. So, as Channing Pollock has said â€Å" No adult male in the universe has more bravery than the adult male who can halt after eating one peanut â€Å" , I guess it would be better to state now that no adult male can halt himself from doing insignificant butter a portion of their day-to-day diet! ! Article No-2— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —Title A -A A A A A Best vegetarian beginnings of omega3 fatty acids â€Å" All animate beings are my friends and I do n't eat my friends! † George Bernard Shaw. Yes, you are a true truster in these ideas on vegetarianismA and you should be proud of yourself that you have adopted a healthy nutrient wont. But you fear that you might be devoid of the indispensable minerals that are an built-in portion of a non vegetarian diet. If u are a freshly converted vegan, so many perceptual experiences might be at that place in your head about the nutritionary value of a vegetable diet. One of the most wrongly sensed impression being that aA vegetarian diet can non supply you with the addendums of minerals asA of import as omega 3 fatty acids. Now the inquiry arises as to what precisely are omega 3 fatty acids and why are they so of import to human wellness? Well, to get down with, omega 3 fatty acids are the indispensable fatty acids necessary for human wellness but the organic structure is unable to synthesise them.You have to acquire them through nutrient beginnings. Omega 3 fatty acids cut down the chance of bosom disease, malignant neoplastic disease, arthritis and other deathly diseases. They are of import for cognitive ( encephalon related maps ) and behavioral maps. Two types of omega 3 fatty acids are present: Ala and DHA.The organic structure basically converts ALA to DHA. Lack of omega 3 in our organic structure can do weariness, hapless memory, bosom jobs, dry tegument, depression And other wellness jobs. Is vegetarian diet deficient in omega 3 fatty acids? A Fish and other non veg diets are supposed to be rich in these type of fatty acids which makes the premise stronger that vegetarian diet is lacking in these acids. One thing has to be made clear in your head that there is no such food which isA indispensable for human wellness and is non present in a veg diet. Infact, vegetarian diet is the richest beginning of omega 3 fatty acids. A A A A A A A A A A A Vegetarian beginnings of omega 3 fatty acids: : 1.A A A A A A Flaxseed oil contains great sums of omega 3 fatty acids. In add-on to it, it besides contains the advantages of fibers and lignans good for wellness. 2.A A A A A A Hemp seeds contains good balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and important sums of GLA already. 3.A A A A A A Organic milk is said to incorporate 60-70 % higher degree of ALA ( type of omega 3 ) in it than an ordinary milk. 4.A A A A A A Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in smaller measures in nuts, seeds, and soy merchandises, every bit good as beans, veggies, and whole grains. 5.A A A A A A Walnuts and soyabeans besides contain good sum of omega 3 fatty acids necessary for wellness. 6.A A A A A A Leafy green veggies contain right sum of omega 3 every bit good as omega 6 in them.Regular consumption of green leafy veggies ensures supply of omega 3 in your organic structure. 7.A A A A A A Pumpkin seeds and nutrient cooked in olive oil besides are good addendums of omega 3 fatty acids.AIt is reasonably easy for everyone devouring a balanced diet to run into the Institute of Medicine ( IOM ) recommendations for Omega 3 acids consumption. A typical grownup devouring 2000 Calories per twenty-four hours would necessitate about 1.3 – 2.7 gms ALA per twenty-four hours ; bing about one-fourth of a teaspoon of flax seed oil, less than a tablespoon of walnuts or 1.3 tablespoons of soybean oil.ATherefore, a healthy balanced vegetarian diet is really improbable to be lacking in omega 3 fatty acids.ASo following clip when you are eating your vegetable nutrient and person points out that it is non as rich in foods as a non vegetarian diet, give them an penetration into the benefits of the vegetarian diet and experience proud to be a vegetarian!AArticle No-3— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — â⠂¬â€ — — — — — — — — — — — — — –Title A -A A A A A A Taking multivitamins without a prescription can take to wellness jobs. â€Å" All drugs are toxicants, the benefits depends on the dose. † History has ever taught us that the best medical specialty is to take no medical specialty, but as the human inclination is, we do n't larn anything from our past.The same thing applies when we look at the current tendency of trusting on the multivitamins and external addendums by common people.AWhy multivitamins are of import? ?AIdeally, worlds should A acquire A entirely alimentary diets rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. A A But the fact is, most people do non run into all A ofA their nutritionary demands through their nutrient. A As a consequence, many of us rely on multivitamins and addendums to accomplish A complete nutrition. No affair how unhealthy our diet is, we ever try to do up for it through external supplements.We think that we can get away the illeffects caused by debris nutrient through these addendums. The large inquiry arises that can we jump our day-to-day helpings of fruits and veggies And take a vitamin addendum alternatively? Unfortunately, the reply is, no. Although a limited sum of multivitamins within the prescription of a physician can assist you derive the benefits of these addendums but the existent danger arises when people play with their life by taking these multivitamins without any prescription.ATaking multivitamins without prescriptionAThe worst thing you could make to your organic structure is to do it accustomed of external addendums. Unfortunately, these yearss most of the people around the universe are making the same in the name of better wellness and alimentary supply to the organic structure. Even the makers of these addendums make false claims about these multivitamins being without any sideeffects but the image is non every bit rose-colored as they claim.AWhile they contain good ingredients, the truth is when taken in extra, these multivitamins are non absorbed by the organic structure and therefore lead to assorted complications. Besides, assorted inexpensive multivitamins present in the market contain toxic substances in them which can be unsafe for your wellness. If you think that by taking these multivitamins without any prescription, nil harmful is done, so you are mistaken. Taking them in surplus or without being prescribed leads to decelerate decease. Every organic structure has different demands of these foods and merely your physician has the proper cognition and authorization as to what type and sum of multivitamins are best for you. Do non seek to go your ain physician and take them in sums you feel right.The best manner to avoid the sick effects of these multivitamins is to ever confer with your physician about their ingestion. While the best option is to choose for organic nutrient to fulfill the bodily demands of of import minerals and vitamins.Organic nutrient is said to incorporate high sums of foods in it which can fulfill the alimentary demand. Add high quality addendums which provide your organic structure with bio-available vitamins and minerals, and it becomes easy to populate a long, healthy life while devouring fewer Calories and still obtaining the foods you need to work optimally.AArticle No-4— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –Title A -A A A A A A Excess of proteins can take to joint strivingsAâ€Å" One one-fourth of what you eat supports you alive. The other 3 one-fourth maintain your physician alive. †AWe worlds pretend to take so much attention of our wellness that sometimes we forget the sideeffects of these measures.As in this instance, we all are cognizant of the importance of protein for our wellness but we hurriedly consume so much protein that it becomes a load for the organic structure. What, do n't state me! ! Even proteins consumed in surplus have ill effects associated with them? Unfortunately, the reply is yes.Proteins when nowadays in surplus can take to serious complications in the organic structure like joint strivings and other diseases. Here in this article we focus on how extra proteins are responsible for that terrible hurting in your articulations you feel everytime you wake up in the forenoon.AWhat are proteins and why are they so of import? Proteins are one of the basic foods needed by human organic structure being about 16 % of the entire organic structure weight.Most of the organic structure tissues, tegument, musculus, hair need protein for their well being. Even the of import chemicals like enzymes, endocrines, senders and deoxyribonucleic acid which constitute our organic structure are made up of protein. What sum of protein is needed? Protein demands vary harmonizing to your age, size and activity level.Sportspersons and atheletes need greater sums of protein than an mean individual.AA proportion of 0.5 to 0.8g/pound of protein is recommended for active people by the physicians.AWhat does extra protein make?AProteins take a long clip to digest ( about 4 to 6 hour. ) by our body.Too much protein in the diet can take to high cholesterin or Ca loss from bone.It besides puts a high strain on kidneys and the liver. But the most unsafe effect of a high protein diet is loss of Ca which leads Ro articulation strivings. When amino acids nowadays in the proteins are ingested in the blood, the organic structure uses Ca to buffer this addition in blood sourness which leads to elimination of Ca from the castanetss. Protein degree in the fluids environing painful articulations is twice every bit high compared to trouble free articulations.AReduce protein degree in your diet if you suffer from joint hurtingATry to avoid high protein beginnings of nutrient like ruddy meat, nuts and leguminous plants if you are one of the victims of a high protein diet. Taking protein harmonizing to the right degree is really of import to protect against the loss of Ca in the body.Avoid carnal beginnings of protein because they are known to incorporate extra sum of proteins. Consult your physician to cognize more about the right mix of protein in your diet.ATherefore, while it is nice to hold protein in your diet but do non seek to turn it into the instance of â€Å" excessively much of a good thing † exactly! !AAArticle No-5— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –Title A -A A A A A A Increase your fibre consumption to take down the hazard of wellness jobs. We have all heard about fibers and their benefits in maintaining the organic structure healthy and fit. But frequently we think as to why the ingestion of fibers is so much of import. Here is why: Fibre is mostly a saccharide. The edifice blocks of all saccharides are different types of sugars and they can be classified harmonizing to how many sugar molecules are combined in the saccharide: Simple sugars – consist of 1-2 sugar molecules ; for illustration glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose and lactose. Oligosaccharides – consist of 3-10 glucose molecules joined together. Starch polysaccharides – have more than 10 glucose molecules joined together.AAAssorted wellness benefits are associated with the fibers. So it is really necessary to cognize more about them.Keeps the digestive system healthySoluble fiber absorbs H2O like a sponge and allows elimination of waste stuffs from the organic structure easy maintaining the digestive system working decently.Good for DiabetessA Eating a diet high in fibre slows glucose soaking up from the little bowel into the blood. This reduces the possibility of a rush of insulin, the endocrine produced by the pancreas to brace blood glucose degrees.Lower berths blood cholesterin degree to protect from bosom complaintsRecently, there has been a great trade of involvement in oat bran, since some surveies showed that regular consumption of nutrients high in soluble fibre – such as oat bran, adust beans and soya beans – reduced blood cholesterin degrees. When blood cholesterin degrees are high, fatty runs and plaques are deposited along the walls of arterias. This can do them perilously narrow and lead to an increased hazard of coronary bosom disease. It is thought that soluble fibre lowers blood cholesterin by adhering bile acids ( which are made from cholesterin to digest dietetic fats ) and so egesting them. – & gt ; When eaten on a regular basis as portion of a diet low in concentrated fat, transA fatA andA cholesterin, soluble fibre has been associated with increased diet quality and decreased hazard of cardiovascular disease. – & gt ; Soluble or syrupy fibres modestly cut down LDL ( â€Å" bad † ) cholesterin beyondA degrees achieved by a diet low inA saturatedA and trans fats and cholesterin entirely. – & gt ; Foods high in soluble fibre include oat bran, burgoo, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrous fruit fruits, strawberries and apple mush. – & gt ; Insoluble fibre decreases cardiovascular hazard and slows patterned advance of cardiovascular disease in bad persons. – & gt ; Foods A incorporating indissoluble fibres such as A wheaten staff of lifes, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, chou, Beta vulgariss, carrots, Brussels sprouts, Brassica rapas, cauliflower and apple tegument are readily available. So if you want to maintain your bosom immature and beating increase your day-to-day consumption of fibers through the natural souces of fibers present and remain off from all bosom complaints.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Cross

Cross The problem discussed in this case is related to such a field as cross-cultural management. The main issue is that John Higgins might have become too attached to the Japanese culture, its values, and workplace practices. Furthermore, this change in his attitudes began to affect his business decisions and some of them were not effective.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cross-cultural Management: Japanese Culture and Its Workplace Practices specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, he refused to terminate an employee who failed to improve his performance. Higgins’ justification for this decision is that this worker has been loyal to the company while loyalty is essential for Japanese organizations. Very often European or American managers do not know much about the customs and traditions of non-Western people (Kawar 2012, p. 105). Therefore, they have to adjust the new business environment. However, this sit uation is quite different because John Higgins immersed himself in the customs and traditions of Japan. One of the main risks is that he could understand the Japanese culture too literally. Higgins could simply overlook the possibility that the values and priorities of local people could be changing. These are the main aspect of this problem. There are several possible approaches to this situation. One of the possible strategies is to move Higgins to a different position or even to a different country. One should bear in mind that in many cases, companies choose to rotate expatriates. They let them stay in a certain country only for a limited period (Jonsson Kalling 2006). The main rationale for this policy is to prevent them becoming too accustomed to the values or norms of local culture. Furthermore, this strategy is helpful for sharing information or best practices among various divisions of the corporation (Jonsson Kalling 2006). This is one of the strategies that can be adopt ed. The main limitation of this approach is that the Japanese division of Weaver Pharmaceutical can lose a very valuable employee. Moreover, the corporation will have to spend a significant amount of time to find a person, who can substitute Higgins. This is one of the problems faced by multinational corporations (Bozionelos 2009). Furthermore, the senior management can prompt Higgins and Prescott to discuss the specific cases on which they disagree. Each of them should provide evidence to support his position. In such a way, they can resolve their conflict. However, it is also possible that their disagreement can turn into animosity. This is one of the pitfalls that should be avoided.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It seems that the senior executive should closely examine the actions and decisions of Higgins. Provided that some of his decisions really run against the long-term interests of a company, the senior management should tell Higgins that he should focus on the objectives that a company sets. For instance, one of these objectives is efficiency. Therefore, it is not reasonable for an organization to retain an employee provided that he/she cannot cope with the requirements set by the management. This approach is useful for identifying and eliminating possible limitations in the work of John Higgins. Moreover, senior management can improve the functioning of the Japanese division. On the whole, this discussion indicates that multinational corporations can face a great number of challenges. One of their main tasks is to make sure that an expatriate can understand the values or customs of local people. However, they should remain impartial while taking business decisions. These are the main aspects that can be identified. References Bozionelos, N 2009, Expatriation outside the Boundaries of the Multinational Corporation: A Study with Exp atriates Nurses in Saudi Arabia. Web. Jonsson, A. Kalling, T 2006, Knowledge, Organizational Context, and Institutional Forces: Knowledge Sharing in IKEA and SCA. Web. Kawar, T 2012, ‘Cross-cultural Differences in Management’. International Journal of Business and Social Science, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 105-111. Web. Cross Introduction Various reasons explain why people from diverse countries have different modes of communication. In fact, the manners in which people communicate have greater influence on their daily activities.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Cross-culture communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Essentially, the mode of communication also determines the conduct, perceptions as well as activities undertaken in everyday life (Gudykunst Ting-Toomey, 2008). The differences in the modes and styles of communication are due to diverse cultures of the people from different countries. The understanding of the differences in cultural aspects is critical in eliminating the prejudices, misconceptions and discrimination that may exist among individuals from different countries. In addition, understanding the concept of cultural differences creates and enhances the mutual respect among individuals in settings with dual cult ures (Hall, 2000). The aim of this report is to evaluate the concept of different communication cultures through the application of Hall’s high and low-context model of culture. Hall’s View of Culture According to Hall (1990), culture is the way people live. In other words, culture is the manner in which people interact with immediate environment. Further, culture comprises on the manner people in the society behave, their principles, verbal communication and mind-set as well as material values. Hall (1990) described culture as intuitive. In this context, culture controls the lives of people unknowingly. In other words, culture acts as imperceptible control system working in the minds of individuals. According to this view, people acknowledge their norms only after being exposed to a different way of life. The differences existing between the two cultures enable individuals to internalise the tenets of their customs and norms (Hall, 1990).Advertising Looking fo r report on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, one cannot know that there is another language unless exposed to a dissimilar environment where people communicate differently. Once exposed, the individual appreciates the importance of their language. In addition, members of the society acknowledge incorporate and appreciate the cultural aspects and act within the definitions of the societal expectations. In other words, the actions and behaviours of the members of the society must be within what is culturally acceptable (Hall, 1990). The societal culture also defines rewards for the violations of societal norms. According to Hall (1990), cultural aspects of all societies fall within the low-context to high-context cultures. Context in this case means the information concerning an event. The beliefs, norms and practices of all societies around the world are described by factors that fall within the scale of low-context to high-context cultures (Kim, Pan, Park, 2008). In other words, traditions of various countries can be related to one another through the application of factors that are found within the scale of low-context to high-context cultures. High versus low-context cultures Halls cultural scale is critical in the understanding of the existing national cultures of various countries taking into consideration both their cultural and communication values (1990). In fact, issues concerned with culture both at the national and local level are taken into consideration. Besides, cultural issues also consist of the individualism and collectivism attributes (Hofstede, 2008). On the other hand, communication styles are methods of transferring information that is unique to a given country. Communication styles in HC Vs LC cultures The form of interactions, societal chain of command and strong norms that govern behaviours affects the modes of transferring information in high-cont ext societies. In other words, the communication styles are influenced by the basic cultural characteristics of the society (Mattock, 2003).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Cross-culture communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More High context societies are characterised by the closeness of human relationships, highly structured social hierarchy and presence of strong behavioural norms. Under such situations, the information contains the hidden meaning, which does not need outright expression or explanation either in writing or verbally. In other words, high-context cultures are characterised by information having an inward or hidden meaning the members of the society automatically understand (Mattock, 2003). When passing information in high-context cultures, the listener is expected to understand some of the underlying issues without subsequent explanation. However, such skills require background knowledge on t he issue. According to Hall (1990), information in high-context societies is internalised or presented in substantial framework while very little information is conveyed in implicit structure. In other words, information that is openly sent out in implied form is very modest in high-context cultures. Besides, people are linear in their mode of speaking. The speaker is rarely intermittent. Essentially, communication is oblique, unclear, pleasant-sounding, reserved and discreet (Pakiam, 2007). Greater emphasis is placed in the non-verbal aspects of communication. Conversely, in low context cultures, meaning of the information is unambiguously entrenched in speech. Explanations are often needed in case of misunderstandings. Hall (1990) indicates that the information is in the transmitted form to compensate for the missing parts in the context. Besides, in low-context cultures, communication is usually straightforward, consequential, stable and sometimes without stopping the usage of wo rds.Advertising Looking for report on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cultural issues in high vs. lows of Business Communications Business communication in Finland Finland is one of the countries that exhibit high-context cultures. Finland has methods in which formal transfer of information is carried out. Traditionally, Finnish language has been perceived as reserved, longish and slow moving (Lewis, 2005). The characteristic of the language has been demonstrated in the communication culture. Finnish managers often communicate with employees and fellow managers in a modest form and do not encourage interruptions during speeches. In most cases, the information provided contains only the framework within which the task has to be carried out. The expectation is that the receiver understands the meaning or has the basic idea of what is expected. The form of business communication is demonstrated in high-context cultures (Zaidman, 2001). Besides, Finns are good listeners. Most of the time, the information is internalised upon reception. In the current corp orate world where information is digitised, Finns get it easier with coded speeches particularly the information being transferred through the Internet. However, the modes of business communication styles have changed with most people engaging in more proactive conversations (Zaidman, 2001). Employees can now interrupt their managers and ask questions during and after the presentations. Business communication in Japan Japanese corporate communication approach is within the traditions. For instance, in Toyota, the language used to pass information can be said to be agglutinated. In other words, the language has words that contain several elements meaning similar thing (Maynard, 2007). The particles in the words not only express the relations in the grammar but also the individual thoughts of the conveyor. Japanese corporate language is highly characterised by appreciation and respect. In fact, the language is full of regard and humble classification making the form of communication m ost distinct. In addition, the language has several ways through which politeness can be expressed (Tokuhiro Hiki, 2005). Based on the characteristics of the language, the form of communication in Japanese has a tendency of being high-context. Japan is placed at the top of the high-context cultures because of the communication style. In fact, Japanese communication procedures have all the attributes exhibited by high-context cultures. In Japanese language, the business information is oblique and digressive, few words are applied and dependencies on relative signal are exhibited (Pryor, Butler, Boehringer, 2005). In addition, there is low rate of interruptions as well as respect for long silences. Business communication in India The form of business communication in India is quite complex not only due to the several languages used to pass information but also due to the complexity of the recipients (Varma, 2004). Indian workers are more reactive and active. Actually, Indians do not take time to listen and internalise the information. Indian corporate world is characterised by the use of combined languages, which prove to be complicated in carrying out daily business conversation. India has over twenty -two official languages. Each of the languages has a distinct meaning when it is used to communicate business information. The mix and complexity in the application of diverse languages in daily business conversations make India’s communication culture be rated as low-context culture (Kapoor, Hughes, Baldwin, Blue, 2003). The major role of language in India is to maintain harmony and bring about good relations among individuals. Language is actually not used to convey exact knowledge. The form of communication culture is also demonstrated in the business conversations where information is haphazardly provided. Besides, Indian workers are dialogue-oriented (Kapoor et al. 2003). In fact, most businesses prefer providing direct information. The characterist ics make the communication culture in India be ranked as low-context. Business communication in Indonesia Indonesia is also one of the countries that are found within the low-context cultures. The form of business communication is characterised by extroversion, interruptions and assertiveness (Ferraro, 2005). In Indonesia, business letters exhibit extrovert in almost all sentences. Business managers are also assertive in their speech. Besides, interruptions are normal during presentations where employees tend to seek immediate clarity in case there is a misunderstanding. Like India, there is no homogeneity in the business language. Besides, there is no room for the internalisation of the information. Moreover, attentiveness to understand the information is deficient since the information provided is more direct. The characteristics place the Indonesian communication traditions under the low-context cultures. In Indonesia, low-context cultural oriented tendencies are highly observed in business communications involving contracts. Communications involving contracts are normally simple and explicit. Even though there are variations in the communications involving such business transactions depending on the language used, the information is shared and understood across the board. In other words, business conversations involving simple contracts are commonly understood due to the simplicity in which they are conveyed (Chaney, 2005). Essentially, communication in low context cultures is straight, accurate, impressive and open as well as founded on faithful thoughts and purpose. References Chaney, L 2005, Intercultural business communication, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Chella, G 2007, The changing face of Indian work culture, New Delhi, The Hindu Business Online. Ferraro, GP 2005, The cultural dimension of international business, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Goodman, R Refsing, K 2002, Ideology and practice in modern Japan. Routledge, London. Gudyk unst, WB Ting-Toomey, S 2008, Culture and interpersonal communication, Sage, Newbury Park, CA. Hall, E 1990, Understanding cultural differences: Germans, French and Americans. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth. Hofstede, G 2008, A summary of my ideas about national culture differences, McGraw-Hill, Berkshire, England. Kapoor, S, Hughes, P, Baldwin, JR Blue, J 2003, â€Å"The relationship of individualism-collectivism in India and the United States,† International Journal of Intercultural Relations, vol.27 no.2, pp.683–700. Kim, D, Pan, Y Park, HS 2008, â€Å"High- versus low-context culture: a comparison of Chinese, Korean, and American cultures,† Psychology and Marketing, vol.15 no.6, pp.507–521. Lewis, RD 2005, Finland, cultural lone wolf, Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, ME. Mattock, J 2003, Cross-cultural business cimmunication: the essential guide to international business, Kogan Page, London. Maynard, SK 2007, Japanese communication language and though t in context, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu. Pakiam, A 2007, â€Å"Face-saving† in cross-cultural communication, New Delhi, The Hindu Business Line. Pryor, B, Butler, J Boehringer, K 2005, â€Å"Communication apprehension and cultural context: a comparison of communication apprehension in Japanese and American students,† North American Journal of Psychology, vol.7 no.2, pp.247–252. Richardson, RM Smith, SW 2007, â€Å"The influence of high/low-context culture and power distance on choice of communication media: students’ media choice to communicate with professors in Japan and America,† International Journal of Intercultural Relations, vol.31 no.4, pp.479–501. Sen, A 2005, The argumentative Indian: writings on Indian history, culture and identity, Penguin Books, London. Tokuhiro, Y Hiki, S 2005, â€Å"of mora phonemes on Japanese word accent,† Logico-Linguistic Society of Japan, vol.42 no.3 pp. 243–250. Varma, PK 2004 , Being Indian: the truth about why the 21st century will be India’s, Penguin, Delhi. Zaidman, N 2001, â€Å"Cultural codes and language strategies in business communication,† Management Communication Quarterly, vol.14 no.3, pp.408-441. Cross Communication is one of the essential parts of people’s lives. Modern society can be characterized by extensive interaction of people from different countries and different continents. Boundaries diminish, and people start visiting not only neighboring areas, but fly across oceans and learn about different cultures, gain new experiences.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cross-Cultural Communication in Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, despite such freedom in terms of overcoming distances, people still have difficulties with cross-cultural communications, since each nation gained particular social peculiarities due to many historic, social, geographic and many others factors. Fortunately, people has started considering this issue, thus, there are a lot of approaches to solving this problem, and many researchers suggest several ways of overcoming difficulties. First, it is necessary to point out t hat there are several definitions and understandings to the very notion of communication. In 1960s researchers suggested that communication is interchanging of meanings via different â€Å"symbols and signs† (Reisinger 2009, p.166). But in 1990s scholars suggested a new understanding of this notion, which is confined to the ability of people to share ideas and reach the same opinion, i.e. people not only communicate some idea but try to convince the interlocutor to accept this idea, thus, the result of communication is shared idea (Reisinger 2009, p.167). Though, this definition cannot be precise, since it is difficult or even impossible, and hardly necessary to make people share the same meaning. The major purpose and result of communication is to transfer one’s idea to other people, so that they could understand it and adequately react. Unfortunately, sometimes people even within the same language and culture fail to implement this purpose of communication and in thi s case misunderstanding occurs, which can lead to different negative consequences. Admittedly, communication among people of different languages and cultures faces much more obstacles. When considering cross-cultural communication, researchers define such difficulties as: differences in verbal and non-verbal communication (Reisinger and Turner 2003, p.18). Differences in verbal communication emerge due to the peculiarities of language, for instance, people may be confused by difference in words sequence or sounds, moreover, some scholars define that difficulties are also caused by â€Å"variations in vocabulary† (when the same word denotes several notion or vice versa) and â€Å"linguistic relativity† (variety of dialects or jargons and accents) (Reisinger and Turner 2003, p.18).Advertising Looking for essay on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Differences in non-verbal communicati on are caused by movements (gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, nodding), space (personal space), touch (â€Å"the meaning of touch†), time (â€Å"time orientations, time systems, time perceptions†), voice (â€Å"fast/slow†, â€Å"loud/soft†, etc.), and even other â€Å"non-verbal codes† (body odour, blushing, tears, body shape, skin colour, clothing, cosmetics, etc.) (Reisinger and Turner 2003, p.18-19). Thus, there are many constituents building up intercultural misunderstanding, verbal and non-verbal, where each of these elements play significant role and cannot be excluded. After defining the main factors causing difficulties in cross-cultural communication, it is possible to consider this issue in terms of tourism. Many researches pay quite a lot attention to this issue. Thus, Theobald (1998) considers the problem in terms of tourism, and assumes that the majority of tourists feel like (and very often are treated as) strangers, and with out knowing a language they feel frustrated, and this is the main reason why a lot of tourist choose countries where people speak the same language, moreover, tourist may be also confused with different traditions and ways of communication of the host country (Theobald 1998, p.133). However, Cohen (2004), considering difficulties in cross-cultural communication, notes that often tourists visit a country without knowing the language of the host people, and in this case, especially when visiting some countries of Africa and Oceania they use non-verbal means of communication, i.e. gestures, which are universal in nature and explicit (Cohen 2004, p.220). Cohen also denotes that such non-verbal communication often becomes an amusing game (e.g. when tourists try to buy some food using gestures) which â€Å"serves to create and express a mutual interest and sympathy† (Cohen 2004, p.220). Thus, there are evidences which prove that non-verbal communication is slightly superior to the verbal communication and in some particular cases can become the only means of reaching understanding. While considering the issue of cross-cultural communication and tourism it is necessary to note that the central factor of this problem is difference in cultures and traditions. Admittedly, different nations had their history and their development which constructed this or that norm.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cross-Cultural Communication in Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, within the same culture people should follow the main principles, for instance, there are several types of appearance and postures appropriate for different occasions (Hinde 1975, p.248). Of course, different nations have their particular requirements, thus, in Arabic countries women should be dressed in special gowns in the street or in public, whereas western women have less restrictions, though it will be inappropriate to c ome to opera in jeans or shorts. Different nations have their perception of politeness. Thus, European people knock into the door before coming into the room, while Americans don’t consider this to be polite, rather inappropriate, and Esposito et al. (2007) provide historical and cultural background of this peculiarity of American culture (Esposito et al. 2007, p.87). Reisinger (2009) provides analysis of the main cultural peculiarities of different nations, thus, the research points out that different people have different attitude even to the way they look at each other, and western people prefer to look into the eyes of the interlocutor, and regard a person who avoids looking into eyes being indifferent to the conversation or even rude, and, on the contrary, eastern people prefer not looking into the eyes, and regard people looking into eyes rude and aggressive (Reisinger 2009, p.172). Thus, many slight or significant peculiarities in cultures of different people exist, wh ich can lead to misunderstanding. Despite numerous factors causing difficulties in cross-cultural communications, there is quite simple way out. First of all, people should be tolerant and attentive to the culture of different people. It is impossible to consider own culture to be the most appropriate and adequate, while ignoring other people’s traditions. Reisinger 2009 raises quite important question concerning tourism and inter-cultural communication, which is whether tourist should assimilate to the host people following their traditions or host people should take into account tourists’ culture peculiarities (Reisinger 2009, p.196). This disputable question should be regarded in terms of principles of mutual respect and understanding. Before visiting a country tourists should learn some details about cultural peculiarities of people living in that country, and try to follow their traditions or at least try to avoid violating major cultural rules or traditions.Adver tising Looking for essay on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, the question of cross-cultural communication difficulties remains open, since there are many ways of considering this problem. However, to avoid inter-cultural misunderstanding tourists should learn not only the language of the host country but its main rules and traditions. Thus, many scholars provide various evidences proving that non-verbal communication plays significant role in reaching understanding between people of different languages and cultures. Reference List Argyle,M 1975, ‘Non-Verbal Communication in Human Social Interaction’, in Non-Verbal Communication, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, pp. 243-268. Cohen, E 2004 Contemporary Tourism: Diversity and Change, Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands. Esposito, A, Bratanic, M, Keller, E, Marinaro, M 2007, Fundamentals of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication and the Biometric Issue, IOS Press, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Reisinger,Y Turner, LW 2003, Cross-Cultural Behaviour in Tourism: Conc epts and Analysis, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, United Kingdom. Reisinger, Y 2009, ‘Cultural Influences on Intercultural Communication’, in International Tourism: Cultures and Behaviour, Butterworth-Heinemann, Jordan Hill, Oxford, United Kingdom, Chapter 7, pp. 165-198. Theobald, WF 1998, Global Tourism, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, United Kingdom. Cross Focus of the Study Globalisation has opened up borders and brought people from different cultures together. Modern technologies have improved transportation and communication and encouraged expansion of corporations to overseas markets. Economic cooperation between governments has also risen in the globalisation age.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Cross-culture Project Cooperation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People from different cultures now work together in workplace environments that encourage diversity in relation to â€Å"communication styles, values, and cultural norms†1. Moreover, nowadays, firms are increasingly investing in international projects because of the high returns associated with such ventures. However, a number of constraint factors related to overseas business environments affect international projects. These factors fall into four categories: economic, socio-cultural, political, and technological2. The proposed research study will focus on how cultural differences affect international project management. The study will examine the place of culture in the management of overseas projects. It will also explore how cultural differences hamper cross-cultural cooperation within organisations. The teams involved in overseas projects are usually drawn from different cultures. Typically, the team members speak different languages and have dissimilar customs and beliefs. If these differences are not well managed, the employees may fail to work together as a team leading to project failure. Literature Review Studies in international project management reveal that cultures give rise to different management approaches because people often make decisions based on culturally defined values3. This implies that national cultures shape the behaviours of managers working on international projects. Schneider and Meyer (2006) describe the effect of cultural differences on organ isational performance4. They state that team members find it hard to work in a different cultural environment because of their unfamiliarity with foreign management approaches.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this regard, for a project to be successful, foreign workers must adapt to the host country’s national and organisational cultures5. A failure to recognise and abide by the cultural customs of the host country can impede cooperation and lead to project failure. Inappropriate management (cultural diversity) practices have also been associated with project failures6. For construction projects, cultural differences affect various stages of the project cycle, including tendering, negotiation, and implementation phases7. Moreover, cultural differences affect communication and collaboration among team members. Gray and Larson (2003) posit that cultural differences cause language barrier, which impedes effective communication within organisations8. Additionally, it is difficult to translate a message without it losing its original meaning. Besides language, religious differences can also hamper cooperation. A study Kirby and Richard (2000) found that employees do not prefer to work on sites perceived to have religious significance to the locals9. Thus, cultural differences have a big influence on site selection for international projects. On their part, Ling and Hoi (2006) found that international construction firms face a cultural risk when working on overseas projects (in Singapore and India) because of the differences in culture10. They conclude that in order for a project to be successful, the team members must be able to understand the local culture. However, they note that cooperation may still be a problem even when people speak the same language due to differences in working methods and mindsets among the workers.Advertisin g We will write a custom proposal sample on Cross-culture Project Cooperation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ling and Hoi (2006) recommend that team members should familiarize themselves with the various aspects of the local culture (Indian) before the project commences11. Kwak (2002) writes that culture, in the context of international project, is a critical success/failure factor12. If project managers are unfamiliar with the cultural diversity within the team, they may assign responsibilities to the wrong groups. As a result, a project may incur additional costs or overrun its schedule. Moreover, if a project’s objectives do not reflect the culture of the customer(s), it may face stiff opposition leading to its termination. Thus, a project manager should take into account the customs, values, and traditions of the team members from the outset13. Moreover, he or she must ensure that the project’s objectives reflect the culture of the clients to avoid opposition and possible project rejection. A survey by Chen, Partington, and Qiang (2009) that involved UK and Chinese project managers establishes that the use of cross-cultural management does not always translate to project success because of the differences that exist between the Chinese and Western management practices14. In another study, Gunhan and Arditi (2005) explore the factors affecting international project management among US corporations15. The study establishes that cultural differences among the workers increase the risk of project failure. In contrast, Pheng and Leong (2000) examine the various aspects of cross-cultural collaboration in international projects16.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They establish that factors such as â€Å"organisational and national culture and cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills† influence international project management17. Based on a case study involving Chinese (YRTSB) and American (APC) firms, the authors argue that the Chinese culture (corporate) has a big influence on decision-making. Cultural differences hamper communication, which create misunderstandings between business partners. Moreover, the absence of cross-culture conflict resolution mechanisms contributes to the failure of joint-venture projects. In particular, in the case study, the authors find a big difference between the Chinese and American negotiation styles. They conclude that project managers (American) should seek to understand the management style of their partner company (Chinese) in order to work together amicably. On their part, Chen et al., (2010) explore the project managers’ approaches in cross-cultural team m anagement18. They establish that cross-cultural differences exist between UK and Chinese managers with regard to their management approaches. While the UK managers focus on safety, their Chinese counterparts are largely driven by commercial interests. Moreover, Ashkanasy, Hartel, and Daus (2002) in their study, establish that, in practice, transferring managerial practices is not possible because of cultural differences19. In this study, cultural differences were found to hamper cooperation between French and Dutch companies in areas of RD. Thus, differences in organisational and national cultures can affect cooperation in projects involving culturally diverse staff. Initial Research Questions Based on the literature review above, five research questions will direct the proposed study. These include: What is the effect of cultural differences on the success of projects involving culturally diverse teams? How can foreign project managers manage multicultural groups in their teams? W hat cultural dimensions affect international project management? Can the effect of culture on project management be generalised or is it specific to certain situations? How does the employee’s culture and behaviours affect project outcomes? Justification From the literature review, it is evident that few studies have examined the cultural issue as a critical success factor for international projects. Most of the studies have focused on the effect of cultural differences on project performance, communication, and management. Therefore, there is need to identify the general cultural characteristics that affect project success in the international arena. Although cultural conditions are often specific, some situations cut across all cultures. Methodology A study’s methodology encompasses research design, sample selection (participants), materials/equipment, and data collection/analysis approach. Research Design The study will employ a case study approach to examine the e ffect of cultural differences on project performance and management. It will also involve a mixed methods research design (qualitative and quantitative methods). Creswell (2009) defines the ‘mixed methods design’ as a method that integrates qualitative and quantitative approaches in data collection and analysis20. In particular, the proposed study will utilise the interviewing method to collect data from culturally diverse staff members of an international construction project. A cross-cultural analysis using qualitative and quantitative techniques will reveal the impact of the cultural differences on the project’s performance. Sample Selection The participants in the proposed study will include staff members (both past and current) working on an international project. Project managers will also participate in this case study. The convenience sampling technique will be used to select the participants. This will ensure that as many people as possible participate i n the case study. Data Collection The study will involve personal interviews with the participants. Questionnaires containing structured and semi-structured questions will be used to collect data. During the interview, qualitative data will also be collected using researcher observation to complement the quantitative data obtained from the questionnaires. Justification for Research Methodology The aim of the proposed study is to highlight the significance of cultural differences in a project success. Culture determines the management style of the project manager, which, in turn, influences the project’s outcomes. Additionally, cultural diversity among project managers and staff influences their negotiation, communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills. Consequently, there is need to identify the specific aspects of cultural diversity that impede project performance. In this regard, a case study approach will help identify the specific cultural factors (success f actors) that affect cooperation among culturally diverse groups in a team. Convenience sampling is appropriate for this case study, as, according to Yin (2003), the subjects are not similar and thus, cannot be sampled randomly21. Time Schedule Bibliography Ashkanasy, Neal, Hartel, Charmine and Daus, Catherine, ‘Diversity and emotion: the new frontiers inorganizational behaviour research’, Journal of Management, vol. 28, Issue 1, 2002, pp. 307-338 Chen, Gilad, Kirkman, Bradely, Kim, Kwanghyun, Farh, Crystal and Tangirala, Subrahmaniam, ‘When does cross-cultural motivation enhance expatriate effectiveness? A multilevel investigation of the moderating roles of subsidiary support and cultural distance’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 53, Issue 2, 2010, pp. 1110-1130. Chen, Ping and Partington, David, ‘An interpretive comparison of Chinese and Western conceptions of relationships in construction project management work’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 22, Issue 3, 2004, pp. 397–406 Chen, Ping, Partington, David, and Qiang, Maoshan, ‘Cross-Cultural Understanding of Construction Project Managers’ Conceptions of Their Work’, Journal of Construction and Engineering Management, vol. 135, Issue 6, 2009, pp. 477–487. Chevrier, Sylvie, ‘Cross-cultural management in multinational project groups’, Journal of  World Business, vol. 38, Issue 1, 2003, pp. 141-149 Creswell, John, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods  Approaches (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 2009). Dadfar, Hossein and Gustavsson, Peter, ‘Competition by effective management of cultural diversity’, International Studies of Management and Organization, vol. 22, Issue 4, pp. 81-92. Gilbert, Jacqueline and Ivancevich, John, ‘Valuing diversity: A tale of two organizations’, Academy of  Management Executive, vol. 14, Issue 1, 2000, pp. 93-1 05. Gray, Clifford and Larson, Eric Project Management: The Managerial Process (New York: McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2005). Gunhan, Suat and Arditi, David, ‘Factors Affecting International Construction’, Journal of  construction engineering and management, vol. 131, Issue 4, 2005, pp. 273-277 Kirby, Susan and Richard, Orlando, ‘Impact of marketing work-place diversity on employee job involvement and organizational commitment’, Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 140, Issue 3, 2000, pp. 367-377. Kwak, Young and Smith, Brian, ‘Managing Risks in Mega Defense Acquisition Projects: Performance, Policy, and Opportunities’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 27, Issue 8, 2009, pp. 812-820. Ling, Florence and Hoi, Linda, ‘Risks faced by Singapore firms when undertaking construction projects in India’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 24, Issue 3, 2006, pp. 261-270. Pheng, Low, and Leong, Christopher, â⠂¬ËœCross-cultural project management for international construction in China’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 18, Issue 5, 2000, pp. 307-16. Schneider, Susan and Meyer, Anoud, ‘Interpreting and responding to strategic issues: The impact of national culture’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 12, Issue 4, 2006, pp. 307-320. Yin, Robert, Case Study Research (Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 2003). Footnotes 1 Sylvie, Chevrier, ‘Cross-cultural management in multinational project groups.’ , Journal of World Business, vol. 38, issue1, 2003, p. 141 2 Jacqueline, Gilbert and John Ivancevich, ‘Valuing diversity: A tale of two organizations’, Academy of Management Executive, vol. 14, Issue1, 2000, p. 99 3 Ping, Chen and David, Partington, ‘An interpretive comparison of Chinese and Western conceptions of relationships in construction project management work’, International Journal of Project Managemen t, vol. 22, Issue 3, 2004, p. 398 4 Susan, Schneider and Anoud, Meyer, ‘Interpreting and responding to strategic issues: The impact of national culture’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 12, Issue 4, 2006, p. 307 5 Schneider and Meyer, p. 309 6 Clifford, Gray and Eric, Larson, Project Management: The Managerial Process, McGraw Hill Higher Education, New York, 2005, p. 92 7 Hossein, Dadfar and Peter, Gustavsson, ‘Competition by effective management of cultural diversity’, International Studies of Management and Organization, vol. 22, Issue 4, 1992, p. 87. 8 Gray and Larson, p. 312 9 Susan, Kirby and Orlando, Richard, ‘Impact of marketing work-place diversity on employee job involvement and organizational commitment’, Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 140, issue 3, 2000, p. 368. 10 Florence, Ling, and Linda, Hoi, ‘Risks faced by Singapore firms when undertaking construction projects in India. International Journal of Project Management, vol. 24, Issue 3, 2006, p. 268. 11 Ling and Hoi, p. 271 12 Young, Kwak and Brian, Smith, ‘Managing Risks in Mega Defense Acquisition Projects: Performance, Policy, and Opportunities’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 27, Issue 8, 2009, p. 815. 13 Kwak and Smith, p. 817 14 Ping, Chen, David, Partington, and Maoshan, Qiang, ‘Cross-Cultural Understanding of Construction Project Managers’ Conceptions of Their Work’, Journal of Construction and Engineering Management, vol. 135, Issue 6, 2004, p. 479. 15 Suat, Gunhan and David, Arditi, ‘Factors Affecting International Construction’, Journal of construction engineering and management, vol. 131, Issue 4, 2005, p. 273. 16 Low, Pheng and Christopher, Leong, ‘Cross-cultural project management for international construction in China’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 18, Issue 5, 2000, p. 313. 17 Pheng and Leong, p. 314 18 Gilad, Chen, Bradely, Kirkman, Kwanghyun, Kim, Crystal, Farh and Subrahmaniam, Tangirala, ‘When does cross-cultural motivation enhance expatriate effectiveness? A multilevel investigation of the moderating roles of subsidiary support and cultural distance’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 53, Issue 2, 2009, p. 1114. 19 Neal, Ashkanasy, Charmine, Hartel and Catherine, Daus, ‘Diversity and emotion: the new frontiers inorganizational behaviour research’, Journal of Management, vol. 28, Issue 1, 2002, p. 308. 20 John, Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Sage Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, 2009, p. 145 21 Yin, p. 99 Cross Introduction In every part of the world, the business sector is streamlining its operations through diverse types of amalgamation approaches. Amalgamation is done in order to triumph over the many challenges but also harness opportunities created by globalization. The intensity of such operations has been witnessed in different major sectors of the economy in many countries of the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cross-Border Mergers Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, there have been relatively high rates of mergers and acquisitions among the pharmaceutical industries. This phenomenon is attributed to presence of subsidiaries of big multinational companies in many countries the entire world over. This paper investigates into literature written on acquisition and mergers with a special focus on the pharmaceutical industry. Acquisition and Mergers The term merger and acquisition are often applied synonymously; however, there is a slight difference in the meaning of the two terms. A merger takes place when two firms harmonize to go onward as a unitary corporation rather than remain disjointedly possessed and managed. When merging occurs, and in most occurrence between companies of the same size, their stocks are surrendered and the new company stock is issued in their place. On the other hand acquisition takes place when one firm takes over another and establishes itself as the new owner. In this case the target corporation ceases to exist legally, and the buyer’s stockpile continues to be traded, as noted by Hassan (2007, p.58). In addition, Hassan (2007) notes that almost all mergers tend to be between medium size firms and large sized firms. Cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry There are numerous reasons that lead to the majority of mergers in pharmaceutical industries. In reference to most me rgers and acquisition in pharmaceutical industries in the United States of America, Kang Johansson (2000, p.29) observes that possession of recognized product in some pharmaceutical markets, well renowned market system and the market allotment are examples of motivations that has led to the boom in merger and acquisitions. The other Factors that motivate Cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical industry can be classified in two distinct categories (Kang Johansson, 2000). Kang Johansson (2000) further observe that while some of these factors are exogenous, others are autogenous.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Exogenous factors are those that surface within the company or those factors that the company can be able to handle or even influence (Kang Johansson, 2000). On the other hand, autogenous factors are those foregoing external issues, which ar e beyond the aptitude of the corporation to control or even to influence considerably (Kang Johansson, 2000). However, while they determine the attainability of a certain merger or acquisition, they do not explain why corporations want to merge. Antitrust is one of exogenous factors associated with government policies that can promote, retard or prohibit Cross-border mergers acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry. In both the US and European Union, the antitrust regulators have largely been reasonably sympathetic to mergers and acquisition (Kang Johansson, 2000). They have realized that markets are universal and have acknowledged the divestitures, permits and business restriction to heal some of the problems as observed by (Kang Johansson, 2000, p.30). In addition, Kang Johansson (2000) note that the universal direction to private enterprise and privatization of state possessed corporation, has led to a notable rise in the number of cross-border merger and acquisitions. Moreov er, the different governments especially in developed countries such as those in North America and Western Europe have decided to take a back seat and leave the market to decide on the results of hostile bids. These bids appear to have opened the door and led to a significant increase in the number of cross-border mergers and acquisitions of various pharmaceutical firms in their countries (Kang Johansson, 2000). Another factor that has motivated the cross boarder merger and acquisition in the pharmaceutical industry is labor. In his own views, Kang (2001, p.71) notes that as long as the job security of workers is guaranteed and there is a vibrant job market, the resistance of employees of to mergers and acquisitions is minimal. Employee cooperation has made the whole process to be simplified and accessible. Going by autogenous factors, Kang (2001, pp.71-75) perceives that the traditional prime motivation for any merger is to gain and increase the market power. Similarly, the idea be hind the many cross-border merger and acquisition is to attain the ability to control a large share of the market, and if it would not have been for the government regulations, most corporations would be seeking to have total monopoly.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cross-Border Mergers Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kang (2001) further observes that distributing the profit of an enhanced operating margin throughout diminution of working cost is another very important reason behind cross-border operations within the pharmaceutical corporations. The acquirer in often cases restructures towards bettering the acquired organization’s operations. Consequently, this leads to improving or increasing value for the shareholders of acquired company. Moreover, intra-industry consolidating acquirement provides opening to reduce costs (Kang Johansson, 2000). The need to mini mize the cost of developing new technologies is another factor that facilitates most cross-border acquisition. Following the state-of-the-art technological advancement required in pharmaceutical industries, the cost of coming up with such obligation may be a huge responsibility for a pharmaceutical firm with less operating margin to match. At this point, the need to merge with another firm of same size may emerge, in order to reduce the huge financial budget (Cantwell Santangelop 2006, p.21). Cantwell Santangelop (2006) observe that technological factors have influenced the growing merger and acquisition strategy in the pharmaceutical industries. Internationalization and integration have taken place in pharmaceutical manufacturing, through the amalgamation and acquisition taken on as a means of attaining cost savings and accelerating innovation in response to the first tempo of scientific changes in this segment (Cantwell Santangelop, 2006). Pharmaceutical industries have consequ ently undertaken mergers and acquisition consecutively to accumulate enough resources to fund researches and development of new drugs (Cantwell Santangelop, 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cantwell Santangelop (2006) point out that in order to overcome challenges of intimidation to their spirited positions; pharmaceutical corporations have pushed to get better research, promotion and allocation of their pharmaceutical products. Now, cross-border unions usually provide the much needed alternative of expanding the commercial property base and preserve of technical strength. Institutional stakeholders in pharmaceutical industries and other investment campaigners are known to have a considerable achievement in urging or if need be compelling corporations to reorganize their operations or seek a merger (Cassiman Colombo 2006, p.32). This is more often than not propelled by the desire in shareholders’ of such pharmaceutical firms to make the most of their worth. The improved aptitude by stakeholder to converse amongst themselves and put pressure on the board of executive has had a monumental impact (Cassiman Colombo 2006, p.32). In additional cases, shareholder de mands has been the momentum for growth through instances such as cross-border acquisitions intended to increase volume or expand product lines Impact of Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions on Performance of Pharmaceutical Industries Having looked at some factors that motivate Cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical Industry, the question most likely to arise would be to what degree the consolidation approach assisted them (pharmaceutical industries) to advance their situation. Mergers and acquisition are anticipated to change the performance of the amalgamating companies in a variety of ways. One of these ways is through an expansion in the level factors, where the merging firms are expected to increase the capacity of their production. In turn, increased production capacity helps reduce the unit cost of production per pharmaceutical product. In many instances, mergers and acquisitions are meant to give more powers to merging pharmaceutical firms in the market and this eventually present them with powers to increase their accomplishment which lead to high prices and in due course to high profits. In other cases, however, merging pharmaceutical firms may experience minimal performance, if obtained unprofitable firms and are not able acquire the anticipated synergies (Cantwell Santangelop, 2006, pp. 21-25) A close comparison of the merging and non merging firms will bring out a clearer picture of performance between the two diverse categories of consolidation approaches. A merging firm occurs only after making the primary merger or acquisition, and until that it would be a non merging corporation. Going by measures of affluence such as Gross profit margin and return on funds engaged, these ratios give the impression that merging incorporations are by far more profitable in comparison to the non-merging companies. Similarly, the research and development intensity of the merging corporations are significantly better compared to their non-mer ging counterparts. The elevated variability shown by the research and development of the merging industries unlike the non merging ones, indicate that only a few merging firms are capable of investing more on research study and growth (Beena, 2006, p.11). Other core determinants of supporting market expansion are the selling expenses, mostly the marketing cost relatively to promotion expenses (Beena, 2006). This is attributed to the fact that most pharmaceutical industries usually make advances to the prescribing doctors instead of approaching the patients, which compels them to incur expenses on advertising through sales legislative body. The author as well argues that the average commercial advertisements strength for merging corporations remained to some extent above the one of non-merging firms, which implies that merging firms could minimize their expenses on marketing costs, upon getting into a merger. The analysis on merger and acquisition proves that pharmaceutical companies reengaged in them, are able to distribute among themselves the market channel, which to a considerable extent minimizes their cost (Beena 2006, p. 20). These corporations have as well acquired various tactical marketing integrations that assist them to develop marketing synergies (Halibozek Kovacich 2005, p.49). In comparing the intensity associated with export and import, between the merging and non-merging conglomerate, Halibozek Kovacich (2005) observe that the merging companies have a high export and import strength. The high import concentration may be attributed to the pharmaceutical firms’ dependence on the importation in bulk of their pharmaceutical products such as the drugs (Halibozek Kovacich, 2005, p.52). Despite the fact that mergers and acquisitions are projected to augment the capacity exploitation of the merging pharmaceutical industries because of the expansionary explanation, capability utilization is inferior to that of the non-merging corporations thro ughout the post amalgamation period (Mueller, 1980, p. 4). According to Muller (1980, p.5), most of the pharmaceutical industries seeking mergers and acquisition, usually consider the possibility of cutting short peril and uncertainty. In this perspective, Muller (1980) argues that many firms believe that the more diversified a firm is, the higher the likelihood of obtaining a steady returns, hence a losses in one market may as well be offset by gains in another market. Many firms as a result of merger and acquisition are able to expand their production portfolio by coming up with new brands of products, which are added to more therapeutic groupings and thereby not only minimize risks but also spread out their market synergies. The synergies effects of cross-border merger and acquisition makes it possible for pharmaceutical corporations to deepen or scope products arrangement. Conclusion Liberalization of many pharmaceutical firms by majority of governments has enabled cross-border merger and acquisition, which in turn has provided new market opportunities. The fast tempo of scientific changes has acted as a major influence to cross-border amalgamation and acquisition through making it possible for pharmaceutical firm to deal with a growing groundbreaking complication and interrelatedness, which has enabled them to carry out widespread research and development on their products. Similarly, mergers and acquisitions have made it possible for pharmaceutical firms to look for more business and market in order to manage with cost raise. Cross-border merger and acquisitions have in addition influenced though differently on national economies, when considering developing and developed economies. Within national borders, merger and acquisitions of pharmaceutical industries can be used to enhance domestic development and growth, while in case of developed countries they may allow national governments to pursue improvement of guiding principles On whether the mergers an d acquisitions in the industry are good it is not easy to say. However, if these corporations are in a position to transfer a fraction of benefits gained through their enhanced performance due to consolidation to the customers, then the developments are welcome. The benefits can be passed to the customer in the form of reduced costs and a superior quality of drugs. Such benefits accruing to the customer would be a welcome development that would in turn lead to bigger market share command by firms. However, if amalgamation only leads to monopolistic tendencies, then it would be worthy of special attention, to safeguard the interest of the common person who cannot afford the hefty price of drugs. References Beena, S, 2008, Mergers and Acquisitions in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry: Nature, Structure and Performance, Emerald Group Publishing, New Delhi. Cantwell, JA Santangelop, 2006, Mergers Acquisitions and the global strategies of Transnational Corporation, University of Readi ng Press, Reading. Cassiman, B Colombo, MG 2006, Mergers Acquisitions: The Innovation Impact‎, Edwar Elgar Publishing, Massachusetts. Halibozek, EP Kovacich, GD 2005, Mergers and Acquisitions Security: Corporate Restructuring and Security, Oxford University Press, London. Hassan, M 2007, â€Å"Do Mergers and Acquisitions Create Shareholder Wealth In The Pharmaceutical Industry?†International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, Vol. 1, pp.58 – 78, Fordham University Press, New York. Kang, NH 2001, New patterns of industrial globalization: Cross-border Mergers and Acquisition, OECD, London Kang, NH Johansson, S 2007, Cross-Border Mergers And Acquisitions: Their Role In Industrial Globalization, 8 (1), pp. 23- 59, OECD 2000 publishers, London Mueller, D 1980, â€Å"The Determinants and Effects of Mergers: An International  Comparison†, Cambridge University Press, MA.