CRM in Dubai Arabic Restaurants

Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) is a widely applied strategy used in the retail and hospitality industries to retain customers. To study the effectiveness of applying CRM in Dubai, two culturally local restaurants have been chosen to determine the customer segmentation in regards to the level of CRM performed at each. The focus on local companies allows for a more comprehensive analysis of strategies designed specifically around the Dubai market. The first segment of this report provides a descriptive outline from both primary and secondary research of the two establishments: an Arabic restaurant, Reem Al Bawadi and a Lebanese restaurant, Mezzah House. An analysis of both restaurants determines that Reem Al Bawadi focuses on providing a high customer service level, professionalism, and food quality; whereas Mezzah House relates in a greater extent to the customer in a more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. However, both restaurants do not implement a specifically designed CRM or retention strategy to build life time relationships with their customers. You can read also Classifications of Restaurants Based on the analysis of both restaurants, it can be concluded that CRM could be effectively implemented but is currently not evident in the retail and hospitality industries in Dubai. The Mezzah House succeeds for instance, through the use of weekly events to attract repeat customers. Similarly, Reem Al Bawadi is able to provide superior customer service (though formal and less personal) through customer feedback survey cards. Neither restaurant identifies with a need for formal CRM strategies to be developed. Both restaurants are sufficiently patronized by both the tourist segment and the locals. Consequently, the implementation of CRM in Dubai, with respect to the demographics of the city (that being 85% of the inhabitants are expatriates which will in time leave the country and tourists) as a whole is not a developing trend in the city at this time. The research summary and CRM justification highlights the differences of two restaurant chains, one US based and one European, who consistently improve the application of CRM and how these techniques could be implemented more directly within the Dubai market. The paper’s conclusion summarizes the important findings including an explanation of why CRM should be implemented in Dubai eateries, as related to the experiences noted within these two restaurants. There are marketing tools in place but not fully utilized as a formal plan for Customer Relationship Marketing. Introduction Utilizing Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) in the retail and hospitality industries to retain customers has been a developing practice throughout U. S. and developed European markets but is rarely recognizable in developing arenas. The question of whether Dubai, a city built from sand to skyscrapers which seems to seep tourist money, could benefit from developing a trend of using CRM to effectively build a relationship with its customers. Through first and secondary research using two culturally local restaurants the paper describes a study in the level of CRM performed in the Dubai market. The first segment of this report provides a description of the establishments: Reem Al Bawadi and Mezzah House. Experience The Food – The Research * Reem Al Bawadi – An Arabic Dining Experience General Description: For the purpose of this paper, the Dubai Jumeirah location of the Reem Al Bawadi, an Arabic restaurant with multiple locations in Dubai, will be discussed. This particular restaurant cannot be accessed by the metro; so, that either a car or taxi is required. The Restaurant provides both outdoor and indoor seating and due to the high ceilings and open spacing inside, a warm and authentic atmosphere is created maintaining the Arabic charm. Indoor seating is divided into two dining areas for smoking and non-smoking guests, both providing free Wi-Fi upon request. The menu ranges from traditional Arabic cuisine to Italian specialties such as pasta and pizza, providing a variety of dishes to the customers. The Jumeirah Road location is frequented by both tourists and local inhabitants and yet the pricing is reasonable when compared to other restaurants in the area. A main course with a drink runs around 70 to 80AED in total. The restaurant welcomes guests for both an entire meal for lunch and dinner or only drinks or small portions during the day. Customer Segmentation: Many of the customers at this location are walk-ins who pass by the restaurant and decide to dine on impulse. Because many are tourists, it is more difficult and almost impossible for the restaurant to build lasting relationships with the tourist segment. As Reem Al Bawadi operates multiple restaurants in Dubai, the steady segment of customers are inhabitants of the city which have visited others within the chain have interest due to a previous experience. Reasonable pricing for a full-service in the right location addresses mainly middle to higher income consumer segments. Customer Relationship Marketing Application: A review of what can be described as outstanding customer service reveals the entire staff to be friendly, helpful and caring for the guests. The waiters are knowledgeable of all the menu and capable recommending specific dishes according to the customer’s palatable tastes. Constantly visible to the guests and ensuring a smooth operation, the manager is of the restaurant seeks to enhance customer satisfaction. The internal organization is clearly hierarchy and women are only placed in the positions of hostess and clerk. They are expected to welcome guests and are not in serving at all. Reem Al Bawadi distributes feedback cards regarding reception, service, cleanliness and food quality in both English and Arabic (see appendix 1). This would indicate customer feedback is used to improve the service level. The employees however, exhibit a formal relationship to all customers and none were recognized as loyal guests or treated differently. The employees do not introduce themselves to the guests nor do they make any attempt to build rapport. Differences Between Primary and Secondary Research: The Reem Al Bawadi homepage is not customer friendly. Although the website provides a clear overview within the different icons, a considerable amount of information is missing. For instance, the history, values, internal operations and even menu prices are not presented on the website. Consequently the company’s strategy for customer retention is not readily apparent. As for social media, the Facebook page also only provides basic information including location, type of cuisine and methods of payment. Facebook and Twitter are used to promote special events such as sporting events but, none of the online marketing tools provide any information about he value of the customer to the company or any explanation of a CRM strategy. Supported by the above described findings of the primary research, it can be concluded that Reem Al Bawadi does not seem to have a specific CRM strategy or show any kind of recognition for repeat customers. Even so, great food and quality service breed positive online reviews which alone can build a loyal cu stomer base. * Mezza House – A Lebanese Arabic flair General Description: The Mezza House is also an Arabic restaurant located within walking distance from the Dubai mall, which can be conveniently accessed by metro or car. Similar to the Reem Al Bawadi, the restaurant offers both outdoor and indoor seating areas. The menu varies from Lebanese to Palestinian, Syrian and Jordanian food, combining it into Levantine cuisine. The menu cards display pictures of dishes so that customers develop a sight appeal to different menu items. The Restaurant is popular for its shisha culture and cosy atmosphere; so much so that non-smoking areas are not provided and usually the restaurant is quite boisterous. The noise level and shisha provides an atmosphere for social gatherings including free Wi-Fi to all guests. Customer Segmentation: The following customer segments were identified at Mezza House:, approximately 80% of the customers are Arab, followed by 15% of local customers and 5% of Western guests. As the restaurant does not provide a separate non-smoking area, it attracts mostly shisha-loving guests and excludes customers who would like to dine in a non-smoking area. The prices are similar to any other restaurant providing Lebanese food and thereby mainly middle to higher income customer segments are attracted, similar to Reem Al Bawadi Restaurant. Customer Relationship Marketing Application: Unlike the previous restaurant, waiters at Mezza House are generally attentive and make distinct efforts to engage with the guests by verifying satisfaction and responding to special requests. In contrast to Reem Al Bawadi, a difference between new and regular customers can be observed, as regular customers are treated as part of a family and some are even addressed by name. In addition, the food presentation is above average. Managers and employees verified that new staff is only hired if prior work experience was proven. Differences Between Primary and Secondary Research: Mezza House actively promotes its special weekly events on their website. These include ‘Ladies’ Night, Friday Brunch, and a Karaoke Night. This is used to generate return business, attracting repeat customers through a special experience married to high quality food. Their social media marketing constantly updates the Facebook with new event announcements and pictures of food. Online customer reviews are positive and relate to a high food quality and exquisite experience. However, many service quality comments are negative. This is mainly based on the fact that the employees relate to the guests in a personal rather than professional way. Customers seeking for a luxurious dining experience will be disappointed. In addition, the service perception of the customer differentiates from the service that the employees and managers would like to promote. Service quality is one of the main ideals for management. Research Summarization and CRM Justification: From the experience and research of both restaurants, it can be concluded that neither has implemented a clearly defined CRM strategy. Reem Al Bawadi does not relate to its customers and seems to gain its profit mostly from tourists and walk-in guests. Nevertheless, the establishment focuses on providing high service levels and exceptional food quality, requesting feedback but not using it to build relationships. The Mezza House has a more customer friendly atmosphere and homepage which actively promotes events to build relationships with guests centered around the dining experience. CRM can be effectively implemented, but is not currently evident in the Dubai retail and hospitality environments. While some elements of CRM are utilized, such as the superior customer service of the Reem Al Bawadi and the weekly events and personalized service in the Mezza House, neither apply customer retention strategies. Since the Reem Al Bawadi is located at Jumeirah Road where tourists and locals pass by, this particular restaurant may not have the need to invest into retaining customers, but as a strategy for the chain it could be utilized. The Mezza House clearly implements more elements of CRM represented through online marketing and relationship uilding; however, except for the weekly events, activities to retain the customers on a long term basis cannot be identified. The experience justifies that CRM can and has been implemented in Dubai, however, on a very limited basis and is not readily apparent in the retail and hospitality industries. * Value CRM IN Dubai Although Dubai has a population of 2. 1 million inhabitants, more than 85% of the population are expatriates who come and lea ve the country. In addition, tourism is the most important economic factor for Dubai, as approximately 13 million tourists per year come to Dubai. Therefore, especially in the hospitality industry, managers might assume that CRM is not applicable as mainly tourists come to visit the restaurants and hotels and expatriates often do not stay for many years. Since the two restaurants chosen for this paper are local, not specifically known by tourists or expats, CRM does not seem to be as applicable as in international chains where customers visit the same brand in different cities of the world. In fact, applying CRM might be easier in cities with a higher percentage of local inhabitants so that life time relationships with customers can be built and become more valuable. Restaurant chains such as the U. S. based O’Charley’s or the Italian chain VaPiano might find it easier to implement CRM in Dubai, as many expats and tourists recognize the brand and would visit a familiar setting or even be curious about the menu in a different country Conclusion: As shown by the examples of Reem Al Bawadi and Mezza House restaurants which implement specific elements of CRM but do not have a defined retention strategy, CRM can be effectively implemented. However, it is currently not widely applied in the Dubai retail and hospitality setting. As both restaurants are located in tourism areas and only 15% of the Dubai market is local, the restaurants are able to gain sufficient revenue from tourists and only a small amount of loyal local customers. Therefore, the restaurants do not visualize the need of implementing a CRM retention strategy. Consequently, due to the unique demographics rarely found in any other city, it is more difficult for Dubai retailers and restaurants to implement CRM. The curiosity of tourists and expats to taste authentic Arabic cuisine enables restaurants to operate successfully without developing a formal CRM strategy which focuses on specific customers. Website reviews such as â€Å"Tripadvisor† and â€Å"Timeout in Dubai† effectively promote the restaurants by word-of-mouth promotion as a marketing tool in contrast to a developed CRM strategy. As a final note, both restaurants were highly recommended for a return visit by the research staff to experience exceptional flavour of food and Arabic culture.

The Importance of Training to Quality

Introduction Many theorists have suggested that it is crucial to adequately train stuff in order to improve the overall quality of the service or product offered. Today employers are increasingly depending on the skills of all their employees for improvements in efficiency, quality and customer service (Motwani, Frahm, & Kathawala, 1994a). This review will focus on the findings of the main theorists in the quality management field and their views on the importance of employee training. It will outline the factors which influence employee training and suggest how quality training should be implemented. The review will also provide some insight into alternative methods of quality employee training. The Importance of Training to Quality Motwani, Frahm, & Kathawala (1994b) state that training is the critical variable in the success or failure of a company’s quality improvement programme. They go on to say that training enables a company’s workforce to acquire the skills needed to improve and maintain the quality production process. As the challenge of improving product and service quality becomes more important for all organizations so does the challenge to the training and development profession (Motwani, et al. 1994a). Motwani, et al. , (1994a) agree with other authors such as Cocheu (1992) and Ishikawa (1976), that quality begins and ends with training. According to Kaeter and Cothran (1992), training influences the process that help to improve quality. Ishikawa (1976) who has been a leader in stressing employee participation and the man who advocated the use of cause and effect diagrams (also known as ishikawa diagrams) to diagnose quality problems, has stressed that it is crucial to train managers and employees to improve quality. Deming (1982) notes that all employees should be trained continually as the needs of the customers are constantly changing over time. It is not enough to hire good people for the business organisation. They constantly have to acquire new skills for new materials and new methods of production. Deming (1982) considers training to be a long-term investment in people and the future of the company. Continuous training helps employees to improve their quality performance and the quality of the work processes they are responsible for (Deming 1982). When identifying key practices of quality management, most authors agree that training is an important factor. Saraph, Benson & Schroeder (1989) list training as one of the eight critical factors of quality management. Lakhal, Pasin, & Limam (2006) go on to state that employee training and employee participation are two of the eight critical factors of quality management. Eight key employee practices to improve quality have also been suggested by Smith (2001) and they are: recruiting, selection, retention, teamwork, training and development, appraisal, rewarding quality and employee involvement. Just knowing that training is important is not enough; training must also be effective (Cocheu, 1992). Cocheu (1992) proposes that to improve quality, organizations can use a six-step strategy, which includes: 1. Preparation, 2. Planning, 3. Awareness, 4. Deployment, 5. Implementation, and 6. Continuous improvement. This strategy should be supported by a six-phase training approach: 1. Understanding and commitment, 2. Quality management systems, 3. Improvement teams, 4. Customer service, 5. Process improvement, and 6. Advanced quantitative methods. Each phase of the quality training curriculum should build on the preceding hase of the training to give people at every level of the organization the knowledge and skills they will need. This includes both the employees and the management. (Cocheu, 1992) The Importance of Management to Training Most authors agree that quality management is crucial for the successful training of the employees. Without the wholehearted commitment of top man agement, spending time on quality training is pointless. Employees look to management to see if a company is really serious about quality training. If the management does not commit itself to change than the workers will not do so either (Motwani, et al. 1994b). Successful implementation of any change programme requires proper education and training of those who would be involved in the implementation process (Ernest Osseo-Asare Jr & Longbottom, 2002). Management needs to be sincere and to devote adequate time and resources to the on-site training effort so that employees believe it is important. Whether on-site or off-site training is employed, the skills learned by employees need to be applied immediately. If this is done, employees will receive the quality message (Motwani, et al. , 1994b). Anjard (1995) argues that it is no longer a luxury or a question as to whether Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy should be adopted. He states that â€Å"unless we adopt the concepts of continuous improvement, we are guaranteeing organizational obsolescence†. TQM is a visionary movement which represents a final recognition of a management philosophy that encourages employees to share responsibility for delivering quality services and products. Commitment from the top as well as a willingness to transform an organization from the bottom up is essential for effective implementation. More importantly Anjard (1995), goes on to say that effective TQM managers lead, coach and mentor amongst other things and that managers must train everyone and provide them with the knowledge, skills and tools needed for continuous quality improvement. Mathews, et al. (2001) add that the training that underpins quality management determines the likely effectiveness of the quality initiatives undertaken. Quality is achieved where employee satisfaction results from high-quality management, which places great importance on employee motivation and morale (Crome, 1998). Clear objectives in line with vision should be shared with staff through proactive leadership, highlighting areas that work well, creating champions of good practice and being supportive and motivational (Curry & Lyon, 2008). Donaldson (2004) states that achieving true quality takes much more than just learning the basic skills and technical concepts, you also have to get the human element right. This means providing education and training opportunities for all involved, plus support and empowerment from above. The author adds that emphasis should be placed on employee empowerment and training to improve quality of service. Bharadwaj & Karkera (2001) add that it is not realistic to think that mangers can achieve control by simply hiring good people, aligning incentives and hoping for the best. Today’s managers must encourage employees to initiate process improvements and new ways of responding to customers’ needs – but in a controlled way. Also, the employees must be told specifically what is expected of them. Specific training makes employees more confident and reduces staff turnover rates. This in turn increases quality (Pollitt, 2006). Smith (2001) agrees and states that employee involvement is positively linked with improved quality. As a result of this employee empowerment, some trainers responsible for self-guidance of the development process, become concerned that the philosophy implies their role within the organization will eventually become redundant. Quality control managers have subsequently discovered that the move to TQM has not reduced the importance of their job role. In fact, quite the reverse is usually the case because the quality manager’s new responsibilities as quality facilitator and mentor across all aspects of the organization’s activities is inevitably more rewarding and demanding than their old role of â€Å"organizational gamekeeper† (Chaston, 1994). Many companies have established written quality requirements for the products that they produce but few have developed internal requirements that must be met as process flows from one operation to another. Still fewer have developed requirements for the process itself – what must be done in what order to produce a conforming output (Oversmith, 1990). The author stresses the importance of using recognition systems that encourage participation and the involvement of employees in the quality process. Oversmith (1990) adds that companies achieve quality by making every single employee a â€Å"quality manager†. Each employee has to know what part they are playing in the quality improvement process. It begins when the employee is orientated into the company. The employee learns the requirements expected of all employees as well as the specific requirements for the job to be performed. This initial training should be followed up within the first few weeks of employment by formal quality education to stress the importance of the individual’s role in the quality improvement process as well as specific actions an employee is expected to take to avoid or eliminate quality nonconformance (Oversmith, 1990). Formal training in group problem solving and the proper use of teams to eliminate quality problems further prepares an employee to participate in improvement process. Smith (2001) also agrees that team based learning is important and suggests that incentives should be used to promote quality. Incentives for Quality and Alternative Methods of Training In order for the employees to use their training and improve the quality of the products/services, the management must provide them with incentives. If valued incentives exist for desired behavior, training that enables such behavior is likely to succeed as well: Many people receive a fixed amount of pay for the hours they work. They will not make more money immediately if they do a better job and they will not receive less, unless they are fired, for doing a poorer job. So, for these people, pay is an incentive for being present and for doing a minimally acceptable job – and not much more than that. Fortunately for employers, other incentives exist: approval and compliments, respect and trust, access to valued resources – tools, people, a window with a sunny view, awards, increased power and authority, more interesting or desirable assignments (Allen, 2003). Allen (2003) suggests that employers consider providing meaningful and memorable experiences through interactive multimedia to help employees see how the impact of their work determines the success of the group and ultimately affects quality. Burns (2005) suggests use of e-learning to train employees to improve quality. The key being interactivity. E-learning provides the potential to bring quality to life. When people are having fun, they won’t realize how much they are learning. If the average employee doesn’t enjoy learning he or she won’t absorb much about quality. Computers allow simulations to be built as an aid to learning and this is very relevant in lean Six Sigma training where factors such as throughput, work in progress, touch time and cycle time interact could be difficult to demonstrate. This would not just be effective but it will also be more enjoyable and people learn better when they are enjoying the learning experience (Pollitt, 2007). Pattison (2001) agrees that activities and interactivity make learning and training more enjoyable. Burns (2005) adds that humor is another means of providing motivation to learn about quality. Conclusion Upon review of literature on the importance of training to product and service quality it is evident that staff training is a vital part of any quality process. Quality products and services depend on a quality workforce. In order to sustain competitive advantage companies need to develop and implement quality training measures. A strong support from management is needed to constantly motivate and facilitate the employees training. Investing in employees training directly correlates with how the quality of the company’s products and services is viewed. If training continues to improve, if it continues to reinforce quality messages, then employees will believe quality truly is the foundation of their company’s long term culture. References Allen, M. (2003). Training rewards good performance. Quality, 42, 28-29. Anjard, R. P. (1995). Keys to successful TQM training and implementation. Training for Quality, 3(1), 14–22. Bharadwaj, G. , & Karkera, R. (2001). Employee training in quality in the new millennium. Quality Congress. ASQ's †¦ Annual Quality Congress Proceedings, 517-528. Burns, T. (2005). E-Learning: The Future of Quality Training. Quality Progress, 38(2), 50-56. Chaston, I. (1994). Managing for Total Training Quality. Training for Quality, 2(3), 11-14. Cocheu, T. (1992). Training with Quality. Training & Development, 46(5), 10. Crome, M. (1998). Call centres: battery farming or free range? Industrial and Commercial Training, 30(4), 137. Curry, A. , & Lyon, W. (2008). Call centre service quality for the public: a Scottish framework for the future. Managing Service Quality, 18(2), 194-208. Deming, W. E. (1982). Quality, Productivity and Competitive Position. Cambridge: MIT Press. Donaldson, D. P. (2004). Getting the People Part Right. Quality Progress, 37(7), 6. Ernest Osseo-Asare Jr, & Longbottom, D. (2002). The need for education and training in the use of EGQM model for quality management in UK higher education insitutions. Quality Assuarance in Education 10(1), 26-36. Ishikawa, K. (1976). Guide to quality control. Tokyo: Asian Productivity Organisation. Kaeter, M. , & Cothran, T. (1992). Pioneering Quality Training. Training(April 1992), 13-18. Lakhal, L. , Pasin, F. , & Limam, M. (2006). Quality management practices and their impact on performance. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 23(6), 625-646. Mathews, B. P. , Ueno, A. , Periera, Z. L. , Silva, G. , Kekale, T. , & Repka, M. (2001). Quality training: findings from a European survey. The TQM Magazine, 13(1), 61-68. Motwani, J. G. , Frahm, M. L. , & Kathawala, Y. (1994a). Achieving a Competitive Advantage through Quality Training. Training for Quality, 2(1), 35-40. Motwani, J. G. , Frahm, M. L. , & Kathawala, Y. (1994b). Quality Training The Key to Quality Improvement Training for Quality 2(2), 7-12. Oversmith, G. E. (1990). Developing Employee Ownership of the Quality Improvement Process. Hospital Materiel Management Quarterly;, 12(1), 38-45. Pattison, S. A. (2001). Staff meetings: an opportunity for accelerated training of employees. Journal of Workplace Learning, 13(4), 172 ±178. Pollitt, D. (2006). Holiday Extras is flying high Call-center training improves call time, quality and staff retention. Human Resource Management International Digest, 14(7), 22-24. Pollitt, D. (2007). ING Direct banks on the quality of its call centre employees. Training & Management Development Methods 21(4), 579-582. Smith, W. L. (2001). Customer service call centers: managing rapid personnel changes. Human Systems Management, 20 123–129.

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Residential Law - Case Study Example The Council had instructed its employee, Sam, to carry out this work. (Although not specifically mentioned in the judgment, it was assumed that Hazel Khan was expected to pay for this report in the charges made to him by the Southwark Council.) The report to be prepared by Sam should diligently disclose the presence of any settlement cracks between the flat and later extension, which might reduce the value of the flat. Any devaluation in price of flat can be claimed by Hazel Khan. Sam has to declare the current solvability status of the Southwark Council. The Council's professional indemnity insurance has to be valid at all times for any future insurance claim. The Mortgage report to be supplied to Hazel Khan must be in a form which should include all references to Southwalk Council, although Hazel knew that the report had been prepared by a hired and independent valuer. Hazel Khan has the option to rely on this report or may arrange for another independent survey of the property if he chooses to do so. Hazel Khan has the right to criticize any breached a duty of care which the Council owed him in his personal capacity. Sam should accept that Hazel would place reliance upon his report. In order to hold Hazel personally liable in anyway, Hazel had to show that he had assumed responsibility towards the report in his personal capacity. Sam has to bear allegiance that his duty was not to Hazel, but to the Council which employed him and it was on the Council alone that Hazel had relied. It was the Council that had assumed responsibility to Hazel, not he. The report should be cited similar with the case of Yianni v. Edwin Evans & Sons [1982] QB 438, where a firm of valuers and surveyors, engaged by a building society to value a property for mortgage purposes, had been held liable to the purchasers in negligence, despite the purchasers ignoring a recommendation in the mortgage application form that they arrange an independent survey. Another case to cite is in the combined cases of Smith v. Bush and Harris v. Wyre Forest District Council [1990] 1 AC 831. The only real distinction between the present case [Harris] and the case of Yianni is that the valuation was carried out by an in-house valuer. This valuer is discharging the duties of a professional man whether he is employed by the mortgagee or acting on his own account or is employed by a firm of independent surveyors. The essence of the case against him is that he as a professional man realised that the purchaser was relying on him to exercise proper skill and judgment in his profe ssion and that it was reasonable and fair that the purchaser should do so. Sam has to owe a consistent duty of care and Hazel to rely on professional valuer just as in Yianni and Harris where the plaintiffs never even saw the valuation report. But they are to be taken to have relied on the professional skill and care of the individual person who carried it out. It is made clear that a professionally qualified person giving advice may owe a duty of care to an effective recipient of that advice in addition to the duty owed to their employers. This has to be confined strictly to those who may be termed professionally qualified people as in the case of Sam and Hazel, because it would depend on the full circumstances in which advice was given, rather than to any label appropriate to the adviser. In any

Is the Death Penalty Effective Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is the Death Penalty Effective - Research Paper Example Rather, it is an economic drain for most of the states in our country that continue to use it as their severest form of criminal punishment. It also provides an emotional and psychological release for the criminal who suffers the most in death row. We all have a right to life. We all have the right to change the way of life that we chose to lead in the past. Nobody ever wants to willingly live a life of crime. Some people, or most hardened criminals like Charles Manson, prove to have psychological shortcomings that have driven them into such a horrific lifestyle. With that kind of information on hand for anyone to see and read about, one can only come to the conclusion that the death penalty is a punishment that is outmoded and irrelevant when dealing with criminals. Rather than killing these people, prisons should make more effective use of their criminal rehabilitation programs instead. Opting to keep the most dangerous criminals under lock and key for the rest of their lives witho ut a chance of getting a parole rather than trying to right a crime with another crime. Let's call a spade a spade in this case. The death penalty has never been an effective crime deterrent. The states that implement them such as Florida, California, and Texas still have high crime rates with murder rates still on the rise. These aforementioned states have seen a reduction in their police force and a trimming down of their prison budgets all because the state budget cannot afford to keep the law enforcement team on the payroll the way they need to be. But, and this is what boggles the minds of most thinking people who live in these states, the fact remains that these very same states manage to spend millions of dollars of the state budget in implementing death penalty actions. Case in point: Before the Los Angeles riots, for example, California had little money for innovations like community policing, but was managing to spend an extra $90 million per year on capital punishment. Te xas, with over 300 people on death row, is spending an estimated $2.3 million per case, but its murder rate remains one of the highest in the country. (Dieter, Richard â€Å"What Politicians Don't Say About the High Costs of the Death Penalty†) Keeping the above costing in mind, it is sufficient enough to say that Capital Punishment as we know it is actually making America a dangerous place to live in. When a country, or a state for that matter, pours out so much of its budget on the death penalty while their crime prevention measures and law enforcers suffer with meager budgets or a slash of employed police officers, one can only deduce that something is very wrong with the way people of the state view their safety concerns and strategies. Why do some states continue to enforce the death penalty when it has a f cheaper alternative? By placing a criminal in prison for life, without parole. we prevent the clogging of our judicial system with motion after motion for reconsidera tion on behalf of the sentenced death row convict. Capital punishment trials are one of the most costly trials that can be had by any accused most specially since there is a huge

Capstone Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Capstone Paper - Essay Example The perceptions and norms of society by voters influence their economic performance through affecting policies endorsed by politicians. The Americans value equality of political voice and democracy, while China and Russia tend to prefer socialistic values of communism. Russia’s transition to capitalism has been arduous, while China has undoubtedly embraced capitalism although retain their collectivistic ideologies. This paper will discuss the American, Russian, and Chinese societies within the context of political and economic system. The paper will elaborate on how political, economic, and other ideologies in these societies affect the three societies. The US economic ideologies are blend of capitalism and socialism although the vast continuum of social programs does not conform purely to capitalistic ideologies (Harshaw 1). The Americans tend to value equal political voice and democracy. In fact, the US is aggressively engaged in promoting democracy abroad. Such values are under increased threat amid persistent and increasing inequalities. The disparities in income, wealth, and opportunities are growing more steeply in the US than any other country in the world, with racial and ethnic disparities persisting. The realization of American democratic ideals seemed to have halted, and reversed in some areas. The Civil Rights revolution during the 1950s and 1960s made racial discrimination and exclusion to be socially and legally unacceptable in the American society. This resulted in widespread harmonious participation of whites and blacks in institutions of learning, employment, as well as all forms of civic and political organization s. This revolution has led to recognition of rights of women, with American currently accessing most of same political and economic opportunities as men do. The historically marginalized groups have also acquired rights to full participation within American institutions and tend to demand and enjoy the

Salem Witch Trials Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Salem Witch Trials - Coursework Example ended rights, the jail conditions of accused were but harsh, with the accused witches often tied for months inside cold flooded, foul smelling cells; in effect, forcing many innocent prisoners to accepted their punishment for offences they knew little about.2 Those who attempted to escape would immediately be executed when caught. The examinations for evidence were humiliating at best, for the accused were often stripped naked and tortured even more to confess. The accusers were but a section of the puritans with strong beliefs in the existence of demonic sprits and the associated control over every bad thing in life; and was the case when their children begun behaving contrary to their doctrinal beliefs, leading to the Salem witchcraft accusations. The accused witches were taken before appointed magistrates, literally questioned, with their accusers appearing in the courtrooms in a grand display of name calling screams and writhing of the supposed demonic spirit possessed young girls, which to the disbelief of many, were the complete evidence in the trials. Belief in the dangers of supernatural powers had long been cultivated by the community, and that the challenges such as the after effects of the wars, smallpox epidemic, among other conflicts as well the soaring crime rates only cemented the simmering tensions and

Pain Managment In Palliative Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Pain Managment In Palliative Care - Assignment Example This is because pain is very severe and distressing in cancer patients and can lead to physical disability, emotional maladjustment, social detachment, psychological depression and distress, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, and feeling of unwell and above all make their journey to death miserable (National Health Service, 2006). In fact, pain is the only aspect of terminal illness that can be relieved. Nurses taking care of terminally ill cancer patients must be aware of this and take necessary measures to relieve pain in them (Kearney et al, 2000). This essay discusses pain relief management in a terminally ill cancer patient an exercise to gain further understanding into palliative care of advanced malignancy. The aim of palliative care is to enhance the quality of life of the patient and influence the course of the disease in the most positive sense. The care must be initiated as early as possible in the course of the disease in conjunction with other supportive therapies like chemotherapeutic, medical and surgical interventions. Palliative care adapts the philosophy of hospice care and the interdisciplinary practice. It applies to all terminally ill patients irrespective of their diagnosis, race, religion, age, gender and culture (National Cancer Control Programme, 2005). Pain relief is the corner stone of palliative care and enhances the spiritual value of care. Along with pain relief, other symptoms like nausea and vomiting, regional swelling, sleeplessness, gastritis and constipation must be addressed (Johnson et al, 2006). Quality of life of the patient may be enhanced by encouraging the patient and allowing the patient to indulge in activities which are a source of enjoyment and relaxation for him or her like watching movies and listening to music, by making the patient feel that the patient is yet a much wanted member in the family and by providing the patient time and space to spend

Technology and innovation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technology and innovation management - Essay Example The focus of any project must focus on the usability of the product (Crawford 2001). The product must be able to be used in the easiest way possible. This means that the products ought to incorporate all the attributes of a good product in a given category. Therefore, the product that the company develops ought to meet the conventionality of the user market. However, in order for the product to have a competitive advantage over the competitors, it ought to be designed in a manner that distinguishes it from the other products. The products ought to be designed in a manner that it accords the user more convenience than the rest of the products in the market. Looking at the drills made by Black and Decker Corporation it is evident that they have a constant drive towards the provision of maximum comfort and convenience to the user. The drills are made in such a manner that they are capable of offering the conventional usability of any product but at a more improved scale. The drills are high performance tools. However, they are more convenient to use. The lack of a cord means that they are the most desired tools to be used on the remote construction sites. The drillers can be used in the places that do not have the power. The convenience of being able to work even after the power is out. This made the drills develop an edge over the peers. The projects on the creation of the drillers and the screwdrivers follow the tenets of good project management that are postulated in the MIT report. The company focused on the production of a product that is comparatively better than the rest in the market. In the process of making the design of the product, the company focused on the creation of a unique product that would give it the desired level of competitive advantage. The cordless drills and drivers were the first ones in the market. The products not only provided the company

Miss Maddie Mae Essay Example for Free

Miss Maddie Mae Essay Goooooood morning Omaha! It is 6:30 am and the high today is 101 degrees. Thats right, it is going to be another hot one, make sure to make it down to Linoma Beach today, well be down there giving out some cool prizes and its your chance to winI roll over on my side to hit the snooze button and I wipe my forehead with a wet cloth to cool down. I lay in bed for just a few more minutes starring up at my ceiling as I notice an annoying tick coming from my fan, which by the way, is on so high it looks like it is going to plummet from my ceiling at any given moment. Whats today? Something important is supposed to happen today, I think to myself,SHOOT! Its Thursday, I yell out stridently and I quickly jump out of bed to my feet and sprint to the shower trying not to trip over practically 18 pairs of shoes and so much clothes it would last me the rest of the summer without having to wear the same wardrobe twice. What are you in such a big hurry for? my mom asks me as I cut her off, shut the door, and hop in the shower. Its Thursday, I yell back through the walls and over the noise of the shower. And.Ma, how could you forget? Maddies plane comes in at 8:00, Im supposed to pick her up!Well, you better get a move on then Lauren, Its 6:45!I finally get out of my house by about 7:00 and I anxiously drive to the airport, praying I wont be late. I havent seen Maddie since last summer when she moved to LA to live with her dad for a while. Maddie has been my best friend for the longest time, no one could even compare to our friendship. She is the most real person anyone would ever meet. Did I mention were exactly alike? We are crazy! Im hoping now shes home for good, Im not the same without her by my side 24/7, the worst part about it all is that she refuses to tell me whether shes staying or leaving until I pick her up. It is all very stressful, it really is! I arrive at the airport just barely making it and I wait for her by the security checkpoint because youre not allowed to go any further than that anymore without a ticket. Kieny! My girl,I had to look twice at where that familiar voice came from  because she looked so different. Last time I saw her she had a light caramel brown hair but now she had gone back to being that beautiful bleach blonde hair and blue-eyed girl I knew her to be with a golden bronze tan. Wow, it has been so long, I respond with a huge smile on my face shaking my head back and forth in unbelief. Too long, she replies as we hug jumping up and down with laughter and joy. Once we had our girl screaming fest, we went to this little cafà © back out in Millard so we could sit outside and grab a cup of coffee and some breakfast to catch up on lost time. So whats it like in LA, I can see youve got their style down thats for sure, you look like a Laguna Beach chick,Maddie leans back in her chair, slides her aviators off of her nose and on top of her head, places both elbows on the arms of the chair, and swings her right leg over the left. Its a dream come true, it really is. You would love it there, Kieny So, its my first day back, what big plans do you got for us girl?I didnt exactly have anything planned, I figured we would just go with it, but if I were to tell her that she would be disappointed. I replied, Well, its supposed to get pretty hot today so I think we should go to Linoma Beach, a bunch of people will be out there anyways,Sounds good. Guess what home girl? she questions me in a tone of dissatisfaction. Oh no come on now Maddie, is this where you tell me your not staying? I asked her with great hesitation. She paused for what seemed to take 2 hours, but in actuality it was just for a few seconds, Nope! Girl you better believe Im not going anywhere!I shoot out of my seat with excitement and practically spill coffee all over her white California style tube top and her high top shoes,Thats the way it should be, I laughed,And thats the way it will always be, she said back  giving me another hug.

Literature Review: Looked After Children

Literature Review: Looked After Children Looked after children is the legislative term for children and young people in public care introduced in the 1989 Children Act and includes children who are subject to supervision and live with family members as well as looked after and accommodated children who live with foster carers or in residential schools or care homes. (Scottish Executive 2007) The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 adopted the term looked after, taking a lead from the earlier Children Act 1989 in England and Wales, because the expression in care had become pejorative and stigmatising. (Connelly, Seibelt and Furnivall 2008) These children have a right to expect to achieve the same educational outcomes the Government want for every child -to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they will need if they are to succeed in life, learning and work, now and in the future. (Scottish Executive 2004 to date) (Department For Children, Schools And Families 2010) To allow LAC to achieve these outcomes successfully, local authorities as corporate parents (meaning the formal and local partnerships needed between all local authority departments and services, and associated agencies, who are responsible for working together to meet the needs of looked after children and young people) should demonstrate the strongest commitment to helping every child to achieve the highest educational standards he or she possibly can. (Scottish Executive 2007) Looked after children and young people face many barriers to their success in education. We take these children into care to improve their life chances, though some do well, despite the difficulties faced in other aspects of their lives, the educational achievement of looked after children as a group remains unacceptably low. (Department For Children, Schools And Families 2010) (Scottish Executive 2007)(Connelly and Chakrabarti 2008) (Department For Children, Schools And Families 2009)(Coulling 2000) Table 1 shows both information about the expected levels for most children at different school stages and also a comparison between the assessed levels for looked after children and non-looked after children nationally in 2003. This information has only been made available publicly once and is no longer collected as a result of the developments associated with Curriculum for Excellence. The table shows clearly the overall low achievement of looked after pupils compared with their non-looked after peers. Table 1: National Assessment Data 2003 (Scottish Government 2004) School stage Level attained English Reading English Reading English Writing English Writing Maths Maths Not LAC LAC Not LAC LAC Not LAC LAC P2 A or above 52% 29% 42% 20% 76% 57% P3 A or above 88% 74% 85% 69% 95% 89% P4 B or above 81% 56% 75% 50% 79% 52% P5 B or above 92% 73% 88% 64% 92% 73% P6 C or above 86% 59% 75% 40% 80% 46% P7 D or above 73% 34% 60% 20% 69% 24% However, as stated by the Scottish Government, this information is not complete. It only contains information from two thirds of local authority areas. Lack of complete data on Looked after Children is an issue spoken about frequently in articles and reports. (Jacklin, Robinson, and Torrance 2006) However, it is believed that the overall trends, which show a widening of the attainment gap between children who are and are not looked after, with each school stage, are accurate. The Social Exclusion Units report A Better Education for Children in Care (2003) identified five key reasons why looked after children underachieve in education: their lives are characterised by instability; they spend too much time out of school; they do not have sufficient help with their education if they fall behind; primary carers are not expected or equipped to provide sufficient support and encouragement for learning and development; and they have unmet emotional, mental and physical health needs that impact on their education These reasons are mirrored in other reports (Scottish Executive date unknown)(Scottish Government 2008)(Connelly, Seibelt and Furnivall 2008) but these also suggest that some LAC face so many difficulties in their lives that schooling seems to be of low priority to them and to the agencies providing support. They suggest that schooling is also often given insufficient priority when making and reviewing care plans. Despite the common perception in society that children in care are simply uninterested in learning, the vast majority (97 per cent) consider education important, with nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) giving future employment as the reason8. Many enjoy school, with around a third (35 per cent) identifying specific subjects or learning as their favourite aspect. (Social Exclusion Unit 2003) The stigma of being looked after can cause isolation, low self-esteem, difficulty in making friends, and bullying. Frequent moves of placement and school disrupt education. Difficult life events can affect concentration and the ability to make relationships. School can, potentially, be a very good and consistent experience for a looked after child or young person. (Scottish Executive date unknown) The children and young people themselves invariably say that education and educational attainment are important to them. They understand that how well they do at school with have an impact in their achievements in adulthood. (Scottish Government 2008) However, not all children in care have good experiences of school. They are 10 times more likely than others to be permanently excluded from school. Over a third say they have been excluded at some point. Six out of 10 say they have been bullied at school compared to roughly one in six of all children. One in eight missed five or more weeks schooling in 2001-2. (Social Exclusion Unit 2003) We believe the current levels of educational attainment can be transformed if the system is changed so that the joint efforts of all those who care about the learning of these children can have their maximum effect. (Department For Children, Schools And Families 2009) Executive, S., 2007. Looked after Children Young People : We can and must do Better. (Scottish Executive 2004 to date) Department For Children, S.A.F., 2010. Promoting the Educational Achievement of Looked After Children Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities, Connelly, G. Chakrabarti, M., 2008. Improving the educational experience of children and young people in public care: a Scottish perspective. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(4), pp.347-361 Department For Children, S.A.F., 2009. Improving the Educational Attainment of Children in care ( Looked after Children ) Attainment of Children in Care ( Looked after Children ), Social Exclusion Unit, 2003. Social Exclusion Unit Report A better education for children in care., Scottish Executive (date unknown) About looked after children. http://www.lookedafterchildrenscotland.org.uk/about/index.asp [accessed on 7th October 2010] Scottish Government, 2008. Count Us In. Improving the Education of our Looked after Children., Scottish Government (2004) Childrens Social Work Statistics 2003-04. Available online at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/10/20121/45478 [accessed 11th January 2011] Connelly, G., Seibelt, L. Furnivall, J., 2008. Glasgow Project Report Supporting Looked After Children and Young People at School : A Scottish Case Study. Assessment. Jacklin, A., Robinson, C. Torrance, H., 2006. When lack of data is data: do we really know who our lookedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ after children are? European Journal of Special Needs Education, 21(1), pp.1-20. Coulling, N., 2000. Definitions of Successful Education for the Looked After Child: a Multi-agency Perspective. Support for Learning, 15(1), pp.30-35. Therapies for Cancer Treatment: An Analysis Therapies for Cancer Treatment: An Analysis Immunotherapy Better understanding of the biology of cancer cells has led to the development of biologic agents that mimic some of the natural signals that the body uses to control cell growth. Clinical trials have shown that this cancer treatment, called  biological response modifier (BRM) therapy,  biologic therapy,  biotherapy, or  immunotherapy, is effective for several cancers. Some of these biologic agents, which occur naturally in the body, can now be made in the lab. Examples are interferons, interleukins, and other cytokines. These agents imitate or influence the natural immune response of the body. By altering the cancer cell growth or by acting indirectly to help healthy cells control the cancer. One of the most exciting applications of biologic therapy has come from identifying certain tumor targets, called antigens, and aiming an antibody at these targets. This method was first used to find tumors and diagnose cancer and more recently has been used to treat cancer cells. Scientists produce monoclonal antibodies that are specifically targeted to chemical components of cancer cells. Refinements to these methods, using recombinant DNA technology, have improved the effectiveness and decreased the side effects of these treatments. The first therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, rituximab (Rituxan) and trastuzumab (Herceptin) were approved during the late 1990s to treat lymphoma and breast cancer, respectively. Monoclonal antibodies are now routinely used to treat certain cancers. Scientists are also studying vaccines that boost the body’s immune response to cancer cells. For instance, a 2009 lymphoma study looked at personalized vaccines made from tissue from each patient’s tumor. Encouraging results showed that patients who received the vaccine lived longer disease-free than those who did not. In 2010, the FDA approved Sipuleucel-T (Provenge), a cancer vaccine for metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (prostate cancer that has spread and is no longer responding to hormone treatment). Unlike a preventive vaccine, which is given to prevent disease, Provenge boosts the body’s immune system’s ability to attack cancer cells in the body. This treatment helps certain men with prostate cancer live longer, though it does not cure the disease. Targeted therapy Until the late 1990s nearly all drugs used in cancer treatment (with the exception of hormone treatments) worked by killing cells that were in the process of replicating their DNA and dividing to form 2 new cells. These chemotherapy drugs also killed some normal cells but had a greater effect on cancer cells. Targeted therapies work by influencing the processes that control growth, division, and spread of cancer cells, as well as the signals that cause cancer cells to die naturally (the way normal cells do when they are damaged or old). Targeted therapies work in several ways. Growth signal inhibitors: Growth factors are hormone-like substances that help to tell cells when to grow and divide. Their role in fatal growth and repair of injured tissue was first recognized in the 1960s. Later it was realized that abnormal forms of growth factors or abnormally high levels of growth factors contribute to the growth and spread of cancer cells. Researchers also started to understand how cells recognize and respond to these factors, and how that can lead to signals inside the cells that cause the abnormal features found in cancer cells. Changes in these signal pathways have also been identified as a cause of the abnormal behaviour of cancer cells. During the 1980s, scientists found that many of the growth factors and other substances responsible for recognizing and responding to growth factor are actually products of oncogenes. Among the earliest targeted therapies that block growth signals are trastuzumab (Herceptin), gefitinib (Iressa), imatinib (Gleevec), and cetuximab (Erbitux). Current research has shown great promise for treatments in some of the more deadly and hard-to-treat forms of cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer, advanced kidney cancer, and glioblastoma. Second-generation targeted therapies, like dasatinib (Sprycel) and nilotinib (Tasigna), have already been found to produce faster and stronger responses in certain types of cancer and were better tolerated. Angiogenesis inhibitors Angiogenesis is the creation of new blood vessels. The term comes from 2 Greek words: angio, meaning â€Å"blood vessel,† and genesis, meaning â€Å"beginning.† Normally, this is a healthy process. New blood vessels, for instance, help the body heal wounds and repair damaged tissues. But in a person with cancer, this same process creates new, very small blood vessels that give a tumor its own blood supply and allow it to grow. Anti-angiogenesis agents are types of targeted therapy that use drugs or other substances to stop tumors from making the new blood vessels they need to keep growing. This concept was first proposed by Judah Folk man in the early 1970s, but it wasn’t until 2004 that the first angiogenesis inhibitor, bevacizumab (Avastin), was approved. Currently used to treat advanced colorectal, kidney, and lung cancers, bevacizumab is being studied as treatment for many other types of cancer, too. Many new drugs that block angiogenesis have become available since 2004. Apoptosis-inducing drugs Apoptosis is a natural process through which cells with DNA too damaged to repair – such as cancer cells – can be forced to die. Many anti-cancer treatments (including radiation and chemotherapy) cause cell changes that eventually lead to apoptosis. But targeted drugs in this group are different, because they are aimed specifically at the cell substances that control cell survival and death. Novel Approaches for Cancer Treatment Liposomes: Liposomes were first introduced by Bangham in 1965 and afterwards became the most popular and versatile tool in controlled and targeted drug delivery.Since liposomes were first described 45 years ago [19] they have gained interests for a variety of applications including drug delivery [20].Liposomes used for drug delivery are usually about 100 nm in size and are made up of a single bilayer. As liposomes comprise an aqueous core sealed off by a PL membrane both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs can be accommodated in their respective compartments [18].Liposomes consist of spherical lipid bilayers that can be produced from phospholipids and cholesterol. Liposomes can encapsulate a variety of molecules, such as small drug molecules, proteins and many other bioactive(s). These vesicles are generally considered as biodegradable and imperceptibly immunogenic,and can also be used for a large number of biomedical applications. Recently, DOX and fluoxetine encapsulated liposomes hav e been reported to be effective formulation against drug-resistant MCF-7 cells. It was observed that liposomes significantly reduced tissue bio distribution of anticancer agents with improvedcytotoxicity. Liposomes are simple colloidal vesicles with an aqueous interior enclosed by a membrane usually composed of phospholipid (PL) molecules. PLs, the major components of biological membrane are amphiphilic compounds with a polar head group and lipophilic acyl chains. PLs can be classified according to type of polar head group, fatty acid chain length and degree of saturation.When bilayer forming PLs are dispersed in aqueous media they will spontaneously align themselves in a manner to reduce interactions between the polar media and the hydrophobic fatty acid chains. Consequently, bilayer structures, i.e. liposomes, may be formed. Liposomes may consist of one or more bilayers (lamellae) and of sizes ranging from tens of nanometres to tens of micrometres in diameter. For a review see [17 ]. Liposomes are broadly classified into small unilamellar vesicles (SUV); single bilayer, size 10 100 nm), large unilamellar vesicles (LUV); single bilayer, size 100 1000 nm), multilamellar vesicles (MLV), several bilayers, size 100 nm 20 um and multivesicular vesicles (MVV), size 100 nm – 20um). Today there are about 15 liposomal based formulationdrugs approved for clinical applications or undergoing clinical evaluation,Liposomes in cancer treatment Conventional cytostatic used in cancer treatment are small molecular weight molecules [4]. Such molecules distribute non-specifically to both healthy and tumour tissue resulting in therapy limiting toxicities. To increase the therapeutic-to-toxicity ratio cytostatic can be encapsulated into small liposomes (~100 nm), which accumulate in tumours due to the 14enhanced permeability and retention effect [21]. Here, leaky tumour vessels allow macromolecules to extravagate into tumour tissue, whilst reduced lymphatic tumour drainage results in particle accumulation. First generation liposomes used for drug delivery suffered from fast clearance by cells of the monocyte phagocyte system (MPS). By coating liposomes with polyethylene glycol (PEG), i.e. PEGylated liposomes, adhesion of plasma proteins and opsonin to liposomes are decreased. Consequently, immune system recognition is reduced, decreasing MPS uptake and prolongs circulation time [22]. Today, most liposomes used for drug delivery are PEGylated. Cancer is a class of diseases. Which is characterized by out-of-control cell growth.There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected. Nanotechnology has been extensively exploited to improve conventional cancer therapy in the recent years [1–5]. The designed nanocarriers for achieving precise drug delivery to cancer cells are expected to be non-cytotoxic, efficiently load the drugs, enhance the circulation time in bloodstream, and actively target the cancer cells[6]. The nanocarriers currently under intensive investigation can be divided into two categories in generalise. The lipid-based and the polymer-based with liposomes and polymeric nanoparticle as their typical representative respectively. Liposomes, the spherical vesicles formed by single or multiple lipid bilayer, have been widely used due to their high biocompatibility, favourable pharmacokinetic profile, high delivery efficiency and ease of surface modification. In the recent years, several liposomal drug formulations have been approved for clinical use [7]. Limitations of liposomal drug delivery: include insufficient drug loading, fast drug release, and instability in storage [8]. Historically, lipids have been used for several decades in various drug delivery systems including liposomes solid lipid NPs, nano structured lipid carriers, andlipid–drug conjugates. Over the last decade, lipid based nano carriers are viewed as potential tool to encapsulate and deliver variety of pharmaceutical actives[44,45]. The solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are the first and second generation of lipid nanoparticles, respectively. The SLNs are composed of solid lipid or a blend of solid lipids while NLCs contain a mixed lipid core (solid fat and oil)[45]. generally regarded as safe [GRAS] nature of lipid and the structural integrity of the polymer. Thus far, the polymers such as polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) [46,47], hydrolysed polymer of epoxidized soybean oil (HPESO) [48,49], dextran [50], polyethyleneimine (PEI) [51], LPNs, are prepared by at least three main components are i.e., the lipid, the polymer, and a drug. The fir st way to prepare the LPNPs is to mix the polymeric NPs with liposomes to form the lipid-shell and polymer-core nanoparticles such as lipoparticles where the lipid bilayer or lipid multilayer of the liposomes fuses on the surface of the polymeric NPs.[52–53] The second way to prepare the LPNPs has advantage over the first way in formulating the structured NPs in a single step and thus provides a simpler technology, which combines the nanoprecipiation method and the self-assembly technique to produce the desired structured NPs of lipid shell and polymer core [54,55]Folic acid is selected as the model molecular probe for targeted delivery of the drug to the cancer cells of folate overexpression such as certain breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells. Poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), one of the most popular FDA approved non-cytotoxic and biodegradable polymers,is used to form the polymer core matrix, which is wrapped by the mixed lipid monolayer shell of three distinct functio nal components:(i) 1,2-dilauroylphosphatidylocholine (DLPC), a phospholipid of an appropriate hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value which is employed to stabilize the NPs in the aqueous phase;(ii) 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000] (DSPE-PEG2k), a PEGlyated DSPE to facilitate stealth NPs formulation to escape from recognition by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and thus increase the systemic circulation time of the LPNPs[28,29],and(iii)1,2-distearoyl-snglycero-3-phosphoethanolamineN[folate(polyethylene glycol)-5000] (DSPE-PEG5k-FOL), a PEGylated DSPE of longer PEG chains for the LPNPs to be functionalized by folic acid conjugation for targeted delivery purpose. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONS as delivery systems) Super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have emerged as an MRI contrast agent for tumor imaging due to their efficacy and safety. Their utility has been proven in clinical applications with a series of marketed SPION-based contrast agents. Extensive research has been performed to study various strategies that could improve SPION by tailoring the surface chemistry and by applying additional therapeutic functionality. Research into the dual-modal contrast uses of SPION has developed because these applications can save time and effort by reducing the number of imaging sessions. In addition to multimodal strategies, efforts have been made to develop multifunctional nanoparticles that carry both diagnostic and therapeutic cargos specifically for cancer. Advances in nanotechnology have permitted new possibilities for theranostics, which are defined as the combination of therapy and imaging within a single platform [56, 57]. Nanotechnology is applied to molecular imaging in the form of imaging probes capable of enhancing the sensitivity of the image and the specificity toward the target tissue. Usually, the imaging probeconsists of nanoparticles conjugated with active targeting ligands [58, 59]. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have a superparamagnetic iron core, which makes them useful as T2 contrast agents for MRI. SPION can be detected withhigh sensitivity, and both the iron and polymer components of SPION are biocompatible and degradable [60].The size of iron oxide nanoparticles plays a major rolein target cell uptake and elimination from the body. Spleen and liver capture nanoparticles of more than 200 nm in diameter whereas particles having sizes below 10 nm are selectively filtered by renal systems and eliminated from body [61].The majority of nanoparticles in development include drug conjugates and complexes, micelles, dendrimers, vesicles, core–shell particles, microbubbles, and carbon nanotubes [62]. Dendrimer-based Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment Nanotechnology has led to a remarkable convergence of disparate fields including biology, applied physics, optics, computational analysis, and modeling, as well as materials science. Because of this, the application of nano scale analytical, computational, and synthetic approaches to understanding and manipulating complex biological systems offers incredible potential for advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Recent work has suggested that nanoparticles in the form of dendrimers may be a keystone in the future of therapeutics. The field of oncology could soon be revolutionized by novel strategies for diagnosis and therapy employing dendrimer-based nano therapeutics. Several aspects of cancer therapy would be involved. Diagnosis using imaging techniques such as MRI will be improved by the incorporation of dendrimers as advanced contrast agents. This might involve novel contrast agents targeted specifically to cancer cells. Dendrimers can also be being applied to a variety of cancer therapies to improve their safety and efficacy. A strategy, somewhat akin to the â€Å"Trojan horse,† involves targeting anti-metabolite drugs via vitamins or hormones that tumors need for growth. Further applications of dendrimers in photodynamic therapy, boron neutron capture therapy, and gene therapy for cancer are being examined.Most cancer therapeutics are small drug molecules that after being ingested or injected into the bloodstream can easily diffuse through vascular pores and the extracellular matrix to reach tumors. Complex therapeutics that involve drug delivery mechanisms or imaging moieties have tended to be much larger. While the exact size of molecules thatcan easily transverse vascular pores from the bloodstream and reach tumor tissue is unclear, it is probably limited to the size of proteins (

Positive Psychology Theory And Core Concepts Psychology Essay

Positive Psychology Theory And Core Concepts Psychology Essay School bullying is a growing public concern as it can have detrimental effect on subjective well-being of children and adolescents worldwide. Bullying can be defined and refered to as intentional , oppresive behavior against another person that causes pysical and/psychological harm and can be classified into four categories: Physical bullying such as; hitting, pushing, kicking, spiting and punching. Verbal bullying such as; name-calling, teasing, insultting and verbal threats. Social exclusion behaviors behaviors such as; ignoring victims, spreading rumours about victims, exclusing from social groups by indirect threats to friends of victims. Acts of extortion such as; asking for money or other material objects. (Olweus, 1994). Bullying can have a negative effect on victims, bullies and bystanders and impact psychosocial and physical health as well as academic aspiration(Hui, Tsang Law, 2011).Several research studies show that students with poor interpersonal relationships to family, peers and teachers are more prone to be involved in peer victimization(Wong et al., 2008). Many of the victims of bullying suffer negative affects such as; anger,anxiety,decreased self-esteem or depression(Ng Tsang,. 2008; Fung Wong,. 2007). Some victims of bullying may as a result turn into bullies themselves(Lam Liu,. 2007) and contribute to the comlex social interactions that involve schools, homes, parents, peers, adults, victims and bullies(Vreeman Carroll,. 2007). Many of the most common types of classroom and/or school antibullying interventions target three key areas; training social skills, changing group norms and increasing self-efficacy((Hui, Tsang Law, 2011). .Egan Todorov (2009) found that implementing inte rventions across entire schools lead to higher rates of succes and implementing it into the regular curriculum would be most effective(Misha, 2008). Smith collegues(2004) found that several factors that affected the school climate such as interpersonal relationships and the quality of communication were not usually implemented in the school-wide interventions. The social context play a key role in promoting bullying behavior (Espelage Swearer,. 2003) and in creating a negative school climate. Implementing a positive psychology intervention might prove usefull as a positive school climate promote positive development in children and adolescents and reduce aggression.(MIshna,. 2008;Smith et al,. 2004; Whitted Dupper,. 2005; Orpinas Horne,. 2006) Positive Psychology Theory and Core Concepts should be applied to facilitate long-term well-being in School bullying Positive psychology is the scientific study to understand , test, discover and promote factors (e.g strengths and virtues) (Sheldon et. al. ,2000) that enable individuals and environments such as institutions and communities to thrive and flourish(Seligman Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). To Flourish means to live with an optimal range of human functioning which is characterized by four key components; Goodness, Generativity, Growth and Resilience(Frederickson Losada,. 2005). Studies supports the adaptive effects of positive affects(for a review, see Lyubomirsky, King, Diener, in press) such as having a positive affect on attention(Frederickson Branigan,. 2005; Rowe , Hirsch Anderson,. 2005), increased intuition(Bolte, Goschkey, Kuhl ,.2003), creativity and broaden behavioral repertoires(Frederickson Branigan,. 2005). Fredericksons (Frederickson, 2004). Positive emotions is a key component in intervention. The Broaden-and-build theory describes how positive emotions can broaden an individuals thought action patterns, and that although feeling good is a temporary experience, it can lead to a build up of enduring personal resources (social, intellectual, psychological and physical over time and this can produce an upward spiral towards increased subjective well-being(Frederikson, 2004). Hefferson Boniwell(2011) found that positive emotions not only mark or signal health and well-being, but also produce health and well-being this notion implies that th e positive emotions transform individuals for the better and can make them more knowledgeable, effective, resilient and socially integrated()Frederickson, 2004). Isens (1990, p. 89) research also supports the broaden-and-build theory that positive emotions produces broad , flexible cognitive organization and ability to integrate diverse material. Negative emotions such as anxiety and depression can lead to a more narrow attention(Frederickson, 2004). An important question that arises when implementing the broaden-and-build theory is, how much positivity is needed to flourish(Frederickson, 2004). Negative emotions have always been the focus of traditional psychology and Baumeister, et al(2001) concluded that Bad is stronger than good and to be able to overcome the overwhelming effect of negative emotions, Fredericks needed to found out how much positivity was enough to make a difference. With the help of Losada (1999) and other researchers (Losada Heaphy, 2004) Frederickson found t he positivity ratio, stating that three positive emotions or more would negate one negative. This positivity ratio also has an upper limit where the effect decreases.It can be difficult to cultivate positivity as an individual, but there are several methods that Fredrickson Kurtz suggest might help, such as changing ones outlook from being positive to being open, appreciative.., curious and kind(2011. p. 44) but also that creating high quality relationships can prove valuable to increasing positive emotions. An evidence based intervention plan tailored to case. The first part of my intervention(Gratitude Intervention) will focus on positive emotions in the PERMA model of well-being and the intervention method used will be to make the students keep a journal to count blessings for 2 weeks time. Froh, Sefick Emmons(2008) found that making students count blessings were associated with higher levels of optimism, life-satisfaction and lowered negative emotions. The second part of my intervention will focus on building positive relationships by using the VIA-test from www.Viacharacter.org. VIA stands for values in action and is a self-report test that consist of 240 questions that will help individuals to identify their top character strengths out of the 24 strenghts in the VIA Classification. They will then form groups of in class based on the indentified strengths.Character strengths can then be implemented in a positive psychology intervention where the students are asked to apply one of their top character strengths in a new way, every day for one week. This is also congruent with the three pillars of positive psychology wich consist of positive experiences, strength based character and positive institutions. The PERMA model is a model of well-being and consist of five important elements: positive emotions, engagement, meaning, accomplishment and positive relationships. The 24 character strengths underpin all 5 elements in the PERMA mode l of well-being and using your highest strengths can lead to more postive emotions, more engagement, more accomplishment and to better relationships(Seligman, 2011 ; Hefferson Boniwell, 2011). The character strengths are divided up into 6 virtues. Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity,curiosity,open-mindedness,love of learning,perspective, innovation Courage: bravery,persistence, integrity,vitality Humanity:love,kindness, social intelligence Justice: citizenship, fairness, leadership Temperance:forgivenessandmercy,humility,prudence,self control Transcendence:appreciation of beauty and excellence,gratitude,hope,humor,spirituality Critical reflections about your intervention plan: What might the pitfalls be? One of the main pitfalls of my intervention plan is positive psychology relies heavily on the notion that there are only negative or positive emotions, but Larsen et al.(2001,2004) concluded that this view is too simplistic as feelings are often mixed. Hefferon Boniwell (2011, p22-223) also argues that hope on one hand can be positive, but also lead to negative emotions like anxiety. Other researchers critize that positive psychology focuses to much on positivity and thus negating the potential of benifits of negative moods, such as bonding over negative complaints and events(Kowalski, 2002). Positive psychology interventions does not come with a one-size fits all as individuals, institutions and countries might have similar values or strengths but different ways of expressing them. Defensive pessimism might be another way of expressing this for certain individuals. The body of research being conducted on children and adolescents is growing. The interventions might also come of as b eing some kind of overt mind control when we try to make individuals focus on only the positive aspects of life.

fountain head through quotes :: essays research papers

The Meaning of The Fountainhead Through Quotes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Literature is often a key factor in understanding the meanings of certain philosophies. If philosophy were not explained to great extent in certain works of literature, man would have no means of understanding the crucial, insightful messages behind philosophy. One such philosophy, objectivism, is represented exceptionally in Ayn Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead. The compelling dialogue between the characters of the book allows one to uncover Ayn Rand’s own feelings towards objectivism. The connotations and the implications of several of the quotes within The Fountainhead accurately depict the essence of objectivism, as a way to live one’s life properly. They also encourage the opposition of convention through the telling of events that the novels main character, Howard Roark, goes through.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Howard Roark is a man who blazes his own path and listens only to himself. He feels success comes to those who achieve complete and utter independence from the world’s traditional principles. Howard also cares nothing of other’s opinions of himself. When he is expelled from school, he is not angry or sad; he simply feels he needs to discover a new way to venture into the career of architecture. He does not allow expulsion to ruin his hope of being an architect. Peter Keating, on the other hand, is a man with little independent thought. He was the top student of his class and was recognized by many professors as an outstanding student. However he has serious self esteem issues. In fact, Peter decided to go into architecture not because he has a passion for it but because it would gain him a socially respectable position. Keating believes that only by following set guidelines will he get ahead in life. In one dialogue, between the two characters, Keati ng is asking Roark for advice on what he should do with his life. Keating asks, â€Å"How do you always manage to decide?† Roark answers his colleague with a question of his own. â€Å"How can you let others decide for you?† Keating asks his question because he cannot comprehend how Howard can live his life not caring what others think of it, where as, Roark sees it as inconceivable that Peter could have such little self-assurance when it came to making his own decisions. In this regard, Roark is a better man that Keating. It also shows how Roark displays objectivism. Roark is unwilling to succumb to the norms values of society and he is able to think and reason for himself.

Philosophical Autobiography in Mahfouzs Cairo Trilogy Essay examples

Throughout the novels of Naguib Mahfouz' Cairo Trilogy, the most noticeable element is the progression of time. In tracing the lives of three generations of the Abd al-Jawad family, Mahfouz manages to structure a chronicle of Egypt during his lifetime that describes not only the lives of the family but the social, political and philosophical change of the entire nation. While it is dangerous to read only for social analysis in Mahfouz' essentially artistic work, the changes in Egypt during the novel make its characters' relationships to a shifting Egypt clear. The character of Kamal is a very intriguing part of this depiction because of his similarity to Mahfouz and the consequent illustration of the changes which seem to have impacted Mahfouz most personally. Kamal can be seen as an essentially autobiographical character as well as a type representing Egyptian philosophical involvement and change between the two World Wars. Kamal is certainly an autobiographical character, though to exactly what degree is not clear. The most obvious similarity is his age: Mahfouz was born in 1911, and Kamal would have had to be born near then as well for him to be 36 by the end of Sugar Street (232). The details surrounding his childhood are undeniably similar as well: Mahfouz was haunted by an infatuation with one of his neighbors for many years, he experienced disillusionment with religion when he found the tomb of al-Husayn to be empty, and he then began to study Darwinism and declared a philosophy major in college. Also like Kamal, Mahfouz did not marry until late in life. In 1946 he started writing this trilogy, in almost exactly the situation of Kamal at the end of Sugar Street, and his mental state may have been similar to... ...an especially valuable character because he offers us a less exaggerated social type than the rest of his family, one who is simultaneously intensely personal to the author and a representative of the whole of Egyptian society. He allows us to see Egypt more clearly by seeing through the eyes of its most notable author. WORKS CITED Abu Ahmed, Hamed. "A Nobelist's Inspiration." World Press Review 36.1 (1989): 61. Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace of Desire. New York: Doubleday, 1991. -----. Sugar Street. New York: Doubleday, 1992. Massuh, Victor. "Interview with Naguib Mahfouz." UNESCO Courier Dec. 1989: 4-6. Moosa, Matti. The Early Novels of Naguib Mahfouz. Gainsville, Fla.: University Press of Florida, 1994. [+] These quotes are taken from an uncited handout given to me by Richard Sutliff that I believe to be from Moosa's book. [+]+ hereafter SS.

Louis xiv :: European Europe History

Louis xiv Louis XIV gained power for himself and his national government through absolutism. Absolutism is unlimited power in government and society. In government to be an absolutist the king would have unlimited power in all forms of the government such as the legislative, judicial, executive, and revenues. As an absolutist Louis would have unlimited power in the society by controlling the economy and church. To control the church he would follow the divine right of kings, which goes along with absolutism, and be a figure to the people that is spoken through by God. That way the people would follow the king, believe what he says, and consider him sacred. Thomas Hobbes worded best what would happen if absolutism did not come into effect in his book 'The Leviation'. Louis perfected the machinery of government of which he imposed his will on France and made himself the subject of his subjects' loyalty. To accomplish this he organized civil services, reorganized the military, improved the econom y, and greatly expressed his power. Louis' first step was to expand the civil services. He staffed his government with men who would obey him w/out question. Instead of filling the position with nobles, he appointed advisors drawn largely from the middle class. This way the people only had claim to what the king gave them and could take away. He kept the reins of he government firmly in his own hands and didn't let the nobles get a chance to overpower him. He made it so that all the decisions made were his decisions. Louis proposed to expand the activities of the central government. He in practice and theory became the master of his kingdom. The number of state servants grew enormously. The amount of state servants that used to be at 600, in the beginning of his reign, grew to 10,000. A new kind of royal officials appeared. They were called intendants; they gathered information for the king and supervised the enforcement of his decisions. They brought a new kind of order to France. One of the most significant features of the new order was the reorganization of the French army. Michel le Tellier and his son the Marquis de Louvois were responsible for the reorganization. The two men created not only a fighting force bigger than that of any other country in Europe, but also a military establishment with a pyramidal structure of responsibility and authority.

Earth Science Final

Describe the difference in stellar evolution of stars the size of our sun with that of stars 4+ times larger than our sun. Include all of the steps and the causes of each step. A nebula, an immense cloud of hydrogen gas and dust, condenses into smaller regions of matter. On occasion, one of these regions collapses under the force of its own gravitational attraction, often triggered by an outside force, like a nearby supernova-an explosion of a star. After the collapse of a cloud, atoms begin gravitating together to form a condensed center.The condensed center is a protestor. As gravity pulls in more gas and dust, pressure builds, causing the protestor core to heat up. Clouds and matter begin to rotate around the protestor and flatten due to their rotation. They surround the protestor like a rotating disk. The protestor continues to grow and its core continues to heat. When the core is hot enough, nuclear fusion begins. The start of nuclear fusion is technically the beginning of a sta r's life. Eventually, when the nuclear energy runs out, the star dies.Depending on the size and mass of the star, it can go through many stages and die in different ways-one of those ways being a supernova. . Choose a region or landscape, describe the landforms in it, the drainage pattern, how the geology influenced the landscape, and the sacrificial processes that influenced it as well. Much of the region of western New York State north of the Pennsylvania border has dendrites drainage because rock layers are flat and there are few faults or folds to divert streams.A region that has prominent parallel and perpendicular faults, repeated folds, or a strong rectangular Jointing pattern will display a rectangular drainage pattern. Anoints are cracks in bedrock along which no significant movement has occurred. They may be related to expansion or regional forces acting on bedrock. ) Streams seek the lowest areas of folds, fractured rocks along faults, or the weakest surface bedrock locat ions. Annular drainage is a pattern of concentric circles that are connected by short radial stream segments.This type of drainage occurs in an eroded dome A radial drainage pattern resembles the spokes of a wheel. Streams flow away. Climate is the other major factor in landscape development. A humid climate favors chemical weathering, which produces rounded, less angular landforms. Most of the hill slopes of New York State are rounded and gentle because f the relatively humid climate. A moist climate also allows plants to grow and protect soil from erosion. Desert areas sometimes have a stepwise profile, with flat hilltops and terraces separated by steep escarpments.The climate of New York State does not change very much from place to place. All of New York has a moist, temperate, mid-latitude climate. Therefore the landscape differences in New York State are not the result of differences in climate. The variations seen in the New York landscape are caused by geological factors. 6. Link Ocean currents and the weather conditions of 3 specific regions. In each case, describe how the weather patterns of the place are influenced by one or more ocean currents.Winds, water density and tides all drive ocean currents. Coastal and sea floor features influence their location, direction, and speed. Earth's rotation results in the Acropolis Effect which also influences ocean currents. Similar to a person trying to walk in a straight line across a spinning Merry-Go-Round, winds and ocean waters get deflected from a straight-line path as they travel across the rotating Earth. This phenomenon causes ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere to veer to the right ND in the Southern Hemisphere to the left.Rica, Chile lies within one of the driest regions on Earth called the Tacoma Desert. Ocean currents keep clouds and fog Just off the coast, so most rain falls into the nearby ocean. Dethroned, Norway has a temperate climate. Summers and winters are remarkably mild for their l atitude. Rainfall is very heavy. The local harbors are free of ice most of the winter. Seattle, Washington has a mild climate with temperatures moderated by the sea and protected from winds and storms by the mountains. This area is often cloudy with light rain.