Should the U.S. reinstitute corporal punishment Essay

Should the U.S. reinstitute corporal punishment - Essay Example Corporal punishment is diminutive of personal respect to each person. I believe that each person in entitled to a respect of his dignity. And this type of punishment is unacceptable. According to research, corporal punishment has not been effective as means of instilling morals and solving social problems. This type of punishment threatens the physical well being of a person. According to research, corporal punishment also results in depression, anxiety, stress and other emotional related problems. In the bible, there are conflicting provisions when it comes to corporal punishment. According to Robinson (2005), there are passages that contain or recommend the use of the physical pain to discipline children. One of these passages can be found in Prov 22:14 which states that â€Å"Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell (Shoel).† Some of those conservative Christians or followers of the Bible require parents to use corporal punishment. However, the so-called Golden Rule is telling us another point. Jesus always teaches us the theme to treat others as you would wish to be treated. But who wants to be paddled, spanked or whipped? Every person does not like to be inflicted with pain.

Samoa Islands Essay Example for Free

Samoa Islands Essay Samoa is a group of islands located in the south pacific, approximately halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii. It consists of two main islands, Upolu and Savaii. Samoa is well-known for its natural beauty and landscape. Samoa is very much a tourist destination. Tourists are attracted to the strong commitment to sport, Samoan cuisine, Samoan lifestyle, natural attractions, and traditional aspects such as tattooing and ceremonial occasions. Although, on the contrary, Samoa has big disadvantages for being located in the pacific region as natural disasters are a reoccurrence in its history. The most recent being the 2009 Tsunami, killing approximately 200 people. The Samoan reputation has also recently become corrupted because of unsettling between Samoans and Tongans. Although this is news to Australians, this conflict between Samoa and Tonga has a long history behind it. Religion Samoa is mostly a Christian country. The law is very much based on Christian ethics and churches are located in every village. The most common denominations are EFKS, Mormonism, Catholicism and Assembly of God. Only recently are modern churches such as Pentecostal Christian churches and even Muslim. Religion is very much apart of Samoan culture, and practiced within the family unit. Sport Samoans enjoy lots of sports, for example popular sports include volley ball, touch footy, cricket and rugby union. Samoans have had teams compete in the Commonwealth Games; they have won gold medals for weightlifting and bronze medal in athletics. Samoans also have a successful national rugby team, Manu Samoa, who won the Rugby Sevens last year. Tattoos The traditional Samoan tattooing is called the pe’a, the body tattoo. Originally, the pe’a was only tattooed on those Samoans with a ‘matai’ title, which is a chief role where they are named representatives of their families or villages. So the ‘matai’ title was traditionally extremely respected within the Samoan culture.

Comparing three poems from different cultures :: English Literature

Comparing three poems from different cultures Introduction The three poems that I will be comparing are ‘Presents from my aunts in Pakistan’ by Moniza Alvi, ‘Half-caste’ by John Agard and ‘Island Man’ by Grace Nichols. All of these poets have mixed-race backgrounds and all of these poems are linked in with the difficulties arising from having different cultural backgrounds. Story/theme ‘Presents from my aunts in Pakistan’ is reflective of Moniza Alvi’s childhood and her experiences of being from two different backgrounds â€Å"glass circles, recall the story how the three of us sailed to England.† She tells the reader about her experiences in Pakistan, the journey from Pakistan to England and about being in England. This shows that although she is confused about her background, she remembers everything from both cultures. ‘Half-Caste’, however, is a very confrontational poem and John Agard addresses the reader personally. â€Å"Excuse me†¦explain yuself†¦yu must come back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Agard addresses the reader personally and confronts them about their opinions or beliefs of Half-caste people. He asks them to tell him what they mean by the phrase half-caste, then gives various scenarios about what they may mean which are incongruous. This puts his point across and makes people think about or change their beliefs. Conversely, ‘Island Man’ is the story of a man that used to live on an island, possibly the Caribbean, and then moved to London. This poem describes his feelings as he wakes up for the first day back in London â€Å"Comes back†¦to dull North Circular Road†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This poem also shows that he would much prefer to live on his â€Å"emerald island† than in London. This shows that the man has made a conscious decision about which part of his background he prefers and which part of his life he would like to fulfil. Emotions expressed ‘Presents from my aunts in Pakistan’ is a very sensitive poem and many emotions are expressed throughout the poem. In the first stanza, Moniza Alvi expresses excitement as she lists all of the wonderful things that her aunts have sent her from Pakistan. In the second stanza, she seems down heartened about everything and says, â€Å"never be as lovely as those clothes.† For the rest of the poem she seems confused about her background and indecisive about which background she prefers. ‘Half-Caste’, however, expresses a feeling of confrontation throughout the poem and it always seems as if John Agard wants the readers to respond to what he says but because of his hectoring tone the reader believes that they cannot. On the contrary, ‘Island Man’ has a pessimistic feel to the poem throughout. It seems as though the island man is constantly

Cost and Quality Relationship Memo Essay

Many of the reforms contained within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) are aimed at reducing health care costs and improving quality without rationing care, cutting benefits or reducing eligibility. Starting with the populations that suffer from the most difficult health conditions and have the most medical expenses makes sense. If designed and implemented properly, these reforms hold the potential to transform not only their lives, but also to serve as models for other populations. However, this promise cannot be realized without the informed and meaningful participation of patients, families and their advocates. The problem: our fragmented system There is widespread acknowledgement that our current health care system is fragmented, failing to consistently deliver high quality care, particularly to certain vulnerable people, such as: those with multiple chronic conditions, the frail elderly, people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and members of a racial or ethnic minority. These populations tend to see more physicians, have more office visits and take more medications. Too often, there is no one to coordinate this care. This failure to coordinate leads to poor care, such as: †¢ Duplicative tests or procedures †¢ Medication errors †¢ Avoidable hospital admissions †¢ Preventable hospital readmissions †¢ Unnecessary nursing home placements This fragmentation comes at a cost. Overall, health care costs represent 16 percent of our Gross Domestic Product. In 2009, we spent $2.9 trillion on health care. The cost of health care services provided to vulnerable populations is disproportionate to their numbers. For instance, 96 percent of Medicare dollars and 80 percent of Medicaid dollars are spent on patients with multiple chronic conditions. And, Medicaid and Medicare spend four times as much for the nearly nine million dually eligible beneficiaries than for non-duals. This disproportionate spending is in part because these populations have more complex health care needs. But preventable hospitalizations, complications and unnecessary nursing home admissions contribute significantly to these high costs. Improving the health delivery system for these vulnerable people will improve the quality of their lives, while also saving money. Page 2 National Health Reform and Delivery System Change, June 2010 Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization building consumer and community leadership to transform the American health care system. www.communitycatalyst.org 2 New opportunities emerging from national health care reform Noted Harvard surgeon and author Atul Gawande said it best in his December 2009 New Yorker article â€Å"Testing, Testing,† where he responded to claims that there was no master plan for improving quality and reducing costs in the then-pending national reform bills. Drawing from what’s worked in agriculture, he said that â€Å"[t]o figure out how to transform medical communities, with all their diversity and complexity, is going to involve trial and error. And this will require pilot programs – a lot of them.† Indeed, the PPACA is filled with just these types of reforms aimed at testing what works. By its very nature, it acknowledges the differences among health delivery systems. While there are too many reforms to cover, this brief aims to discuss some those that hold the most promising for states to improve the health of vulnerable populations. In exchange, designated providers receiving payment for these services must provide regular reports to the state on a set of applicable quality measures. The New Jersey Legislature is currently considering a bill that would create a primary care medical home demonstration project. Should that bill pass, New Jersey could explore taking this state option, and advocates could weigh in on the development of quality measures that are most relevant to vulnerable populations. Accountable care organizations (ACOs) The new law creates a general ACO pilot program in Medicare4 and a pediatric ACO demonstration project in Medicaid,5 in which groups of providers who work together to improve the quality of care they deliver to beneficiaries will be permitted to keep half the savings they achieve over a three-year period. Participating ACOs must promote evidence-based medicine and patient engagement, report on quality and cost measures and coordinate care. They must also demonstrate that they meet patient-centeredness criteria, such as the use of patient and caregiver assessments or the use of individualized health plans. The criteria by which a group of providers will be judged in order to qualify as an ACO will be determined by regulation issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, which will also determine the measures to be used to assess the quality of care provided by the ACO. There is already interest in New Jersey in creating an ACO demonstration project to serve urban, underserved communities. Creating a state project may position New Jersey to take advantage of the federal pilot funding. Home and community-based services (HCBS) The new law offers incentives to states that provide HCBS to individuals instead of placing them in nursing homes.6 Specifically, the law increases Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) payments to States that decrease the percentage of spending while increasing spending on HCBS.

Employment Law Brief

Employment Law Brief The Clapton Commercial Construction Company located in Detroit, Michigan, is planning to expand its business into the state of Arizona. It is a medium-sized company with 650 employees and possibly increasing an additional 20% in the new state. Prior to the move, the human resources (HR) department must be aware of applicable employment laws that may affect the business.Outlined below are brief summaries and consequences for noncompliance of the following employment laws: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), he American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (FLSA). Relevant Employment Laws Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the first employment law to consider. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in aspects of employment such as hiring, wages, assignment, promotions, benefits, and discipline. Titl e VII is the most important federal Equal Employment Opportunity law because it contains the broadest coverage, prohibitions, and remedies† (Cascio, 2013, p. 83). Under the law, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) exists o implement laws dealing with employment discrimination. According to Cascio (2013), the law was expanded in 1972 to cover almost all public and private employers with 1 5 or more employees; except private clubs, religious organizations, and Indian reservations. The EEOC has the authority to conduct investigations, create resolution programs, and file lawsuits.Failure to comply with Title VII exposes the employer to both civil and criminal lawsuits with possible outcomes of fines, compensatory and punitive damages, or even imprisonment. The company may also have to reinstate or promote the affected employee. In 1991, the Act amended several statues enforced by the EEOC. Parties were able to obtain Jury trials and recover compensatory and punitiv e damages with cases involving intentional discrimination. The Act also placed monetary caps for future cases based on size of the company.Another provision was enforcement of those American controlled companies abroad. The next employment law to consider is the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. This law applies to employers regardless of size and every employee regardless of status: full-time, part time, or seasonal. The IRCA prohibits employers rom hiring or continuing to employ personnel which are not legally authorized to work in the United States. The Clapton Commercial Construction Company is expanding business to Arizona with the intent of increasing the number of employees by 20%.The company must consider the demographics of that area with regard to potential employees and take measures to ensure an employee has documents to work legally in the United States, such as a passport or resident alien card. Other examples are located on the Employment Eligibility Verific ation 1-9 form that potential employees are required to complete. Penalties for noncompliance may esult in fines for each violation and denial of federal contracts. According to the Department of Homeland Security (2013), in fiscal year 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed more than 392,000 illegal workers nationwide.The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is another law to consider. â€Å"Almost 13% of people ages 21 to 64 in the United States have at least one disability, a percentage that more than doubles to 30. 2% for people ages 65 to 74† (Cascio, 2013, p. 89). The ADA prohibits an employer from discriminating against a qualified person with a disability. A qualified person is someone who can perform the essential unctions of a Job with or without accommodation. The physical or mental impairment that limits one or more major life activities is called a disability, such as seeing, walking, hearing, or talking.The ADA expanded protection of drug and alcohol rehabilitation and those individuals who have tested positive for HIWAIDS. The ADA applies to private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions. The Clapton Commercial Construction Company is not required to lower work standards or tolerate misconduct on the Job; however, reasonable accommodations must be made to assist ualified Job applicants. For example, the company can purchase a computer screen magnifying glass for the vision impaired. The EEOC enforces the provisions outlined in the ADA.

Online IT Degree Programs Make Career Changes Easy Essays

Online IT Degree Programs Make Career Changes Easy Essays Online IT Degree Programs Make Career Changes Easy Essay Online IT Degree Programs Make Career Changes Easy Essay Essay Topic: Easy As many career fields suffer from layoffs and downsizing, those in the computer industry have largely escaped. Programmers, support staff, designers and more are still in high demand in many companies. If it’s time to turn in your present career for something that offers more stability and marketability, an online IT degree might be right up your alley. Going online for an IT degree, an online MBA or even a Masters in Education can be an incredibly wise choice to make. This is especially so if you are presently employed and would like to keep it that way. Just about any online degree, be it in nonprofit management or computers, will allow the flexibility you need to work during the day and learn at night. For those seeking on online IT degree, the road won’t necessarily be â€Å"easy,† but this platform certainly does make it more convenient to earn the credentials it often takes to succeed in this field. So, what can you expect from online courses? The answer, in a nutshell, is just about everything you’d experience in a classroom setting, minus the commute. Depending on the school and exact structure of a class, you are likely to have: Homework – This will be a part of any online degree program. In most cases, classes will have a set professor that oversees online lectures, homework and even special projects. Some programs even hook students and teachers up via closed chat rooms for lectures and other learning opportunities. Tests – Don’t expect to slide out with an online IT degree from any accredited program without being tested. As it is with any college course, performance standards will be put in place that students must attain to gain credits. An online IT degree can open doors on a career that is fairly stable in these times. If your present job is shaky, it might be time to consider retraining in a setting that’s convenient and more flexible than you likely think.

Mending Wall essays

Mending Wall essays Mending Wall Biography Robert Frost was inspired to write Mending Wall after talking with one of his farming friend Napoleon Guay. He learned from talking with his neighbor that writing in the tones of real life is an important factor in his poetic form (Liu,Tam). Henry David Thoreau once stated that, A true account of the actual is the purest poetry. Another factor that might have played a role in inspiring Frost to write this poem was his experience of living on a farm as a small boy. Mending Wall was published in 1915 along with a collection of Frosts poems in North of Boston. Theme Statements Nature dissolves the barriers that humanity erects. The purpose of the wall in this poem was to isolate ones personality and privacy. In line one and thirty-five, Something there is that doesnt love a wall reveals that nature has no boundaries, and because it, doesnt love the wall, nature attempts destroy that boundary to bring humanity and the environment together in a harmonious bond. Natu re has made, ... gaps even two can pass abreast, shows how nature has made a hole big enough for one person to walk across, and towards another persons property to talk. But, it also shows how humans are still unknowingly walling one another out from each others lives. Tradition undermines the desire for change. As the poem progresses it gradually changes from young ideals to old tradition. The old man in the end, is presenting what he learned from his father through tradition. In line 43, He will not go behind his fathers saying, it clearly states that he will not stray from his fathers teachings and the tradition set by his antecedents. Why change something they isnt broken? Even though the youth has his points as in lines 24-26, He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across/ And eat the cones under his pine...

Celsius Temperature Scale Definition

Celsius Temperature Scale Definition The Celsius temperature scale is a common System Internationale (SI) temperature scale (the official scale is Kelvin). The Celsius scale is based on a derived unit defined by assigning the temperatures of 0 °C and 100 °C to the freezing and boiling points of water, respectively, at 1 atm pressure. More precisely, the Celsius scale is defined by absolute zero and the triple point of pure water. This definition allows easy conversion between the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales, such that absolute zero is defined to be precisely 0 K and  Ã¢Ë†â€™273.15  Ã‚ °C. The triple point of water is defined to be  273.16  K (0.01  Ã‚ °C; 32.02  Ã‚ °F). The interval between one degree Celsius and one Kelvin are exactly the same. Note the degree is not used in the Kelvin scale because it is an absolute scale. The Celsius scale is named in honor of Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomer who devised a similar temperature scale. Before 1948, when the scale was re-named Celsius, it was known as the centigrade scale. However, the terms Celsius and centigrade dont mean precisely the same thing. A centigrade scale is one which has 100 steps, such as the degree units between freezing and boiling of water. The Celsius scale is thus an example of a centigrade scale. The Kelvin scale is another centigrade scale. Also Known As: Celsius scale, centigrade scale Common Misspellings: Celcius scale Interval Versus Ratio Temperature Scales Celsius temperatures follow a relative scale or interval system rather than an absolute scale or ratio system. Examples of ratio scales include those used to measure distance or mass. If you double the value of mass (e.g., 10 kg to 20 kg), you know the doubled quantity contains twice the amount of matter and that the change in the amount of matter from 10 to 20 kg is the same as from 50 to 60 kg. The Celsius scale does not work this way with heat energy. The difference between  10  Ã‚ °C and 20  Ã‚ °C  and that between  20  Ã‚ °C and 30  Ã‚ °C  is 10 degrees, but a  20  Ã‚ °C temperature does not have twice the heat energy of a  10  Ã‚ °C temperature. Reversing the Scale One interesting fact about the Celsius scale is that Anders Celsius original scale was set to  run in the opposite direction. Originally the scale was devised so that water boiled at 0 degrees and ice melted at 100 degrees! Jean-Pierre Christin proposed the change. Proper Format for Recording a Celsius Measurement The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) states that a Celsius measurement should be recorded in the following manner: The number is placed before the degree symbol and unit. There should be a space between the number and the degree symbol. For example,  50.2  °C  is correct, while 50.2 °C or 50.2 °Ã‚  C are incorrect. Melting, Boiling, and Triple Point Technically, the modern Celsius scale is based on the triple point of Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water and on absolute zero, meaning neither the melting point nor boiling point of water defines the scale. However, the difference between the formal definition and the common one is so small as to be insignificant in practical settings. There is only a 16.1 millikelvin difference between the boiling point of water, comparing the original and modern scales. To put this into perspective, moving 11 inches (28 cm) in altitude changes the boiling point of water one millikelvin.

Communication research techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Communication research techniques - Essay Example The positivist view is sometimes referred to as a scientist ideology, and is often shared by technocrats who believe in the necessity of progress through scientific progress, and by Naturalism, who argue that any method for gaining knowledge should be limited to natural, physical, and material approaches. As an approach to the philosophy of science deriving from Enlightenment thinkers like Pierre-Simon Laplace (and many others), positivism was first systematically theorized by Comte, who saw the scientific method as replacing metaphysics in the history of thought, and who observed the circular dependence of theory and observation in science. Comte was thus one of the leading thinkers of the social evolutionism thought. Comte was heavily influential to Brazilian thinkers. They turned to his ideas about training scientific elite in order to flourish in the industrialization process. Some Brazilians were intrigued by this model that was present in the French revolution and Enlightenment ideas. However, this created issues with the church because these positivist ideas were secular and encouraged the separation of Church and state. Brazil's national motto, Ordem e Progresso ("Order and Progress") was taken from Comte's positivism, also influential in Poland. Positivism is the most evolved stage of society in anthropological evolutionism, the point where science and rational explanation for scientific phenomena develops. In a positivist view of the world, science was seen as the way to get at truth, to understand the world well enough so that we might predict and control it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positivism) In light of positivism and post-positivism, researchers and scientists should endeavor to always think about the assumptions made about the world during the conducting of research. Post positivism Post-positivism is also called post-empiricism, and is a meta-theoretical stance following positivism. One major advocate of post-positivism was Sir Karl Popper. Others like Nicholas Rescher and John Dewey have also been mentioned in connection with post positivism. Post positivism is a research position or mentality that recognizes most of the criticisms that have been identified against traditional logical positivism, but is also critical about the misconceptions about positivism itself. Thus, post-positivists believe that human knowledge is not based on unchallengeable, rock-solid foundations; it is conjectural. But they think we do have real grounds, or warrants, for asserting these beliefs or conjectures, although these warrants can be modified or withdrawn in the light of further investigation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postpositivism) One very common form of post-positivism is a philosophy known as critical realism. Critical realism postulates that there is a reality that can be scientifically studied, which is independent of our thoughts. This contrasts with the subjectivist view which holds that there is no external reality, and that we are all making this up. Positivists are also realists. The difference between positivism and po

Corporate Governance in the United Kingdom Essay

Corporate Governance in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The rules-based approach to corporate governance was largely influenced by the Sharbanes and Oxley Act in the USA, which enshrined that the management and the board of an organization are expressly accountable for the financial reports that are published by their organization. (Mallin, 2005) Penalties are put in place for any instances of transgression as wells as setting rules on corporate governance which are also applicable to a company’s subsidiaries. This approach issues liability to directors in case of mismanagement, improves the communication of important issues to an organisation’s shareholders, improves the confidence that investors and the public have in the company, improves the internal control measures that a company puts in place as well as improving an organisation’s overall governance structures. Therefore, this approach is essential in the establishment of the minimum standards of practice that all should abide by. The principles-based approach to corporate governance on the other hand, is a complete contrast to the rules-based approach. This is because instead of the use of hard and strict rules to reform corporate governance as is the case with rules-based approach, the principles-based approach influences a broad set of practices that meet the expectations of all stakeholders. Thus the organization adheres to the spirit rather than adhering to what the code stipulates. This approach is largely used in the UK and is a listing requirement by the stock exchange. (Tricker, 2004) Those that champion the use of this approach argue that by setting up rules that all should follow; the rules-based approach does not speculate the invention of imaginative ways to get around the rules by some organisations. Principles-based approach is the best approach to use for those organisations that do not only want to abide by the minimum standards that are put in place; the implementation of this approach impresses all stakeholders in an or ganization. Part 2 Role of Institutional Investors in a Business Institutional investors are basically organisations which invest money in securities, real property and any other investment assets held in their name or held in trust for others like investment funds and pension funds. Corporate governance codes and principles have over the years stressed the importance of institutional investors in corporate governance. Not only are institutional investors being significantly influential in their home countries, through their increased cross-border ventures, institutional investors are also becoming an integral element in other countries as well. The global financial crisis triggered corporate governance reforms which subsequently stressed on the crucial role that institutional investors play. (Tricker & Mallin, 2005) The Cadbury Report in 1992 accentuated on the role of institutional investors by stating that, ‘We look to the institutions in particular  to use their influenc e as owners to ensure that the companies in which they have invested comply with the Code’. (Tricker & Mallin, 2005) It is the role of institutional investors to ensure that there is a mutual understanding with the company regarding the objectives of the firm. Institutional investors should also evaluate companies’ governance structures, laying particular emphasis on the board structure and composition. The third main role of instituti

Project management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Project management - Case Study Example The company is seeking to recruit a new project manager to lead the project. This paper has set the recommendations necessary and recommends the vice president to use the score model to come up with the best solution. ABS has in recent years acquired two companies, which are General Maritime Protection and the Western general insurance in Calgary. These two acquisitions positioned it as a major insurer in Canada. These companies function autonomously up to this date even after the merging of the three companies under a single legal entity. That is why an IT strategic plan was necessary which provided an IMSP, which could be shared by the HRM, financial management and sales and marketing management. The IMSP could lead the ABS Canada to solve these underlying problems. Vice president Jean Roberge felt that he needed a project manager to help him with the IMSP project. This project was an important one for the organization since it could enable the three companies solves their underlying problems. That is why an ideal project manager is important. Jean Roberge should come up with a checklist and then use the scoring model to select the ideal project manager (Kloppenborg, 2011). The first step involves him coming up with a list analyzing and indicating the purposes of the project and decides which ability is more important to realize the purpose of the project. He should consider IT technical ability and the negotiation abilities between the three companies should be considered. The next stage is for Jean Roberge to consider the most important aspects of each criterion with considerations of the project’s blueprint. He then finds all the candidates and scores them according to their scores. He is then supposed to use the scoring model to get the rightful candidate. He obtains this by multiplying the scores of the criterion with their corresponding weight. It is important that

Marketing Communications Models and Their Application to Adidas Research Paper

Marketing Communications Models and Their Application to Adidas - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that Adidas Company deals with sports shoes and clothing. It is a maker and a designer of sports ware. The company has its headquarters in Germany.   The company’s acquisition of Reebok was fundamental for its operations. This is because the acquisition gave the company a competitive advantage. The company managed to acquire a considerable market share. The company is responsible for the sale of products used in a variety of sporting activities including cricket, basketball, football and other activities. The products offered by the corporation are availed in all countries of the globe. The company employs strategic marketing, with an objective of improving the brand strength, acquiring a competitive advantage and raising its performance in terms of finances. The subsidiaries in other countries receive management information from the headquarters in Germany. Statistics on sports apparel usage indicate a possibility of an increase i n sports equipment market value. From 2008 to present, the market value has been rising, an implication that Adidas can benefit from the market growth by attracting customers through appropriate marketing plans. Situation analysis involves the analysis of the company by considering political, economic, social and technological factors. The analysis takes into account both the strengths plus weaknesses of Adidas. One of the current strengths of the company is the political stability that exists in the United Kingdom. This enables the company to performs well as the political environment plays a significant role in business operations. Political challenges that Adidas might face is the influence of regime policies on the purchase of goods. The company is subject to both the challenges and strengths that relate its economic environment. The company has already established a strong economic base thus; it is possible to maintain its status through adequate strategic management. Adidas en counters challenges in cases of unstable interest rates likely to result in inflation. The company benefits from the high population that exists in towns.

Answer the question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Answer the question - Assignment Example The teacher would implement a humanist view to teaching and learning in some ways. First, whenever possible, allow each student to choose the activities to complete. They would also teach their students to set attainable academic goals. Finally, the teacher would allow students to participate in group work. Terms frequently used in education are often difficult to define because there are different types of definitions. Constitutive definitions, such as those used in the dictionary, use alternative words to define a term(Fraenkel & Wallen, 2009). The terms can also be defined by example. An operational definition is the working definition of a term for a specific research undertaking. Usually, to develop a working definition, the researcher will modify scholarly definitions of a term to adapt it to their research setting, or assign a value to the term. The term "excellence" may be defined operationally by quantifying excellence. Suppose a researcher investigates the relationship between class attendance and academic excellence. The researcher may define academic excellence as a mean grade of B and above. By this definition, a student who scores a mean grade of B or above is considered to have achieved academic excellence. Otherwise, the student who scores a grade lower than B is considered having not excelled in their studies. There is some truth in the statement that clarity of definition does not always result in effective communication(Fraenkel & Wallen, 2009). This might be the case for some reasons. First, different cultures attach different meanings to the same term. Therefore, in the event that the person defining the term and its recipient are of different cultures, the term may convey a different to the recipient from the one intended by the sender. Even when used within the same culture, a term may fail to convey the intended meaning because it carries many meanings and the person defining it has

Marketing Communications Models and Their Application to Adidas Research Paper

Marketing Communications Models and Their Application to Adidas - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that Adidas Company deals with sports shoes and clothing. It is a maker and a designer of sports ware. The company has its headquarters in Germany.   The company’s acquisition of Reebok was fundamental for its operations. This is because the acquisition gave the company a competitive advantage. The company managed to acquire a considerable market share. The company is responsible for the sale of products used in a variety of sporting activities including cricket, basketball, football and other activities. The products offered by the corporation are availed in all countries of the globe. The company employs strategic marketing, with an objective of improving the brand strength, acquiring a competitive advantage and raising its performance in terms of finances. The subsidiaries in other countries receive management information from the headquarters in Germany. Statistics on sports apparel usage indicate a possibility of an increase i n sports equipment market value. From 2008 to present, the market value has been rising, an implication that Adidas can benefit from the market growth by attracting customers through appropriate marketing plans. Situation analysis involves the analysis of the company by considering political, economic, social and technological factors. The analysis takes into account both the strengths plus weaknesses of Adidas. One of the current strengths of the company is the political stability that exists in the United Kingdom. This enables the company to performs well as the political environment plays a significant role in business operations. Political challenges that Adidas might face is the influence of regime policies on the purchase of goods. The company is subject to both the challenges and strengths that relate its economic environment. The company has already established a strong economic base thus; it is possible to maintain its status through adequate strategic management. Adidas en counters challenges in cases of unstable interest rates likely to result in inflation. The company benefits from the high population that exists in towns.

GIS design and technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

GIS design and technology - Essay Example The paper tells that Geographical Information System (GIS) was created with the ability to assemble, analyze, manipulate, update, store and display information which has been geographically referenced according to the location of the data. For it to function it requires a vast amount of data hence making the projects which use GIS very expensive. Its data originate from images of satellites, maps, GPS data from survey an all other instruments which can attribute data. Before the development of Internet GIS large amount of data of different field like road networks, sewer lines, telecommunication lines and natural resources were useless as they were available in large unorganized states which makes them hard to retrieve and analyze. The creation of GIS solved this problem hence the organization of GIS databases which had all the information needed. Elangovan attributes GIS development is to different disciplines like databases, computer science, computer mapping, Computer Aided Design , remote sensing, geography, Cartography and many more. Different discipline had different functions in the GIS. Databases is used to store, manipulate and retrieval of the data. Computer mapping is used to create maps in the computer while the remote sensing is used to take satellite images. Through the combination of these and other disciplines the GIS emerged a super field which is very helpful. The development of GIS can be generally grouped into four stages of development according to Elangovan (2006, p.10). Between 1960 and 1975 there was introduction of the GIS concept. Due to this fact only few people used in mainframe computers. In between 1973 and early 1980s though many experiment and practice were done, there was little information as individuals were the one doing the research hence duplication of work. There was development of many GIS software between 1982 and late 1990s. This improved the growth of GIS. The last stage is between 1990 and 2000. In this stage there was standardization of the GIS due to the easy availability of software both for ensuring user friendliness and for a platform for working. After 2000 GIS had multi use like virtual reality, mobile mapping and web based GIS. Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965 was successful in the creation of processing of graphic data through computer aid. This fastened the development of GIS. Agencies in USA, Canada and the UK started using the GIS for the processing of large data amounts. The first to use GIS was the Canada government. The Canadian government used the GIS for management of land and other resources. The US government used the GIS for Geographical Retrieval and Analysis System (GIRAS) which is used to analyze data on the use of land and land cover. In 1970s the Swedish bank on land data used the GIS to make the registration of land and properties automatic. After the development of Geographical Information Mapping and Management System (GIMMS) by the University of Minnesota , in 1963, there was publishing of the Atlas of Britain through the use of information in the GIS. It was printed by the Bickmore and his team of cartography. In 1970 there was publishing of the first multicolour map in Britain. The production of commercial GIS was done by the Harvard Graphic labs in 1970. There was also creation of many cartographic packages like GIMMS, GRID, GEOMAP and MAP. Between 1970s and 1980s there was development of many GIS packages. In 1975 after the first academic meeting about GIS in the UK there was release of the

Ellasaurus Product Essay Example for Free

Ellasaurus Product Essay Ellen will use some copyrighted illustrations from her books on the Website. She will also include themes from the story lines of her books in some of the games that will be available (free) on the site to registered visitors. What are at least two intellectual property issues that might arise in the operation of the website? The first intellectual issue in the operation of the website will be in relation to the copyrighted illustration and contents which will be used on the website. Ellen will need to ensure that such use of copyrighted content does not violate intellectual property laws and due permission and authorization is taken from the owners of such copyrighted content, ie, the publisher of the books. Secondly, the games used on the website should be proprietary and if such games are taken from another website, permission from the owner of such content should be taken in advance. Ellen cannot display any proprietary or copyrighted content from another website or from any other source. Permission should be taken in advance and legal formalities should be completed before using any such material. What are some of the potential ethical issues that Ellen faces because of the ages of her intended audience? The primary ethical issue, due to the age of the target audience, is that the content of the website should be carefully developed so as to ensure that it is fully appropriate for the children and kids visiting the website. The owner of the websites should be ethically conscious in creating content that does not impart any wrong message to small kids and should enhance their knowledge and does not result in any harm. For example, the site should not display pornographic content. What are some of the laws with which the site must comply with when it registers site visitors under the age of 13? What are some recommendations regarding how Ellen can best comply with those laws? One of the laws is that the site does not knowingly collect or solicit Personally Identifiable Information from or about children under 13 except as permitted by law. Another one is that Company will not disclose information collected from children under the age of thirteen (13) (or from adults for that matter) to third parties unless indicated otherwise or in special cases where Company has reason to believe that disclosure is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference (whether intentionally or unintentionally) with Companys rights or property or anyone else who may be harmed by such actions or if required by law Ellen can best comply with such laws by hiring the services of a lawyer or legal professional who has significant expertise with cyber laws.

Impact of Down Syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis

Impact of Down Syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis Chantelle Bailey In this assignment I will discuss the using research to explain the impact of Down syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis on the individual and the society (family, NHS, family, friends and schooling). I will also identify specific examples of chromosome mutations and why they are so significant to each one (mentioned above). Downs Syndrome Down’s syndrome (Down syndrome) is a genetic disorder that causes some level of learning disabilities and a distinctive kind of physical features. There are three types of Down syndrome which I will talk about individually these are Trisomy 21, Translocation and Mosaicism. These are the chromosome mutations which cause Down syndrome. Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder triggered by an error in cell division. This is when a person has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the normal two copies. This disorder can lead to impairments in both mental ability and physical development that can range from minor to moderate developmental disabilities. A lot of babies born with Down’s syndrome are diagnosed with the disorder after birth these babies are likely to have some of the following. Have reduced muscle tone which can lead to floppiness (hypotonia) Their eyes will slant upwards and outwards. They might have a palmar crease where they only have one crease across their palm. There average weight and length might be below a normal baby. They might have a small nose and flattened nasal bridge. A smaller mouth A sandal gap (where they have a big space between their first and second toe. Children with Down syndrome may share some common physical traits; they do not all look the same. Their personalities will vary and their ability to do things. All babies born with Down syndrome will have some form of learning disability it will be different to each individual child. In some circumstances, babies who have the disorder are identified before birth through antenatal screening for Down’s syndrome. If you have positive results for Down syndrome there will be further tests available to decide how likely it is. The screening tests won’t tell you for definite if your baby has Down’s syndrome. The only definite way to see if your baby has Downs syndrome is to take a sample of the baby’s blood. Antenatal screening is offered to pregnant women of any age for genetic disorders. However the disorder is still often diagnosed after birth, so they can see the physical characteristics of the baby. Antenatal screening is a way to assess the possibility of your baby having or developing and abnormality disorder during pregnancy. The test should be offered at the end of the first trimester (11-13 weeks). It is possible to have the screening up to 20 weeks of pregnancy although you may have to have more blood tests. The screening tests can help reassure you that your baby has no detected abnormalities, help give you time to be ready for the arrival of baby who has additional needs and enable you to come to a decision about maybe even terminating the pregnancy. The testing can provide vital information for the care you receive during your pregnancy. However no test can ensure your baby will be born without an abnormality of some kind as some abnormalities may remain undetected. If your test comes back as high you might be offered pre-natal diagnostic tests. This is where they will find how likely it is that your baby will be born with a suspected condition (will never be 100% accurate). The testing they used to diagnose during pregnancy is known as the â€Å"combined test† this will include a blood test and ultrasound scan. A sample of your blood is taken and tested this is to check the levels of certain hormones and proteins. If your blood test comes back which contains abnormal levels of these substances (proteins and hormones), you will have an increased chance of having a baby with Down’s syndrome. When you have an ultrasound scan (nuchal translucency) they will measure the fluid behind the baby’s neck the thickness of this fluid will help in determining whether or not your baby is likely to have downs syndrome. If your baby has a chance of this condition you may be advised by the doctor to have further tests. These tests will probably be Chronic villus sampling or amniocentesis (this will happen whilst the baby is in the womb). Both of these tests carry complications but you will be told about them when you have these tests. Chronic villus sampling (CVS) comprises of taking a sample of the placenta for closer examination. CVS is performed after 10 weeks of pregnancy. The sample is done by passing a small needle through your abdomen or vagina and neck of your womb (cervix). The needle is guided into the correct position whilst having an ultrasound scan. The sample will be sent for testing and the results will come back to let you know of your baby has Down’s syndrome. The complications which can arise from this test are infection, heavy bleeding and even miscarriage. 1 in every 100women will miscarry following CVS. Amniocentesis comprises of a small sample of the fluid which surrounds the baby (amniotic fluid) for closer examination. This test is usually carried out after 15 weeks of pregnancy and can be done up to week 22. The same way CVS is taken through the abdomen will be used for this test and with an ultrasound scan. They will use a syringe and take a sample of the fluid and will be sent for testing. The complications which can arise from this is infection and injury to you or your baby. There is also a 1 in 100 chance of miscarriage the same with CVS. When you are informed of the outcome of your tests you might find this difficult to deal with. Obviously there will be an impact on not only your lives but also going through with the pregnancy. The baby will need more attention than a normal baby throughout its life so the impact can be difficult. The parents will be offered counselling where they can discuss this and the impact of this. It will help to make an informed decision whether or not to carry on with the pregnancy. After the birth of your baby (when you have gone ahead with the pregnancy) is when the initial diagnosis is made based upon your baby’s physical appearance. For a doctor to definitely diagnose Down’s syndrome they eill do a blood test called karyotype (this is where the chromosomes in the blood are analysed) if the results come back and it has found your baby has an extra 21 chromosome your baby will be officially diagnosed with Down’s syndrome. Like I mentioned before there are three types of Down’s syndrome and I will go through each one and explain what they are. Trisomy 21(nondisjunction) Trisomy 21 is when there is an error in the cell division called â€Å"nondisjunction†. Nondisjunction is a result of an embryo with three copies of the chromosome 21 instead of the normal two copies. In the normal process of reproduction, the egg and the sperm start out with the normal 46 chromosomes. The egg and the sperm will undergo cell division this is where the 46 chromosomes are divided into half and the egg and sperm cells end up with 23 each. When the egg and the sperm fertilize the baby will end up with a complete set of chromosomes half from the mother and the other half from the father. Sometimes though, an error occurs, when the 46 chromosomes are being split. Sometimes the egg or the sperm will keep both copies of the chromosome 21 instead of just having one copy. When fertilized the baby will end up with having 3 #21 chromosomes and this is called â€Å"trisomy 21† or Down’s syndrome. This is a typical cell division. 23 chromosomes from the egg and the sperm. Resulting, in 46 chromosomes. This is Trisomy 21 starting With the normal 46 chromosomes and cell division which results in 47 chromosomes. Translocation This type of Down syndrome is caused by rearranged chromosome material. Just like in trisomy 21 there are three #21 chromosomes, but one of the #21 chromosomes is attached to another chromosome instead of being separate. The extra #21 chromosomes is what causes the health problems associated with Down’s syndrome. In translocation Down syndrome the extra #21 chromosome might be attached to #13 or #14 chromosome. A room full of 100 Down syndrome babies you might not be able to pick out the one who had translocation Down’s syndrome. (fastbleep.com) How do these chromosomes get stuck together? A chromosome is made up of two arms connected by the centromere. In humans the # 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22 have very short arms and contains very little useful information, theses are called acrocentric chromosomes.

History of the city of Florence Essays -- Italy European History Essay

History of the city of Florence In the entire scope of history there are few civilizations that have left their own unique imprint upon the rest of the world as well as influencing future generations like the city of Florence. Only a handful of nations can claim the cultural, financial, social, and artistic accomplishments that this city can. Throughout the history of approximately three thousand years Florence has proven to be an impressively resilient civilization that takes pride in itself and has been a leader in Italy and worldwide. From the founding Etruscan people, to Dante and Boccaccio, to the Medici family the Florentine people have proven themselves to be remarkable in many areas of life. This paper will trace the different stages of the Florentine civilization from its foundations, to its emergence from the Middle Ages, to the period of the Renaissance, and finally to its transition to become part of the nation of Italy. Early Florence The first people to settle the area that was to become Florence were the Etruscans who probably arrived around 1,000 B.C. by sea from Asia Minor.[i]? Current day archeologists and historians think fighting was common to the area because the Etruscans settled in walled cities built on high, unapproachable hills which would be hard to attack. Fiesole was one such city which was conquerored by the Romans around 300 B.C. along with the surrounding areas. As is turned out, this defeat was beneficial to the native people because it provided secure trade routes protected by the Roman military. The ability to travel and trade more freely prompted these people to move their civilization to the banks of the Arno River not far from the site of modern day Florence.[ii]... ...ucker, p. 58. [xxi] Lweis, p. 140. [xxii] Levey, p. 180. [xxiii] Levey, p. 236. [xxiv]? Colonel G.F. Young, The Medici (New York; Modern Library, 1933), p. 286. [xxv] Levey, p. 254. [xxvi] Levey, p. 256. [xxvii] Young, p. 332. [xxviii] Young, p. 364. [xxix] Levey, p. 321. [xxx] J. Lucas-Dubreton, Daily Life in Florence In the Time of the Medici (New York; MacMillan, 1961), p.? 287. [xxxi] Levey, p. 332. [xxxii]? George Holmes ed., The Oxford History of Italy (Oxford; Oxford Univ Press, 1997), p. 115. [xxxiii] Holmes, p. 115. [xxxiv] Holmes, p. 116. [xxxv] Holmes, p. 126. [xxxvi] Levey, p. 432. [xxxvii] Levey, p. 440. [xxxviii] Levey, p. 432. [xxxix] Levey, p. 456. [xl] Lewis, p. 182. [xli] Lewis, p. 183. [xlii] Levey, p. 456. [xliii] Lewis, p. 189. [xliv] Holmes, p. 229. [xlv] Holmes, p. 215.

Families, Transitions & Attachments Essay

A. Overview Families are interesting and challenging to both teach and research because of their variability and proposing new theories and conclusions derived from the thousands of experiences. By trying to centralize an ideology or understanding of one’s unique family, it becomes challenging to interpret or draw a universal conclusion or pattern of behavior that causes certain things throughout the other family unit. * What are the ways in which the relationship between Angela and her father has changed from childhood to adolescence? * Emotionally distant nor physically close or affectionate * Uses a different tone with her father—â€Å"silent contempt† * Envious of the mutual adoring relationship her father shares with her younger sister * â€Å"When someone compliments your parents it’s like nothing to say.† – Angela * Gives her Dad the cold shoulder and unappreciative * Quick to criticize and judge him B. Family Life Cycles 1) John Hill- described a systems perspective on adolescent development * In order to understand the changes in an adolescent, one must observe the parent changes, too * Parents are going through â€Å"middle age† — dealing with more responsibility at work, making them more stressed and distracted * Parents are facing the end of the child-bearing years * As kids reach adolescence and gains all these cognitive capacities, they become a force within the family (i.e. â€Å"a new roommate or adult moving into the family†) causing a need for adjustment, thus dramatically changing the family system 2) Beyond storm and stress * Not universal * Most adolescents do not go through this intense period of storm and stress; a good relationship with the emerging adolescent between their parent can lessen the intensity * More stressful for parent b/c they’ve invested so much time and energy into their child to then let it lead to conflict and arguments * With age and a teenager’s unlikeliness to just go along with what they’re told illicit more persistent and louder conflict (i.e. temper tantrum of an 8-year-old and a 15-year-old is completely more ‘storm and stress’ at different ages) C. Adolescent Autonomy and Relatedness (Initial Overview) 1) Seesaw Model * There needs to be a healthy balance between autonomy and relatedness (or dependence) relationship with parents and friends 2) Multi-dimensional Mode * There’s connection and individuality coexisting when the two aren’t in opposition with one another D. Goals of Attachment Theory 1) Beyond â€Å"Loving† Parents * Problem with this statement: every parents loves their children no matter the circumstances or their treatment towards them, therefore love isn’t enough 2) Everyone (almost) gets attached – Humans are hardwired to get attached to other people/mammals (due to our long period of gestation out of all the species) * Not everyone who is attached is securely attached [think of three different types of attachment and basis on the childs’ needs vs. the parents’ needs] 3) Assessment, Correlates & Predictions — Can predict popularity, success in romantic relationships, and attachment type when you have your own child

Impact of Organizational Culture in Decision Making Essay

In any organization, decision making has traditionally been put in the hands of the management or superiors. An organization’s hierarchy emerges when an organization experiences problems in coordinating and motivating employees. As an organization grows, employees increase in number and begin to specialize, performing widely different kinds of tasks; the level of differentiation increases; and coordinating employees’ activities becomes more difficult (Jones, 2004). As globalization and information technology has changed every sector of the world, business organizations have attuned to demand their leaders to make decisions quickly, without needless ado, and move on to other pressing matters. This creates the temptation to make the decision unilaterally, for the sake of speed and efficiency, and be done with it. On the other hand, it is becoming increasingly clear that healthy organizations characteristically find strength in opening up participation in decision making and empowering relevant people at all levels of the organization to contribute to the quality of the decisions made. There are two reasons for making decision making in organizations more dynamic. First, empowering people to participate in important decisions is highly motivating to them and second, broad participation infuses the decision making process with the full spectrum of knowledge and good ideas that people throughout the organization have to contribute. On the other hand, the concept of organizational culture is at the core of understanding organizational behavior such as decision making. Organizational culture involves the norms that develop in a work group, the dominant values advocated by the organization, the philosophy that guides the organization’s policies concerning employees and client groups, and the feeling that is evident in the ways in which people interact with one another. Thus, it clearly deals with basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of the organization. Taken together, these define the organization itself in crucial ways: why it exists, how it has survived, what it is about. As an organization’s culture influences decisions made by its members it also influences its members’ acceptance or rejection of decisions made by its leaders. So when an organization changes its strategy, the primary interest involves assessment of the compatibility of a decision option with the organization’s culture–where an option is defined as a possible course of action in the case of a member who is making a decision, or a proposed course of action in the case of a decision that has been made by leaders (Beach, 1996, p. 118). For example, CEOs in different industries vary considerably from one another in terms of their background characteristics and experience, an observation that has intrigued the business and academic press. For example, a widely scrutinized and publicized CEO selection decision was Apple Computer’s decision in 1985 to replace founder Steven Jobs with John Sculley, an industry outsider with virtually no experience in the technology-driven personal computer industry. The arguments in this controversial decision centered around the relative suitability of these individuals given the changing nature of the personal computer industry. As a result of changing industry conditions in which marketing and advertising were viewed as increasingly important strategic levers, Sculley’s marketing background and experience at Pepsi’s beverage operations were expected to make him a better â€Å"fit† as CEO than the technologically oriented Steve Jobs (Datta, Guthrie & Rajagopalan, 2002). In this regard, the impact of organization culture in decision making is seen to be very vital. Organizational culture is a powerful environment that reflects past experiences, summarizes them, and distills them into simplifications that help to explain the enormously complex world of the organization. Efforts to reduce this complexity through simplification processes such as imposing decision-making models on it are not likely to be very workable. In this view, therefore, the culture of the organization represents significant thinking prior to action and is implicit in the decision making behavior of the organization’s leaders. So when two organizations merge, there will be an impact in it uniting the culture as to who will make the decision and the issue of empowerment and participation. Empowerment and participation would be viewed by some leaders as losing power by giving it away to others. However, modern empowering leaders understand that one gains power by sharing it with others because in collaborative effort the power available to the group multiplies. To make this effective, this effort should be accompanied by the support of ongoing technical training and consultation to help all participants to master the group process skills that are essential to making empowerment succeed. They must also be accompanied by the development of concrete and publicly known processes through which one participates in the collaborative process.

Learning Team New System Proposal Essay

Develop a 3,500- to 4,200-word paper and a Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® slide presentation of the project, due in Week Five. The paper must include the following:  · A full description of the new system, a description of its components, and the benefit it will provide to Riordan  · A discussion of the business requirements driving the need for the system  · A discussion of the information used in the system  · A discussion of any information security and ethical concerns with the system  · A diagram of the information flow and any elements controlling proper access to the information it uses  · A description of any proposed business process changes for the system  along with flow diagrams  · A specific discussion on any Internet and mobile access components of the system  · A description of how specific business requirement would drive the project’s creation and use  · A high-level discussion of how the system will be acquired and maintained  · A discussion of the strategic role the system will play in the company  · An executive summary of the project, succinctly summarizing the rest of the material in the paper  · Four to six references In Week 2, submit the following for grade: Work on your proposal for the new system. . Identify a specific system that would help improve Riordan’s business. Define the system’s business requirements. Discuss of the info†¦ Click this link Now for Complete Course – https://bitly.com/12BkmoW Avoid handing in the first draft of your paper. Make the necessary revisions before turning it in. Write another version of it, rather than just proofreading it. Then, proofread this draft and make any needed changes. This will help you turn in the best paper possible. Computer Science – General CS Learning Team New System Proposal The following is due at the end of Week 5: Propose a new system for Riordan to use to improve its business. Develop a 3,500- to 4,200-word paper and a Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® slide presentation of the project, due in Week Five. The paper must include the following:  · A full description of the new system, a description of its components, and the benefit it will provide to Riordan  · A discussion of the business requirements driving the need for the system  · A discussion of the information used in the system  · A discussion of any information security and ethical concerns with the system  · A diagram of the information flow and any elements controlling proper access to the information it uses  · A description of any proposed business process changes for the system along with flow diagrams  · A specific discussion on any Internet and mobile access components of the system  · A description of how specific business requirement would drive the project’s creation and use  · A high-level discussion of how the system will be acquired and maintained  · A discussion of the strategic role the system will play in the company  · An executive summary of the project, succinctly summarizing the rest of the material in the paper  · Four to six references In Week 2, submit the following for grade: Work on your proposal for the new system. . Identify a specific system that would help improve Riordan’s business. Define the system’s business requirements. Discuss of the information used in the system and any information security and ethical concerns with the system Format your paper and presentation consistent with APA guidelines. Submit a 700- to 1,050-word section of the paperwith the following:  · A full description of the new system, a description of its components, and the b†¦

Cultural differences in nonverbal communication Research Paper

Cultural differences in nonverbal communication - Research Paper Example The different ways of expressing nonverbal communication become pronounced especially in a multicultural context. Different cultures have different ways of expressing themselves nonverbally. However, it is worth noting that there are nonverbal communication ways which are similar across the board. One unique feature about nonverbal communication is that forms of expression used in a culture to express a particular message may not express the same message if used in another culture. Nonverbal communication forms can therefore be said to be the same across the board, but the ways they are used differs a great deal and hence the messages they communicate differ a great deal depending on how and where they are used. Because of these fundamental differences across the board, it therefore becomes possible for subjects to communicate different messages when using nonverbal communication forms in a multicultural context without their knowledge. This leads to a breakdown of communication and emergence of conflicts. This is the subject of this research paper. The paper will make a detailed discussion of cultural differences in nonverbal communication. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION A clear understanding of nonverbal communication is essential for a proper discussion of the objective of this paper. According to Martin and Friedman, nonverbal communication is a way of passing messages or/and emotions without using words. Ways in which verbal communication is expressed include â€Å"facial expression, gestures, gaze, touch and vocal cues† (Martin and Friedman 3). Davis describes nonverbal communication with more features and includes actions such as â€Å"rolling your eyes, how you look at someone, your posture, whether you move your hands, how close you stand, the tone of your voice and the speed at which you speak† (233). In the views of Prinsen and Punyanunt-Carter, nonverbal communication also includes touching and eye contact. Basically, it can be argued that no nverbal communication makes use of body organs to communicate. The manner in which the body organs are twisted or moved or altered can communicate differently. These movements of body organs are numerous and all of them cannot be mentioned in this paper. This is especially the case when different cultures are involved. Martin and Friedman argue that nonverbal communication is quite essential especially where â€Å"verbal communications are untrustworthy, ambiguous or otherwise difficult to interpret† (Martin and Friedman 3). Topan shares the same views and adds that nonverbal communication is more important than verbal communication. He argues that this is because â€Å"up to 93 percent of all communication takes place at a nonverbal and paraverbal level† (Topan 132). Davis equally concurs by saying nonverbal communication has more effect than words (233). Nonverbal communication has clearly been ranked top as the best means of true expression. Indeed, Topan argues tha t people will choose to take the message they see in place of the one they hear (136). This simply means if there is a contradiction between what one is saying verbally and nonverbally, then the message communicated nonverbally is taken as the actually intended message that is being communicated. With a good understanding of what nonverbal communication is and even more importantly its significance, it is therefore necessary to examine how different cultures express themselves nonverbally. At this point, it is

Undecided Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Undecided - Research Paper Example As international trade is complex and requires greater documentation and control, international commercial banks are actively involved in facilitating it by providing financial instruments that cater to exporters and importers. The role of commercial banks in international trade is of utmost important as they provide reliability and assurance to their clients, and provide an easy process to finance trade. This report will cover many aspects of international trade finance. It will focus on the financial instruments that are used to make payment in international trade, the parties involved in international trade finance, and trade finance methods. ... finances the trade cycle from the production till the goods are bought by the buyer and may require financing from the bank to support the production process. In most international trade transactions, the buyer and the supplier have separate banks that act as intermediaries to the transaction. Cash-in-advance The prepayment method involves cash in advance paid by the buyer to the seller. It is a risky and expensive method for the buyer but it may occur in cases where the seller is a long time business partner or a trustworthy party and the buyer is new in the market. In this scenario, the buyer will transfer the payment through his bank to the exporter’s bank account. This is the safest method of financing for exporters as they do not ship the goods till the payment is received from the importer. Letter of Credit A letter of credit is one of the most commonly used financial instruments in international trade. The letter of credit is a document that the importers bank issues pr omising to pay the exporter upon presentation of the relevant shipping documents such as bill of lading or bill of exchange in accordance with the terms agreed. This provides greater guarantee for the exporter as the bank is a more reliable creditor than any importer and it is easier for the importer as the bank will not release payment till the legal documents have been received. Although, this is riskier for the exporter as compared to the prepayment method, it is a secure was of transferring payment. The letter of credit stands even if the importer is unable to make the payment, thus the issuing bank is liable for the payment to the exporter and not the importer under the letter of credit. In cases where the exporter fears that the issuing bank’s guarantee is not sufficient, which could be

Career Goal Statement for Nursing Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Career Goal Statement for Nursing Program - Essay Example This also fulfils my childhood dream reinforced over time. I believe in integrity, honesty and diligence in handling people’s information. I am courteous and hospitable with a higher regard for the elderly. I like interacting and socializing with friends with a view to knowing emotional, physical and psychological well-being of people. My multiple skills and experience puts me in the best position for generic nursing program. I have educational courses gained from my pre-professional nursing classes. I have helped treat complicated complications affecting a larger segment of our population like performing, teaching, and supervision of blood collection procedures. I have also conducted uncomplicated and painless tests for patients with heart diseases by recording their hearts electrical activity. I would like to hone my nursing skills and attain a top nurse status in the state. My skills will allow me overcome significant complications I have seen and experience many patients undergo. I also intend to become an Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) through internship and referrals. I would like to help reduce the rising cases of heart diseases by writing and partnering with other nurses in journals, articles and magazines. Having the EKG and Phlebotomy certifications, I am destined to become a professional nurse. I have excellent report from the lead nurse in the institution I earlier worked. I have helped treat more than 15 cases of heart complications. My previous health facility, with my assistance, collected more than 1500 blood samples kept in the blood bank. I would like to become an experienced nurse with the ability to treat and handle referral cases and emergencies. I also intend to produce my own book on Phlebotomy complications and provide an objective view of this profession. I would like to become a source of consultation in health issues by helping open an EKG section of the library in the university. I would

Media Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media Response - Essay Example Reality check, they too are humans. Thus the world has to start treating them equally. In a contest they too can lose I mean do they always have to win? Amazingly, Asians are considered superheroes. But yet are they? Based on the short film by Chris Tashima and Tom Donaldson, about Sempo Sugiwara, who risked his live going against the most powerful institution in a country- The Government, just to save people he had no blood relations with. Hero or no hero it’s the perfect show of humanity. A war is not only fought using guns and swords alone, the brevity displayed in the film the Lil Tokyo Presenter shows how a single individual can make law his tool of war and use it to liberate his people (the Japanese) from the chaining bonds of the American law. I find this interesting as all the efforts bore fruits much greater than he anticipated. In the modern world, Asian Americans have been integrated in the society. They are rarely segregated as they can walk the talk in a whole different way than anyone expects! The best part is that they always stick together. My friend told a joking story when an Asian guy broke up with his American girlfriend only to hook up with an Asian American girl. This got me thinking how Asians stick and stay together like a pack of wolves! Harm one face all that’s their motto I presume. Asian Americans embrace all cultures but mostly cling to the Asian side a bit more. Anyway who can blame them? Asian culture is diverse and unique. From the food and spices all the way to martial arts there is a lot to share and discover. Personally is more into their fashion and mode of dressing. Their taste is just unarguable. As in the film Model Minority, we see that Asian Americans are depicted as going through struggles in the 21st century. The new generation of Asian Americans is faced with family drama such as parents forcing their kids to do hard subjects such as science or math. This has in turn led to the kids rebelling and dropping out

Doing Business in Russia Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Doing Business in Russia - Research Proposal Example Soviet-era management practices, a decaying infrastructure, and inefficient supply systems hinder efficient utilization of those resources. For nearly sixty years, the Russian economy and that of the rest of the Soviet Union operated on the basis of central planning meaning state control over virtually all means of production and over investment, production, and consumption decisions throughout the economy. Economic policy was made according to directives from the Communist Party, which controlled all aspects of economic activity. The central planning system left a number of legacies with which the Russian economy must deal in its transition to a market economy. The constant changes in the business environment can make business activities hard to plan for managers. Taxes in Russia are high but some reforms are implemented in order to reduce the amount of taxes paid by companies. During recent years, the government has put emphasis on reducing regulation and lowering taxes. Depending on the company’s location, the tax can vary. The thorough tax code has recently been implemented including a new VAT law and a new profits tax law. The VAT is quite similar to the EU model; however, input VAT is only recoverable when paid whereas output VAT can be accrued on a cash or accrual basis. The government actions regarding the VAT are mixed. On one hand, the Russian government decided not to apply VAT on certain actions (i.e. inter-company loans or derivatives transactions), but on the other hand, some other fields that were not concerned by VAT are now subject to it (i.e. transfer of patents, trademarks, copyrights). The new Profits tax law is lowering the tax rate to a maximum of 24 % and reduced the number of non-deductible expenses.

Conflict Resolution Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolution Essay Leaders must learn how to deal with issues that may arise among their followers. Some of these issues may consist of the leader managing conflicts, handling communication challenges among team members, or addressing organizational communication needs. The communication process is important step for the transfer and understanding of meaning between individuals when working toward a goal together (Robbins Judge, 2013). With the correct style of communication utilized leaders can help to avoid conflicts among groups. Storybook #1 How would you react when a team member is being vague and trying to spin bad news to sound more positive, thereby making it harder for the team to actually approach and resolve the issue? Communication is an essential tool for the group’s success when working together as a team. When a team member chooses to be evasive or sugar coat issues or problems with a project can result in a missed deadline or complete failure depending on how bad the problem is. If a problem arises, the best thing to do is discuss it with the entire team as soon as possible to allow time to address the issue and come up with an alternative plan. How could you encourage someone to continue to voice his or her opinion or to share an idea when you know he or she is hesitant to do so? For someone who is hesitant to share his or her opinion or idea, leaders should encourage their participation by offering some their own opinions and ideas on the matter and asking a question or two regarding his or her thoughts. Through back and forth dialogue, slowly the leader would obtain the individuals ideas and opinions on the project. By obtaining everyone on the teams thoughts, a well-informed final decision can be made on how to proceed. By doing this, the reluctant team member will believe that they have contributed to the project. Storybook #2 As a manager, how would you relay an important negative message with as little impact on your team as possible? Why would you choose this method?  As a manager, delivering any negative message is a hard thing to do. It is even harder when you are trying to do it with little impact on your team.  Communicating a negative message is a difficult task and must be handled delicately to minimize the demotivating impact of the message. Negative message routinely pop up in the business world and can impact personal relationships. It is important for managers to determine the most appropriate way to deliver a negative message to employees. Managers can deliver bad news either with the direct approach or the indirect approach. The direct approach seems to be the best used when managers want to get to the point quickly and when the bad news is not too serious. When individuals compromise they are using a direct approach to resolving conflict by giving up something to gain something (Duggan Media, n.d.). The indirect approach is best used when you need to prepare the audience for what he or she is about to discover. This method is an excellent approach because it shows compassion and shows that the leader is actually making an effort to provide options. What is the best way to handle gossip before it spreads? The best way to handle gossip before it spreads it to try to catch it as it happens. Gossip usually spreads fast therefore; I would try to capture the gossip before it gets out of hand. As a manager, gossip is the negatively spreading of rumors about someone or something so by capturing the event is a great way to establish a nice working environment for everyone. How might you handle your team’s feelings after a negative situation has occurred that does not directly affect your team but affects others around them? There are several ways to handle a team’s feelings after a negative situation has occurred. As a manager, you have to know all your team’s personalities because everyone in a negative situation handles things differently. Some may need to be left alone whereas others need more of an explanation further on the negative situation. Handling negative feelings with a team depends on the team’s individual personalities. Storybook #3: What strategies would you use to help your team alleviate stress caused by deadlines before any conflict arises? Each day managers are confronted with scenarios that require attention. These can range from balancing a budget, customer service, and conflicts within teams. Managers must determine the best way to handle these situations on a case-by-case basis.  Managers must choose the best option based upon corporate culture, persons affected, and the nature of the scenario. Conflict in the workplace is inevitable and healthy. It breeds new ideas and creativity when handled properly. Conflict among teams that disrupts productivity and risks deadlines should be handled immediately. Allowing disruptive conflict in the workplace to linger, presents a threat of missed deadlines, which results in decreased revenue. This can devalue the company and the manager’s reputation, and cause the company to miss out on future opportunities for revenue in the marketplace. An important leadership responsibility is to interpret confusing events and build consensus around. Reacting to a disruptive conflict in the workplace immediately would demonstrate the manager taking on this important role. A leader immediately stepping in willing to meet with the individual’s one-on-one and as a whole to come to an agreement demonstrates what an effective leader he or she is. A manager could easily spend minutes, hours or even days trying to figure out what is standing in the way of a team coming together and successfully meeting their deadlines, but a great leader intervenes and help everybody come together to resolve conflicts to meet his or her deadlines. Multiple perspectives often conflict with one another and it is difficult to determine the best solution. Actions sometimes support one perspective. When faced with a dilemma the leader needs clarity in identifying varying perspectives to make the best decision. Opening a communication channel between emp loyees and management is a key step in establishing a comfortable environment. Conclusion Each of the Storybook scenarios demonstrates how leaders must use different methods of communication to avoid conflicts. Leaders must analyze the situation to determine which principle or style of communication is best suited for the particular circumstance. It is the leader’s responsibility to avoid conflicts among the group and to ensure that communication is being exchanged in the correct matter among team members. References Duggan, T., Media, D. (n.d.). Indirect Direct Approaches to Conflict. Retrieved from http://www.smallbusiness.chron.com Robbins, S. R., Judge, T. A. (2013). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Nipah Virus and the Potential for Bioterrorism

Nipah Virus and the Potential for Bioterrorism Nipah Virus and the Potential for Bioterrorism Introduction Bioterrorism is considered to be one of the most talked about issues with regard to national security since the inception of the new millennium. On September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorism struck the United States with the crashing and attempted crashing of airplanes into significant economic and political buildings. This act of terror was a significant beginning to fears of what was next from terrorist groups. Even though this was not the first, and definitely not the last, terrorist threat or attempt it was definitely the most profound and unquestionably caused fear, panic and social disruption much less economic issues globally. Within days of the 9/11 attacks the awareness of American vulnerability became more evident with the media publicity of the Anthrax scares. This brought about international concerns with bioterrorism as envelopes that were filled with anthrax spores were sent to political and media sources throughout the United States and twenty-two people were infected and five deaths occurred (Ryan Glarum, 2008). Nipah is just one of many viruses that are available to terrorist groups for development as a bioweapon. In 1999 this virus was first found and noted to be very easily disseminated to humans through inhalation and ingestion. Even though there are many potential pathogens available, the Nipah virus has proven itself to be one of the most dangerous and advantageous . As the Nipah virus progressed there was fear noted by workers, families and healthcare providers in southern Asia. With a mortality rate of 40% to 100% (Lam, 2002; World Health Organization [WHO], 2009) in infected areas, and an economic impact that cost several millions to Malaysias economy, this virus has potential for significant bioterrorism. Natural History The Nipah Virus (NiV), family paramyxoviridae, was first recognized in Malaysia, South Asia in late 1998 into Spring 1999. This disease was recognized when an outbreak of sickness and death occurred among pig farmers, it infected 265 people, with 105 deaths, a mortality rate of approximately 40% (Lam, 2002). This virus was new to the scientific community and first thought to be Japanese Encephalitis (JE) which had occurred in approximately the same location years earlier. JE was also noted to infect people that were around domesticated pigs, just like the currently identified Nipah Virus (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2001). The Nipah virus was found to also have similar symptoms as those of the Hendra Virus which caused respiratory disease and encephalitis in Australia in 1994 (Fraser, 2009). The Nipah virus is considered by the CDC as a newly emerging pathogen that could be engineered for mass dissemination (Ryan Glarum, 2008; Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.). Since the onset of the Nipah virus in 1999, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been twelve significant outbreaks since the initial, with 202 persons infected and a loss of life of 146 individuals, mortality of over 72%. Two of these outbreaks, one in India in 2007 and one in Bangladesh in 2008 had mortality rates of 100%, showing the devastating effects of this virus (WHO, 2009). The initial investigation of the Nipah virus found that abattoir workers who dealt with pigs daily and those that were exposed through farming and transporting pigs were getting ill. As the investigation continued it found that the pigs were infecting the workers (zoonotic disease). After discovery, subsequently over 1.1 million pigs were disposed of to quell the transmission of the virus. This destruction of pigs was significantly devastating to the economy of Malaysia noting an estimated loss of $217 million dollars (Ryan Glarum, 2008, p. 104). Virus Transference The Nipah virus host was found to be pteropid bats (flying foxes), located in Australia and the southern areas of Asia. During expansion of farms toward the rainforests and the destruction of the rainforest for manufacturing and industry, many animals including bats had to relocate to survive. Many pig farmers in Malaysia also had large fruit orchards situated next to the pig enclosures, as growth of pig farming continued and the loss of habitat for bats persisted to change bats started to forage the nearby orchards for food. As this progression continued there was an increased chance of disease contamination to domestic animals from wildlife, and as such a significant increase in contact between pigs and bats. Therefore, greater opportunity for transmission of the Nipah virus (â€Å"Dr. Jonathan Epstein Returnsâ€Å", 2005). As the Nipah virus was investigated it was believed to have been transmitted to pigs from bats through the saliva, urine and feces of the bats which feed and nest in local orchards (â€Å"Dr. Jonathan Epstein Returnsâ€Å", 2005), near pig pens. This potential transmission probably occurred when bat secretions fell into the pig pens and were ingested by these domesticated animals. The initial human virus outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore was believed to have been from direct contact with sick pigs or their meat products, and possibly could have come from the consumption of contaminated fruit or juices from the orchards. As the virus progressed and research was done there was an established link noting person-to-person contamination through close contact (World Health Organization [WHO], 2009) Physiology of Exposure The Nipah virus seems to have many different clinical manifestations in individual animals and humans. There is a broad range of clinic signs that can point to virus infection that cause researchers and healthcare providers to not recognize patterns of initial infection, therefore not recognizing potential disease outbreaks. According to the WHO (2009), the incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) varies from four to 45 days. This significant range makes it incredibly hard to follow the virus between initial exposure and medical treatment. Recognizing that the person is showing signs of a virus, and narrowing down the specific virus, then treating it appropriately for an individual is a challenge but feasible. But with such a wide incubation period there is a possibility that viable information could be lost or not noticed. The physiological symptoms of this virus in humans is characterized by non-specific signs and symptoms to include severe headache, fever, vomiting, myalgia (muscular pain) disorientation, respiratory diseases, neurological deficits and encephalitis and in many cases may cause coma or death (Center for Infectious Disease Research Policy [CIDRAP], 2009). In pigs there is characterization of signs and symptoms depending on the age of the animal. The basic signs noted are fever, shortness of breath, muscle twitching, trembling, rear leg weakness, severe coughing, open-mouth breathing, abnormal posturing and convulsions (CIDRAP, 2009). After initial exposure and treatment follow-up research was done and in this study it was noted that there were relapses in clinic symptoms to include encephalitis up to twenty-two months later, without re-exposure. The research and that an estimated 160 patients who recovered from acute encephalitis and 89 patients who experienced asymptomatic infection received follow-up care for ‘late-onset encephalitis (neurological manifestations occurring for the first time at ten or more weeks after initial infection) or ‘relapsed encephalitis (neurological manifestations after recovery from acute encephalitis) (Halpin Mungall, 2007, p. 290). Host Sources The Nipah Virus source comes from Pteropus fruit bats (AKA: Flying Foxes), which are found in Southern Asia and Australia. In 1997 fruit bats were noted to begin foraging on flowers and nectar in trees located near orchards contiguous to infected areas (Cobey, 2005). Fruit bats were found to be the natural source of this virus and caused the transfer of the virus to pigs and human beings. As domesticated pigs were sold for breeding and transferred to other farms the virus was quickly disseminated further throughout southern Asia (Cobey, 2005). Possible Use in Biowarfare Biowarfare, and in this day and age bioterrorism, is a threat that began before the birth of Christ. According to Dr. Michael D. Phillips, M.D. one of the first recorded incidents [of bioterrorism]was in Mesopotamia. The Assyrians employed rye ergot, an element of the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which contains mycotoxins. Rye ergot was used by Assyria to poison the wells of their enemies, with limited success (Phillips, 2005, p. 32). Use of pathogens to induce sickness, death or terror has continued until present time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed the Nipah virus as a critical biological agent, Category C. Category C agents are emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination in the future because of: * Availability * Ease of production and dissemination * Potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.,  ¶ 3; (Ryan Glarum, 2008, p. 105)) With this categorization the virus is a living pathogen that can be developed as a bioweapon with the right knowledge, and equipment. For the virus to be weaponized it needs to be purified, stabilized and properly sized. Since this is a living virus the bioterrorist agent can be replicated once disseminated (Ryan Glarum, 2008). At this time, there is no information about how this virus could be manufactured to become a bioterrorist agent, but with the right knowledge the potential is there. Production Methods Since the Nipah virus has proven to be disseminated through secretions from bats and pigs, and shown to cause severe infection and death it can potentially be used as a bioterrorist agent with little changes in its basic state. If the excretions from infected bats in palm juice can cause infection and death then there is ease in distribution with a significant amount of virus. Even with these basic distribution methods there is information about the Nipah virus and its compounds being published. As knowledge continues be found about the virus and information availability of the compounds there is potential for virus manipulation for maximum threat to animals and humans to induce fear and panic. Information such as this is noted in an article by Medical News Today, (2005). This article states that UCLA scientists have revealed how the Nipah virus infiltrates human cells. The article further states the virus exploits a protein that is essential to embryonic development to enter cells and attack. The virus must infect a cell by binding to a viral-specific receptor and once that is done penetrates the cell. The article actually gives the receptor name as Ephrin-B2, and is found to be the key to unlocking these dangerous cells. If this information is so easily accessible and is available it allows terrorists groups with the knowledge and expertise to manipulate the virus for dissemination and extreme virulence. The Nipah virus is still a relatively new virus and steps are slowly being made in understanding this infant virus. As of this time there is very little knowledge about how effective this virus would be or what would be needed to make it infective. With bioterrorist there is always a concern with the storage and stability of the virus for development and weaponization. As developments are made and intelligence is gathered with regard to potential agents there will be a concern with any viral pathogen. Transmissibility Animal-to-human Animal (pig) to human transmissibility was the first noted issue with regard to the detection of the Nipah virus in 1999. As stated earlier the virus spread rapidly and was found to have started with pig farmers and abattoir workers that worked closely and handled these animals. As the virus progressed and workers died it was found that pigs in these farms had been coughing loudly (bark type of cough), and nerve damage was becoming prevalent. In a short amount of time approximately five percent of these animals died and the illness was spreading significantly (Pearl, 2006). Also transmissibility has been noted from non-specific animal contact put through the ingestion of date palm juice taken from the trees that bats nest and feed. As the fruit tree workers and farmers gather the palm juice through clay pots bats drink from the pots and transfer saliva to the nectar (Pearl, 2006). Person-to-person Many of the articles written on the Nipah virus states that there is no evidence that there is transmissibility of the virus from person-to-person. In contrast, according to a research investigation done during a Bangladeshi outbreak in 2004, there is definitive evidence that the Nipah virus can be transmitted from person-to-person (Gurley et al., July 2007). According to the research, subsequent investigations in India and Bangladesh have suggested that Nipah virus may have been transmitted from person-to-person. During an outbreak in 2001in India, 75% of the patients, including fourteen healthcare workers, had a history of hospital exposure to patients infected with Nipah virus (Gurley et al., July 2007), with no other exposure risks noted. The exposure, and subsequent virus, occurred with persons who lived with or cared for the patients, and persons who were in close contact for a significant amount of time. According to a research article published by the CDC, the Nipah virus can be transmitted from person-to-person. The article states, in a densely populated area a lethal virus could rapidly spread before effective interventions are implemented. This spread would provide the seed for a substantial regional or global public health problem (Gurley et al., 2007, p. 1036). According to Gurley et al., 2007 there is significant evidence that person-to-person contact will cause infection. The person-to-person transmissibility factors include having (1) touched or received a cough or sneeze in the face, (2) any contact with someone who later died, was febrile, unconscious, or had respiratory difficulty, and (3) visited the home, and possibly, the village an infected person. The most significant evidence of person-to-person infections was with a religious leader where twenty-two persons who had became infected after close contact. The religious leader was moved to his home and eight members of his household became infected. Two brothers who lived a significant distance away were infected after only a six hour visitation, son-in-law and daughter who lived only about one hour away and eleven other followers of the leader contracted the disease after contact (Gurley et al., 2007) with no noted other infection means. Surface-to-person To this date there is no evidence of any transfer of the virus to persons from surface contact, in fact how long the virus remains infectious on environmental surfaces is not known. In an article written by (Gurley et al., 2007) collection of 468 environmental specimens were gathered through swabbing of potential surfaces that included walls, bed frames, mattresses, floors and utensils in hospital rooms and residences of infected individuals. Also collected were swabs from trees, fruits, excrement and other surfaces around possible bat foraging sites. With all of this gathered specimens the only information obtained was that the infected individuals shed the virus into the environment, showing potential for transmission, but no evidence was found that surfaces caused any positive infection to another person. Potential for contagion and considerations relative to Biodefense The Nipah virus has the potential to be a very detrimental bioweapon of choice for domestic or international terrorists. With the virus being zoonotic (disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals, [â€Å"Zoonosisâ€Å", 2009]), which effects animals and humans, and the ease of transmission from the saliva and urine of fruit bats to these two groups the potential for a Potential for contagion and considerations relative to biodefense According to Kortepeter and Parker (Kortepeter Parker, 1999), for a biological agent to be used for a greatest plausible occurrence, an agent must have specific properties: * the agent should be highly lethal and easily produced in large quantities * Given that the aerosol route is the most likely for a large-scale attack, stability in aerosol and capability to be dispersed (17,000 to 5,000 nanometers (nm) particle size) are necessary * being communicable from person-to-person, and * having no treatment or vaccine In using the above criteria the Nipah virus would make a credible biological threat for a domestic or international terrorist group. Host bats being plentiful in Australia and southern Asia would make it easy to obtain the saliva, feces or urine of these hosts for initial development of the virus. The Nipah virus being 150 to 200 nm in diameter and 10,000 to 10,040 nm long (CIDRAP, 2009,  ¶ 3), it could be used in an aerosol form for dispersement. According to Gurley et al., there is significant evidence that there is person-to-person communicability and according to the WHO, there are currently no drugs or vaccines available to treat Nipah virus infection. Intensive supportive care with treatment of symptoms is the main approach to managing the infection in people (2009,  ¶8 ). Conclusion The Nipah virus should be a concern for any government as a potential for a bioterrorist attack. As with the 9/11 and the anthrax attacks in 2001 there could be significant fear, panic, economic issues and social disruption if this virus was used. With a mortality rate of 40% to 100% (Lam, 2002; WHO, 2009), and an incubation period of up to 45 days (WHO, 2009), this could definitely be a pathogen of choice for terrorists. The ease of access to the virus itself from fruit bats, to pigs and to humans, not to mention the transmissibility ease through inhalation and ingestion, makes this the perfect biological weapon. The disease this virus manifests, from flu type symptoms to severe encephalitis, will cause significant fear to the public and will stress healthcare facilities if a large outbreak occurs. This virus also has no known cure as of this date, even though there are developments in that direction. The Nipah virus needs to continue to be monitored and treatment options along with vaccine development needs to be continuous until this threat is diminished. References Biological Warfare. (2009). In Wikipedia. Retrieved December 25, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_warfare Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001). Japanese Encephalitis. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/jencephalitis/qa.htm Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Emergency Preparedness and Response: Bioterrorism; Category C Agents. Retrieved from http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/agentlist-category.asp Center for Infectious Disease Research Policy. (2009). Nipah Virus. Retrieved December 25, 2009, from http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/biosecurity/ag-biosec/anim-disease/nipah.html Cobey, S. (2005). Nipah Virus: Natural History. Retrieved from The Henipavirus Ecology Collaborative Research Group: http://www.henipavirus.org/virus_and_host_info/nipah_virus_natural_history.htm Dr. Jonathan Epstein Returns from Studies of Nipah Virus in Malaysia. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.wildlifetrust.org/news/66-dr_jonathan_epstein_returns_from_studies_of_nipah_virus_in_malaysia Enserink, M. (2004, February 20). Nipah virus (or a cousin) strikes again. Science, 303.5661, 1121. Retrieved from Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Dec. 2009. . Field, H., Young, P., Yob, J. M., Mills, J., Hall, L., Mackenzie, J. (2001). The natural history of Hendra and Nipah viruses. Microbes and Infection, 3, 307-314. doi: 10.1016/S1286-4579(01)01384-3 Fraser, L. (2009, November 16, 2009). Is Hendra and Hipah a threat to US?. Ticker. Retrieved from http://www.theticker.org/about/2.8220/is-hendra-and-nipah-a-threat-to-us-1.2085160 Gurley, E. S., Montgomery, J. M., Hossain, M. J., Bell, M., Azad, A. K., Islam, M. R., Rahim Molla, M. A., Breiman, R. F. (July 2007). Person-toperson transmission of Nipah virus in a Bangladeshi Community. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/13/7/1031.htm Gurley, E. S., Montgomery, J. M., Hossain, M. J., Bell, M., Azad, A. K., Rota, P. A., Lowe, L., Breiman, R. F. (2007). Person-to-person transmission of Nipah Virus in the Banglashi Community. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/eid Halpin, K., Mungall, B. A. (2007). Recent progress in henipavirus research. Science Direct; Com ¶tive Immunology, Microbiology Infectious Diseases, 30, 287-307. Kortepeter, M. G., Parker, G. W. (1999). Potential biological weapons and threats. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no4/kortepeter.htm Lam, S. (2002). Nipah virus A potential agent of bioterrorism? (Antiviral research 57). Retrieved from Science Direct: http://www.sciencedirect.com.lib-proxy.jsu.edu/science?_ob=MImg_imagekey=B6T2H-47MJ4XH-3-1_cdi=4919_user=446480_orig=search_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2003_sk=999429998view=cwchp=dGLbVtb-zSkzSmd5=464c2420befda40589fa6aef4b45cc20ie=/sdarticle.pdf Lowrey, C. H. (2010, February 10, 2010). Application of Gene Therapy Strategies to Offensive and Defensive Biowarfare (White Paper). Retrieved from Dartmouth Medical School: http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/ethreats/whitepapers/Lowery.html Medical News Today. (2005). UCLS scientists reveal how Nipah virus infects cells. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/27038.php Pearl, M. C. (2006, September 2006). The potential pandemic youve never heard of. Discover, 27 (9), 26-27. Phillips, M. B. (2005). Bioterrorism: A Brief History. Northeast Florida Medicine, 32-35. Retrieved from www.dcmsonline.org/jax-medicine/2005journals/bioterrorism/bioterrorism_history.pdf Ryan, J. R., Glarum, J. F. (2008). Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, Inc.. Wong, K. T., Shieh, W., Abdullah, W., Guarner, J., Goldsmith, C. S., Chua, K. B., Lam, S. K., Zaki, S. R. (2002, December). Nipah virus infection: Pathology and pathogenesis of an emerging paramyxoviral zoonosis. American Journal of Pathology, 161 (6), 2153-2167. doi: Retrieved from World Health Organization. (2009). Chronology of Nipah virus outbreaks. Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/nipah_chronology_en.pdf World Health Organization. (2009). Nipah Virus. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs262/en/ Zoonosis. (2009). In Zoonosis. Retrieved from http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?lextype=3search=zoonosis