Man vs. Fishing Boat Essay

It was a cloudy summer day, the first week in June following my high school graduation. I was meeting my boyfriend and his family out on Shasta Lake who were enjoying the week on a houseboat. This would be the first time meeting all his aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. I did not expect for the meeting to end up like this. Brandon, my boyfriend, and his younger cousin, Jake, picked me up at Packers Bay in the ski boat. It was a chilly morning and I was in shorts and tank top and had only my towel to keep me warm. The boys forgot where the houseboat was parked in the lake. We spent the next hour and half searching the entire area of Shasta Lake for their houseboat. â€Å"Brandon, just call your mom and ask where they’re at,† I mentioned as an idea. â€Å"Embarrassing as it is, I guess I will,† Brandon sighed. He called his mom, and the first thing she said, â€Å"Your lost aren’t you?† Mothers know everything. We finally found our way to the houseboat. We climbed out of the boat, and one after another, each family member said their hellos and each gave me a very welcoming hug. I felt like family already. We sat in the houseboat for about 30 minutes socializing and eating breakfast, when Brandon’s dad, Gary, decided to tell us we were moving the houseboat to a different spot for the day. Moving the houseboat is a lot more challenging than just one boat because the Connolly’s also had two jet skies, the ski boat and an old tin fishing boat (which wasn’t even registered). â€Å"Brandon, you and Ally take the ski boat. Jake, you hop in the fishing boat and the girls got the jet skies. Get out in front and lead the way to another cove,† Gary said with much authority. So Brandon and I jumped in the ski boat and drove out way past the houseboat waiting for everyone to get situated. Jake, 15 at the time took control of the tin fishing boat. We all figured that he had driven a boat like that before, but we may have been wrong. Enjoying the cloudy day, Brandon and I sat in the ski boat waiting for Jake to make his move. And we heard the motor start and Jake was moving. Phew. There were some waves coming from Brandon’s messing around in the boat that Jake was hitting, but we didn’t think anything of it. After talking for a little bit, we turn around to check on Jake’s progress and we see him flying through the air and the tin boat going very fast around and around and Jake was no where to be found. His head popped up out of the water and than his hand came up with his phone in hand and he screamed, â€Å"Help!† Brandon threw him and a life buoy and told him, â€Å"GET AWAY FROM THE BOAT!† The boat was still spinning out of control and one hit from the tin boat would kill Jake instantly. Since it was a cold morning, Jake was in two pairs of sweatpants and a sweatshirt and he had his Nike tennis shoes on. Swimming was a lot more difficult. He reached the life buoy and made it safely to our ski boat. But this wasn’t the tragic event. It took a while for the family on the houseboat to realize what was going on, than next thing we know we see Uncle Dan fly out on one of the jet skies. He seemed like superman or maybe even batman. He looked like he was going to be the hero of this crazy event. We never even thought he would be the victim. From the ski boat, Brandon, Jake, and I all thought that with the tin fishing boat spinning out of control, Uncle Dan was just going to take the front of the jet ski and stop the tin boat. Nope. Wrong. Next thing we know he is in the water. â€Å"What is he doing?† I asked Brandon in a very worrisome voice. â€Å"I’m not quite sure.† He replied. Dan swims towards the spinning boat and reaches to grab the front of it when it comes around and he misses. So he goes in one more time. Strike two. Misses again. Third times a charm? Not in this story. He swims in for the third time and as the boat makes its 360 rotation it seemed, as every noise around us was silent except for the sound of rocks in a motor. But it wasn’t rocks. It was Uncle Dan. I looked at Brandon and Jake in horror. What was going on? It seemed like he was in the water forever before he popped up. Finally he did. In a very settle and quite voice, he raises his hand covered in red thick blood and a face that looked like it was dipped in ketchup, says, â€Å"Help. Help. I’m hurt.† I scream at Brandon and Jake, both swimmers, â€Å"Help him! Get in the water. Help him!† Brandon and Jake start stripping off their clothes one at a time and Jake was in the water within seconds. Swimming like it was the last meet of his life, he swims over to Uncle Dan and, with his adrenaline, lifts the middle-aged man onto the jet ski. Blood was everywhere and the tin boat was still spinning. Jake speeds the jet ski along with Uncle Dan and his wounded body towards the shore where the houseboat was still vacated and the next thing I see is Jake’s mother, who is also Dan’s sister, strip completely naked and used her clothes to wrap up his arm and face. I’ve never been so shocked and scared in my life. Seeing a hand sliced up from the elbow down to the tips of the fingers and a face covered in blood coming from the eye and side of the face, which hid his pain. He was being so tough and he just kept saying in a mellow tone, â€Å"I just don’t want to loose my hand.† He repeated this many times. Next thing I know, Gary was the driver of the ski boat with Uncle Dan laid out in the boat with naked Aunt Janine at his side, they were off to the shore where the ambulance helicopter was meeting to take him to the emergency room. We all else went back on the houseboat and comforted Jake and everyone effected by this horrific accident. The cloudy day served it’s purpose. After the cops asked all their questions to all of us involved, and finally crashed into the tin fishing boat with their sheriff boat, we could all just relax on the houseboat and wait for the call from the hospital to hear the news of Uncle Dan.

Basics Of Pharmaceuticals

Aside from the requisites of drug manufacturing, a drug company must also have the knowledge on the legal aspect of the pharmaceutical business. A company must be able to know what agencies of the government he has to seek advice from before it undergoes the manufacturing process in order to have a good start.Relative to this, the company needs to know which regulates the safety and efficacy of the drugs to be manufactured and which agency protects the rights of the manufacturer and the consumers against illicit drugs.This paper will discuss the basic responsibilities of the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency including the approval process of manufacturing a generic drug copy. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is generally responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of all drugs for human and veterinary use.FDA’s 1mission statement specifically states that the administration â€Å"is res ponsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. † This will then give us the idea why FDA need to regulate drugs, and that is to ensure that they are safe and effective. The administration is also held responsible for ensuring that the drugs have information that is honest and accurate for the general public to use.The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (Drug Enforcement Administration for the United States) is primarily responsible for the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Laws and Regulations. In the United States, DEA is under the wing of the Department of Justice, where it serves as an arm of the justice against the 2those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illi cit traffic in the United States. The DEA’s drugs of concern include: Cocaine, marijuana, heroin, inhalants, LSD, Ecstasy, Steroids, Oxycontin and Methamphetamine.The following list of specific responsibilities is adopted by this writer from the DEA’s official website: >Investigation and preparation for the prosecution of major violators of controlled substance laws operating at interstate and international levels. >Investigation and preparation for prosecution of criminals and drug gangs who perpetrate violence in our communities and terrorize citizens through fear and intimidation. >Management of a national drug intelligence program in cooperation with federal, state, local, and foreign officials to collect, analyze, and disseminate strategic and operational drug intelligence information.>Seizure and forfeiture of assets derived from, traceable to, or intended to be used for illicit drug trafficking. >Enforcement of the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act as they pertain to the manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of legally produced controlled substances. >Coordination and cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement officials on mutual drug enforcement efforts and enhancement of such efforts through exploitation of potential interstate and international investigations beyond local or limited federal jurisdictions and resources.>Coordination and cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies, and with foreign governments, in programs designed to reduce the availability of illicit abuse-type drugs on the United States market through nonenforcement methods such as crop eradication, crop substitution, and training of foreign officials. >Responsibility, under the policy guidance of the Secretary of State and U. S. Ambassadors, for all programs associated with drug law enforcement counterparts in foreign countries.>Liaison with the United Nations, Interpol, and other organizations on matters relating to international drug control programs. DEA’S PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS Drug Enforcement Agency also updates its programs and operations according to the demand of technology and the development of new methods of illicit drug operations. Recent report published in the KT4 Online alerted the public on the emergence of illegal websites that are bringing prescription drugs out into the market (KT4 Online, August 24, 2007).The DEA reported that such websites are able to market their products using just credit cards as payment modes. The agency now referred the so-called â€Å"rogue pharmacies† to the congress for the legislation of a more formidable law for such illegal and dangerous activities, which are regulated because such companies do not meet the standards set by the United States. Even medicinal or herbal plants that are not yet studied or regulated under the law is also under the responsibility of the DEA to study and made research relative to its danger in the human health.In Utah, a native plant called salvia divinorium, has been put into attention by the Hill Air Force Base which according to initial findings can cause hallucinations. In the report published in the Salt Lake Tribune, â€Å"magic mint† as its street name, is ingested or inhaled usually by the members of the military and the people inside the base (Salt Lake Tribune, August 20, 2007). The herbal plant is still legal as it is still under research by the DEA. Experts also say that the plant that grows in the wilds of Utah can cause lung irritation when its dried leaves are inhaled.LAWS AND POLICIES GOVERNING GENERIC DRUGS The regulations pertaining to generics drugs are under the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration. Under the law, pharmaceutical companies or drug manufacturers have all the right to apply for a generic copy of their branded drugs. It can also be that a manufacturer seeks for a license from the brand name company to make a generic copy of the branded product . A generic copy of the drug is called â€Å"authorized generics† because the branded product manufacturer had given the authority to the manufacturer of the generic drug copy.However, these generic copied have to undergo the legal process that is regulated by the FDA. It is the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, commonly referred to as the Waxman-Hatch Act, which is being used as a legal basis for FDA for regulating generic drug copies. â€Å"Since the law was enacted over 23 years ago, the number of generic manufacturers and number of generic drug products on the market have expanded exponentially† (Coster, John M. 2007). The law allows a generic drug that is a generic copy of the pioneer drug to be approved by FDA to be marketed by the same company.This is even without the submission of the usual New Drug Application (NDA) that is submitted in full when a branded product is being applied for marketing. The NDA is usually a time-consuming and expensive clinical trials required to be done by the drug manufacturer in order to comply with the safety and efficacy standards required of them. With the Waxman-Hatch Act, NDA is being replaced with the submission of Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) provided that the generic copy has demonstrated the fact that it is bioequivalent to the pioneer drug (J.Coster, The Pharmacist, Vol. 32, No. 6, 2007). This process allows the generic copy to be approved for marketing the easier and faster way because it does not to prove its safety and effectiveness through trials since the pioneer drug had already proven such. For the ANDA of the generic drug to be approved, its pioneer drug must have the four required certifications: (1) that no patent is listed for the pioneer drug; (2) that the patent has expired; (3) the date on which the patent will expire; or (4) that the patent is invalid or not infringed.Such information is listed in the FDA’s Orange Book, a reference for t he pharmacists in determining the interchangeability of the drugs. Just recently, the Waxman-Hatch Act has been replaced with 3McCain-Schumer Act, after its authors Senators John McCain and Charles E. Schumer. The main feature of the new act is the changing of the 180-day exclusivity term of the first generic drug copy to only the 30-day term. Exclusivity, in the old law is granted for the manufacturer of the generic drug to market the product exclusively within 180 days that is for the manufacturer who first secured the FDA’s approval of the generic copy.With the new law, exclusivity term is shortened for the purpose of further price reduction of the generic drugs as competition is encouraged after the 30-day term. It is estimated, according to Schumer’s study that the new law will enable consumers to save 60% of their usual expense when buying branded drugs and that will give consumers a total of $71 billion savings in 10 years (Bash, Dana, CNN Online, May 01, 2001). Schumer cited Claritin, a prescription allergy drug as example which costs an average of $63.65 while its generic equivalent will only cost $25. 46. Generally, the new law is of great help for the Americans in terms of their medical expenditures. CONCLUSION By looking into the basic responsibilities and functions of the FDA and DEA, we were able to have an idea of the basic legal aspect of drug manufacturing and marketing. Also by having an overview of the laws governing generic copy manufacturing, we were able to have the basic knowledge of how the approval process rolls.In general we can conclude that the legal process of drug manufacturing and marketing is really a long and expensive process for the companies especially for the branded or patented drugs. However with the Schumer-McCain Act, the process is shortened and had benefited especially the consumers for enabling the cheaper version of their branded medicine to be marketed. REFERENCES 1FDAs Mission Statement. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. fda. gov/opacom/morechoices/mission. html 2DEA Mission Statement. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www.usdoj. gov/dea/agency/mission. htm 3Senate Passes Ground-Breaking Schumer-McCain Generic Drug Bill (Press Release). July 31, 2002. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://schumer. senate. gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/PR01124. html Bash, Dana. McCain, Schumer introduce generic drug bill. CNN Online. May 01, 2001. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://archives. cnn. com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/05/01/senate. genericdrugs/index. html Coster, John M. The Waxman-Hatch Generic Drug Law: 23 Years Later. The Pharmacist. June 19, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 6Griffith, Christopher, et. al. (2002). View from Washington: Senate approves changes in generic-drug approval. Leydig, Voit Mayer, Ltd. Report. October 2002. Volume 3 Issue 4 Colonel bans use of ‘magic mint' herb. Salt Lake Tribune. August 20, 2007. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http: //www. sltrib. com/News/ci_6668009 Federal Authorities Warn Against Online Rogue Pharmacies. KT4 Online. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. ktiv. com/News/index. php? ID=16295 What FDA Regulates. Retrieved on August 26, 2007 from http://www. fda. gov/comments/regs. html

Health for All Children

Is health for all children an achievable goal? The world’s children have rights to health which are enshrined in international law. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Articles 6 and 24 pertain to the rights of children to life, survival and development, enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of health and facilities for the treatment of illness and the rehabilitation of health (Block 4, p. 94).However, every year throughout the world vast numbers of children suffer ill health and die. Nearly 11 million children still die each year before their fifth birthday, often from readily preventable causes. An estimated 150 million children are malnourished (UNICEF 2001) (Block 4, p. 94. ) What follows is an exploration of the causes and treatments of ill health looking at the major challenges of poverty, inequality, culture and gender, and the social and political dimensions of such matters.The effectiveness or otherwise of international health intervention programmes is analysed and a measure of the progress made so far and the possibility of health for the world’s children becoming a realistic goal is discussed. Health is a culturally constructed concept, a collection of ideas and beliefs gathered from our experiences of living within a family, community and wider society. It is recognised by health professionals, theorists and researchers that being healthy means different things to different people.When considering matters of health it needs to be understood that health and disease are complex terms that are more than just a matter of genetics. Health is influenced by personal, cultural, social, economic and political circumstances. The definition of the term health as used by the World Health Organisation (WHO) since 1948 is as follows: ‘a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. (WHO, 2009). The WHO definition promotes an holistic view of h ealth that has been criticised for being idealistic and difficult to put into practice.What is important about this definition is that it is a positive interpretation that implies that health for all is something that can be achieved. Certainly this definition has aided thinking around health as more than simply the absence of infirmity and emphasises a social dimension. Globalisation, economics, adverse living conditions, the lack of availability of primary health care, differing social practices and cultural notions of health are all factors that impact on the health of people.These factors present both challenges and opportunities for the world regarding the possibility of achieving health for all children. Medical advancements in the latter half of the twentieth century has seen most notably the development of antibiotics, vitamins, vaccinations for serious infectious diseases such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Chicken Pox, to name but a few, along with a vaccination that eradi cated Small Pox.One advantage of globalisation is the increasing awareness of the plight of children in developing countries which has marshalled medical intervention and has resulted in a drastic decrease in child and young people’s mortality rates. However, despite advancements in medical technology, the availability of health treatments has not guaranteed the eradication of some preventable and curable illnesses (for example, Diarrhoea).Diarrhoea can be treated very effectively with a low cost intervention. Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) prevent dehydration which is the cause of deaths amongst children with diarrhoea. However, in studies of the Huli people in Papua New Guinea it was noted that although at first the mortality rate from diarrhoea fell as a result of the ORS intervention programme, the improvements were not sustained and the Huli people became dissatisfied with the treatment.The Huli people desired a treatment that would address the symptoms of diarrhoea: dry u p the runny stools of the sick children. Administering ORS fluids didn’t make sense and clashed with their understanding of the illness. Furthermore, the need to dissolve the ORS medication in water necessitates a clean water supply, something so basic but something that isn’t always available in communities in the South. The ‘Miracle cure’ or ‘Magic bullet’ for diarrhoea, ORS, is an example of how selective, vertical interventions may save lives.But it is also a prime example of how a purely medical approach to health does little to improve the quality of lives when other causes of illness such as poor sanitation and lack of clean water are not addressed. (Block 4, p. 125). A Western biomedical approach to the treatment of ill health has its limitations. Technological cures in the form of drugs, although vitally important, will on their own do little but not enough to make health an attainable goal for the world’s children.The concept of human rights and rights for children has gained increased recognition across the world. The status of children has been raised and children’s interests placed on political agenda’s throughout many states. ‘As of November 2009, 194 countries ratified, accepted, or acceded to the UNCRC (some with stated reservations or interpretations) including every member of the United Nations except Somalia and the United States. Somalia has announced that it would shortly do so’ (Wikipedia, 2010).Yet there remains concern about the real levels of commitment to concepts of children’s rights and concern about the lack of accountability to make nations uphold right’s for children. Through media coverage of world catastrophes, such as famines and droughts and through campaigns delivered by humanitarian and charitable organisations an ethical and moral debate is taking place about the need to address global health that has pricked the moral conscience. What is now required is effective systems that can help realise children’s rights and mobilise efforts to make health for all an achievable goal.The economic power of some nations and global corporations, and structural adjustment programmes (SAP’s) have created imbalances of power and forces that have worked against health goals with the effect of widening economic disparities between rich and poor across and within nations. SAP’s have been imposed to ensure debt repayment and economic restructuring. But some poor countries have had to reduce spending on things like health, education and development, while debt repayment and other economic policies have been made the priority.For many basic health care has become a service that can only be accessed if an individual has money to purchase it. Free health care has become less about a human right and more of a commodity to be bought. A further challenge to health for children in relation to economics is that within coun tries where there is political instability and conflict nations priorities become one of national security, funding arms and defense programmes and as a result there is decreased funding for basic care and education. At present an attitude prevails that nations should ‘look after heir own’. There does exists a humanitarian approach to supporting poorer countries at times of emergency but there are no effective systems that legally oblige nations to work together to ensure that basic living conditions, health care and the right’s of children are upheld. A change of attitude within and across nations and governments regarding whose responsibility it is to intervene and the importance of intervening to produce more egalitarian societies would go a long way to making health for all children an achievable goal.Global medical advancements, the development in the concept of rights for children internationally and world economic systems have been investigated to demonstr ate how they have resulted in both opportunities and challenges to improving health for all children. Yet it is also necessary to look closer at the more personal experiences encountered by children and families and focus on the social and cultural factors that impact on health.Securing health for all children requires more than having medical expertise and drugs on hand to prevent and/or treat medical ailments. Several examples of differing cultural understandings around illness can be offered that illustrates this idea. The Bozo tribe of Mali believe that red urine in adolescent boys, a condition caused by a parasitic infection, is normal and indicates sexual maturity; as such it is celebrated as a sign of males reaching manhood. Within the Bozo tribal people the symptoms are not viewed as a sign of illness and the condition goes untreated.In Nigeria 76% of women perceive diarrhoea as a symptom of teething and as such a normal part of growth and development and not something which requires treatment (Block 4, p. 103). In both these examples the cultural and social dimensions of ill health contrast with Western biomedical approaches to children’s health. When culturally interpreted ideas of health conflict with medical systems where there is a focus purely on the biological causation of illness, the acceptance of a diagnosis and treatment of a condition can be problematic.Some challenges in achieving health for all children is managing and resolving the clash of differing world views regarding health, that is, people’s perceptions of health together with their level of understanding and acceptance of scientific notions of health, and how to increase community participation in health programmes. UNICEF states that ‘chronic poverty remains the greatest obstacle to fulfilling the rights of children’. In the UNICEF book, ‘We are the Children’, it is cited that half of humanity is desperately impoverished and half of the 1. billion people forced to live on less than $1 per day are children. (Block 4, p. 108). UNICEF and the World Bank have defined absolute poverty (less than $1 per day per person) as being the minimum amount that purchases the goods and services deemed necessary for basic survival. (Block 4, p. 49). This definition is most appropriate for those living in the poorest countries of the South, however, poverty affects many children living within the richest countries of the world also.Relative rather than absolute poverty, that is, the inequality and deprivation experienced relative to those better off living in the same society, can impact on health causing emotional stress, humiliation and social exclusion. Andrea Ashworth writing about her experiences of growing up in Manchester in the 1970’s described the multiple effects of poverty that she experienced; living in a flea infested home, eating a less than nutritious diet, the shame of not being able to afford certain basic items of food, the stress that poverty had on her mother and how it manifested symptoms of depression that impacted on the whole family. Reading B, Ashworth). Studies by the Child Poverty Action Group in the United Kingdom concludes that children growing up in poverty are more likely to be born prematurely, suffer chronic illnesses in later life, die from accidents, live in poor quality homes, have fewer employment opportunities, get in trouble with the police and be at greater risk of alcohol or drug misuse. Poverty impacts on both the physical and mental health of children and their overall quality of life. (Block 4, p. 57).In order to make improvements in the health of the world’s children it is necessary therefore not simply to make health care freely available to all but to confront and tackle wider issues of social justice, inequality and poverty. Cuba is an example of a country with limited material resources that has created a more egalitarian society by providing food, emp loyment, education and health care for all. They now have infant mortality rates on a par with some of the world’s wealthiest countries.Similarly, in Bangladesh as a result of a national commitment to invest in basic social services, the under fives mortality rate has decreased substantially. (Block 4, p. 109). This is strong evidence of the ability to make health for all an achievable goal if there is government commitment to tackling social justice and inequality. A further dimension of inequality is the discrimination in matters of health based on gender, birth order and social status at a local level.In cases of malnutrition in Mali, Dettwyler identified that access or entitlement to resources is shaped ‘by the social relations prevailing between and within families within communities’ (Block 4, p. 119). Dettwyler provides an example of discrimination against children that begins with discrimination against the mother. Aminata, since she was fostered by the f amily, was considered to be of low status. When she became pregnant with twins her status was further lowered along with her entitlement to food and freedoms.She had to accept a life of drudgery and hard work providing for others in the family which took precedence over caring for her own children who were suffering from malnutrition despite food being in plentiful supply. Aminata’s quality of life only improved when one of her children died, the other was sent away and Aminata married into a new family. Her social standing increased along with her quality of life. Aminata gave birth to three more children, two of whom survived and were reported to be only mildly malnourished. Reading C). Beliefs about female inferiority within many parts of the world impacts on rates of malnutrition and mortality amongst girls compared to boys. Studies have shown in India and China that girls are less likely to be breast fed for as long boys, are less likely to be given extra food and more l ikely to be abandoned. These social attitudes and practices towards girls can be changed through development policy on the education of females.Through education the chances of health and survival of children can be improved (Block 4, p. 116) It has been argued that to achieve health for all children multiple factors need to be addressed. Free basic primary health care needs to be available to all, yet this on its own will do a little but not enough to sustain health and survival. Sustainability requires adequate housing, sanitation, clean water and an environment free from pollutants. Education, skills training and employment enable people to contribute to society.They are determinants of health in that they raise self-esteem, feelings of worth and have the ability to empower, organise and rally people together to make changes to advance wealth and health. The health of the world’s children cannot be left in the hands of humanitarian and charitable organisations. Unscrupulou s governments and some economic policies are malign forces that impede progress. The ethical and moral questions regarding international intervention and the level of responsibility that different nations should or can have towards the peoples of other nations are difficult to answer.However, the goal of health for all, as complicated or impossible it may at first seem, has seen progress which should not be underestimated. Within sixty years the WHO has been set up, the UNCRC has been established, international policies have been devised that have bound nations to working together, unprecedented medical knowledge has been gained, lessons regarding what has worked and hasn’t worked have been learnt, cultural understandings have been developed and ethical and moral debates keep the issue of poverty and health in the minds of all.The world is entering a crucial phase where the scope to tackle world poverty and health of children is beginning to be realised. The know-how, experti se and resources exist to achieve health for all children. Perhaps the greatest challenge to success is establishing worldwide commitment to the endeavour.Word count 2,505 References Open University (2007) U212, Changing Childhoods, Local and Global, Block 4, Achieving Health for Children, Milton Keynes, The Open University Open University (2007), Changing Childhoods, Local and Global, Block 4, Achieving Health for all Children, Reading C, ‘Cases of Malnutrition in Mali’, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Open University (2007), Changing Childhoods, Local and Global, Block 4, Children, Poverty and Social Inequality, Reading B, ‘Once in a House on Fire’, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Wikipedia 2010 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/UNCRC [accessed 5 September 2010] World Health Organisation 2003 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/UNCRC [accessed 5 September 2010]

MBO program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MBO program - Essay Example Employees are also made to understand how their individual contributions influence overall success of business objectives. Drucker and other management experts have identified six steps in the MBO process. The first step is Motivation, whereby employee's inputs are considered and respected in setting goals for each individual. The keywords during this step are 'empowerment', 'job satisfaction' and 'commitment'. By involving themselves directly in the goal setting process, it is believed that employees will show more commitment to the success of the organization. The next step of the process is about ensuring that proper communication and coordination exists between managers and employees so that performance reviews are conducted in an open and transparent manner. By making the goals clear both management and workers can be expected to be on the same page. The six steps involved in MBO can be summarized as follows: Setting the overall business goals; Setting goals pertaining to depart ments within; Deliberating within departments in order to achieve a consensus; Agreeing upon commonly understood and discussed goals; Setting goals for individual employees; and finally Monitoring performance against set goals.

Business letter 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business letter 2 - Essay Example A little reflection will show that there are a couple of reasons for this. One is that Emergent Technologies has developed a unique procedure for the mass storage of information via its SuperDiscâ„ ¢. As you know the patent and copyright for this invention has been lying with the US Patent Office for some time now, and it is only a matter of weeks before the patent will be registered in the name of your company. This alone is sufficient to increase the value of net assets by $500,000. Another thing to be considered is your excellent business reputation over ten years of business. Your company and its products are well-known and have considerable goodwill among the business community. According to Meigs and Meigs (1993: p 474), goodwill can result because of owner or product reputation, leading to extra sales and business contacts in the marketplace. In the event of a sellout, the new buyer will gain from this goodwill that you had earned and accordingly, you can arrange for an eva luation of goodwill and even record it on the books before making the sale. A conservative estimate by us looking at industry standards puts the value of Goodwill at $500,000 for your business at this point.

Advertising plan for BMW 3-Series Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advertising plan for BMW 3-Series - Essay Example BMW Group, one of the 10 largest automotive companies in the world today, started as a manufacturer of aircraft engines in World War I and began building a reputation for reliability and excellence on that undertaking. Initially known as Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke in 1916,the firm changed its name to Bavarian Motor Works in 1917 as it grew rapidly during the war years. In 1923, BMW put together its first motor vehicle, a motorcycle, followed by its first car in 1928, a version of Austin 7, which was built and commercially sold under license. There was no stopping the company since then. Today, the Group operates in 150 countries through 26 production-assembly plants, 35 subsidiary markets and 12 R&D networks. Its flagship products consist of three automotive brands - BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce. All three vehicles share the same configuration, which suggest luxury, premium class, top-of-the-line quality. This is precisely the corporate culture that animates BMW, which is expressed in it s mission statement: "to be the most successful premium manufacturer in the industry." BMW built a solid reputation on this operational strategy.With this kind of philosophy underpinning all BMW's activities, the company produces nothing but premium-class vehicles, which are limited to exclusive sedans and luxury limousines. The side objectives are to set the industry standards for technology, environmental protection and safety, and providing outstanding customer services in the pre- and after-sale phases. These are enshrined in the firm's operations in its 10 R&D facilities worldwide (4 in Munich, 3 in the US and 1 each in Austria, Tokyo and Beijing), 15 production plants (1 in Berlin, 1 in Munich, 4 in UK, and 1 each in China, South Africa, US, Austria and Brazil), 5 assembly plants with local participation (1 each in Indonesia, Russia, Egypt, Malaysia and Thailand), and sales and marketing subsidiaries in 35 countries. In 2005, the company invested 2,597 million euros to boost its property, plant, equipment and other tangible assets, with emphasis on further expanding its production and sales networks. The amount was 81 percent higher than the 1,396 million euros sunk in the firm in 2004 as capital expenditures. A lion's share of this investment went to the company's R&D network, which has been tasked to come up with the BMW "cars of the future." This is part of an expansion plan that has preoccupied management from the start. In 1994, BMW acquired the Rover Group from British Aerospace in the hope that it could duplicate its earlier success with MINI, which used to be a British-owned firm too. For at least six years, some 1 million Rover vehicles were produced in UK yearly until the company suffered losses reaching $2 million per day as a result of the perceived lack of consumer confidence in the brand and the strengthening of the pound. BMW was then forced to sell Rover to the Ford group in 200 0. As for the MINI, BMW hang on to the more successful brand, which is manufactured in its Oxford plant. Market demand for the MINI has never let up, such that at the time BMW was selling Rover, it was pouring in another 50 million euros to increase MINI production. BMW fosters the core values of technology, quality, performance and exclusivity, such that its activities from R&D to sales are committed to achieving the highest quality for products and services. The overall strategy of the company is first, identify areas with growth potential, understand what they represent, recognize where its strength lies, then make the best of every opportunity by pursuing a clear strategy. These considerations guide BMW's structure and how decisions are made, and from the evidence it works like a charm.

Organizational Structure of Ford Company Term Paper

Organizational Structure of Ford Company - Term Paper Example The organization structures of the current era thus operate based on matrix networks which are governed by functional and product heads like Vice Presidents. The management team of the company felt that increased dependence on a decentralized organizational structure failed to make optimal utilization of the existing resource base. Thus the company again shifted back to a centralized mode in which specific posts were created for different functions which would be headed by functional heads. These functional heads would manage the global operations of the company through the effective collaboration of regional heads. The company management found that shifting back to the centralized organizational management structure helped in solving many issues pertaining to authority and delegation of responsibilities. However, the company management also worked in the encouragement of extensive teamwork in the concern. Through effective teamwork, the human resources within the company collaborate d with each other in a cross-functional, manner. This cross-functional relationship helped the people to develop on their skills and productive capacities (Hill and Jones, 2009, p.454). Analysis of Ford’s Organization Structure The analysis of the organization structure of Ford can be conducted based on the comparison and contrasting such with the other two types of organization structures. Another such structure with which the organization structure of Ford can be compared is the Line or Bureaucratic Structure. Organizations operating based on bureaucratic or line structures operate based on an authoritative relationship in which orders tend to flow from top to bottom. In such structures, there is very little scope for flexibility. The human resources in such organization are required to only implement the decisions taken by the upper authority with little chances of innovating on such processes or methods. This fact tends to create a large amount of morbidity in the enterpr ise and thereby disturbs the productivity of the concern.  

Personal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Personal - Essay Example I would be able to realize my potential as a businessman and live life to the fullest. All because my grandfather ensured that the future generations of his family would have the chance that he never had in life. So after the properties were sold and I got my share of the inheritance, I felt so rich. I know I only received $25 thousand but to me, that meant I was in the league of Donald Trump. Unfortunately, with the money that I inherited, I decided to live like Donald Trump did also. What a big mistake that was. The first thing I did was to resign from my job and enter into a silent partnership in a business with my best friend. He assured me that the business would have a 100% return on investment in a years time. I also put a down payment on a house in one of the upper middle class neighborhoods in our area and bought my dream car. It was second hand, but it was still my dream car. My parents and other relatives kept on reminding me to set some money aside for investments and liquidity and i kept telling them not to worry, I was in control of the situation. I was not going to lose the money I had. I was too shrewd and careful to do that. I had business advice coming in from my friends and they all had various investments that I could go into quite safely. Being my friends, I did not think twice about entrusting my money to them. All was well for a period of time. I was living the high life and getting dividends from my stock investments and loans that I gave to my friends. The business seemed to be doing well also. I will admit, I did not know anything about business. All I knew was that I was promised money in exchange for letting my friends handle my finances. I know realize what a big mistake that was. The Wall Street crash of 2008 happened in the blink of an eye. Just like everyone else in the world, my finances were severely affected. Suddenly, my friends who invested my finances were

Why are many countries in Africa described as weak states Essay

Why are many countries in Africa described as weak states - Essay Example table political institutions; ensuring security for their populations from violent conflict and maintaining their territory; and meeting the basic human needs of their populations. State effectiveness in delivering on these four critical dimensions, is the main criterion for measurement. A state’s strength or weakness is a function of its effectivenes, responsiveness, and legitimacy across a range of government activities. Many countries in Africa are described as weak states. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the world’s highest concentration of weak and failed states. Weak states are defined as having a prevalence of structural inequality, which consist of economic differentiation, cultural or social inequality and political inequality (Atiku-Abubakar & Shaw-Taylor, 2003: 168). Weak states are unable or unwilling to provide essential public services which include supporting equitable and sustainable economic growth, legitimate governance, ensuring physical security and provision of basic services. To evaluate state capacity in each core area of state responsibility, policy makers and scholars resort to a host of adjectives: weak, fragile, failing, failed and even collapsed, to distinguish between countries suffering from a wide variety of capacity gaps (Rice & Patrick, 2008: 5). The degree of effectiveness of the delivery of the most crucial political goods distinguish strong states from weak ones, and weak ones from failed or collapsed ones. The hierarchy of political goods have security, especially human security at the apex, followed by the provision of law and order, free and open political participation, medical care, educational facilities, physical and social infrastructure, in that order (Rotberg, 2004: 4). State failure is a long-term and multidimensional process whereby state collapse is the distinctive endpoint of this process. The two dimensions to state failure are: the loss of legitimacy which is the gradual decline of the authority of

Type II Diabetes in African Americans Essay Example for Free

Type II Diabetes in African Americans Essay Introduction                                                    The 1986 report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health called notice to the upsetting excess morbidity as well as mortality from chronic illnesses for instance non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), cancer, and heart disease that exists in minorities in the United States. Besides the added disease burden, restricted research in the area of minority health has exacerbated the problem in the African-American population by reducing the knowledge essential for understanding the contributing factors plus planning effective intervention strategies. Diabetes mellitus, one of the diseases targeted for augmented investigate focus among minorities, carries on to have overwhelming consequences on the African American population. It is anticipated that about 1.8 million African Americans are affected with the disease (Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health, 1985). Furthermore, the occurrence and mortality from diabetes are almost double as high among African Americans as in the U.S. White population (CDC, 1990). Consequently, there remains a critical need for research intended to explain the aspects contributing to the augmented diabetes-related morbidity as well as mortality in this ethnic group. Biomedical definition and Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes mellitus is a heterogenous group of disorders that are typified by an abnormal augment in the level of blood glucose. It is a chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism ensuing from inadequate production of insulin or from insufficient utilization of this hormone by the bodys cells (Professional Guide to Diseases 1998:849). Diabetes mellitus takes place in 4 forms classified by etiology: Type I (insulin-dependent), Type II (noninsulin-dependent), other special types (genetic disorder or exposure to certain drugs in chemicals), as well as gestational diabetes (occurs during pregnancy). http://etd.fcla.edu/SF/SFE0000527/AfricanAmericanWomen.pdf When studies are performed to evaluate the epidemiology and public health impact of diabetes mellitus on the African-American population, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) plus insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) are most frequently considered. Though, further forms of glucose intolerance have as well been studied, together with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), gestational diabetes (GDM), and other atypical diabetes syndromes. Categorization of these diabetes subtypes is usually footed on standards published by the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) (1979) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (1980). The analysis of diabetes is recognized by a finding of fasting plasma glucose (FBS) value greater than 140 mg/dl or a value of 200 mg/dl 2 hours after a 75-gram glucose challenge on the oral glucose tolerance test (OGGT). Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus The initial estimates, footed on national samples, of the incidence of diabetes in African Americans came from data collected on male World War II registrants age eighteen to forty-five, which recommended that the occurrence of diabetes was greater in White than Black males (Marble, 1949). Since these data were collected over age ranges with a prevalence of distribution toward younger age, where diabetes rates may mainly reveal insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, they may not offer a factual picture of the occurrence of NIDDM in the races at that time. More current and dependable data from the National Center for Health Statistics point out that, in the United States, the occurrence of known diabetes is higher among African Americans than White Americans mainly among individuals age forty-five to sixty-four, when the rate for Blacks is 50.6 percent higher (Harris, 1990). The occurrence of diabetes augments with age for U.S. Black adults and is about 1.2 times higher for females (Harris, 1990). Among African Americans, the occurrence of diabetes is inversely associated to educational achievement and is highest among individuals in the low income group. Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus The occurrence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus pursues a different racial prototype from that of NIDDM: White children have approximately twice the rate of Black children. (Lipman, 1991). Across the United States, there is much greater inconsistency in the occurrence of IDDM for African-American children than White children. It is probable the variability in IDDM incidence among African-American children might consequence from variations in degree of White admixture in the different registry locations. There is proof that White admixture differs by geographic region in the United States with greater admixture in northern areas than in the south. This is reliable with the drift for more European-American genetic admixture in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where the occurrence of IDDM in African Americans is higher, than in Jefferson County, Alabama (Reitnauer et al., 1982) and the incidence of IDDM is lower. Atypical Diabetes Atypical diabetic syndromes, typified by normoglycemic reduction with ensuing periods of hyperglycemic deterioration, generally needing insulin for glycemic control, have been explained in African-American and further Black populations. Winter et al. (1987), accounted an atypical diabetes in young African Americans that shows with features typical of IDDM however lacks the HLA association’s trait of the disease. The insulin dependence in this syndrome was irregular or steadily declined all through the course of the illness. Diabetic syndromes presenting in adulthood with alike phasic insulin dependence have as well been reported. Whereas further forms of diabetes together with protein deficient pancreatic diabetes and fibrocalculus pancreatic diabetes take place in some Black African populations, so far they have not been revealed to be important for African Americans. Type I diabetes reports for three percent of all new cases of diabetes diagnosed every year in the United States. Type I can build up at any age, thus far the majority cases are diagnosed when the individual is under thirty. Type II, the more widespread form of the disease, normally has a steady start, generally appearing in adults over the age of forty (Managing Your Diabetes 1991). It has an effect on an estimated ninety percent of the six million Americans diagnosed with diabetes yearly. The probability of developing Type II is about the same by sex however is greater in African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Main risk factors comprise a family history of diabetes, obesity, being age forty or over, hypertension, gestational diabetes, or having one or more infants weighing more than 9 pounds at birth (Professional Guide to Diseases 1998). Diabetes mellitus is a main clinical as well as public health problem in the African American community. African American men have an occurrence of diabetes that is eighty percent higher than that for European American men, whereas African American women have occurrence ninety percent higher than that for European American women (Herman et al. 1998:147). These diabetes statistics point out that not merely are there characteristic differences between African Americans and European Americans in the occurrence and hospitalization rates related with diabetes however as well that research is required to find out if any other factors, for instance social and cultural, may be causative to the large difference of diabetes-related problems (Bailey 2000). Cultural Perceptions of Diabetes Mellitus In a study to find out differences in self-reported adherence to a dietary routine, Fitzgerald et al. (1997) analyzed one hundred and seventy-eight African American and European American patients at a Michigan suburban endocrinology clinic from 1993 to 1994. They establish that the 2 groups of patients with non insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM) reported similar adherence to dietary recommendations; similar on the whole adherence, beliefs, plus attitudes as calculated by their diabetes care profile scale; and a similar percentage of ideal body weight (Fitzgerald et al. 1997:46). Further analyses, though, exposed that African Americans and European Americans differed in the opinion of diabetes and the view of adherence to the dietary routine for diabetes. Fitzgerald et al. (1997) speculated that among African American women the inspiration to lose weight frequently is not for health reasons however for improved look. The significance of weight loss to ones diabetic condition is de-emphasized, and more significance is placed upon losing weight for better look. If weight loss does not take place, then unconstructive beliefs and attitudes may reduce the individuals inspiration and endorse a â€Å"why bother† attitude, in that way causing nonadherence to the dietary regimen for diabetes (Fitzgerald et al. 1997:46). To work against this â€Å"why bother† attitude as it affects weight loss and dietary adherence, Fitzgerald et al. (1997) recommended that health educators require to assist patients distinguish their feelings regarding diabetes, recognize the habits that their feelings influence their behaviors, and build up tactics for managing with their feelings. The cultural/social functions of food and what food â€Å"means† plus â€Å"represents† to the individual must be measured when developing meal plans and educational interventions for the African American diabetic patient. So as to study more of the fundamental cultural health beliefs related with diabetes mellitus, Maillet et al. (1996) carried out a focus group of African American women with NIDDM and those endangered for this disease. Six African American women susceptible for noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus contributed in the northeastern urban medical university in a tranquil and relaxed classroom. The main themes that appeared from the focus groups were the significance of family and social support, a tendency to binge or overindulge when food limitations were placed by family members, difficulties with dietary changes, incapability to build up an exercise program due to multiple barriers, lack of clarity regarding diabetes complications, value for however lack of knowledge regarding prevention of complications, as well as a need for future programs that are ethnically responsive to African American women (Maillet et al. 1996:44). Additionally, a constant theme of this focus group was that family support or a lack of support had an impact on ones stated capability to make dietary alterations. Particularly, Maillet et al. recommended that older African American women discover it hard to make dietary changes for the reason that altering their diet disturbs a lifetime of culture within the context of family. Culture may directly manipulate diabetes education and have to be understood and included into intervention programs to persuade success (Maillet et al. 1996:45). Consequently, when providing care to African American women of all ages, Maillet et al. recommended that the primary health care providers have to be sensitive to the role that culture plays in diet, weight loss, plus diabetes self-management. By means of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques to examine health beliefs and health care-seeking outlines of African American and Euro-American diabetics, the fieldwork project was performed in 2 phases at the diabetes clinic in the Regenstrief Health Center at Indiana University, Indianapolis. The qualitative phase 1 occurred from June to August 1991, and the quantitative phase 2 from June to December 1992 (Bailey 2000:178). From 9 total site visits over the 5 months, the following noteworthy themes come into view regarding the African American diabetic patient: Appraise the source of the patients diabetes; Effort to dispel any delusions of diabetes; Make active the patient for self-care of diabetes; Carry on to reeducate the patient on blood glucose monitoring as well as insulin injection; and Hearten social and familial support for devotion to diabetic regimen.   Besides, other qualitative results pointed out that physicians required to (1) recognize the sociocultural restraints of a patients keeping appointments; (2) regulate the dietary alteration of the patient to his or her lifestyle and cultural dietary pattern; (3) build up more permanence of care; (4) find out new skills to build up understanding and trust with patients; and (5) give emphasis to the significance of the diabetic condition to the patient (Bailey 2000:182).   Phase 2 (Bailey 2000) consisted of performing qualitative and quantitative observations and interviews of African American and Euro-American diabetic patients. For instance, during the six-month period of phase 2, African American patients shared the following comments:   Patient Informant #1 (African American female): Im not sure what caused my diabetes. I know that there is a family connection to diabetes and my weight has something to do with it, but I dont take all of it too seriously. www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt When asked to assess her capability to pursue the doctors set diabetic dietary regimen, patient informant #1 stated:   My sons and husband want their meals the way they normally have it. They dont want no unseasoned meals, so what am I supposed to do? www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt Patient Informant #2 (African American female): I was on those diabetic pills, but I had to be placed on insulin injections. I hate taking these injections, but I have to do it. www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt   Fascinatingly, patient informant #2 was placed on diabetic pills and told to watch her diet years ago. Though, she stopped taking the pills on a regular basis and did not stick to the diabetic diet routine. Now that she is on insulin injections and closely adhering to the diabetes dietary routine, her insulin injections have slowly been reduced.   Patient Informant #3 (African American male): I was really not shocked when I was diagnosed with diabetes simply because my father and aunt have diabetes and I knew it was a matter of time before I would develop it. www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt   Diabetes is widespread among African Americans and this is because of dietary eating pattern—fried foods and not sufficient vegetables.   Even though patient informant #3 thought that it was a matter of time before he would build up diabetes, he is still unsure of the procedure and the reasons why he developed Type II diabetes. He came to the clinic merely to discover what was wrong with his stomach. To his shock, he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. The qualitative findings that tend to be more related with the African American diabetic patients than with the Euro-American diabetic patients were as follows: The doubt of the real source of ones diabetes; The lack of perceived importance of ones diabetic condition; The perceived incapability to stick to the diabetic routine; The lower ranking of ones health as compared to other social and family obligations. These qualitative outcomes pointed out that numerous sociocultural issues still require to be further examined in the African American diabetic population (Bailey 2000:184).   Lastly, the former president of the National Medical Association, Yvonnecris Smith Veal (1996), utters that there are three fundamental causes why diabetes carries on to plague the African American community. First, there is the way of life and behavioral patterns related with African Americans for example poor eating habits, obesity, restricted access to enough medical care, and restricted funds. African Americans generally tend to eat foods high in calories and loaded with saturated fats and sugar and to have an inactive lifestyle—all of which are causative factors to being overweight. Second, African Americans have a history of making foods with lard and other heavy oils. This sort of food preparation, together with the incapability to get a balanced diet, contributes to the risk factors related with diabetes. Third, African Americans require more choices to decide dietary diabetic routines that fit the preferences for certain foods plus eating practices among all segments of the African American population (Bailey 2000).   Factors Influencing the Occurrence of Diabetes in African Americans Significant factors influencing the incidence of diabetes mellitus in African Americans comprise personal characteristics for instance genetics, age, sex, plus history of glucose intolerance (IGT, GDM). Further routine factors for instance physical activity plus obesity, which are related with altering socioeconomic as well as cultural climates within countries, to a great extent have an effect on the risk of developing the disease. Even though the exact etiological interactions remain arguable, it is definite that a mixture of most of these factors is accountable for precipitating the disease. Genetics An individuals risk of developing diabetes mellitus is significantly influenced by his/her hereditary background. Individuals who are first-degree relatives of diabetes patients are at noticeable augmented risk of developing the disease compared to unrelated individuals in the general population. (W.H.O. Multinational, 1991). Proof from studies of identical twins specifies a concordance rate of about ninety percent for NIDDM and fifty percent for IDDM, representing that the influence of genetics is greater in the former than in the latter (Barnett, Eff, Leslie Pyke, 1981). The investigation for the hereditary reasons that rates of diabetes fluctuate in different ethnic groups has caused hypotheses that try to report for the observed frequencies of NIDDM and IDDM in African Americans. (Tuomilehto, Tuomilehto- Wolf , Zimmet, Alberti Keen, 1992) Thrifty Gene Hypothesis Neel (1962) recommended that populations exposed to intermittent food shortage would through natural selection augment the incidence of genetic traits, thrifty genes, that incline to energy conservation. These genes would augment survival during times of famine by permitting for adept storage of fat in times of abundance. In the absence of feast and famine cycles, in times of continued profusion, these genes would turn out to be detrimental, predisposing to the growth of obesity and an augmented frequency of NIDDM. This hypothesis would be constant with the observation of much higher rates of diabetes and obesity among African Americans and urban Africans compared to Black Africans residing in conventional environments. Age and Sex In the majority populations the occurrence of diabetes differs with age and sex. For African Americans, the peak age range for diagnosis of IDDM is about fifteen to nineteen years of age, whereas NIDDM occurs more often after age fifty-six, when it is 3 times more common than in the White population (Roseman, 1985). African-American females are more probable to build up IDDM compared to Black men are more probable to develop NIDDM than Black men, White women, and White men, correspondingly (Harris, 1990). The sex discrepancy for IDDM may be because of differences in vulnerability or experience to etiologic agents (Dahlquist et al., 1985). Differences in NIDDM by gender may be because of differences in the levels of related risk factors such as obesity plus physical activity.   Socioeconomic Status (SES) Racial differences in disease rates may reveal socioeconomic differences. In the United States socioeconomic status and the frequency of NIDDM have a converse relationship. The impact of SES on NIDDM rates among African Americans may be particularly strong. Studies concerning socioeconomic status to the development of IDDM have been contradictory. Some studies establish a positive relationship. Others have found a negative (Colle et al., 1984) or no relationship at all. It appears improbable that socioeconomic status contributes considerably to racial differences in the frequency of IDDM in the United States. Obesity Obesity, usually measured as body-mass index (BMI)), is the most important risk factor for NIDDM. Overweight is a severe problem for the African-American female, with the level of obesity (that is BMI 27.3) being greater than fifty percent among women older than age forty-five (Van Itallie, 1985). Compared to White women, African-American women are more overweight. African-American men demonstrate a similar prototype of obesity when compared to White men (Van Italie, 1985).   The development of NIDDM is not merely influenced by the presence of obesity however as well by where the body fat is distributed. The danger of developing NIDDM is greater for individuals with central or android obesity. African Americans have been accounted to have a greater propensity to store more fat in the trunk than Whites, which could clarify part of the excess occurrence of NIDDM in the Black population (Kumanyika, 1988). Physical Activity There is proof that physical inactivity is an independent danger factor for developing NIDDM (Taylor et al., 1984). On the other hand, exercise perhaps a strong defensive factor against the development of the disease. On the whole there is a converse association between levels of obesity and physical activity. Consequently, higher levels of obesity among U.S. Blacks compared to Whites propose that reduced levels of physical activity among African Americans may donate to their higher rate of diabetes. Insulin Resistance The danger of developing NIDDM is absolutely related with fasting levels of circulating insulin. It has been revealed that insulin resistance, typified by hyperinsulinemia, can predate the development of NIDDM for years. besides diabetes, insulin resistance causes numerous interrelated disorders together with hypertension, body fat mass and distribution, as well as serum lipid abnormalities (Ferrannini , Haffner, Mitchell Stern, 1991). This has encouraged speculation that hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance may be the phenotypic expression of the thrifty genotype anticipated by Neel (1962). Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) and Gestational Diabetes Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are 2 types of glucose intolerance that are strong risk factors for developing NIDDM and IDDM. Gestational diabetes denotes the development of diabetes during pregnancy and a subsequent return to normal tolerance following parturition, whereas IGT is the class of glucose tolerance where fasting glucose values are between normal and diabetic. (OSullivan Mahan, 1968). The risk of developing obvious diabetes among individuals with IGT is associated to the severity of impaired tolerance plus presence of further risk factors, together with a positive family history of diabetes and obesity (Harris, 1989). Numerous risk factors for GDM have been recognized among African-American women, including age, gravidity, hypertension, obesity, plus family history of diabetes (Roseman et al., 1991).   Diabetes Mortality At present, diabetes mellitus is the 3rd most recurrent cause of death from disease among African Americans. Higher rates of diabetes mortality in African Americans compared to the White population may partly be because of their higher occurrence of diabetes. When mortality among individuals who have developed diabetes is measured, though, it emerges that African Americans have a lower mortality rate than Whites with the disease (Harris, 1990). In recent years, there has been a leveling off in the rate of mortality from diabetes for both races.   Diabetic Complications Chronic diabetes mellitus is related with numerous overwhelming complications that reduce the quality of life and cause early mortality. These comprise hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, as well as macrovascular complications.   In the United States, African Americans with diabetes have higher rates of hypertension than Whites. The constancy of high rates of hypertension among African Americans and Afro-Caribbean populations (Grell, 1983) has caused the proposition that Western Hemisphere Blacks are offspring of a highly selected group of Africans who were efficient at retaining salt, which permitted them to uphold sodium homeostasis and survive the long sea voyages from Africa (Grim, 1988). Recent proof proposes that high rates of hypertension among African Americans might be associated to hyperinsulinemia plus abnormal renal sodium transport (Douglas, 1990). Information on the incidence and impact of other diabetes-associated complications are limited. Though, retinopathy, neuropathy, and stroke emerge to be more recurrent in African Americans than Whites with diabetes (Roseman, 1985). The rate of lower limit amputations ensuing from diabetes has been reported to be considerably greater among U.S. Blacks than Whites. Occurrence rates of diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have been revealed to be greater for African Americans than for Whites. After developing ESRD though, U.S. Blacks emerge to survive longer than Whites. There is as well some implication that certain cardiovascular complications including angina and heart attack may take place less often among African Americans than among Whites with diabetes (Harris, 1990).   It has been recommended that the on the whole higher rates of diabetes complications among African Americans might be associated to poorer metabolic control. Additionally, the high rate of hypertension among African Americans with diabetes may make worse or make haste the start of other complications for example retinopathy and nephropathy. Other significant risk factors for diabetes complications comprise age of onset, education, cigarette smoking, socioeconomic status, plus access to medical care (Roseman, 1985).   Prevention and Intervention Strategies The main metabolic defect of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance in association with a relative and progressive deficiency in insulin secretion. This insulin resistance, present in many tissues, makes its primary contribution to hyperglycemia by reducing peripheral glucose uptake in muscle and failing to suppress hepatic glucose output. Additionally, resistance in adipose tissue to insulin-mediated suppression of lipolysis results in an elevation of free fatty acids (FFAs) and a further aggravation of hyper-glycemia. The degree of insulin resistance observed in diabetic subjects may vary according to a subjects ethnic background, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity. Pharmacologic intervention with either metformin, a biguanide, or a thiazolidinedione (TZD) has been successful in reducing insulin resistance in subjects with type 2 diabetes. In the management of the majority forms of diabetes, there is a need to be concerned concerning the acute complications of hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis and/or development of acute hyperosmolar crises. Hypoglycemia, a major treatment concern in type 1 diabetes, is much less frequent with type 2 diabetes and is discussed later in association with specific therapies. Although DKA and hyperosmolar crises have been reported in children with type 2 diabetes, they are uncommon, in our experience after initial presentation, but such crises have been reported. About 10-15% of children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes present at diagnosis with DKA, hyperosmolar crisis, or a combination of these states. The long-term goals in the management of type 2 diabetes are twofold: first, the prevention of microvascular complications, including retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy; secondly, the prevention of macrovascular complications such as atherosclerosis of the coronary, cerebral, and large arteries of the lower extremities. These lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, and amputation, and are the major causes of morbidity and mortality with type 2 diabetes. The development of these complications is multifactorial, but is influenced by associated hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia in addition to the effects of hyperglycemia. The aim of therapy in type 2 diabetes is to specifically target the underlying metabolic defects of this disorder, which are obesity, abnormal insulin secretory function, and the insulin resistance present in the three primary insulin responsive tissues skeletal muscle, fat, and liver. The first approach is to reduce obesity through lifestyle interventions in diet and exercise. In addition, the introduction of an ÃŽ ±-glucosidase inhibitor may be considered to delay carbohydrate digestion and absorption, reducing peak postprandial hyperglycemia. A second therapeutic approach is to address insulin secretory dysfunction with insulin secretagogues such as sulfonylureas or meglitinides. Alternatively, or if these secretagogues are ineffective, exogenous insulin can be initiated. A third approach is to address tissue-specific insulin resistance. Metformin can decrease hepatic glucose output and improve peripheral insulin sensitivity. Thiazolidinediones have been successful in improving peripheral insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes in adults; however, experience with these therapeutic agents is limited in children. At present, diabetes mellitus remains a serious problem tackling the African Americans population. High diabetes mortality rates reflect merely part of the problem. The viewpoint of increasing diabetes occurrence rates casts a threatening shadow over the future for the African Americans community. The morbidity related with diabetic complications places a great financial burden on individuals and communities least able to bear the cost of such an illness. Evidently, the challenge of addressing the problem of diabetes mellitus in the African Americans population is great and will need a multidisciplinary approach involving government, researchers, educators, as well as members of the African Americans community. Health Promotion Of main importance is the requirement for distribution of information regarding diabetes and its consequences into the African-American community. An uneducated African-American community may be inclined to undervalue the diabetes problem or to pay less attention to the signs and symptoms of its commencement. This may outcome in late diagnosis or care, thus raising the probability of rapid start of complications. Consequently, ethnically sensitive strategies intended to get involved and educate African Americans on the subject of the behavioral and environmental risk factors for diabetes plus its complications are necessary. Undoubtedly, in order for African Americans to take steps to lessen the diabetes linked morbidity and mortality in their communities they have to have the capability to make informed decisions regarding the disease. Cooperative Efforts for Provision of Health Services Rates of diabetes mortality and complications may depend on the accessibility and permanence of care. There is some sign that African Americans with diabetes may be underserved regarding medical care (Harris, 1990). Cautious study of this problem is needed, and innovative solutions have to be developed. The African-American community must as well become empowered to expect and demand the essential care they deserve. To have an effect on such change, community based institutions, for instance the church, can build up programs for using the health professionals within their congregations to offer care or therapy to diabetics and their families. Organizations concerned with minorities, for instance the UrbanLeague, can comprise diabetes and further health problems in their national agendas to generate concern and act at the community and national levels.   Governmental agencies and institutions engaged in training health professionals, for example medical schools and schools of public health, must institute action to augment the pool of African Americans in the professions concerned with the care of individuals with diabetes. Federal agencies, for instance the National Institutes of Health, may as well offer special grant programs to hearten submission of research grants to study diabetes in African Americans and to improve the growth of minority researchers in the area.   Research The inadequate data presently accessible on diabetes among African Americans raise numerous questions however deliver few answers regarding the etiology and natural history of diabetes plus its complications in this racial group. Up to now, a small number of studies of diabetes in the United States have included representative samples of African Americans. This inadequacy has to be addressed if future studies are to give way valid conclusions concerning the factors accountable for the incidence of the disease in the African-American population. In the Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health (1985), numerous research priority areas for addressing the health disparity between Black and White Americans were recognized. These areas are mainly pertinent to diabetes mellitus and comprise the following: (1) investigation into risk-factor recognition, (2) investigation into risk-factor occurrence, (3) investigate into health education intrusions, (4) investigation into prevention services interventions, (5) investigation into treatment services, as well as (6) investigation into sociocultural factors and health outcomes. The recognition of these target areas for investigation and other recent efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services to endorse the study of diabetes in the African-American population (Sullivan, 1990) are significant steps toward addressing the gap in awareness of how diabetes have an effect on African Americans. In the future we have to translate the knowledge achieved from new and continuing studies into efficient preventive action.    References:   Bailey, Eric (2000). Medical Anthropology and Africans American Health. Westport, CT: Bergin Garvey. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (1990). Diabetes surveillance: Annual 1990 report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Division of Diabetes Translation, Atlanta GA Colle E., Siemiatycki J., West R., Belmonte M. M., Crepeau M. P., Poirier R., Wilkins J. (1984). Incidence of juvenile onset diabetes in Montrealdemonstration of ethnic differences and socioeconomic class differences. Journal of Chronic Disease, 34, 611-616. Dahlquist G., Blom L., Holgren G., Hogglof B., Larsson Y., Sterky G., Wall S . (1985). The epidemiology of diabetes in Swedish children 0-14 years: A six year prospective study. Diabetologia, 28, 802-808. Douglas J. G. (1990). Hypertension and diabetes in blacks. Diabetes Care, 13 (Supp. 4), 1191-1195. Ferrannini E., Haffner S. M., Mitchell B. D., Stern M. P. (1991). Hyperinsulinemia: The key feature of a cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome. Diabetologia, 34, 416-422. Fitzgerald, James, R. Anderson, M. Funnell, M. Arnold, W. Davis, L. Aman, S. Jacober, and Grunberger (1997). â€Å"Differences in the Impact of Dietary Restrictions on Africans and Caucasians with NIDDM.† The Diabetes Educator 23: 41-47. Grim C. E. (1988). On slavery, salt and the greater prevalence of hypertension in black Americans. Clinical Research, 36, 426A. Harris M. I. (1990). Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in black and white Americans. Diabetes Metabolism Review, 6, 71-90. Herman, William, T. Thompson, W. Visscher, R. Aubert, M. Engelgau, L. Liburd, D. Watson, and T. Hartwell (1998). â€Å"Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complement in an Africans American Community: Project DIRECT.† Journal of National Medical Association 90: 147-156. Kumanyika S. (1988). Obesity in black women. Epidemiology Review, 9, 31-50. Lipman T. H. (1991). The epidemiology of Type I diabetes in children 0-14 years of age in Philadelphia. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Black and Minority Health. ( 1985). Volume 1: Executive Summary. DHHS Publication No. 017-090-00078. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Maillet, Nancy, G. Melkus, and G. Spollett (1996). â€Å"Using Focus Groups to Characterize the Health Beliefs and Practices of Black Women with Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes.† The Diabetes Educator 22: 39-46. Marble A. (1949). Diabetes mellitus in the U.S. Army in World War II. The Military Surgeon, 105, 357-363. National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG). (1979). Classification and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and other categories of glucose intolerance. Diabetes, 26, 1039-1057. Neel J. V. (1962). Diabetes mellitusA thrifty genotype rendered detrimental by progress? American Journal of Human Genetics, 14, 353-362.   OSullivan J. B., Mahan C. M. (1968). Prospective study of 352 young patients with chemical diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 278, 1038-1041. Professional Guide to Diseases (1998). Springhouse, PA: Springhouse. Reitnauer P. J., Go R. C. P., Acton R. T., Murphy C. C., Budowle B., Barger B. O. , Roseman J. M. ( 1982). Evidence of genetic admixture as a determinant in the occurrence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Diabetes, 31, 532-537. Roseman J. M., Go R. C. P., Perkins L. L., Barger B. D., Beel D. A., Goldenberg R. L. , DuBard M. B., Huddlestone J. F., Sedacek C. M., Acton R. T. ( 1991). Gestational diabetes among Africans American women. Diabetes and Metabolism Review, 7, 93-104. Sullivan L. (1990). Opening remarks. Diabetes Care, 13 (Supp. 4), 1143. Taylor R., Ram P., Zimmet P., Raper R., Ringrose H. ( 1984). Physical activity and the prevalence of diabetes in Melanesian and Indian men in Fiji. Diabetologia, 27, 578-582. Tull E. S., LaPorte R. E., Vergona R. E., Gower I., Makame M. H. ( 1992). A two-fold excess mortality among Africans American IDDM cases compared withWhites: The Diabetes Epidemiology Research International experience Van T. B. Itallie (1985). Health implications of overweight and obesity in the United States. Annals of Internal Medicine, 103, 983-988. Veal, Yvonnecris (1996). â€Å"Africans Americans and Diabetes: Reasons, Rationale, and Research.† Journal of the National Medical Association 88: 203-204. WHO Multinational Project for Childhood Diabetes. (1991). Familial insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) epidemiology: Standardization of data for the DIAMOND Project. World Health Organization Bulletin OMS, 69, 767-777. Winter W. E., Maclaren N. K., Riley W. J., Clarke D. W., Kappy S., Spillar R. P . (1987). Maturity-onset diabetes of youth in black Americans. New England Journal of Medicine, 316, 285-291. World Health Organization. (1980). Report of expert committee on diabetes mellitus. Technical Report, Series no. 646. Geneva: World Health Organization. http://etd.fcla.edu/SF/SFE0000527/AfricanAmericanWomen.pdf www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ah/upload/Bailey.ppt

Manuel Castells: Theory of Information Age

Manuel Castells: Theory of Information Age Manuel Castells is one of the most widely recognised contributors to contemporary debates about globalisation. Indeed his three volume trilogy The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture published from 1996 to 2000 was amongst the earliest, full-scale theories of globalisation. Castells transformed globalisation from a fashionable academic concept into a a whole new phase of human history. More recent contributors such as Hardt and Negri, Held, Bauman and Giddens have arguably been writing within Castells legacy. Few since however, have been able to match the boldness of Castells venture which some are already characterising as a work in the tradition of previous grand works of sociology such as Karl Marx and Max Weber. Of course, it is too early to place Castells alongside Marx and Weber but the central thesis of his trilogy is certainly all-encompassing. It is nothing less than the claim that new information technologies have not only transformed the technology of communicati on, they have not merely had a globalising impact but have brought about a new age, within which these technologies are the organising logic and principles. Very little of human life escapes this new age for Castells, from state structures and national sovereignty to the everyday individual reckoning with our own identity. In the first volume of his trilogy, The Network Society, Castells explains how the new age can be characterised as an age of informationalism. The world has shifted from industrialism to post-industrialism to informationalism (Castells, 1996). In other words the determining technology of our age is not mechanical but informational. This has brought about a whole new way in which economic activity and production is conducted, through networking. This takes place within companies, between companies and between regions. Networking is the new means for ensuring productivity, as opposed to old-fashioned heirarchical managerial strcutures which relied on the controllable logic of mechanical operations. Rather networking is informational and its technological medium is the internet. The networking society has important consequences not only for economic progress but for human relationships and the future of the nation-stae. In economic terms it means that progress is tied inextricably to in formation technology. If technology is responsible for transferring labor and matter into consumable goods and the production of  consumable goods determines economic progress then such progress is determined by information technology, and particular the manipulation of the internet. Furthermore, if human culture is significantly determined by the forms of economic activity that permeate it then the rise of the new information technologies is bound to have a rapid and dramatic impact on everyday human relationships. Perhaps the most significant of these is the impact on our conception of time. The world has become a much smaller place with the onset of information technology as we can interact and respond to each other in real time about matters of great significance. This theme is further developed in the second volume of the trilogy The Power of Identity. Here, Castells explains how the new social movements are posing a formidable challenge to the old nation-state system (Castells, 1998). These new social movements are the product of the new global economic order because this is new order is ruthless, perhaps more ruthless and brutal than previous economic orders. Whole communities and forms of life can simply by cut out or switched of. Individuals are likely to feel that their traditional roots have no value and at the same time there is very little security provided by this new order. In the End of Millenium, the third volume of his trilogy, Castells paints a gloomy picture of the trends that have been set in place by globalisation (Castells, 2000). On the one hand many will feel increasingly lost in the information age further removed from the forces that are shaping their lives. On the other hand many of those that embrace the new world or der will do so at the expense of the moral grounding that upheld previous social orders. Castells trilogy has been both widely discussed and heavily criticised. Much of this criticism has been concerned with the presentation of his ideas, that Castells covers too much ground and is uneccessarily verbose. There are more serious criticisms that can be made however. These criticisms are perhaps best highlighted by contrasting Castells work with other theorists of globalisation. Saskia Sassen provides one such contrast. For Sassen departs significantly in her account of globalisation from Castells economic and technological determinism. Whereas Castells argues that the new world order is fundamentally a new economic order and that this new economic order is  founded on progress in information technology, Sassen argues that there are two main trends that have driven globalisation (Sassen, 1996). According to Sassen these two main trends are both economic and political. And it is the development of political globalisation that tells most significantly against Castells thesis . New forms of transnational political association such as the European Union are acquiring a significant measure of political authority over process of global economic and social activities. They must therefore be understood as part of the driving force of globalisation. But political globalisation does not simply entail the transfer of power from national to international institutions. It also includes new human rights regimes. These rights have been centred around the protection, or at least the recognition, of peoples from the abuse of state power by international. Whilst human rights protection is patchy and far from universal it is one aspect of a way of avoiding the pessimistic conclusions made by Castells. Perhaps, even, a new form of global citizenship is possible through both global political institutions and the remaining and still vital democratic institutions of nation-states, which are far from disappearing as one might believe after reading Castells. But how will this be possible if, as Robertson explains, there is no prospect of any kind of unified global culture that could underpinn it. Well, perhaps it is if we follow Robertsons definition of globalisation as opposed to Castells. According to Robertson  globalisation refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the global whole. (Robertson, 1992: 8) In contrast to Castells then, who argues that in a globalised world individuals are likely to feel increasingly lost, disconnected from the forces that are shaping their lives, Robertsons globalisation leads to an increasing interconnectedness between people. This interconnectedness is obviously enabled to a significant degree by the internet. And, to be sure, not everyone is able to access the new communications technologies that are helping to drive globalisation. However, the possibility that those that are excluded from the rights and priviledges enjoyed by citizens of the west might be protected from the consequences of globalisation and might be eventually be included in these privileges is enabled by a key feature of globalisation itself. This is that in a globalised world we are more likely to position our views in relation to a far greater range of human  perspectives. In other words, globalisation involves comparative interaction of different forms of life. (Robertson, 1992:27) This process can be called relativisation, which is a process that affects both individuals and states. A more specific and more detailed exploration of the ways in which the comparative interaction of different forms of life may help to transform our world for the better can be found in theories of global civil society. There are many different versions of the theory of global civil society, but at its most optimistic it is envisaged that the key to the democratisation of forces of globalisation lies not in human rights regimes but in the development of networks of cooporation between international actors (NGOS) who can place pressure on both states and international authorities through the exchange of opinion within a global public sphere (Keane, 2003). Just as national civil societies ensured that national markets were socially embedded with moral and ethical norms, so global civil society may have this impact on the global economic order. The exposure of some of the unsavoury practices of certain global companies, such as Nike and BP, by NGOS and the paradoxically named anti-global isation movement, are surely already having such an impact. That said however, if we wanted to understand the forces that might render the prospect of a global civil society unrealized then there are few better theorists to turn to than Castells. That is if we put aside his economic and technological determinism. References Zygmunt Bauman (2000) Liquid Modernity Polity Press Keane, John (2003) Global Civil Society Cambridge University Press Castells, Manuel , (1996) The Information age: Economy, Society and Culture volume one. The Network Society Blackwell Castells, Manuel (1998) The Information age: Economy, Society and Culture volume two. The Power of Identity Blackwell Castells, Manuel (2000) The Information age: Economy, Society and Culture volume three. The End of Millenium Blackwell Robertson, Ronald (1992) Globalisation Social Theory and Global Culture. London: Sage. Saskia Sassen (1996) Losing Control? Columbia University Press

Example Physics Essay

Example Physics Essay The Motion of a Mass Spring System The example of a mass attached to the end of a spring is a powerful tool in physics due to the fact that it is analogous to many physical phenomena. To be able to use this example to elegantly describe other more complex systems it is crucial to first fully understand how this simple system works itself. The force acting on a mass attached to a spring at a given position is given by (Serway, 2003: 437). F= -kx (Eqn 1) This equation may be derived from Newton’s Second Law of motion, which states that the force on a mass is proportional to the rate of change in momentum. A mass and spring system can be described as a Simple Harmonic Oscillator and there are some fundamental equations that govern the motion of such a system (Serway, 2003: 436). ω= √(k/m) (Eqn 2) Equation two shows how the angular frequency (ω=2Ï€*frequency) of an object oscillating due to it being fixed to a spring that is inversely proportional to the mass of the object. k is a constant, known as the spring constant that is defined by the properties of the spring. k can be easily determined experimentally for a given spring by changing the mass attached to the spring and measuring the frequency. Due to the periodic nature of such a system as that which can be described using equations one and two, they are known to be in simple harmonic motion. The motion of a particle over time is described effectively by a cosine wave (Serway, 2003: 436; Hayek , 2003; 562). x(t)=Acos(ωt+à Ã¢â‚¬ ¢) (Eqn 3) Equation three shows how this motion can be mapped over time where A is the amplitude of the oscillation, and à Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ is a term to correct the phase. This can be plotted to show how the mass and spring system will move over time. The figure above shows how a mass on a spring will behave in a frictionless universe while obeying Newton’s First Law of motion. A useful trait of the Simple Harmonic Oscillator is that the equations for the velocity and the acceleration are easily derived from that of the position equation (Serway, 2003: 436). V(t)=-Aω.sinà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡(ωt) (Eqn 4) a(t)= -Aω ² cosà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡(ωt) (Eqn 5) For brevity the phase term (à Ã¢â‚¬ ¢) has been omitted from these two equations as it can be assumed that phase is the same. These two equations give valuable insight into the nature of as mass on a spring and how its velocity and acceleration is linked. The interesting thing to note is that velocity is governed by a sine waveform, yet acceleration is dependent on the cosine waveform. What this means is that when the particle on the spring has minimum velocity it will have maximum acceleration, it also means that when the mass is travelling at its maximum velocity it has minimum (possibly zero) acceleration. Realistically however, most situations where a simple harmonic oscillator may be applied will involve a resistive force of some description, such as friction in the case of a mass on a spring. The effect this has on the motion of the mass and the spring system can be seen in the figure below. It is clear to see on the above figure that the presence of friction causes the amplitude of the oscillation to decay over time. This effect is known as damping. In a damped system that has no external force driving the oscillation itself, the rate at which the oscillation decreases is directly proportional to the resistive force being applied to it. The damping force is at its greatest when the particle is moving at its fastest velocity and at a minimum when the acceleration is at a maximum. There are three types of damping in an oscillatory system, underdamping, over-damping and critically damped. Underdamped is where the amplitude of the decay envelope does not decay rapidly. Critically damped systems are the fastest to return to equilibrium and will have a decay envelope that allows one oscillation over the entire damping period and will decay towards zero rapidly during this period. Over-damping occurs when there are no oscillations (as seen in critical damping) however there is an infinite time to return to equilibrium (Hayek , 2003; 567). The equation which describes this damped oscillation is given by: F= -kx-l dx/dt (Eqn 6) Here the original equation for the force is extended by a first order differential term relating to the change in the velocity due to the damping constant l. Equation six is able to be expanded into a more useful form by applying Newton’s Second Law, which gives: (d ² x)/(dt ² )+2Dω_0 dx/dt+ω_0 ² x=0 (Eqn 7) This equation now contains a first and second order differential equation relating to the velocity and acceleration respectively of the particle. Equation seven looks to be much more complex than that of equation six, however it is now in a considerably more useful form as it allows to see equation six in terms of the angular frequency of the system. D is the damping ratio and is given by D= l/(2√mk) , taking into account the damping coefficient, the spring constant and the mass of the particle. To fully understand the motion of the mass and spring system there must be consideration of the energy within the system. This may be done with the help of some simple drawings. The blue lines indicate the spring and the solid red block with a blue border indicates the mass. From the figures it is possible to imagine stretching the spring, this means that there is a force acting on the mass and if it is held at this stretched point (x) the mass will have a potential energy U. should the mass be released from this point it will have a maximum velocity Vmax and a maximum Kinetic energy KEmax. The total energy in the system at any one point in time is the sum of the potential and kinetic energies. E(t)=KE+U (Eqn 8) E(t)=1/2 mà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œv(t)à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ²+1/2 kà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œx(t)à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ² (Eqn 9) By substituting the formulae for velocity and position (equations three and four) into the energy equation it is possible to simplify this further. E(t)= 1/2 kA ² [à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œsinà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡(ωt)à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ²+à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œcosà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡(ωt)à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚ ² ] (Eqn 10) E(t)=1/2 kA ² (Eqn 11) The elegance of this simple algebra is that for an oscillating mass on a spring the energy in the system at any given point in time is completely independent of time. If there are dissipative or driving affects occurring during the oscillations then the amount of energy in the system will change, however for a closed system this fact holds true. This equation occurs in many areas of physics, for much more complex systems than a single mass on a spring. These equations can be applied to pendulums, resonant electrical circuits (RLC circuits) (Mispelter, 2006: 35) such as those used to detect Radio and TV signals, or even in quantum mechanics and the time independent Schrodinger equation, where it is found that a quantum harmonic oscillator, such as a particle in a potential well (Schrà ¶dinger, 1926: 1054), is one of the few quantum mechanical problems that it is possible to find analytical answers for. If the Hamiltonian for such a system is examined it is shown that its structure is very similar to that of equation nine (Schrà ¶dinger, 1926: 1057; Levitt, 2012: 144). H ÃÅ'‚= p ÃÅ'‚/2m+1/2 mω ² x ÃÅ'‚ ² (Eqn 12) p ÃÅ'‚ is the momentum operator that forms the kinetic half of the Hamiltonian and x ÃÅ'‚ is the position operator which calculates the potential part of the Hamiltonian (Schrà ¶dinger, 1926: 1052). It is obvious that the simple classical physics still applies to this quantum system. These are some of the situations where this type of motion is observed and the table shows how the equations are manipulated to fit the system under examination ( Hayek , 2003; 562; Mispelter, 2006: 38; Dirac, 1958: 108; Boylsestad, 2010: 871). In conclusion the mass and spring system’s motion is elegantly described by some simple mathematics that can be manipulated to suit systems that have external forces acting on the motion of the system. The beauty of this is that the mathematics can then be applied to much more complex systems. References: Boylestad, Robert. (2010) Intrductory Circuit Analysis, 12th edition. Pearson. Dirac, P. A. M. (1958). The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, 4th edition. Oxford University Press Hayek, S. I. 2003. Mechanical Vibration and Damping. Encyclopaedia of Applied Physics. Levitt, M. (2012). Spin Dynamics, Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 2nd edition. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Mispelter, J. (2006) NMR probeheads for biophysical and biomedical experiments: theoretical principles practical guidelines. Imperial College Press. Schrà ¶dinger, E. (1926). An Undulatory Theory of the Mechanics of Atoms and Molecules. Phys. Rev. 28 (6) pp 1049-1070. Serway, R. A., Jewett, J. W., Serway, R. A. (n.d.). Physics for scientists and engineers, with modern physics. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Brooks/Cole.