The Most Common Injuries in a Chemistry Lab

The Most Common Injuries in a Chemistry Lab There are a lot of hazards in a chemistry lab. Youve got chemicals, breakables, and open flames. So, accidents are bound to happen. However, an accident doesnt necessarily have to lead to an injury. Most common injuries can be prevented by minimizing accidents by being careful, wearing proper safety gear, and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency. OSHA keeps track of reported injuries, but most of the time people get hurt, its either not something they admit to or else not a life-threatening event.  What are your biggest risks? Heres an informal look at common injuries. Eye Injuries Your eyes are at risk in the chemistry lab. If you normally wear contacts, you should wear glasses to lessen chemical exposure. Everyone should wear safety goggles. They protect your eyes from chemical splashes and errant shards of glass. People get eye injuries all the time, either because they are lax about wearing protective eyewear, the agent causing the injury gets around the edge of the glasses, or they dont know how to use the eyewash properly. While cuts are more common in the lab, eye injuries are probably the most common serious wounds. Cuts from Glassware You can cut yourself being stupid, trying to force glass tubing through a stopper with the palm of your hand. You can cut yourself breaking glassware or trying to clean up a mess. You can cut yourself on a sharp edge of a piece of chipped glassware. The best way to prevent the injury is to wear gloves, yet even so, this is the most common injury, mainly because few people wear gloves all the time. Also, when you do wear gloves, you lose dexterity, so you may be more clumsy than usual. Chemical Irritation or Burns Its not just the skin on your hands that is at risk from chemical exposure, although this is the most common place to get hurt. You can inhale corrosive or reactive vapors. If youre extra-stupid, you can ingest harmful chemicals by swallowing liquid from a pipette or (more commonly) not cleaning up well enough after lab and contaminating your food with traces of chemicals on your hands or clothing. Goggles and gloves protect your hands and face. A lab coat protects your clothing. Dont forget to wear closed-toe shoes, because spilling acid on your foot is not a pleasant experience. It does happen. Burns from Heat You can burn yourself on a hot plate, accidentally grab a piece of hot glassware, or burn yourself by getting too close to a burner. Dont forget to tie back long hair. Ive seen people set their bangs on fire in a Bunsen burner, so dont lean over a flame, no matter how short your hair is. Mild to Moderate Poisoning Toxicity from chemicals is an overlooked accident because the symptoms may resolve within minutes to days. Yet, some chemicals or their metabolites persist in the body for years, potentially leading to organ damage or cancer. Drinking a liquid accidentally is an obvious source of poisoning, but many volatile compounds are dangerous when inhaled. Some chemicals are absorbed through the skin, so watch spills, too. Tips to Prevent Lab Accidents A little preparation can prevent most accidents. Here are some tips to keep yourself and others safe: Know the safety rules for working in the lab (and follow them). For example, if a certain refrigerator is labeled No Food, dont store your lunch there.Actually use your safety gear. Wear your lab coat and goggles. Keep long hair tied back.Know the meaning of lab safety signs.Label containers of chemicals, even if they only contain water or other non-toxic materials. Its best to put an actual label on a container, because grease pen marks may be wiped off during handling.Make certain safety gear is maintained. Know the schedule for purging the line of an eyewash. Check the ventilation of chemical fume hoods. Keep first aid kits stocked.Quiz yourself to see if youre safe in the lab.Report problems. Whether its faulty equipment or a mild accident, you should always report an issue to your immediate supervisor. If no one knows there is a problem, its unlikely to get fixed.

Powell Surname Meaning and Family History

Powell Surname Meaning and Family History The Powell surname typically originated as a contraction of the Welsh Ap Howell, meaning son of Howell. The given name Howell is an anglicized form of Hywel, meaning eminent in Welsh. Due to the system of Welsh patronymics, many individuals living today who use the Powell surname originally descended down that line from a family that may have used a different surname. Surname Origin: Welsh Alternate Surname Spellings:  POWEL, POUEL, POWELLS, PAUWEL, PAUWELS, POWELS Famous People with the Powell  Surname Colin Powell - American diplomat and military leader;  the first African American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of StateWilliam Powell  -  William Powell was a baritone-voiced actor remembered for playing Nick Charles in The Thin Man films.Adam Clayton Powell Jr.  -  20th century clergyman and U.S. representative; civil rights activistJohn Wesley Powell - American scientist, soldier and explorer;  credited with leading the first group of white men down the Colorado River through the Grand CanyonEnoch Powell -  British politician, classical scholar, linguist, and poet Where Is the Powell Surname Most Common? The Powell surname, according to surname distribution information from Forebears, is the 1,441st most common surname in the world. It is most common today in Wales, where it ranks as the 23rd most frequent surname. It is also among the top 100 surnames in England (88th), the United States (91st) and Jamaica (32nd). Powell is a common last name throughout Wales, but especially in the southern regions such as around Glamorganshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire. WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates the Powell surname is especially frequent in Wales and western England, particularly Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Powell Powell Surname DNA ProjectOver 470 members have joined this Y-DNA project to work together to use DNA testing along with traditional genealogy research to help determine Powell origins and distinguish between various Powell lines. Powell  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Powell  family crest or coat of arms for the Powell surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Powell Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Powell  ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Powell ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries. Since Powell is an old Welsh surname, you may also wish to consider joining the Welsh Patronymics DNA Project. FamilySearch - Powell GenealogyExplore over 4 million  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Powell surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Powell Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Powell  surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. GeneaNet - Powell  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Powell  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Powell  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Powell  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- Source Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Emergency Response and Promoting Safety Research Paper

Emergency Response and Promoting Safety - Research Paper Example An emergency action plan is crucial because it reduces the number of casualties of a particular emergency. In this case, the severity of injuries is also reduced considerably. The plan also enhances swift evacuation of people and property, which is under threat. The response to an emergency helps calm down an overwrought situation to avoid further havoc. The innovative methods used to keep workers safe and healthy includes training on the response to emergencies. The other method used is continuous evaluation of the emergency plan instituted to grasp the strategies applied during the emergencies. The company can also offer to train the employees on the usage of workplace machines and equipment to reduce the probability of an accident. The methods are useful in a construction company in the sense that they ensure that they enable the employees to take precautions while working. According to Goetsch (2010), a construction company is prone to many risks including falling objects. The methods will ensure that the employees are aware of the guidelines for emergencies and the response actions required. The training carried out ensures that the team promptly responds to an emergency. Training also equips the workforce with proficient skills on safety and health standards. Safety in a construction company is important because machines do most of the construction activities. For that reason, there are high chances of machine accidents owing to power failure, machine faultiness, and employee carelessness. Incentive programs can be employed in a construction company in a bid to promote the safety of the employees (Goetsch, 2010). Incentive programs ensure that employees who complete their tasks without any injury receive rewards. The initiative will ensure that all construction employees work towards minimizing accidents.  

What it means to be an Employer of Choice Personal Statement

What it means to be an Employer of Choice - Personal Statement Example In simpler terms, they defined â€Å"Employer of Choice† as â€Å"it means that [quality] people will choose to work for you and they will: Choose to dedicate themselves to your success. Choose to stay with you, even when they are being courted by recruiters from other employers - recruiters with exceptionally attractive inducements. An employer of choice is one who inspires highly talented workers to join them and stay with them† (Cavell, 2004). A major area which makes employees consider an organization as an â€Å"Employer of Choice† is the atmosphere in the workplace. The workplace environment is focused on six principles which are the key drivers of employee engagement (The Training Foundation, 2011). These six principles are Caring about people, Honesty and fairness, Open communication, Involving people, Coaching and assisting and Ethical practice (CHOICE). An â€Å"Employer of Choice† awardee, The Martin Memorial Health Systems embodies these principles. They view their company as an organization not only engaged in health care services but as a venue for learning by supporting their associates and encouraging them to pursue their dreams and aspirations through further studies (Martin Memorial Health System, 2011). The second common issue which influences an individual’s perception of â€Å"Employer of Choice† is the values-based culture in an organization (The Training Foundation, 2011). According to the Training Foundation, â€Å"companies that honour values which chime with innate human motivators are rewarded by engaged employees and superior performance† (2011). One company which has exemplified this area is IBM which has been â€Å"Employer of Choice† for several years now. Its three-fold initiatives or the 3Cs for the employees have made them retain the position. These initiatives are capability, which refers to the â€Å"rigorous and ongoing career/skills development programs; climate which refers to

Football as an Intramural Essay Example for Free

Football as an Intramural Essay Abstract Intramural sports present a fun way for students to spend their time at school, and provide an excellent opportunity to introduce themselves in the new world of college. Students get the chance to meet new people by playing against them in various sports such as softball, volleyball, and basketball. These sports are also co-ed, meaning that men and women can play on the same teams or against one another. Intramurals is also a great way to improve attendance or boost student’s motivation to improve their grades. However, there is only a select variety of options for sports. Most of the sports would fall under women’s sports, with their being softball over baseball and volleyball over football. There aren’t many options for men to get involved in intramurals with no men’s sports to play. Adding one sport that’s a men’s sport will give men more options in participating in intramurals. The addition of football may be what this school needs to get more people involved in intramural sports at Alexandria Technical and Community College (ATCC). With a chance for more men to participate, and more women to get involved in men’s sports, it’s a sport that cannot fail if the right conditions are met. Too much contact could be an issue, but if it were even touch football (2-hand touch), there wouldn’t be very many problems. Adding football to ATCC intramurals is what this school needs to not only offer more options for students, but to help attendance and boost student motivation to improve grades. It will be beneficial for the school, and fun for the students. 1. 0 Introduction Alexandria Technical and Community College is a great place to get to know other students. One of the ways to meet the students is by joining their intramural sports and getting on teams that compete against the other teams of the school. 1. 1 Problem With having intramural sports comes the privilege of choosing what you want to do with your time. However, there are not many options for intramural sports. There is softball and volleyball, just to name a couple, but not many options for the students. This may be why there are a lot of ATCC students not participating in intramurals. We believe that the addition of one particular sport will attract more students, and that sport is football. 2. 0 Discussion 2. 1 Benefits to ATCC One of the main focuses of ATCC is to get their students involved in the school and the community. One of the ways they stride for this goal is to encourage students to join in intramurals. Our idea is that if football is added to the intramural list, it may bring in more students to participate in intramural sports, and bring more students together. 2. 2 Benefits to Students According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Proposition 48, students who participate in school activities and sports must maintain a GPA of 2. 0 on a 4. 0 scale [ (Begnaud, 2007) ]. With that being said, this would prove that students who participate in extracurricular activities would have to motivate themselves and push themselves to maintain a high enough GPA to still participate. This motivation would be beneficial to students, and with more students wanting to play football, this would motivate more students to succeed in school. So now the question is, â€Å"How do you know football is a popular sport? † Well, according to studies done by many colleges such as MSU Moorhead, football has been ranked the number one popular sport in the United States [ (Walter) ]. This means that given the choice, football would be the top pick for the majority of the nation. With that being said, if football is added to intramurals then students would choose it for their intramural and would be motivated to do well in school to be able to participate in intramurals. Figure 1. 1 2. 3 Effects on Attendance As was stated in section 2. 1, students would be more likely to do good in school because they must maintain a GPA of at least a 2. 0 on a 4. 0 scale. If students are to good in school, they must attend school and do well. Attendance is important to do good in school, so intramurals must effect attendance, right? This can be proven if the rules of the NCAA Proposition 48 are followed. 2. 4 Effects on Grades Again, the NCAA Proposition 48 proves that sports do have a major impact on grades, but only because they have to. Students must do good in school if they want to participate in intramurals. Figure 1. 2 2. 5 Right to Give Students a Choice in Sports According to the Constitution, we all have the right to free speech (Amendment 1). If this is true, then it should also give us all the right to a vote. So shouldn’t students be able to vote on whether or not to include football in intramurals? In addition to that, students should also have the right to vote on whether or not to choose if they want to play football as their intramural if it is added to intramurals. The point to be made here is that we all have a right to vote, so we feel that there should be a vote at ATCC on whether or not to add football to the list of intramurals. Our voices should be heard if there is something that we truly believe will benefit the people and the school better. 2. 6 Comparison to Schools with Football as an Intramural Sport It is very difficult to compare ATCC with other schools with intramural sports, and especially since ATCC doesn’t have football as an intramural. However, according to the following website, these are the community colleges that do include football as a sport of choice: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_community_college_football_programs This website gives all of the schools that have football as a sport of choice. On this list, some of the schools are also listed on the list of the top community colleges in the US. ATCC ranked #8 on the list, while St. Paul College ranked #1, and they do have football as a sport [ (Washington Monthly, 2010) ]. So, could football actually help our students do better in school? It appears that it could, since 57% of all men in colleges played football [ (Heinlien, 2007) ]. 3. 0 Conclusion In conclusion, due to the facts given in the above sections, we believe that students should be able to participate in a vote for football as an intramural at ATCC. Also, whether the vote happens or not, football should be added to the intramural list to improve student participation, and to improve not only attendance, but grades too. 4. 0 Appendix 5. 0 Glossary Intramural-involving only students in the same school or college. That’s the only word we feel the need to define 6. 0. Works Cited Begnaud, B. (2007, February 15). The Effect of Athletic Involvement on GPA. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from Yahoo Answers: http://voices. yahoo. com/the-effect-athletic-involvement-gpa-benefits-201277. html? cat=25 Heinlien, E. (2007, October 28). The Benefits of Intramural Sports. Retrieved November 29, 2012, from Helium: http://www. helium. com/items/670511-the-benefits-of-intramural-sports Mueller, J. (2012, February 16). Do Sports Have an Affect on GPA. Retrieved November 29, 2012, from Stat Crunch: http://www. statcrunch. com/5. 0/viewreport. php? reportid=23966 Walter, T. (n. d. ). How Do Professional Sports in the US Rank in Popularity. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from Wiki Answers: http://wiki. answers. com/Q/How_do_professional_sports_in_the_US_rank_in_popularity Washington Monthly. (2010). College Guide. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from Washington Monthly: http://www. washingtonmonthly. com/college_guide/rankings_2010/community_colleges. php.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Essay -- Informative Essay

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is the process of converting the ocean waters temperature difference at different depths into usable energy. From the solar heated upper depths of the ocean to the cooler depths below 2,000 feet a 40 degree temperature difference must be maintained to generate electricity. This is a relatively new and unheard of source of energy. Many people are not aware of the many benefits of OTEC and the impact it will have in the future as the use of fossil fuel conversion declines. Heightened environmental concerns in today's world makes OTEC an attractive alternative for energy conversion. The ocean offers a natural and renewable resource which will make it possible for converting energy this way to last for a very long, long time. OTEC is a very cost effective method of using the oceans waters for energy conversion but its use and benefits to society have been obscure to the general public. In the coming years OTEC will probably be at the forefront of ne w energy resources and a good understanding of it know will prove invaluable to power engineers of the future. How does Thermal Energy Conversion Work? OTEC is a form of solar power in that it uses the sun's energy to heat the upper depths of the oceans waters. Since the sun's energy cannot penetrate very deep depths (approximately 2000ft.) the temperature below these levels is much colder then those near the surface. Most of the solar energy is absorbed in the top layer (35 to 100 m) of water. This upper layer of warm water is very uniformed in temperature because wind and waves cause the water to circulate and mix. The temperature in this layer can reach close to 82Â ° F (28Â ° C ) from regions close the equator. Beyond this layer the temperature drops noticeably with the depth until 800 m to1000 m. At this depth the temperature is 40Â ° F (4.4Â ° C ). From here the temperature changes very gradually. The colder water at these great depths is the result of melting ice in the polar regions. The colder water has a higher density than the warmer water which causes two important events. First the higher density water will sink and displace the lighter, warm water. Secondly, the rotation of the earth forces the heavier cold water to move toward the equator. Because of this, the ocean provides a large reservoir of cold and warm water that can differ in temperature of 40Â ° to 45Â ° F ( 22Â ° to... ...implementation. The system is still in heavy research to bring these costs down and also to make improvements on the system. Although the full scale commercial size systems are not practical at this time, small scale experimental plant systems are being for further research. OTEC is expected to make an impact on the future. The Future of OTEC OTEC is a very exciting new way of energy conversion. People are skeptical about new and innovative ideas because of their unfamiliarity and lack ofknowledge about the idea. This holds true with OTEC. Many people are unaware of what OTEC is and the benefits that OTEC holds for the future of our Earth. Much more development and research must be made to make OTEC a large scale operation and to bring the cost to consumers down. This is only going to happen if people are made aware of OTEC and its many possibilities. OTEC has many environmental benefits and can produce the world s necessary energy needs for a very long time (it is after all a renewable energy source!). We are quite certain that in the upcoming years OTEC will become a much more publicized topic and greater research will come about to produce a fully sized commercial plant.

Individual Assignment Two Essay

The popularity of Southwestern University’s football program under its new coach, Bo Pitterno, surged in each of the 5 years since his arrival at the Stephenville, Texas, college. With a football stadium close to maxing out at 54,000 seats and a vocal coach pushing for a new stadium, SWU president Joel Wisner faced some difficult decisions. After a phenomenal upset victory over its archrival, the University of Texas, at the homecoming game in the fall, Dr. Wisner was not as happy as one would think. Instead of ecstatic alumni, students, and faculty, all Wisner heard were complaints. â€Å"The lines at the concession stands were too long†; â€Å"Parking was harder to find and farther away than in the old days† (that is, before the team won regularly); â€Å"Seats weren’t comfortable†; â€Å"Traffic was backed up halfway to Dallas†; and on and on. â€Å"A college president just can’t win†, muttered Wisner to himself. At his staff meeting the following Monday, Wisner turned to his VP of administration, Leslie Gardner. â€Å"I wish you would take care of these football complaints, Leslie†, he said. â€Å"See what the real problems are and let me know how you’ve resolved them†. Gardner wasn’t surprised at the request. â€Å"I’ve already got a handle on it, Joel†, she replied. â€Å"We’ve been randomly surveying 50 fans per game for the past year to see what’s on their minds. It’s all part of my campus-wide TQM effort. Let me tally things up and I’ll get back to you in a week†. When she returned to her office, Gardner pulled out the file her assistant had compiled (see the following table). â€Å"There’s a lot of information here†, she thought. Questions: 1. Using at least two different quality tools, analyze the data and present your conclusions. 2.  How could the survey have been more useful? 3.  What is the next step? Fan Satisfaction Survey Results (N = 250) Rochester Manufacturing Corporation (RMC) is considering moving some of its production from traditionally numerically control machines to a flexible machining system (FMS). Its numerical control machines have been operating in a high variety, low volume intermittent manner. Machine utilization, as near as it can be determine, is about 10%. The machine tool sales persons and a consulting firm want to put the machines together in a FMS. They believe that a $3,000,000.00 expenditure on machinery and the transfer machines will handle about 30% of RMC’s work. There will, of course, be a transition and start up cost in addition to this. The firm has not yet entered all its parts into a comprehensive group technology system, but believes that the 30% is a good estimate of products suitable for the FMS. This 30% should fit very nicely a â€Å"family†. A reduction, because of higher utilization, should take place in the number of pieces of machinery. The firm should be able to go from 15 to about 4 machines, and personnel should go from 15 to perhaps as low as 3. Similarly, floor space reduction will go from 20,000 square feet to about 6,000. Throughput of order should also improve with this family of parts being processed in 1 to 2 days rather than 7 to 10 days. Inventory reduction is estimated to yield a one-time $750,000 savings and annual labor savings should be in the neighborhood of $300,000.00. Although the projections all look very positive, an analysis of the project’s return on investment showed it to be between 10% and 15% per year. The company has traditionally had an expectation that projects should yield well over 15% and have payback periods of substantially less than 5 years. Questions: 1.  As the production manager for RMC, what would u recommend? And why? 2.  Prepare a case by a conservative plant manager for maintaining the status quo until the returns are more obvious 3.  Prepare the case for an optimistic sales manager that you should move ahead with the FMS now. ACM is an electronics component manufacturer that has been located in Singapore since 1991, supplying original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with quality components. In the past several years, ACM has experienced increasing pressure from other manufacturers located in other countries. In Singapore, while labor remains quite inexpensive, there has been a relatively steady increase in labor costs. In addition, utility costs – most notably water and energy costs – have led the firm to contemplate moving operations elsewhere in Asia in an attempt to make the firm more competitive. ACM remains profitable, but margins have shrunk, and management is interested in ensuring that the firm remains competitive in the medium term to long term against other component manufacturers. A team of senior management has formed a committee to reach a decision regarding possible relocation. The committee has identified two additional locations as possible candidates for relocation: Hong Kong (People’s Republic of China [PRC]) and Kuching (Malaysia). Hong Kong’s main attractions stem from the fact that since 1997, when its sovereignty was transferred back to the PRC, labor costs have decreased as access to labor has increased. Hong Kong enjoys a large seaport and very good transportation infrastructure, and this is important in moving in raw materials and moving out finished components  to customers. Senior management believes that an increasing number of OEMs will move to the PRC in the next several years, as has been the case in the past decade. This will only increase the attractiveness of locating the manufacturing facility in Hong Kong. Kuching is located in the Malaysian province of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. It is the fourth-largest city in Malaysia and home to a population of around 650,000. Several points make Kuching attractive to the relocation committee. First, locating here would give access to natural resources and other production inputs. Second, the transportation infrastructure is good, and the city hosts a deep sea port for moving raw materials in and finished good out. That said, the port is not as large or accessible as those of Hong Kong or Singapore, and several committee members have expressed concern about the frequency of ship visits to Kuching. If the port does not receive regular service from container ships, transportation costs to ship components to OEMs will doubtlessly stable and inexpensive in Malaysia. The committee has contracted the government of Singapore to elicit possible incentives to not relocate to another country. Singapore is offering a five-year exemption on taxes for ACM if the plant remains in Singapore. The government will also assist by partially subsidizing labor, water, and energy costs for five years. Committee members realize that the Singapore plant, which has been operating for years, has already been amortized, and opening a new plant would require additional capital costs. That said, opening a new factory would also provide an opportunity to upgrade production equipment to more productive and energy-efficient alternatives. Questions: 1.  What advantages and disadvantages does each potential location offer? 2.  What other relevant factors that are not mentioned in this case study might play a role in this decision? 3.  Why is transportation infrastructure so important in this decision? 4.  This is a long-term, strategic decision; what factors might change in the next 10 to 20 years? How will this influence the decision? 5.  Which alternative would you recommend, under which circumstances?† Henry Coupe, the manager of a metropolitan branch office of the state department of motor vehicles, attempted to perform an analysis of the driver’s license renewal operations. Several steps were to be performed in the process. After examining the license renewal process, he identified the steps and associated times required to perform each step as shown in the following table. State Automobile License Renewals Process Times Step 1. Review renewal application for correctness 2. Process and record payment 3. Check file for violations and restrictions 4. Conduct eye test 5. Photograph applicant 6. Issue temporary license Average Time to Perform (seconds) 15 30 60 40 20 30 Coupe found that each step was assigned to a different person. Each application was a separate process in the sequence shown below. Coupe determined that his office should be prepared to accommodate the maximum demand of processing 120 renewal applicants per hour. He observed that the work was unevenly divided among the clerks, and the clerk who was responsible for checking violations tended to shortcut her task to keep up with the other clerks. Long lines built up during the maximum demand periods. Coupe also found that the Steps 1 to 4 were handled by general clerks who were each paid $12 per hour. Step 5 was performed by a photographer paid $16 per hour. (Branch offices were charged $10 per hour for each camera to perform photography.) Step 6, issuing temporary licenses, was required by state policy to be handled by uniformed motor vehicle officers. Officers were paid $18 per hour, but could be assigned to any job except photography. A review of the jobs indicated that Step 1, reviewing the application for correctness, had to be performed before any other step could be taken. Similarly, Step 6, issuing temporary licenses, could not be performed until all the other steps were completed. Henry Coupe was under severe pressure to increase productivity and reduce costs, but he was also told by the regional director of the Department of Motor Vehicles that he had better accommodate the demand for renewals. Otherwise â€Å"heads would roll.† Questions: 1.  What is the maximum number of applications per hour that can be handled by the present configuration of the process? 2.  How many applications can be processed per hour if a second clerk is added to check for violations? 3.  If the second clerk could be added anywhere (and not necessarily to check for violations, as in (2)), what is the maximum number of application the process can handle? What is the new configuration? 4.  How would you suggest modifying the process in order to accommodate 120 applications per hour? What is the cost per application of this new configuration?

North American Media Influence on Physical Condition Essay

An Analysis of North American Media Influence on Physical Condition North Americans are subject to numerous amount of media exploiting their beliefs for profit. Media extends to the source of how one may perceive ones beauty and quality of ones physical condition. By continually bombarding the public eye with advertisements aggressively enforcing a thin body image and muscular definition, media causes viewers to desire these body images and discover methods to reach this image. Inevitably leading to viewers abusing their bodies with poor methods of dieting, and creating unhealthy bodies. Contemporary North American media is characterized by its emphasis on body image, which distorts our perception and expectation of our physical bodies. Analysis of men’s, women’s and adolescents’ thoughts and actions reveals the negative consequences of these media influences. North American media distorts the self-perspective men have on their physical image, causing them to do extreme activities to achieve these false expectations. Males are targeted by many advertisements, encouraging a tone and muscular body image. For several years, these messages have been increasing within media. Sam Ferniano & Mark Nickerson from the Center for Media Literacy say â€Å"Men’s magazines published significantly more advertisements and articles about changing body shapes†. These constant messages to achieve a remarkably tone body forces men to re-evaluate their physical condition. Nevertheless, low self-esteem would be found for men who do not have this type of body strongly enforced by media. Furthermore, while examining any form of media, it can be noticed that most men are given to certain kind of stereotype and portrays men as less realistic, more perfect and more predictable (Farniano & Nickerson). There for, each male character obtains similar characteristics that the public has labelled as manly traits. Moreover, by defining the ideal man, media creates â€Å"Narrowed notions to what men can do† (Farniano & Nickerson), causing males to believe that other characteristics such as being emotional and caring, are not part of the ideal man. By altering the expectations men have for their physical condition, media causes low self-esteem in men. Additionally, media imposes ideal activities men should participate in. By enforcing the idea to have large amount of muscle for men, media encourages importance for the use of a gym. Alternatively, we notice media influencing certain groups of men, such as stereotyping black males as athletes and entertainers. These roles â€Å"Mislead young black male viewers in thinking success is only a dribble or dance step away† (Wood). Under those circumstances, men of all races are subject to believe these stereotypes, subsequently caus ing men to change their personal perception of themselves to match the stereotype. With false expectations North American media creates for men, there are negatives consequences that follow. As a result of the influence media has on men, they believe some of their present traits are unwanted because it does not follow the message given by media. Therefore, men are more apt to withdraw from specific behaviour unsupported by media. Moreover, negative consequences follow such as being â€Å"Discouraged from pursuing many positive traits that are perceived as unmanly†¦including the ability to feel a range of emotions, including fear, hurt, confusion or despair† (Furniano & Nickerson). However, the traits stated above are indeed qualities women look for in a mate (Gaudio & Taplin). Meanwhile, stereotypes built by media removes the idea that men would be caring beings. â€Å"When someone is shown taking care of a child, it’s usually the mother, not the father† (Ferniano & Nickerson). Therefore, men do not wish to obtain these qualities because media enforces the idea that they are not qualities fit for an ideal man. By avoiding these characteristics, males are subject to appear as uncaring and uninvolved in family life, qualities important for women who are looking for a well-established relationship. Furthermore, by attempting to pursue these expectations of the ideal physical condition, men would be prepared to rely on substance for aid to quickly obtain the condition media compels (Gaudio & Taplin). By drastically increasing the amount of workouts in ones daily routine, removing this would cause In addition, men would likely rely to â€Å"Continuous intense workouts that can lead to issues such as addiction† (Gaudio & Taplin). Over exercise may lead to possible overstretching or tearing of ligaments, pulling muscles or tendons, and increased resting heart rate. (Diranian) Several negative consequences for those who wish to listen to media and their influence may occur, a risk that easily leads to poor physical condition. Incidentally, one may examine that pursuing these expectations set my media may lead to the opposite of the idea created. Women are highly affected by the expectation North American culture creates of the female body, altering their self-esteem and behavior. Similar to the influence utilized on men, women are subject to several messages by the media primarily centered on physical condition. These result in â€Å"Young women urged to pursue beauty and sex appeal† (Ferniano & Nickerson). This influence has causes women to re-evaluate their personal priorities and making physical conditioning the primary priority. However positive health is favorable, women are concentrating to match the media’s interpretation of beauty, which has drastically changed. â€Å"The ideal female body became progressively thinner over the last 20 years† (Leit, Pope & Gary). This is hazardous for the female populace since it will lower their self-esteem, resulting in the lack of confidence one would hold for ones image. Likewise, throughout several decades, media has increased the amount of influence it has o n body image. â€Å"The 2000s shows a larger influence of the media on women’s body image than do those from the 1990s† (Medical News Today). Evidently, women who notice the slimness of females portrayed in the media judge their own bodies strictly. A Glamour magazine survey showed that â€Å"61% of respondents felt ashamed of their hips, 64% felt embarrassed by their stomachs, while 72% were ashamed of their thighs† (Rader Programs). Once information as such is examined, we may notice that media exposes the public to a negative influence that destroys ones self-esteem. In addition, media distorts the expectation of its female viewers by exposing them to unhealthy models. â€Å"The majority of runway models meet the Body Mass Index criteria to be considered anorexic† (Rader Programs). By displaying anorexic models, media is distorting women’s expectation on what is beauty, resulting to females believing that anorexia is beauty. Therefore, women who attempt to mimic these models and their physical appearance risk anorexia and several other health issues themselves. Negative consequences such as eating disorders accompany women who attempt to reach the false expectation North American media has developed on physical condition. Several health risks are possible for women who chose to absorb the messages media delivers that thinness is something positive. â€Å"Among women, it has been hypothesized that cultural ideals of thinness may contribute to the rising prevalence of eating disorders† (Leit, Pope & Gary). Several other health issues are my follow those who listen to this influence such as low-self-esteem, depression, obesity and bulimia. These risks all originate to how thin media personalities have become. â€Å"Media depicting ultra-thin actresses and models significantly increased women’s concerns about their bodies, including how dissatisfied they felt and their likelihood of engaging in unhealthy eating behaviors such as excessive dieting â€Å"(Media News Today). Additionally, this statement affects more and more women, causing women to believe that their bodies are not beautiful like those shown within the media. Furthermore, displeasure with the female body has become so common that it’s considered a norm among women (Medial News Today). Subsequently, the discomfort women have with their bodies is a result of the media altering the definition of beauty: unnatural and unhealthily thin bodies (Medial News Today). Nevertheless, with the constants reminders women receive from the media that they are not beautiful unless being as ultra-thin as the models depicted, women will attempt to mimic the poor physical condition of these models, leading to similar consequences the media personalities suffer from: anorexia, bulimia & excessive dieting. The behavior of adolescents is also manipulated by North American media, resulting in a decrease of self-confidence about their body image. During adolescence, teens are influenced by their surrounding peers and environment. Noticeably, adolescents are more affected by media than ever before. Young boys are constantly reminded of how they must act as they mature. â€Å"Boys learn what it means to be a man from family and peers† (Ferniano & Nickerson). Above all, media is putting great emphasis on the physical condition young boys must meet in the future. Furthermore, media appears to be influencing adolescent boys with several different methods. More and more toys introduced to children support the expectation media has created of the human body. â€Å"GI Joe have become increasingly muscular over time† (Leit, Pope & Gary). This influencing on toys introduces the distorted image of physical condition to boys at a young age. Body image for males have focused on increasing weight and shoulder/muscular shape (Achtenberg), resulting in adolescents to concentrate on this altered expectation of the physical condition set by media. Additionally, the size of their bodies is a rising concern for adolescent girls. We notice that they often feel flawed if their weight, hips and breast don’t match those of models and actresses (Rader Programs). Likewise, young children are even criticizing their weight at increasingly young ages. According to a study from the University of Central Florida â€Å"Nearly 50% of girls aged three to six were already concerned about their weight† (Rader Programs). By influencing the expectation for these children, they will grow up with the mindset that media has put upon them. With so much influence, girls are blinding themselves concerning world issues and concentrating on their weight. â€Å"Adolescent girls are more afraid of gaining weight that getting cancer, losing their parents or nuclear war† (Rader Programs). Considering these distorted priorities, young girls may be led to mature into women oblivious to more important issues in their environment. Equally, media influence on these young girls are causing them to re-evaluate what gives them happiness. With the impact media has for girls, the content within their messages support the idea that â€Å"Female happiness and success are tied to physical appearance† (Achtenberg), resulting in young girls to think that without the perfect body, they cannot be happy. Subsequently, many forms of media are influencing adolescents about their physical appearance. This may lead to several health issues for this group of people so easily influenced by their surroundings. Adolescents who chose to follow these expectations created by North American media risk the possibility of serious consequences, such as substance abuse. Influence from media is very strong for adolescents. During their time of transition from child to adult, several teens will listen to advise given by anyone that may aid them be successful in their future. However media inputs several life goals for teens, their influence and messages about physical condition is threatening for these young people in development. By instructing young girls that they must be thin to be liked in the future, â€Å"81% of ten-year-old girls experience a fear of being fat† (Achtennberg). This is quite hazardous for these young girls, because they may do extreme actions to avoid this fear, such as excessive dieting, bulimia, and completely avoiding eating food entirely. By doing so, the bodies of these young girls are at risk at disturbing the proper process of growth, leading to unhealthy grown bodies in their adulthood. Nevertheless, boys are also at risk to dangerous consequences. Young adolescent boys that are influenced by the media and its expectations set concerning physical condition may also partake in dangerous behavior such as the discovery and dissemination of anabolic steroids (Leit, Pope & Gary). Use of steroids in the bodies of growing teenage boys could lead to health issues such as heart problems, high blood pressure and permanent damage to the liver in the future (Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Use). Alternatively, athletic males would aim to improve their physical performance to make the goals that the media puts upon their bodies quickly attainable. However we notice that â€Å"Athletic males may have an increased risk of drinking, violence and abusing drugs† (Diranian) Therefore, with the increased influence media has over the ideal physical condition for both young males and females the risk of several health consequences may affect them in the future. North American media has established the ideal body image for men and women by enforcing the idea of muscularity and thinness. The exposition of tone men and ultra-thin models within the media supports the thought that this is perfection. These impositions of what is beauty is being put in the minds of adolescents and young children with the use of magazines and toys. By creating expectations that they presume are ideal for a successful adult, younger children are subject to distorted priorities for their future. Men, women, and adolescents alike are subject to believing that they must reach the expectations set by media. However, several health issues such as addiction, substance abuse, and anorexia are possible for one who attempt these physical conditions for one’s body. Finally, the power North American media possesses over our idea of the perfect body leads the discussion of their concern about the public’s health and wellbeing. Work Cited Achtenberg, Benjie. â€Å"Mass Media and Its Influence on the Adolescent Mind.†Macalester.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Concern Over Strong Media Influence On Women’s Body Image.† Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 13 May 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. Crockett, Richard J., Thomas Pruzinsky, and John A. Persing. â€Å"The Influence of Plastic Surgery â€Å"Reality TV† on Cosmetic Surgery Patient Expectations and Decision Making.† Journals.lww.com. American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2007. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. Diranian, Susan. â€Å"Negative Effects of Exercise.† LIVESTRONG.COM. , 9 June 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. Diranian, Susan. â€Å"The Effect of Sports on Teenagers.† LIVESTRONG.COM. , 25 July 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Eating Disorders and Media Influence.† RaderPrograms.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. Fermiano, Sam, and Mark Nickerson. â€Å"How Do Media Images of Men Affect Our Lives?† Center for Media Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Landau, Emily. â€Å"Teenage Dreams.† TheWalrus.ca. The Walrus, Sept. 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Leit, Richard A., Harrison G. Pope, and James J. Gary. â€Å"Cultural Expectations of Mascularity in Men: The Evolution of Playgirl Centerfolds.† AF Board. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Shredded. Dir. Richard Gaudio and Douglas C. Taplin. NFB.ca. NFB.ca, 2005. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Steroids: Just the Facts.† Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Use, 10 Oct. 1997. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. Wood, Julia T. â€Å"Gender Media: The Influence of Media on Views of Gender.† Udel.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012.

Molecular Mechanisms, Symptoms and Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis The WritePass Journal

Molecular Mechanisms, Symptoms and Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis Abstract Molecular Mechanisms, Symptoms and Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis AbstractIntroductionMolecular MechanismsSymptomsFutureConclusionReferencesRelated Abstract Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that causes a dysfunctional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR) to be produced. This essay firstly will focus on the mutations of this defective protein and the intracellular effects. It will then consider the symptoms of the disease that can be observed including pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine and reproductive problems. Then focus will be on the current treatment methods which target the consequences of the CFTR dysfunction such as phlegm retention and infection and the new treatment methods which treat the underlying CFTR defect such as targeting the trafficking of the protein. Introduction Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive inherited disease caused by a gene defect on chromosome seven that is responsible for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR). This is found in the apical plasma membrane of epithelial cells in the lungs, sweat glands, pancreas amongst other tissues. This causes dysfunctional CFTR to be produced leading to a thick sticky mucus causing a recurrent cough, frequent lung infections by bacteria such as Psuedomonas aeruginosa and digestive problems. More than 1,500 mutations have been found including DF508 which is the most common, caused by a deletion of phenylalanine. The mutant allele was first isolated in 1989 and since then life expectancy has improved greatly to between 31 and 37 years old and is still increasing today. Numerous mutations have been identified which are classed differently (class I – VI) depending on how the dysfunctional protein is handled within the cell. Molecular Mechanisms Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease which means both parents must be heterozygous carriers of the CF allele in order for the offspring to have a 25% chance of inheriting the disease, or 50% of being a carrier (figure 1). There are over 1,500 observed mutations of the CFTR protein but the majority of these are rare. The most common mutation is caused by a deletion of phenyl-alanine in position 508 (DF508) which accounts for 66% of CF cases.[1] The CF mutations are grouped into 6 classes depending on their functional consequences within the cell (table 1)[2]and the DF508 belongs to class II. Classes I III are more common and often have associated pancreatic insufficiency though class IV-VI are more rare and these patients are normally pancreatic sufficient.[1] The DF508 for example produces a misfolded CFTR and is recognised within the cell endoplasmic reticulum as an abnormal protein, leading to it being proteolytically degraded in the proteasome. This results in only small amounts of CFTR reaching the plasma membrane but this has a short half life leading to an insufficiency of chloride transport. The misfolded CFTR leads to a protein trafficking problem, hence new drugs that aim to rescue the protein from ER degradation could be therapeutic strategies to re-develop intracellular protein movement.[2] Since different mutations lead to different problems with the CTFR protein, certain treatment strategies may only work on a small proportion of patients. Table 1: Different classes of CFTR mutations and the effects of each intracellularly   – adapted from O’Sullivan, B.P. Freedman, S.D. (2009) Cystic Fibrosis. Lancet 373: 1891-904 There are several hypotheses as to how this CFTR mutation causes the disease known as cystic fibrosis. The first is the low-volume hypothesis. The loss of inhibition of sodium channels causes excess sodium and water reabsorption causing dehydration of airway surface materials and lack of a compensatory mechanism. This lower water volume causes inhibition of normal ciliary and cough clearance of the mucus and plaques form that harbour bacteria. Secondly, the salt hypothesis believes excess sodium and chloride are retained in airway surface liquid and the increased concentration of chloride disrupts the innate antibiotic molecules so bacteria persist. Thirdly, it is hypothesised disease is due to the dysregulation of host inflammatory response which is backed up by the abnormally high concentration of inflammatory mediators found in children as young as 4 weeks who appear disease free. Finally, the increased presence of asialo-GM1 receptors in apical membranes allow increased binding o f P. aeruginosa and S. aureus without the rapid self-limiting innate immune response since in normal patients it is believed the binding of bacteria to functioning CFTR generates an innate immune response which would not function in CF patients. This is made worse by the combination of increased bacterial binding. The CFTR gene defect causes absent or malfunctioning CTFR protein causing abnormal chloride conductance on apical membrane of epithelial cells in the lungs. [1] CFTR belongs to a family of transmembrane proteins called adenosine triphosphate binding cassette transporters and is a chloride channel.[2] It also has several other functions such as inhibition of sodium transport through sodium channels in the epithelium, regulation of ATP channels, regulation of intracellular vesicle transport, acidification of intracellular organelles and inhibition of endogenous calcium activated chloride channels. In the lungs, this dysfunctional CFTR causes airway surface liquid depletion leading to decreased ciliary stability and ciliary collapse with decreased mucociliary transport causing phlegm retention, infection and inflammation of the airways. Increased cAMP levels leads to phosphorylation of CFTR causing chloride transport but since this is not functioning in CF patients the chloride channel fails to open and respond to cAMP (a second messenger). This causes a decreased secretion of Cl⠁ » into the lumen airway so excessive water and sodium is absorbed. This cannot cross the epithelial membrane due to the osmotic gradient created leading to increased viscosity of mucus. Local mediators that are secreted onto airway surface liquid help regulate the surface liquid volume as they induce CFTR dependent and independent chloride secretion. The alternative chloride channel mediates chloride secretion since the P2Y receptor is activated by ATP in both CF and non CF epithelium which is triggered by movement. Respiratory syncytical viruses that may infect the airways have increased ATPase activity so more ATP is broken down; the loss of this compensatory mechanism that would activate the alternative chloride channel has a negative effect on airway clearance becoming a problem in CF patients. Symptoms Cystic fibrosis can be diagnosed at different stages of a child’s life; newborn testing occurs as standard since all babies are tested by a heel-prick blood sample as part of the Guthrie test and antenatal testing is carried out on women considered to be high risk of having a child with CF. Carrier testing is a mouthwash test to establish if each parent is a carrier and a genetic test via a swab on the inside of the cheek probes for 40 of the most common CF mutations which correctly diagnoses 90% of cases. One further test is to test the sweat on the skin of babies or children since patients with CF have a high salt concentration in the sweat and CF can be diagnosed if the salt concentration is above 60 mmol/L – this is because CFTR resorbes chlorine into cells of sweat glands and if this is dysfunctional this cannot occur. General symptoms that lead to a diagnosis include a family history, salty-skin, clubbing of the toes and fingers, a cough with sputum production, mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated – repeated chest infections, diarrhoea and poor weight gain. The further symptoms can be grouped into the organ they affect from pulmonary to gastrointestinal, digestive system, endocrine and reproductive symptoms. Pulmonary symptoms are perhaps the most obvious and commonly associated with the disease. A thick secretion of high levels of mucus into the lungs occurs which leads to frequent bronchial infections and a recurrent cough. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are the most commonly isolated bacteria and can be found at high affinities in CF lungs. It is the failure of the mucosal defence system to clear these organisms that is the issue. Early studies suggested P. aeruginosa binds to CF epithelial cells at higher density than normal individuals due to more asialo-GM1 receptors in CF patients, however other theories hypothesised CFTR itself is a receptor for the bacteria that mediates intracellular uptake of the bacteria and killing of it that would be absent in patients with defective CFTR protein. Current studies however suggest the bacteria are present on the mucus layer on respiratory epithelial cells rather than the cell membranes making it unlikely this is the case. It was hypothesised salt-sensitive cationic antimicrobial peptides called defensins could not function in CF patients if the luminal side of the epithelium has an increased sodium chloride concentration. This seems unlikely though as not all defensins are salt sensitive. It is now thought dehydration of the airway surface liquid impairs cilia functioning and mucociliary clearance so inhaled bacteria colonise. Furthermore CF sputum has below normal oxygen levels that switch P. aeruginosa from non-mucoid to mucoid form that is resistant to host defences.[3] â€Å"The persistence of chronic P. aeruginosa infections in cystic fibrosis patients is due to biofilm growing mucoid strains.† [4] These biofilms exhibit increased tolerance to antibiotics and resist phagocytosis as well as parts of the innate and adaptive immune system. This leads to complex-mediated chronic inflammation which can cause lung damage. The bacteria are also so persistent as the mutate and have low metabolic ra tes and increased doubling times.[5] In the gastrointestinal tract, several problems occur throughout life. At the newborn stage, some babies may need an operation to remove mucus that is obstructing the bowel – a condition known as meconium ileus. Pancreatic insufficiency is also seen causing symptoms such as greasy stools, flatulence, abdominal bloating, poor weight gain and fat soluble vitamin deficiency with malnutrition. Since it is hard to digest food, malnutrition can occur which causes poor growth, physical weakness and delayed puberty.   This requires a pancreatic enzyme therapy with high calorie intake to manage. Older patients’ may develop an intestinal obstruction and the lack of absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K can lead to conditions such as anaemia, neuropathy and osteoporosis. The endocrine system can sometimes be affected in later life due to obstruction of the pancreatic ducts due to thickened secretions. As pancreatic disease develops the proportion of islet cells declines leading to a lack of insulin production where the blood sugar cannot be controlled which is then diagnosed as CF related diabetes mellitus, with symptoms such as constant thirst, hunger, weight loss and urination, however CF diabetes is not the same as type 1 and 2 diabetes. The reproductive system in women patients does not seem to be affected and they still produce healthy eggs, in men however the sperm ducts are blocked leading to male infertility. Some other symptoms include frequent sinusitis and hay fever that requires nasal spray or antibiotics and adults may develop nasal polyps. Incontinence can sometimes develop and in some patients bile ducts in the liver become blocked by mucus and the patient may require a liver transplant. Treatment Current Treatment of cystic fibrosis currently focuses on the consequences of the CFTR dysfunction such as phlegm retention, infection and inflammation though new strategies target the underlying gene defect. Currently, physiotherapy is one main treatment strategy used in combination with other management techniques. The thick sticky mucus secretions that block the airway in CF patients causing infections and coughing can be dislodged either by mechanical chest thumps or autogenic drainage and positive expiratory pressure. Physiotherapy is needed every day from between 15 and 50 minutes depending on the level of mucus present. Physical activity is also important as it prevents deterioration of the lungs and increases bulk and strength. Medication is used to treat cystic fibrosis such as lung medication including bronchiodilator drugs to open airways by relaxing the surrounding muscles, relieving tightness and shortening of breath and can be taken by being inhaled in nebulisers, taken orally or intravenously. Other medication includes antibiotics to treat persistent pulmonary infections, steroids to reduce inflammation of the airways and DNase to break down the mucus making it easier for the body to digest. Repeated pulmonary infections and thick mucus secretions can become so severe that the patient may need a lung transplant and possibly a heart or liver transplant also. Due to the nutritional problems associated with the disease, enzyme pills are taken with every meal and snack to replace pancreatic enzymes so more energy is gained from the food since there is a lack of digestive enzymes hence less nutrients can be absorbed from the food. These problems occur due to blocking of the small channels carrying digestive juices by mucus causing enzymes to build up in the pancreas that damages it over time. Nutritional supplements may also be given such as high energy drinks, and insulin may be necessary if the patient develops CF related diabetes mellitus. A suitable diet that is high in calories is also required to ensure adequate energy is gained. The lack of mineral absorption can lead to osteoporosis – weakening of the bones – which can be treated with bisphosphonates. Future There are a variety of new treatment possibilities targeting the underlying gene defect in the transmembrane receptor rather than downstream effects. Anti inflammatory drugs are one option due to persistent endobronchial inflammation in patients. The first main possibility is CF transmembrane regulator replacement therapy. This has already been tested using a variety of vectors such as adneoviruses, adeno-associated viruses and cationic lipids to transfect the functioning gene into epithelial cells. Some successful gene transfer has been seen into airway epithelial cells however it was short-lived CFTR expression and was hard to prove the link between improvement in CFTR function and clinical manifestations. The issue is it is yet unknown how much improvement in CTFR function is needed in order to make a big difference. The current research now focuses on the correct vector to use to minimise adverse effects and increase expression time – this is difficult as viral vectors hav e good transfection rates but more adverse effects and as multi dose therapy would be needed, virus-specific immune responses would devleop whereas liposomal vectors have less negative effects but worse transfection rates. [6] A second option being researched currently is CFTR pharmacotherapy involving drugs with affect intracellular trafficking of CFTR. This would not work for all patients due to the specific classes of mutations so it is of limited benefit. Class I mutations are stop mutations that decrease or eliminate production of CFTR. Aminoglycosides induce read through of premature stop codons so would produce a full length functioning CFTR protein, these can be topically applied and an improvement in CFTR functioning has been seen however the concentration needed is high and adverse effects mean they are not clinically suitable. An alternative to this includes PTC 124 – premature termination codon – which acts in a similar way but lacks toxicity. Class II mutations have misfolded CFTR and the trafficking of these is impaired due to proteosomic degradation; this CFTR does have chloride transport function however it is prematurely degraded and most does not reach the membrane. This giv es a   new target – drugs which reduce degradation of the misfolded protein and increase trafficking to the membrane – and libraries of chemical agents are being screened for applicants. Class III mutations have a reduced probability of opening the CFTR channel but these are rarer. Compounds which activate CFTR would aid class III mutations such as VX770 (a potentiator) that is being used in trials for patients with the G551D mutation that could show improvements in function of the CFTR as well as reduced sweat chloride concentration. However effects in class II may also be seen if used in combination with a corrector compound that brings CFTR to the surface and then the potentiator can activate it. [7] Option three involves opening alternative chloride channels to compensate for the lack of function of the CFTR channel. CFTR is not the only chloride transport channel in a membrane, a calcium-dependent chloride channel also secretes chloride in epithelial cells and increasing the activity of this may be an option so enough chloride transport occurs in the cell. Two drugs have shown to have an ability to do this via the P2Y receptor. First of these is denufusol, which bypasses the defective channel and activates the alternative chloride transporter – â€Å"This activation results in an increase in airway surface epithelial hydration, and through these actions and effects on cilia beat frequency, increases mucociliary clearance†[8] and has been shown to be an early intervention strategy when inhaled. The second of these drugs is lacovutide (Moli990) increases intracellular calcium level and activates alternative chloride channels, it does not bind with receptors but inst ead interacts with phospholipids on the plasma membrane. The CFTR protein has several functions chloride transport, inhibiting sodium transport as well as regulation of ATP channels. Inhibition of sodium absorption was hypothesised as a treatment option however amiloride (an epithelial sodium channel blocker with a short half life) was shown to have no clinical benefit and a tendency to decreased lung function. Studies on mice have shown when given as an early intervention the disease progression was prevented, however there is little evidence to show this in humans. An improvement may be seen in a blocker with a longer half life. Finally, airway surface liquid rehydration could improve the inadequate water content of the surface liquid by increasing the airway fluid layer with an inhaled osmotic agent. Hypertonic saline was found to have a positive effect on mucociliary transport and lung function due to induction of coughing and hydrating the mucus and new evidence has shown it also increased depth of the airway surface liquid. Inhaled powdered mannitol is an alternative. Effectiveness is limited to those with established lung disease but again, early intervention may prove more effective.   [9] Conclusion Cystic fibrosis is a lifelong eventually fatal disease caused by a genetic defect in the CFTR protein. How this protein functions and which factor is responsible for all the symptoms seen in CF patients is not yet confirmed though it is clear the dehydration if airway surface liquid causing the thick mucus that is hard to dislodge and harbours biofilms of bacteria leading to frequent infection is a major factor. Current treatment strategies target the downstream effects of CF such as the phlegm retention and make the disease manageable. The new development of drugs targeting the underlying defect is occurring with some in clinical trials though the benefit to each patient is unknown. This is because of the diversity of mutations and varying symptoms within each patient making this a difficult disease to treat. References O’Sullivan, B.P. Freedman, S.D. (2009) Cystic Fibrosis. Lancet 373: 1891-904 Ratjen, F. (2009) Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis and Future Treatment Strategies. Respiratory Care 54: 595-605 cftrust.org.uk/aboutcf/whatiscf/    CF trust Kellerman D, Rossi Mospan A, Engels J, Schaberg A, Gorden J, Smiley L, Denufosol: a review of studies with inhaled P2Y(2) agonists that led to Phase 3.( Pulm Pharmacol Therapeutics. 2008 Aug;21(4):600-7. Epub 2007 Dec 31) Development, Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 4222 Emperor Blvd, Suite 200, Durham, NC, USA. [emailprotected] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18276176 Hoiby N, Ciofu O, Bjarnsholt T, Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in cystic fibrosis, (Future Microbiology 2010 Nov;5(11):1663-74) Department of Clinical Microbiology 9301, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 22, Copenhagen, Denmark. [emailprotected] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21133688 Stryer, Berg, Tymoczko, Biochemistry, 6th edition, Freeman Griffiths, Wessler, Lewonitin, Carroll, Introduction to Genetic Analysis, 9th edition, Freeman Pocock and Richards, Human Physiology, 3rd edition, Oxford Publishing

ACT Advice Top 5 Tips on Preparing for the Test

ACT Advice Top 5 Tips on Preparing for the Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re looking for a concise, effective list of the bestACT advice, you’ve found it. Sometimes too much information can do more harm than good - in this post, I’ll lay out the five most importantthings you should do in order to do well on the ACT. Let's get to it! Tip #1:Figure Out Your Pain Points If you're gearing up to study for (and take) the ACT, you'll want to focus onimproving your weakest skills. So what are the biggest, most common problem areas that students have when preparing for the exam? 1. Content The ACT isn't a one-subject test - in order to do well, you'll have to prepare for the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections (not to mention the optional Writing section). If you're weak in a particular subject area in school, for example, you may see a weaker performance in the corresponding ACT section. 2. Timing The ACT isdivided into strictly timed sections, meaning you have less time to both complete questions and check your work. You may know everything you need to know, but still have issues with completing sections within the allottedtime limit. 3. Strategy Many standardized tests (the ACT included) list confusing or even misleading questions and/or answer choices. You may lose points (even if you know the relevant material) on tricky questions like this. To do well on the ACT, you'll, of course, need to think aboutall three major problem areas. You'll want to spend time thinking critically, though, about which of these areas are your major "pain points" - areas that are leading to the greatest loss of points. The best way to do this is to workthrough official ACT practicematerial. Once you've gone through a few practice sections (or, ideally, a whole ACT practice test) under realistic timing conditions, you can get a better idea of where you should focus your efforts. Get started by checking out our guide to reflecting on your ACT practice tests. Tip #2:Make a Study Plan Once you figure out what you need to practice most, your next step should be to lay out a time-sensitive and weakness-sensitive study plan. What I mean by this is you should set a study schedule based on 1) the amount of time you have to prepare for the ACT, and 2) your test content and strategy weaknesses. The amount of time you need to study depends on how much you want to improve from your baseline score. Here are some general guidelines for the amount of time you should prep depending on thesegoals: 0-1 Composite Score Improvement: 10 hours 1-2 Composite Score Improvement: 20 hours 2-4 Composite Score Improvement: 40 hours 4-6 Composite Score Improvement: 80 hours 6-9 Composite Score Improvement: 150+ hours Some students canfollow through on a plan with just independent study, whereas other students fare better with help from a tutoror an ACT prep course. If you’d like some more information on coming up with a study plan, check out our posts on how long you should study for the ACT and putting together a sample study schedule. Tip #3: Learn From Your Mistakes The most important part of studying effectively is critically analyzing how, why, and when you mess up. It’s also perhaps the least fun part of prepping for the ACT. Just keep in mind that if you’re not thinking about the problems, concepts, and strategies that you’re weak in, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities to improve your score. Mistakes and errors are only "bad" if you don't use them to improve. The big categories of errors and mistakes include: Careless errors - you should have known the right answer Content issues - you didn't have the information needed to answer the question Comprehension issues - you couldn't figure out what the question was asking Errors due to timing - these usually happen at the end of a section There are some simple, but important steps you should follow if you want to learn from your mistakes on ACT practice tests. Lucky for you, we have an awesome comprehensive guide on these strategies. You can also check out more detailed information on reflecting on ACT practice tests, ACT English, and ACT strategy mistakes. Tip #4: Work Efficiently You have to work efficiently if you want to do well on the ACT - this tip applies both when you’re studying for the test and when you’re actually taking the test. The bottom line is that if you’re not using your time wisely, you’re wasting time. To work efficiently as you study, it’s important that you do a few things: Stick to your study plan (Tip #2). It helps to set reasonable study goals, so you don't get distracted or side-tracked. Use the right study materials - don’t prepare with practice materials that won’t serve you well on the actual test. Focus on your pain points(Tip #1)first! To work effectively as you take the test,know that you'll be most effective if you've practiced developing time management skills through your prep. If you still need help with timing, though, you should read more about: How to stop running out of time on ACT reading How to stop running out of time on ACT math Time management for ACT science General ACT time management Tip #5:Take Care of Yourself Physically Mentally All of the previous ACT advicewon’t serve you well at all on test day if you’re stressed, hungry, or tired. No matter how much you may want to cram for the ACT the entire night before, keep in mind that your health and wellness is super important when it comes to your test performance. The ACT is a marathon, not a sprint, so prepare yourself the night before for a mental workout. This means getting a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast (your brain needs fuel, you know)! There are even more things you can do to take care of yourself the night before and the morning of the ACT - following those strategies will help you optimize your score. Wrapping Up In short, here are the five most important things you should do to prepare for the ACT: Figure out your pain points Make a study plan Learn from your mistakes Work efficiently Take care of yourself physically mentally There's a lot more detail to get into when it comes to prepping for the test, but if you follow this ACT advice, you'll be on the right track. What's Next? Next comes the work of actually studying for the ACT! As it's best to focus first on your weaknesses, you may want to read up on the three core areas of ACT prep: content, timing, and strategy.Check out our guides to ACT reading, math, science, and writing. Read more about how to beat the clock when you're taking the test. Finally, read up on 12 last-minute strategies that will boost your score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Report - Essay Example Industry analysis: background information Lucraspace.com is an online social site created out of the possibility of designing an online community for that could In essence pull a great online following that forms a massive pool for business advertising. Online social marketing in essence grew out of the need by business organizations to reduce operational costs associated with running any business while ensuring that maximum returns accrue to the business. While agreeing with Whiting, it is generally agreeable that online social marketing is no longer age restricted and therefore associated with all age sets in the 21st century. Daily, every social networking organization tries to make a huge following with different interests. Within these varied usage of social networking sites, different people relate social sites with different meanings and implications. From a business perspective, social networking site refers to a huge potential consumer group with homogenous product or servic e needs that gives the company a good avenue for advertising their products, within this definition, online marketers sees online social networking as a new consumer market. Equally, social networking site is composed of â€Å"individuals or organizations that are connected through various social contacts ranging from casual acquaintances to family members. (Dickerson, 2006) Dickerson, 2006 further attest that online social sites created â€Å"to encourage connections and communication to occur on a wide variety levels.† Popular online social sites include; MySpace, Facebook, Hi5, Xanga, and Friendster, which allows users an opportunity to create a user profile, connect with other online friends. User information and behaviors gathered used by marketing companies to determine the market niche and therefore be able to advertise their products on these sites. Revenue from online social site advertising often follows Uniform Resource Locator (URL) strategy that arbitrarily loca tes any file available in the internet. The figure below depicts the aggregated social network segment that lucraspace.com exploited as an alternative investment strategy for new venture creation. Marketing niche Lucraspace.com driven by the many opportunities that exist around social networking sites and a new need to develop revenues around social websites, as such advertising remained the main source of revenue for these sites in 2007. Within this new reality, online sites aimed at generating revenue from sites given their potentiality to reach millions of audiences and potential customers. Marketing estimates in 2006 indicated that markets and business companies paid $350million on advertising on social sites and further estimated that the figure could be higher with technological advances and internet access across many populations globally. The reported business success for these online social sites in their advertising strategy and their low operational costs associated with website design influenced many organizations to prefer these sites as advertising medium. (Cashmore, 2006; Venture Capital, 2007) Service/product information Lucraspace.com is an