Work Life Balance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Work Life Balance - Essay Example From the research a work-life balance is a metaphor through which work is understood in terms of life. However, what constitutes a balance between work and rest of life to one individual may not be the same for another. As employers and policy makers are pressured to respond to the work-life challenges that today’s workforce is facing, it will become more and more important to understand what these individuals are looking for in terms of work-life balance. A major driver that has led to the increased interest in work-life balance is the changing face of the Workforce. There are a number of significant demographics changes taking place in the workforce today, changes that will also continue well into the future. Those organisations that understand how today’s workforce is changing will be better able to adapt. Furthermore, those organisations will become the leaders in attracting, hiring, and maintaining good employees. Although this is a relatively overlooked phenomenon in business arena, evidence will come from current research and case study example that demonstrate new ideas in practice and show the benefits of what is already being achieved. This ethnographic study will give a voice to employees who are struggling to balance their work and personal lives, but it is only a beginning. The meaning of work-life balance is elusive. In one sense, it describes â€Å"the relationship between the institutional and cultural times and spaces of work and non-workâ€Å". In another sense, it describes a state of equilibrium, in which the demands of both a person's job and personal life are equal. Although the focus is different, what these descriptions have in common is that they highlight the importance of the relationship between work and life. In particular, the first description focuses primarily on the relationship between work and non-work time and space, whereas the second focuses on the relationship between the demands associated with work and li fe. Of course, if we consider examples of such demands, we may also find ourselves back to the notion of time and space. What this raises is the importance of understanding how people describe the relationship they are seeking between work and life. In order for employers and policy makers to put strategies in place to promote a healthy work-life relationship there needs to be an understanding of what that means to employees. It may be that a continuum of work-life relationships exists throughout various stages of an individual's life and/or career. Furthermore, it might not matter what people call it, but rather how well they are able to articulate the relationship between work and life that works for them, and whether or not they are capable of managing that relationship. The type of balance sought by many individuals may not imply equal emphasis in both areas. Furthermore, it is important to recognise that individuals may

The Shawshank Redemption Essay Example for Free

The Shawshank Redemption Essay The Shawshank Redemption You have just been given a life sentence imprisonment to be served out in Shawshank Prison. Your world as you know it will be turned upside down. Inside these brick walls everything will be different. Or will it? You are no longer part of society as a whole, but you are now part of a smaller society, the Shawshank prison. Like the large society you just left the prison has the same five social institutions that every society has, just in different forms. You will see a government enforcing the harsh rules of the prison, develop new relationships with fellow inmates who will become your family and educate yourself both academically and spiritually. From the moment an inmate arrives at Shawshank Prison it becomes obvious who makes the rules and who enforces them. Warden Norton’s speech to the prisoners when they first arrive makes this clear as his exclaims, â€Å"your ass belongs to me†. The fatal beating of â€Å"fatass† by the guard Hadley reiterates the fact that the prisoners have no voice inside the prison walls. Step a foot out of line or say something the Warden does not like and it’s off to solitary confinement. When Andy calls the Warden â€Å"obtuse†, because he would not help him prove his innocence Andy is locked in solitary confinement for two months. The Warden will even abuse his power and purposely execute an inmate he feels could get in his way. Tommy Williams is wrongly executed when he tells the Warden he will gladly testify to help prove Andy’s innocence. Of course the shooting is posed to look like â€Å"a tragic accident†. The government, or basically whatever Warden Norton says, is harsh and corrupt and there is little to nothing the inmates can do to help themselves. Although Shawshank prisoners leave their blood families behind they soon acquire a new one, their fellow inmates. Although not a traditional family the inmates actions towards each other are no different then those of two brothers. Family members are willing to take risks and make sacrifices for each other. When Andy is sitting in the Warden’s office and begins playing the record with the two singing Italian woman he is taking a risk so he can give his fellow inmates a much needed lift of spirits, if only for a few moments. Red and Andy are especially close, so when Andy uses his connections to get Red a harmonica to spark hope inside of him, it is because Andy is concerned for Red’s well being and state of mind, the same way a brother would care. Family members also have unconditional love for one another. No matter what crazy, idiotic things family members do for the most part they can forgive one another and move on. When Brooks goes crazy and whips a knife out on Heywood everyone is able to look past his momentary lapse of judgment and forgive Brooks. Although slightly shaken up even Heywood does not stay angry for too long. As family members the inmates can forgive each other for their mistakes. Although Shawshank prisoners are not receiving a formal education they are still educating themselves academically and spiritually. With the money that Andy receives from Congress he sets up a library to help his fellow inmates grow intellectually. He even goes a step further to help Tommy Williams and several others study to get their GEDs. However most of the education a prisoner receives at Shawshank is not the kind you learn in a classroom, but the kind that makes you look at life differently. Andy helps teach Red that hope does not â€Å"make a man go insane† but that it â€Å"can set you free†. When Red sits before the parole board after serving forty years of his life sentence the speech he makes differs greatly from his two previous speeches. This one shows a great amount of personal growth and understanding. Even if he stays locked up in Shawshank for another forty years he has found the hope inside of him that has already set him free. What he has learned in his time at Shawshank is something that cannot be taught, it is learned from experience Your new life at Shawshank will be filled with much pain, frustration and injustice just like it was when you were out of prison. But you will still have people there to support and care for you just like you did when you were out of prison. You will still have ways to empower you mind and grow as a human being just like you did when you were out of prison. Life at Shawshank will take time to adjust to but as long as you keep hope inside you will always be free just like when you were out of prison.

Symbolism Of Death :: essays research papers

In â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, she speaks much about tradition in a small town in which many have been lost over the years. The black box, which Shirley speaks about in the beginning of the story, is of great importance. The black box represents the entrapment of tradition and the change over time. It is the trapping of tradition because now that it is worn and ragged they still do not want to change it because it is tradition. Along with the box changing many people’s views on The Lottery, it also lets the town’s people stand strong by themselves. Shirley Jackson in â€Å"The Lottery† uses symbolism and irony to foreshadow death. Although the towns’ people are gathering for a lottery drawing there is an air of nervousness about the event. From start to finish there is an overwhelming sense that something terrible is about to happen due to the authors deep use of foreshadowing. The setting and irony of the story starts when the day is described as a bright sunny day and all the towns’ people are looking forward for the Lottery on the big day, but not knowing the big day ends in death. Mrs. Hutchinson, as is seen later, is the only one who rebels against male domination, although only unconsciously. "She tapped Mrs. Delacroix on the arm as a farewell and began to make her way through the crowd" (318). The word "farewell" is used as foreshadowing to the climax of the story (318). Normally when a person enters a crowd of people they are greeted, but not Mrs. Hutchinson for she is obviously â€Å"leaving.† Although they are gathering for a lottery drawing there is an air of nervousness about the event. Shirley Jackson uses an abundance of foreshadowing, which indicates, to a degree, what is about to happen to the winner of the lottery drawing. There is at least one indicator within each individual paragraph, which lets the reader know that the lottery is disturbing, and that the people of the town are not looking forward to its commencement. The Lottery takes place on a clear, sunny, June day. It does not take long for the skies to turn gray as she introduces the readers to the black box. The black box is the central symbol of the short story. It suggests both death and necessity of change due to a combination of the passage of time and population expansion.

Fast Food Essay

College students do not have much time to make their own meals on a regular basis because they are busy with work and school. In lieu of home cooked meals, fast food is the number one choice that comes to mind. Fast food is quick, taste pretty delicious, and is inexpensive for the average college student. In many cases, there is a wider variety of fast food places in radius of the school campus to choose from. Even college students can always find what they are searching for in reasonable situations. When there is not enough time to go to the supermarket and buy the essential groceries needed to make a home cooked meal, there is always the quickest solution of going to a fast food place. Here, an employee will make what is desired with little to no wait. Any college student can run in, order what they want, and be back out with their food in hand and still be able to do everything on their agenda without being rushed. Drive through is also always available to those who do not want to enter the facility and for those who own a vehicle. What is even better about fast food is the fact that many places allow to put in a future order. Then there would be no wait for the food that was ordered. No one wants to eat food that does not appeal to their taste buds. Not even the college students whose diet consists of junk food. Students want something that taste delicious when they are eating it. Luckily, there is almost every kind of fast food joint that will appeal to one person or another. Fast food tastes extremely good because it is food that is not usually eaten on a day to day schedule. The taste of fast food will make any student fulfilled with it’s appetizing selections. Money, no matter what day and age, will always be a concern and with the option of buying fast food, it does not have to be a worry. Fast food is not at all expensive to the everyday college student. For seven dollars, a student can have a sandwich, a side, and unlimited fountain drinks. Many facilities have a â€Å"value† or â€Å"dollar† menu where food can be bought for even cheaper than what is seen on the regular, full-priced menu. If seven dollars were to be an issue, a student could get two hamburgers and a small drink for three dollars plus tax. They would still get unlimited refills plus an extra three dollars and change in their pocket. With the money left over, they could go the next day and buy the same thing as the day prior.  Whether it is french fries or a side salad, fast food places give the average student such a wide variety to choose from.

Journalism around the world Essay

Traditionally, the term â€Å"international conflict† referred to conflicts between different nation-states and conflicts between people and organizations in different nation-states. Increasingly, however, it also applies to inter-group conflicts within one country when one group is fighting for independence or increased social, political, or economic power (e. g. , Chechnya, Kosovo). (Ref. 1) Five years into the 21st Century a dark and sinister cloud hangs over journalism around the world. More editors, reporters and media staffs are killed, targeted, kidnapped and subject to violence than ever before. Independent media are under intolerable pressure. This pressure comes directly from ruthless terrorists, with no respect for civilisation and human rights, who have targeted and murdered journalists in all continents. In Iraq alone, more than 50 media staff have been killed by political extremists and criminals, in pursuit of a grotesque agenda of hatred. (Ref. 2) New York, May 28, 2004—Two Japanese journalists and their Iraqi translator were killed on Thursday night when their car came under attack by gunmen in Mahmoudiya, 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad, according to news reports. Bangkok-based freelancer Shinsuke Hashida and his nephew Kotaro Ogawa, also a freelancer, had been traveling to Baghdad from the southern city of Samawah, where Japan has deployed hundreds of troops, when the attack occurred. Agence France-Presse (AFP) listed the translator as Mohamed Najmedin. The Associated Press reported that both men were working for the Japanese tabloid daily Nikkan Gendai covering Japanese troops stationed in the southern city of Samawah. Japanese station NHK reported that the two journalists had also reported for several other Japanese news organizations. The Japanese foreign ministry acknowledged the incident but has not confirmed the identities of those killed. According to some press reports, the journalists’ car burst into flames after the attack. Reuters news agency reported that the car was hit by rocket propelled grenade (RPG) fire. The driver, an Iraqi, who survived the incident and spoke with Japan’s NHK News said he was able to exit the car before it exploded after the assault. Thursday’s attack occurred in the same area where two Polish journalists were killed by gunmen on May 7 and two CNN employees were gunned down in January. Hashida was an experienced journalist who had covered several conflicts as a television reporter, according to Japanese media. At least 28 journalists (not including Hashida and Ogawa) have been killed in Iraq since the US-led war in Iraq began in March 2003. At least seven other media workers have (â€Å"International Journalism†) also been killed. In other developments, U. S. television broadcaster NBC announced Friday that insurgents in Fallujah released three staffers and an Iraqi freelancer–correspondent Ned Colt, cameraman Maurice Roper, soundman Robert Colville, and journalist Ashraf al-Taie who had been kidnapped by armed insurgents on Tuesday. All four were released unharmed, and NBC said in a statement that local Iraqi leaders had mediated the releases when it was clear that the men were working as journalists. (Ref. 3) NBC said it did not previously report the abduction for security reasons. New York, December 11, 2003—Two journalists working with the U. S. newsmagazine Time were wounded today in a grenade attack in Baghdad while accompanying U. S. troops. Senior correspondent Michael Weisskopf and photographer James Nachtwey suffered undisclosed injuries when unidentified assailants threw a grenade into a Humvee the men were traveling in, Time managing editor Jim Kelly said in a written statement. Two soldiers in the Humvee were also injured in the attack, which occurred at about 9:30 p. m. The statement described both journalists as being in â€Å"stable condition† and said they were awaiting transfer to a U. S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. CPJ is seeking more details at this time. (Ref. 4) It is not unusual in conflicts to find mass media recruited to support political objectives often at the expense of professional credibility. Indeed, this holds true for almost all wars. But as peoples of one country turn against each other in ethnic conflict, journalists find themselves facing the grotesque choice of respecting their professional commitment to truth-seeking or risk being branded a traitor. In conflict situations there is always the danger that the media are conscripted by undemocratic politicians to inspire, provoke and underwrite national fears and hatreds. Journalists who lend themselves to this process abandon their professional status and become propagandists. Ethnic conflict and strife are not a new phenomenon but in recent years we have seen an ever increasing fragmentation of human society. As Harold Isaacs put it in his book ‘Idols of the Tribe’: ‘We are experiencing (†¦ ) an ingathering of people in numberless grouping of kinds – tribal, racial, linguistic, religious, national. It is a great clustering into separateness that will, it is thought, improve, assure, or extend each group’s power or place, or keep it safe or safer from the power, threat, or hostility of others’. (Ref. 5) (â€Å"International Journalism†) Towards an accurate portrayal of all groups in society One of the most important challenges faced by the journalists during international conflicts is to portray groups on both sides of the conflict accurately. It is important for the journalists to be impartial while reporting aggression and human rights violations in the conflict affected areas. The journalists should become the voice of the suppressed and worst affected group during the conflict. The main objective should be to bring out the truth through reliable sources and create an atmosphere for compromise. Threat to life from various groups and anti-social elements In covering and reporting international conflicts and warfare, journalists face threat to life from various anti-social elements and extremist groups. In their process to expose the culprit, journalists receive threats on a daily basis. The assignments are sometimes very dangerous which may involve covering the warfare and battlefield where bullets are being sprayed everywhere and shells are raining. With the international news agenda controlled by the world’s major media giants, it has become crucial to develop and strengthen media at the local level to maintain diversity of opinion. As media in many developing nations, such as Indonesia, move away from state control towards private enterprise, it is essential for local media to find their own voice and professional codes. A well developed media system with professionally trained journalists usually benefits both global and local audiences and provides a vital link to the outside world during conflict situations.

Sla Theories Essays

Sla Theories Essays Sla Theories Essay Sla Theories Essay Theorists place different values on the role of interaction in second language acquisition (SLA). Krashen’s (1985, 1994) theory became a predominant influence in both second language teaching practice and later theories. Krashen postulates that SLA is determined by the amount of comprehensible input, that is, one-way input in the second language that is both understandable and at the level just beyond the current linguistic competence of learners. Similar to Vygotsky’s â€Å"zone of proximal development† (1962), Krashen’s scaffolding theory is referred to as i+1. Viewed as an innatist perspective, this theory maintains that a second language is acquired unconsciously in a manner similar to the acquisition of a first language. According to Krashen (1996), acquiring language is predicated upon the concept of receiving messages learners can understand (1996). Teachers can make language input comprehensible through a variety of strategies, such as linguistic simplification, and the use of realia, visuals, pictures, graphic organizers, and other current ESOL strategies. While Krashen (1994) believes that only one-way comprehensible input is required for SLA, others take an interactionist position acknowledging the role of two-way communication. Pica (1994), Long (1985), and others assert that conversational interaction facilitates SLA under certain conditions. According to Lightbrown and Spada (1999), â€Å"When learners are given the opportunity to engage in meaningful activities they are compelled to ‘negotiate for meaning,’ that is, to express and clarify their intentions, thoughts, opinions, etc. in a way which permits them to arrive at a mutual understanding. This is especially true when the learners are working together to accomplish a particular goal . . . â€Å"(p. 122). Pica (1994) goes on to say that negotiation is defined as â€Å"modification and restructuring that occurs when learners and their interlocutors anticipate, perceive, or experience difficulties in message comprehensibility† (p. 495). A variety of modifications, which may involve linguistic simplification as well as conversational modifications such as repetition, clarification, and conformation checks, may be used to gain understanding. The interaction hypothesis of Long and Robinson (as cited in Blake, 2000) suggests that when meaning is negotiated, input comprehensibility is usually increased and learners tend to focus on salient linguistic features. Cognizance of these language forms and structures is seen as beneficial to SLA. Other nteractionist theorists apply Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory of human mental processing to define the role of interaction in SLA (Lightbrown and Spada, 1999) and hypothesize that second language learners gain proficiency when they interact with more advanced speakers of the language, for example, teachers and peers. Scaffolding structures such as modeling, repetition, and linguistic simplification used by more proficient speakers are believed to provide support to learner s, thus enabling them to function within their zones of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1962). Although theorists adhering to interactionist thought consider both input to, and input from, the learner as important, output is often viewed as secondary. However, Swain (1995) in her â€Å"comprehensible output hypothesis† asserts that output is also critical and hypothesizes that it serves four primary functions in SLA: 1) enhances fluency; 2) creates awareness of language knowledge gaps; 3) provides opportunities to experiment with language forms and structures; and 4) obtains feedback from others about language use. Comprehensible output assists learners in conveying meaning while providing linguistic challenges; that is, â€Å". . . in producing the L2 (the second, or target language), a learner will on occasion become aware of (i. e. , notice) a linguistic problem (brought to his/ her attention either by external feedback or internal feedback). Noticing a problem ‘pushes’ the learner to modify his/ her output. In doing so, the learner may sometimes be forced into a more syntactic processing mode than might occur in comprehension† (Swain and Lapkin in Chapelle, 1997, p. b). From this perspective, comprehensible output plays an important role in interaction. In summary, interactionists elaborate upon the innatist notion of comprehensible input explaining that interaction, constructed via exchanges of comprehensible input and output, has at least an enhancing effect when meaning is negotiated and support structures are used. Based on this premise, distance second language lear ning courses should be designed to provide interaction that includes negotiation of meaning where comprehensible output results from input.

ACT Test and Registration Dates for 2018 - 2019

ACT Test and Registration Dates for 2018 - 2019 For the 2018-19 admissions cycle, U.S. students have seven ACT testing dates from which to choose. The exam is offered in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July. The July option is new in 2018. Registration deadlines are roughly five weeks before the exam, so be sure to plan ahead. When Is the ACT in the United States? For the 2018  - 19  academic year, the ACT test dates and registration deadlines are presented in the table below. Important ACT Dates -   2018-19 Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline June 9, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 20, 2018 July 14, 2018 June 15, 2018 June 22, 2018 September 9, 2018 August 10, 2018 August 26, 2018 October 27, 2018 September 28, 2018 October 14, 2018 December 8, 2018 November 2, 2018 November 19, 2018 February 9, 2019 January 11, 2019 January 18, 2019 April 13, 2019 March 8, 2019 March 25, 2019 June 8, 2019 May 3, 2019 May 20, 2019 July 13, 2019 June 14, 2019 June 24, 2019 Note that the February and July ACT is not offered in New York State. In California, no test centers are scheduled for July. International test dates are generally the same as those in the United States, but options may be limited. When Is the ACT Offered Outside of the United States? If youre taking the ACT outside of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, or U.S. territories, you should register online for the exam. The test dates are the same as for the United States with the exception of February when the exam is not offered at international test locations. There is a $57.50  fee for international testing and late registration is not available. Is the ACT Always on a Saturday? The ACT test dates, like the SAT test dates, are on select Saturdays throughout the year. For some students, however, religious convictions make Saturday testing impossible. For these cases, the ACT is offered at a limited number of testing locations on Sundays. Youll be able to locate these Sunday test centers on the ACT website when you register for the exam.   It is also possible to apply for arranged testing  if there is no Sunday test center near you, you live in a country where the ACT is not offered, or if you are confined to a correctional facility on all of the test dates. Note that non-Saturday testing is not an option for the great majority of high school students, and you should make every effort to sit for the ACT during one of the Saturday exam administrations Is the ACT Offered Near Me? On the ACT website, youll find a tool for finding your nearest test center. The great majority of students should be able to find a test center within an hour of home, and you may even find that your own high school is a test center. Some rural students, however, may find that the exam will require a bit more travel. The situation can be even more challenging for international students. Some countries have just one or two test centers, and a few countries have none at all. Some international students may need to travel long distances or to other countries in order to take the exam. How Does ACT Test Registration Work? To register for the ACT, youll need to create an online account on the ACT website. The process can take about 40 minutes because the registration form will ask you about your personal information, interests, and high school course details. Youll also need to locate the test center where you want to take the exam, and youll need to have a credit card or other form of payment handy to pay the registration fees. Finally, youll need to provide a headshot photo for your registration ticket. This is a security measure to ensure that the person taking the exam is the same person who registered for the exam.   When Is the Best Time to Take the ACT? When you take the ACT is entirely up to you, but some exam strategies work better than others. Because the ACT is an achievement test (rather than an aptitude test), it asks you about information you have learned in high school. The result is that taking the exam in 9th or 10th grade may not be the best idea for the simple reason that you probably havent yet covered all of the material that will appear on the exam. One of the common approaches to the ACT is to take the exam in the second half of your junior year (February, April, May, or June). If you dont get good ACT scores from that test, you have time to prepare further and then retake the exam at the beginning of your senior year (July, September, or October). Be careful with the December test date: youll want to make sure the scores will be available in time to meet all of your application deadlines. It is always an option to take the ACT more than twice, but doing so shouldnt be necessary for the great majority of students. In many cases, in fact, a single testing in the spring of junior year can be more than adequate if you find your scores are in line with your target schools. What Does It Cost to Register for the ACT? At the time of registration, you will need to pay the fees for the ACT. The current fees for some of the most popular exam services are as follows: $46.00 for the basic ACT. This fee includes score results for the student, the students school, and four colleges$62.50 for the ACT with Writing$29.50  additional fee if you register late$53.00  additional fee if you register for standby testing (after the late registration deadline)$13  for additional score reports As you plan your college budget, be sure to keep these costs in mind. College expenses arent just about tuition, room, and board. Applying to college is also expensive, and standardized tests are a big part of that cost. If you take the ACT twice and need to send score reports to a dozen colleges, your ACT costs will most likely be several hundred dollars. The good news is that fee waivers are available for qualifying students from low income families. A Final Word About ACT Test Dates and Registration For better or worse, standardized tests are an important part of the college application process. Even if you are applying to test-optional colleges, you may need to take either the ACT or SAT to qualify for scholarships, to be placed into the appropriate classes, or to meet NCAA requirements for athletic participation.   Finally, dont put off thinking about the ACT. Youll want to carefully plan when you take the exam, and youll also need to plan ahead so that you dont miss registration deadlines.

Medieval Food Preservation Methods

Medieval Food Preservation Methods For centuries before the medieval period, and for centuries afterward, human beings in all parts of the world used a variety of methods to preserve foods for later consumption. Europeans in the Middle Ages were no exception. A society that was largely agrarian would be keenly aware of the need to store up provisions against the ominous threats of famine, drought, and warfare. The possibility of disaster wasnt the only motive for preserving food. Dried, smoked, pickled, honeyed, and salted foods had their own particular flavors, and many recipes survive detailing how to prepare foods that have been stored with these methods. Preserved foods were also much easier for the sailor, soldier, merchant, or pilgrim to transport. For fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed out of season, they had to be preserved; and in some regions, a particular foodstuff could only be enjoyed in its preserved form, because it didnt grow (or wasnt raised) nearby. Virtually any kind of food could be preserved. How it was done depended on what type of food it was and whether a particular effect was desired. Here are some of the methods of food preservation used in medieval Europe. Drying Foods to Preserve Them Today we understand that moisture allows for the rapid microbiological growth of bacteria, which is present in all fresh foods and which causes them to decay. But it isnt necessary to understand the chemical process involved in order to observe that food that is wet and left in the open will quickly start to smell and attract bugs. So it should come as no surprise that one of the oldest methods of preserving foods known to man is that of drying it. Drying was used to preserve all sorts of foods. Grains like rye and wheat were dried in the sun or air before being stored in a dry place. Fruits were sun-dried in warmer climes and oven-dried in cooler regions. In Scandinavia, where temperatures were known to plunge below freezing in the winter, cod (known as stockfish) were left out to dry in the cold air, usually after they were gutted and their heads were removed. Meat could also be preserved through drying, usually after cutting it into thin strips and lightly salting it. In warmer regions, it was a simple matter to dry meat under the hot summer sun, but in cooler climates, air drying could be done at most times of the year, either outdoors or in shelters that kept away the elements and flies. Preserving Foods With Salt Salting was the most common way to preserve virtually any type of meat or fish, as it drew out the moisture and killed the bacteria. Vegetables might be preserved with dry salt, as well, though pickling was more common. Salt was also used in conjunction with other methods of preservation, such as drying and smoking. One method of salting meat involved pressing dry salt into pieces of meat, then layering the pieces in a container (like a keg) with dry salt completely surrounding each piece. If meat was preserved this way in cold weather, which slowed down the decomposition while the salt had time to take effect, it could last for years. Vegetables were also preserved by layering them in salt and placing them in a sealable container such as an earthenware crock. Another way to preserve food with salt was to soak it in a salt brine. While not as effective a long-term method of preservation as packing in dry salt, it served very well to keep food edible through a season or two. Salt brines were also part of the pickling process. Whatever method of salt preservation was used, the first thing a cook did when he got ready to prepare the salted food for consumption was soaking it in fresh water to remove as much of the salt as possible. Some cooks were more conscientious than others when it came to this step, which could take several trips to the well for fresh water. And it was next to impossible to remove all the salt, no matter how much soaking was done. Many recipes took this saltiness into account, and some were designed specifically to counteract or complement the salt flavor. Still, most of us would find preserved medieval food much saltier than anything were used to today. Smoking Meat and Fish Smoking was another fairly common way to preserve meat, especially fish and pork. Meat would be cut into relatively thin, lean strips, immersed briefly in a salt solution  and hung over a fire to absorb the smoke flavoring as it dried - slowly. Occasionally meat might be smoked without a salt solution, especially if the type of wood burned had a distinctive flavoring of its own. However, salt was still very helpful because it discouraged flies, inhibited the growth of bacteria, and hastened the removal of moisture. Pickling Foods Immersing fresh vegetables and other foods in a liquid solution of salt brine was a fairly common practice in medieval Europe. In fact, although the term pickle didnt come into use in English until the late Middle Ages, the practice of pickling goes back to ancient times. Not only would this method preserve fresh food for months so that it could be eaten out of season, but it could infuse it with strong, piquant flavors. The simplest pickling was done with water, salt and an herb or two, but a variety of spices and herbs as well as the use of vinegar, verjuice or (after the 12th century) lemon led to a range of pickling flavors. Pickling might require boiling the foods in the salt mixture, but it could also be done by simply leaving the food items in an open pot, tub or vat of salt brine with the desired flavorings for hours and sometimes days. Once the food had been thoroughly infused by the pickling solution, it was placed in a jar, crock, or another airtight container, sometimes with a fresh brine but often in the juice in which it had marinated. Confits Although the term confit has come to refer to virtually any food that has been immersed in a substance for preservation (and, today, can sometimes refer to a type of fruit preserve), in the Middle Ages confits were potted meat. Confits were most usually, but not solely, made from fowl or pork (fatty fowl like goose were particularly suitable). To make a confit, the meat was salted and cooked for a very long time in its own fat, then allowed to cool in its own fat. It was then sealed up in its own fat, of course and stored in a cool place, where it could last for months. Confits should not be confused with comfits, which were sugar-coated nuts and seeds eaten at the end of a banquet to freshen the breath and aid the digestion. Sweet Preserves Fruits were often dried, but a far more tasty method of preserving them past their season was to seal them up in honey. Occasionally, they might be boiled in a sugar mixture, but sugar was an expensive import, so only the cooks of the wealthiest families were likely to use it. Honey had been used as a preservative for thousands of years, and it wasnt limited to preserving fruit; meats were also stored in honey on occasion. Fermentation Most methods of preserving food involved stopping or slowing down the process of decay. Fermentation accelerated it. The most common product of fermentation was alcohol wine was fermented from grapes, mead from honey, beer from grain. Wine and mead could keep for months, but beer had to be drunk fairly quickly. Cider was fermented from apples, and the Anglo-Saxons made a drink called perry from fermented pears. Cheese is also a product of fermentation. Cows milk could be used, but the milk from sheep and goats was a more common source for cheese in the Middle Ages. Freezing and Cooling The weather of the greater part of Europe throughout much of the Middle Ages was rather temperate; in fact, there is often some discussion of the medieval warm period overlapping the end of the Early Middle Ages and the beginning of High Medieval Europe (the exact dates depend on who you consult). So freezing was not an obvious method of preserving foods. However, most areas of Europe did see snowy winters, and freezing was at times a viable option, especially in northern regions. In castles and large homes with cellars, an underground room could be used to keep foods packed in winter ice through the cooler spring months and into the summer. In the long, frigid Scandinavian winters, an underground room wasnt necessary. Supplying an ice-room with ice was a labor-intensive and sometimes travel-intensive business, so it was not particularly common; but it wasnt completely unknown, either. More common was the use of underground rooms to keep foods cool, the all-important last step of most of the above preservation methods.

International Scholarship Candidates Selection Essay

International Scholarship Candidates Selection - Essay Example Further, RasGas may choose candidates who will fail to complete their chosen educational programs and create a sunk cost loss for RasGas. The use of an objective rating scale linked to organizational goals and future performance can limit these potential losses and increase the chances of securing productive employees post graduation. In order to create a winning proposition, one of the focus areas for RasGas is the 'development of its employees and the organisation', which can only be realized when the company is in a position to objectively rate the performances. Motivational factors arouse a need, propelling a person to channelise his efforts and energies in the direction of fulfilling those needs. These needs are aroused in the employee of an organization to increase the output, provide quality, increase efficiency, maintain industrial peace etc. An effective management must understand the fact that there are at least two ways by which the behavior of employees could be directed towards the productive pursuits in the organization. One is by changing the personality, i.e. the internal psychological structures of the person, which is a long-drawn and uncertain process. Another strategy is to modify the characteristics of the situation prevailing around the employees. These situational factors have tremendous influence in shaping one's personality. Providing suitable ambience and opportunities for career development and education hold the key in setting the process in motion. 2. Aim: To design a Success Predictability Scale for scholarship candidates Objectives: Analysis of the present policies of RasGas to encourage the talent. Analysis of the levels of motivation and urge for pursuing higher studies amongst the existing staff by conducting interviews and by observing them on the job. Analysis of the internal reports and other data about RasGas available in the public domain. Establishing a documentary link between scholarship awards and degree fields that supports the long-term goals and objectives of the organization. 3. Benefits to the Organization: The benefits to RasGas for using an objective success potential scale linked to organizational objectives for scholarship candidates are: Enhance the reward potential of opportunity costs associated with a scholarship candidate. Lower potential and actual economic losses associated with the scholarship program. Increase the chances of successful degree completion by scholarship candidates. Saving of as much as $500,000 US on candidates who are less likely to complete their assigned programs and make contributions to the organization that exceed the organization's investment in their education. Motivated employees, who in turn help the company more efficient and competitive. Motivation and encouragement leads to lesser attrition rates and turnover ratios, which in turn saves lots of costs associated with recruiting a team of new person time and time again. RasGas considers its workforce as one of its greatest assets and with people from over 36 different nationalities working together within the organisation, encouraging career development

The Origins of First World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Origins of First World War - Essay Example Though, taking a retrospective look, James Joll (1984), argued in his book The Origins of the First World War, that German rulers had 'accepted the war as inevitable' by December 1912 itself. But the Germans preferred to wait for the most opportune time. Historians also say that the imperialistic policies of some European nations also contributed to the simmering discontent amongst other nations. Some countries had highly ambitious plans of establishing their colonies in foreign lands. Similarly, some countries had started arming themselves in a big way, which left the neighboring countries apprehensive for their safety and asking for cover for other nations. This polarized the world community. Therefore militarism was another reason for the outbreak of war. Slav nationalism never allowed the Austrians and Russians a peaceful coexistence. The sea route was earlier used basically for exploring far off places, but Britain and Germany also started using the naval forces for strategic ad vantages. Another race started in the two blocks to strengthen the naval forces. Though earlier the use of James Joll (1984) argues that; "The immediate motives which led governments to decide to go to war in 1914 were not directly imperialist, but earlier imperialist policies had contributed to the frame of mind in which decisions were taken. ... Evans and Strandmann (1990) say that apparently the war started off a clear sky, but most of the nations seem to be well prepared for the war. The authors state that, "Everyone seems to have known exactly what to do, and to have done it with great efficiency. Arrangements to take over the Examination Schools and colleges had been made by the War Office two years earlier." Though historians find it very difficult to pinpoint one particular event or one particular day when the war trigger was put on. But the events of June 28, 1914 are still remembered as a turning point (Turner, 1970). It is on this day that, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife were assassinated (it was their wedding anniversary) in Sarajevo, Bosnia by a Serbian nationalist student. This province had been under Austro-Hungarian Empire since 1908. After this assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, followed by the Russian Mobilization the next day. Increasing emphasis on militarism led to the development of new weapons. Simultaneously the emergence of trench warfare made the Great War the bloodiest conflict the world had known (The Birmingham Post, 2004) James Joll prefer to place imperialism, domestic concerns, and the failure of diplomats as the basic reasons for eruption of the full fledged war. In broader terms the origin of First World War can be traced back as the result of a number of reasons. Some such reasons, enlisted by historians, over time are; The rise of German power after 1870 and its Imperialistic designs: Germany used to be a loose confederation of independent states till 1870. On January 18, 1871, these states united under a Prussian king

Ethics and Reality Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics and Reality - Case Study Example Reality says, brother is also young and to lead whole life with one kidney is a great risk. The patient is only 19 years of age, considering the age criterion; it is the prime responsibility of the physician to save her life. Under these circumstances, when there was not any choice of the therapy, a ray of hope came from GENOTECH. Situations like this has paved the way for breakthroughs in research and therefore more biotechnology companies are coming forward for reawakening of interest in xenotransplantation. The spotlight of ethical consideration has been altered from the moral accuracy of using animals for research/ therapy to treasured risk of xenozoonoses in recipients. This is not well accepted so far. The restriction has been posed by the United Kingdom on clinical trials and a national regulatory authority has been established to supervise and organize the progress of research, create guidelines, and make a decision on when trials can proceed. On the contrary, the United States has promoted the research in the direction of "proceed with caution," and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given approval for a large number of xenotransplant studies. The Public Health Service guidelines laid down strategies to reduce infection risk and these guidelines are still underway and are evolving to wind up with cautious approach (Daar, 1997). In the present case, the GENOTECH has emerged as a helping hand to this family. The patient cannot be allowed for euthanasia to spare the suffering of the patient or her family. The family must take the risk of transplanting GENOTECH'S product for transplanting kidney. There are chances that infections may spread from the recipient to contacts and later to the public. It is of much concern to the whole human population and not the patient alone. It is therefore imperative that the company must go through the rigorous checking of the product for any kind of microbial infection before the transplantation is made in order to protect the disaster. The motive in the present scenario is therapy, but practically performing is different, moreover laboratory conditions are different than in reality, inside the human body. So areas of concern are animal issues and risk of infection, but the success of this transplantation will renovate transplantation ethics to reality. There has to be some initiative for the success of technology. For these new technologies it has been hypothesized that they are going to eliminate the clinical and immunological obstacles which have made transplantation an excessively expensive therapeutic venture. Optimism inspires us but when it results in defeat it tempers our hopes and also the reality (Platt, 2001). Therefore we have to check the technology for its fool proof results. The alternative to the present situation is long-term dialysis. References: Darr, A. S. (1997). Ethics of Xenotransplantation: Animal Issues, Consent and Likely Transformation of Transplant Ethics World. J. Surg 21. 975-982. Evans, R. J. (2001). Coming to Terms with Reality: Why Xenotransplantation Is a Necessity. Chapter 2. Xenotransplantation. 29-55. Scenario # 2 The cultural and moral ethics are diminishing due to changing

Out, Out. by Robert Frost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Out, Out. by Robert Frost - Essay Example The title of the poem, â€Å"Out, Out,† is derived from a line in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth: â€Å"Out, out, brief candle!† (Shakespeare, 1993, 5.5.23), spoken by Macbeth upon hearing the news of his wife’s death. Frost’s use of the phrase as his title seems to be ironic. In the play, Macbeth laments his wife’s passing and reflects that life is ultimately meaningless: â€Å"it is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,/Signifying nothing† (Shakespeare, 1993, 5.5.26-28). But Frost does not agree that life has no meaning. He uses the poem as a way to record the boy’s existence, to show that even though his candle has been snuffed way too soon, his life was still significant. The poem begins just before the tragedy occurs, and sets the tone from the first line. Frost uses personification to describe the chainsaw as it â€Å"snarled and rattled in the yard† (1). This line foreshadows the upcoming accident, b ut it is important to note that Frost does not depict the tragedy as an accident—he instead frames it as a deliberate act of malice on the part of the saw.

Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance - Essay Example The findings of the study show that the extensive research carried out has not been able to come up with a concrete relationship between the human resource and performance. Brudan (2011) postulated the focus of performance management as a discipline and the proposition of an integrated performance management (Brudan, 2011). The paper’s aim was to track the various developments that performance management has gone through regarding the various levels of the organization. The paper was able to identify various crucial dichotomies that were intertwined in the performance management model. Many firms have taken performance management a notch higher in terms of evaluating their workers output and ensuring that there is an improvement in their daily tasks (Gruman & Saks et al., 2011). Performance management, as a result, should be directed towards engaging the workers to improve their performance and thus increase their output to the benefit of the organization. In addition, the company puts in place various measures that ensure that the employees at each level meet their expected targets as stipulated in the objectives and goals of the company at a certain period. Performance management in such a case does not only look at the rewards that workers should get but also on their performance and hence output to the company. The company, therefore, rewards employees at various levels and ensures that they are up to their tasks. Luong (2012) investigated the factors that drive engagement, engagement, and performance. The study noted that there have been inefficiencies of performance management systems used by companies. Some of the studies have indicated that there needs to be an overhaul of the performance management systems in place to help come up with efficient systems that help organizations, and their employees achieved desired targets and goals. The study was an added development on the Gruman and Sak’s (2011) employee engagement model. The study

Judgment Not Included by Thomas L. Friedman Research Paper

Judgment Not Included by Thomas L. Friedman - Research Paper Example Judgment Not Included by Thomas L. Friedman. Friedman reflects on the rationale of the Boston bomber suspects and the internet’s role in informing the rationale. According to Friedman, investigators reported that the surviving suspect indicated that he and his brother were upset about the U.S.’s invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and that their opinions and feelings were informed by websites visited on the internet. Friedman is not surprised that the brothers were bothered by the U.S. invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan as it probably angered lots of Muslims. Friedman however, takes issue with how the two suspects chose to express their dissatisfaction. Bombing the Boston Marathon and taking the lives of individuals who have nothing to do with the official acts of the U.S. government and who may have even been Muslims is particularly disturbing when the suspects had a number of more effective and far less dangerous options open to them. To begin with, the suspects were living in the U.S. and could have organized peacef ul assemblies to draw attention to their opposition to the U.S.’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, they are at liberty to raise and draw attention to any issue that they might feel warrants attention. Friedman also wonders why the brothers did not chose to do something productive for Afghanistan. For instance, the brothers could have contributed to community development in Afghanistan with a view to making them less vulnerable to foreign invasion. The brothers could have obtained a higher education and repatriated to one of those Muslim states and made productive contributions to those communities. Certainly the choice that was ultimately made did nothing to help Iraq and Afghanistan nor the brothers themselves. In fact their actions did more harm than good. Friedman argues that the brothers are a small sample size, but do represent a trend among Islamic radicals. They have a tendency to use violence as an expression of their dissatisfaction with Western governmentsâ₠¬â„¢ treatment of Muslims. In the process, they end up hurting and even killing Muslims and therefore doing more harm to Muslims than the Western states that motivated their actions in the first place. With respect to the internet’s influence on the suspects’ thinking, Friedman suggests that the internet is an entirely enigmatic invention. On the one hand it is a source of valuable information and on the other hand it is also a dangerous forum for spreading and perpetuating hatred. In this regard, hatred and important information enjoy an uneasy co-existence and unfortunately, the information highway is navigated by children and the rest of the world without supervision. The opinions and a lot of the information exchanged via the internet are uncensored and should be read and processed with caution. Moreover, our judgments should not be informed by random and uncensored opinions and expressed by strangers on the internet. Instead, our judgments should be informed by ou r actual social learning which begins at home and sadly, this did not happen for the Boston bombing suspects. Part III: Analysis Although Friedman’s suggestion that the Boston bombing suspects alleged acts of terror were counterproductive to their end goals, his suggestion is meaningless to terrorists. As Doran explains, in order to understand why terrorists commit acts of violence we need to ask ourselves â€Å"

Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance - Essay Example The findings of the study show that the extensive research carried out has not been able to come up with a concrete relationship between the human resource and performance. Brudan (2011) postulated the focus of performance management as a discipline and the proposition of an integrated performance management (Brudan, 2011). The paper’s aim was to track the various developments that performance management has gone through regarding the various levels of the organization. The paper was able to identify various crucial dichotomies that were intertwined in the performance management model. Many firms have taken performance management a notch higher in terms of evaluating their workers output and ensuring that there is an improvement in their daily tasks (Gruman & Saks et al., 2011). Performance management, as a result, should be directed towards engaging the workers to improve their performance and thus increase their output to the benefit of the organization. In addition, the company puts in place various measures that ensure that the employees at each level meet their expected targets as stipulated in the objectives and goals of the company at a certain period. Performance management in such a case does not only look at the rewards that workers should get but also on their performance and hence output to the company. The company, therefore, rewards employees at various levels and ensures that they are up to their tasks. Luong (2012) investigated the factors that drive engagement, engagement, and performance. The study noted that there have been inefficiencies of performance management systems used by companies. Some of the studies have indicated that there needs to be an overhaul of the performance management systems in place to help come up with efficient systems that help organizations, and their employees achieved desired targets and goals. The study was an added development on the Gruman and Sak’s (2011) employee engagement model. The study

Sustainable Tourism Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Sustainable Tourism Development - Essay Example 6 b)Evaluate the significance of interactive planning systems and processes in tourism development. 9 c)Evaluate different methods available to measure tourist impact. 9 There are certain financial tools and methods available to measure tourist impact on the economy, livelihood and financial prosperity and wellbeing of the region. 9 One such tool is the GDP or the Gross domestic Product. Per Capita income is another financial calculation that is capable of measuring the financial impact of tourism in a certain region. Foreign institutional investment is more when tourism industry is doing good in a particular region and key foreign investment can also be used as a parameter to measure tourism impact. 9 Understand the need for planning for sustainable tourism. 9 a)Justify the introduction of the concept of sustainable tourism development. 9 b)Analyse factors that may hinder or prevent sustainable tourism development. 10 c)Analyse the different stages in planning for sustainability 11 (Pineda, 2004, p.1) 11 Task 4 11 Understanding current issues related to tourism development planning. 11 a)Evaluate methods of resolving conflicts of interest to ensure to ensure the future well being of a developing tourism destination. 11 (Pineda, 2004, p.1) 11 b)Analyse the implication of balancing supply and demand 12 c)Evaluate the moral and ethical issues of enclave tourism 12 Task 5: 12 Understand the social, environmental and economic impacts of tourism in developing countries and destinations 12 a)Compare issues associated with tourism development in a developing country and an emerging destination where the impact of tourism is different 12 b)Evaluate the recommendations, future development of tourism in these destinations 13 References: 15 Task 1 Understand the rationale for planning in the travel and tourism industry. a) Explain briefly rational for planning tourism development. Tourism generates significant national and state income. Whether it is foreign or national t ourism the amount of income generated through tourist footfall is very high as compared to other government and private profit making enterprises. As a result planning tourism development, optimum utilisation of tourist hot spots, preservation and adequate maintenance of tourist sites becomes very important for sustainable and profitable tourism. Planning tourism development is the first and most important step towards building a strong and formidable foundation for a sustainable tourism industry that is capable of self funding, consistent profit generation, growth and development. The need for planning tourism development arises due to the following factors: 1. It is cooperative in nature due to the involvement of vast and diverse stakeholders a) Natives of the tourist place b) Local state government c) National government d) Transport Authority e) Foreign Exchange f) Law Enforcement g) Roads and Railway etc 2. It is dependent on the cooperation and efforts of multiple state author ities like a.) Ministry of Tourism b.) Ministry of Forests and Natural Reserves c.) Department of Rural Planning d.) Ministry of transport Tourism is a multifaceted department having interfaces interlinked with multiple industries and ministries like: Transport Department, Public Works Department, Forests Department, Environment Department, Foreign Exchange etc. (CPT MTM.,

Helen Kellers Life Essay Example for Free

Helen Kellers Life Essay The name of Helen Adams Keller is known around the world as a symbol of courage in the face of overwhelming odds, yet she was much more than a symbol. She was a woman of luminous intelligence, high ambition and great accomplishment. She devoted her life to helping others. Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1880. When she was only 19 months old, she contracted a fever that left her blind and deaf. When she was almost seven years old, her parents engaged Anne Mansfield Sullivan to be her tutor. With dedication, patience, courage and love, Miss Sullivan was able to evoke and help develop the childs enormous intelligence. Helen Keller quickly learned to read and write, and began to speak by the age of 10. When she was 20, she entered Radcliffe College, with Miss Sullivan at her side to spell textbooks – letter by letter – into her hand. Four years later, Radcliffe awarded Helen Keller a Bachelor’s degree  magna cum laude. After graduation, Helen Keller began her lifes work of helping blind and deaf-blind people. She appeared before state and national legislatures and international forums, traveled around the world to lecture and to visit areas with a high incidence of blindness, and wrote numerous books and articles. She met every U. S. president from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon Johnson, and played a major role in focusing the worlds attention on the problems of the blind and the need for preventive measures. Miss Keller won numerous honors, including honorary university degrees, the Lions Humanitarian Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and election to the Womens Hall of Fame. During her lifetime, she was consistently ranked near the top of most admired lists. She died in 1968, leaving a legacy that Helen Keller International is proud to carry on in her name and memory.

Role of Kidney in Osmoregulation

Role of Kidney in Osmoregulation Water is a vital molecule for the human body. Approximately 98% of the human body is made up of water. Human beings cannot survive if their water content decreases below 12%; hence the homeostasis of water is an important mechanism. Water has many important functions in our body. Water acts as a transport medium in blood and secretion e.g. in digestive juices, tears. Water is a good lubricant and acts to reduce friction when combined with particular proteins e.g. mucus to aid external movement. Many chemical reactions take place in an aqueous medium (Jones M.et al.2000) The kidneys are highly specialised organs of the body and play an important role in homeostasis. Fig 1a shows the location of the kidney in the human body.The kidney maintains homeostasis by regulating water balance, waste removal and blood composition and pressure. The kidneys dispose of waste by-products of metabolism and hence prevent the build up of toxic products in the body and to regulate the chemical components of the bodys fluids by responding to any imbalances of body fluids. These functions are fulfilled by a process of filtration of blood, which mainly includes the movement of solutes between the internal fluid and external environment. The movement of solutes is normally through a transport epithelium, in the case of the kidney it is in the form of a tubular channel; this tubular channel gives the kidney a large surface area. As Fig 1b shows blood enters each kidney via the renal artery and leaves via the renal vein. The kidneys weigh less than 1% of the human body, they receive approximately 2 % of blood pumped with each heartbeat. Urine exits the kidney through a duct called the ureter. The ureters of both kidneys drain into a common urinary bladder. Urine leaves the body from the urinary bladder to the urethra which empties near the vagina in females or through the penis in males. (Campbell N. A. et al. 1999, Michael F. et al. 2001) At one end the nephron forms a cup-shaped structure called glomerulus. From the glomerulus a tube runs towards the centre of the kidney first forming a twisted region called the proximal convoluted tubule and then a long hair-pin loop in the medulla, it runs back upwards into the cortex where it forms another twisted region called the distal convoluted tubule, this then joins a collecting duct which leads down the medulla and into the renal pelvis The functional unit of the kidney is a nephron. Microscopic sections of the kidney show that the kidney is made up of thousands of nephrons. Fig1b shows the location of a nephron and Fig2 shows the detailed structure of a nephron. Each renal capsule is supplied with blood by the afferent arteriole a branch of the renal artery this splits into many capillaries in the capsule which then rejoin to form the afferent arteriole. The nephrons structure is closely related to its function of regulating solutes Osmoregulation is maintaining constant levels of water in the body. Cells cannot survive a huge deviation from its osmolality. Hence, cells have a continuous movement of water across their plasma membranes. A net gain of water will cause the cell to swell up and burst, while a net loss of water will cause the cell to shrivel up and die. Water is transported by osmosis around the body. Osmoregulation is accomplished by creating an osmotic gradient; this requires lots of energy and is done by maintaining solute concentrations in the body fluids. The osmolality of the body is fixed at a mean of 290 ±5 mosmos/g. The kidney is able to maintain a constant osmolality as its able to adjust the rate of water excretion over a wide range. The volume of the extra-cellular fluid is mainly determined by the concentration of sodium ions, hence slight adjustments to the renal excretion rate have a major impact on the extracellular fluid volume. Changes in tubular sodium transport is accompanied by parallel movements of water, this results in no net change in body fluid osmolality  (Campbell N. A. et al. 1999, Frederic H.M. 2006, Michael F. et al. 2001) The loop of Henle creates a longitudinal osmotic gradient across the medulla; this aids the reabsorption of water and other important solutes. Ascending and descending limb are parallel and adjacent to each other with a layer of tissue fluid in between. Fluid enters from the proximal convoluted tubules flows down the descending limb and then up the ascending limb. This is known as a counter-current flow. Thewalls of the descending limb are permeable to water, while the walls of the ascending limb are impermeable to water. The ascending limb of the Loop of Henle is made up of a thick walled tubule which is impermeable to the outward movement of water but not salt. The red arrows on fig3 show the movement of water amd solutes along the loop of Henle and the collecting duct. Also, the walls of the ascending limb contain pumps to remove sodium chloride from the lumen and add it to the surrounding interstitial fluid. Hence sodium and chloride ions are actively transported out of the ascen ding limb. This is the site of reabsorption in the kidney, here fluid from theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦enters and the kidney reabsorbs all the useful solutes and water. The permeability of the loop and the collecting duct depends on the osmolality of the blood and is controlled by a negative feedback mechanism by osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus A high concentration of salt builds up in the medullary tissue, this together with urea retention by these tissues, helps build up a high osmotic pressure in the medullary tissue. This creates a gradient of 200 mosm/g across the tubular wall at any point and causes a loss of water from the descending limb. The loss of water concentrates sodium and chloride ions in the descending limb. Salt concentration in the medullary tissue is highest at the apex of the loop, the tissue in the deeper layers of the medulla contain a very concentrated solution of sodium ions, chloride ions and urea. The fluid leaving the ascending limb is hypo-osmolar as compared to the fluid that enters and has a osmolality of approximately 100 mosm/g .Sodium and chloride ions diffuse out in the lower part of the ascending limb. Fluid passes down the collecting duct through the medullary tissue of increasing salt concentration, water can pass out of it by osmosis. The reabsorbed water is carried away by blood capil laries  (Campbell N. A. et al. 1999, Frederic H.M. 2006, Michael F. et al. 2001) Control of water regulation Osmoregulation by the kidney involves a negative feedback mechanism. The osmoreceptors are in the hypothalamus and the effectors are the pituitary gland and the walls of the distal convoluted tubules. Osmoreceptors detect alterations of water levels and send impulses to the pituitary gland which then increase or decrease the production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). In the case of a low osmolality,when the nerve cells are stimulated by osmoreceptors action potentials travel down them, this causes ADH to be released from their endings into the blood capillaries in the posterior pituitary gland from here it is distributed throughout the body. ADH acts on the plasma membranes of the cells of the collecting ducts. ADH is picked up by a receptor on the plasma membrane which then activates an enzyme. This causes vesicles with water permeable channels to fuse with the plasma membrane hence ADH makes the membrane more permeable to water than usual. Hence more water will be reabsorbed by the collecting duct and more concentrated urine will be produced. On the other hand, when the blood water content rises the osmoreceptors are no longer stimulated and hence do not lead to the secretion of ADH. Hence, ADH secretion slows down and the collecting duct cells become less permeable to water, so less water is reabsorbed and more diluted urine is produced  (Campbell N. A. et al. 1999, Frederic H.M. 2006, Michael F. et al. 2001) In conclusion, the regulation of water is essential for the survival of human beings and is carried out by the kidneys and monitored by osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus and controlled by the pituitary gland. Each of these plays an equally important role in the regulation of water and without any one of them the body will not be able to function in a normal manner. [Words: 1328]

Media :: essays research papers

The media has a profound influence on the decisions I make. Whether it is what movie I see or what I plan on doing according to the weather, I look to the media and television news, in particular, for the answers. I also listen to the radio for updates on world events. The media help shape our world and the decisions we make by keeping leaders accountable. The media has a role in the decisions I make about politics, opinions on world issues, and how I conduct myself from day to day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 2005 Presidential election, both candidates had mass exposure to the media. They used their resources to get their issues and views heard. But, the incumbent, President Bush, had an advantage. He always had the media at his disposal. He already had name and face recognition. They have been with him since he was elected in 2000. For this reason, I think he had adequate coverage and time to get his agenda heard and get voters interested in voting for him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also depend on the many outlets the media has to keep me informed on world event and other breaking news. From the recent death of the Holy Father- Pope John Paul II, to the day's traffic I need to know what is effecting me so I can make an informed decision on where I stand. They help to keep the pressing issues in perspective from both sides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also need the local media to help get me through the day. From traffic to weather, the local media is the closest contact to what is happening all around my. The media is good about coving all the issues from the world to the cities and every where in between. The media helps me make a decision on movies, games, and a multitude of other consumer products.

Equal Opportunity, written by Walter Mosely Essay

In this short story, Equal Opportunity, written by Walter Mosely, Socrates Furtlow, an ex-convict, faces the dilemma of getting a job. Socrates served 27 years in prison after killing two of his friends while drunken. Furtlow was now living life as a bumb who went around selling old bottles and cans to make a living. This story tells his struggle to find honorable work as a black man in society because of his background. He ended up lying on his application because he was afraid of what people might think. Although there was discrimination and disrespect not being completely honest with people may come back to haunt you later. A 58 year-old man who hadn’t worked in 37 years would have a hard time finding a job as it is the fact that Socrates was an African American didn’t make anything easier. Socrates assumed places of business in his home neighborhood, knowing his background, wouldn’t even think of hiring him. So Socrates traveled approximately 14 miles and 3 bus transfers from his apartment in Watts, to a Bounty Supermarket to try and get a job. He had been practicing for a week on how he would ask for his job application. Though he was a murderer and not a thief, as he entered the store, he wondered what the workers would think if they knew of his prison background. The assistant manager, Anton a young white man came up to Socrates and asked if could help him. Socrates felt as though he was being miss treated from the get go. After Socrates asked for â€Å"an application† Anton played dumb acting as though he didn’t understand what kind of application he was asking for. Once Socrates made it clear he was there for a â€Å"job application† Anton had yet another insulting question, â€Å"Uh. How old are you, sir?† (p. 2626) Being a man of imprisonment of twenty-seven years, Socrates knew his rights and knew that it was unlawful to discriminate against someone by their age or race. Anton continued to say that they didn’t have any openings at the time and made it clear that he wasn’t going to get an application. Socrates also made it clear that he wasn’t going to be turned away so easily. â€Å"I know what you said. But first you looked at my chothes and at my bald head. First yo’ eyes said that this is some kinda old hobo and what do he want here when it ain’t bottle redemption time.† (Gates and McKay p. 2626) Everyone should have an equal opportunity in getting a job and at least a fair chance with an application. After Socrates and Anton discussed their  rights and the law the assistant manager went to the main office to fetch and application. The elevated office looked over all the checkout counters and where Socrates stood waiting. Socrates was then center of attention to all the bag boys and checkers as they all knew their boss, Anton was unhappy. Anton and an older white woman exchanged a few words then she handed him the application and he stormed back down to Socrates. Rudely handing him the app Anton was about to go on with his day but Socrates wanted a pencil to fill it out and give it back. He had come a long way to turn in an application not just receive a sheet of paper and wasn’t leaving until he did so. Thirty minutes later Socrates stood at the foot of the stairs leading up to the main office with his almost completed application in hand. Nearly forty minutes passed and he knew they could see him and he could see them but he waited patiently, on the outside, though inside he was thinking of throwing a brick through the window. He had a few questions for the manager, Ms. Halley Grimes, when she finally came down to take the application but she rudely tried to brush my off as though she were too busy. She told him they would give him a call if it went through the main office and came back fine. He then told her he had no phone and it would be better if they wrote to him, but she unwilling to help in any way explained that without a phone she could do no more for him. He begged for her to just send it in anyway and he would find a way to be in touch. So for five consecutive days Socrates took three busses to the Bounty Supermarket to ask if they had heard from the head office. The woman started to worry and told Socrates again that because he hadn’t a phone he couldn’t work there and that he returned she would call the police. On the fifth day he showed up and two gentlemen from headquarters were there to speak with him. Socrates told his story and how he had been mistreated from day one and that he was told he couldn’t work if he didn’t have a phone. Socrates then explained that with no job he couldn’t afford a phone and with no phone he couldn’t get a job. That is probably the most adverse way of showing the meaning of â€Å"equal opportunity†. The two men explained why he would not be able to work at that location because Ms. Grimes was afraid of him, but that they may have a job in Santa Monica. Lying on an application is a crime in itself. Socrates didn’t fill in one question on his application know if they knew what he was he wouldn’t have a chance at a job. The two men noticed the  blank question and confronted Socrates. After all his talk about equal opportunity and the law, he lied and said it was just an honest mistake and that he was clean. So the two men gave him the job in Santa Monica and he would finally have a paycheck coming in, that is until the untold comes back to bite him in the rear. You can be fired just as fast as you were hired, or slow in his case, if you lie on an application. This story begins a series of confrontations (with violence lying just below the surface) that explore both the necessity and the irony of equal opportunity. Works cited Gates, Jr., and Nellie Y. McKay. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. 2nd. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004. Print.

Cultural Attitudes Toward Prolonging Life Essay

A 25-year-old woman is dying of cancer. She has asked the â€Å"no extreme procedures be used to prolong life.† She is now comatose and can be kept alive only with machines. How would you decide whether her will should be respected? This question was given in class and the majority of my group responded that they would not go to any extreme measures to keep the 25-year-old woman alive. The majority of the group reasons were that it was her will and if that what she wanted then that’s what should happen. Another reason my group decided to go along with the woman’s will is the fact that medical procedures are very costly. One more reason my group decided to go along with the woman’s will is because she is suffering from an illness and it would be in her best interest not to have to suffer anymore. Although the majority of the group decided no to go to any extremes to prolong her life, I decided not to give up on life. I know that it might sound selfish on my part but life is a very special gift. My grandfather was a victim of cancer and he, despite all of the suffering he endured, wanted to stay alive for as long as he could. He wanted to remain a strong influence on how is family viewed life. Through the radiation treatments and constants visits to doctors he never gave up on his life. I can remember him saying â€Å"Baby I’m sick but I’m here with you and it makes the pain seem a bit more bearable.† Through this I learned never to give up on life even when it seem like there is no hope left.

Professional Knowledge and Abilities Essay

The AAPT also known as the American of Pharmacy Technicians was founded in 1979. The AAPT is an international non-profit organization that is dedicated to improve the delivery of pharmaceutical services, which includes exchange, development, and dissemination of information. All educational requirements are essential for all pharmacy technicians, due to the exparsions of pharmacy technology. It is important that the value of education continues so the AAPT recognized the importance so they established a continuing education service. â€Å"AAPT CES is the official provider of CE credits for pharmacy technicians. (American Association of Pharmacy Technicians 2009) The contribution that the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians is the continuing education to increase my professional knowledge and abilities. It is required by my state that I have ten CE credits to keep my state certification and I have to have twenty to keep my international certification for me to be able to practice as a pharmacy technician. Continuing these courses it helps me to keep up on the new medications, latest technology, pharmacy laws and policies, and leadership abilities. It is proven that the information that is retained from the continuing education is very important in the operation of pharmacy. Another reason that it is important to continue education because of the constant changes in medication and pharmacy laws. It is believed that the information retained from the CE program can be considered a safety mechanism for everyone such as patients and health care providers is vital for the proper dispense of the medications without doing any harm to the patients, but also giving the best possible way to get and take the medication. In conclusion, for one to obtain professional knowledge and abilities one must go forth in the necessary education courses to be able to obtain what one is looking for. The AAPT is the right place to obtain that knowledge and abilities. Without that additional education then the one person would not be able to obtain the knowledge and abilities that they are seeking for their professional job.

Business and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business and Law - Essay Example sets out how the agencies of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales will work together to deliver a justice system which: Is effective in bringing offences to justice, especially serious offences; Engages the public and inspires confidence; Puts the needs of victims at its heart; and has Simple and efficient processes.† (Working together for justice: Aims and objectives, n.d.). The Criminal justice system contributes tremendously towards maintaining justice in the country. It helps to identify illegal activities and abolish them, offers the sufferer and the witness sufficient assistance to prove the crime & awards punishment and rehabilitation to criminals. In any criminal justice system, it is important to recognize and fully understand the meaning of criminal behaviour, in the context of the constitutional or other general rule sources. A major bulk of the criminal suits in the English law system is dealt by Lay Magistrates. Most of the criminal suits begin in the Magistrates court itself. â€Å"The main advantage for using the Lay Magistrates are, Local Knowledge , Lack of Bias Gender Balance ,Saves Money , Saves Time.† (Lay magistrates, n.d.). An efficient criminal justice system always helps to increase the public confidence. The criminal justice system in the U.K. provides adequate support to sufferers and witnesses of the crime, mainly at the time of providing evidence and during the court procedures. Moreover, the Criminal justice system helps to save money at the time of expensive court trials. One of the major goals of the Criminal justice system in the U.K. is to considerably enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of all the concerned departments in the criminal justice system. â€Å"In Warwickshire an ongoing survey of victims and witnesses involved in the criminal justice system, and supported by VIP, indicates that 84% of victims and witnesses are satisfied/very satisfied with the criminal justice system and 94% are satisfied/very

Branding community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Branding community - Essay Example The paper describes the concept of community branding, which is based on consumer behavior as well as the scope of the market, which refers to the variety of goods and services available within the market. Once given communities have found specific brands appealing, both consumers and the manufactures of the products stand to benefit. The consumers often benefit in the sense that they get value for their money hence are left satisfied with the goods and services that they are offered. According to (Hill, 2013), the level of wastage that is often witnessed from the consumer's end is often reduced; as they know the exact product they are to buy. The reduction of wastage according to Hill often comes out in the sense that the consumers do not often waste their funds on other goods that they do not prefer. Hill argues that in many situations, the fact that customers are left satisfied after buying a given product implies that means that the community at large always benefits as they get quality goods and services (Hill, 2013). As mentioned above, both communities and the manufacturers who are involved in the production process stand to benefit. The manufactures benefit in the sense that the brand provides name and recognition for not only the product for the company involved in the production of a specific good or the delivery of the service. Hill (2013) asserts that the aspect of a product or service being a brand is an entity that is so identifiable and makes a promise of value for the future.

Habermas the Public Sphere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Habermas the Public Sphere - Essay Example 1-13). According to many political theorists, the public sphere is an important entity for a strong democracy. The public and the private spheres acquired a clear distinction in the 17th and 18th century. The public sphere usually consists of informal citizen discussions and deliberations that lead to the formation of a public opinion which is rational enough to guide and influence political systems. Habermas has given a complete outline of the public sphere in The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into a Category of Bourgeois Society. (1989). This piece of work outlines the public sphere critical theory in a systematically developed manner (Dahlgren, 1995, p. 44). The public sphere thus develops from the realms of public authority as well as private relations. The private relations may involve the family and the civil society at large. The private individuals, therefore, come together to form the public sphere. They are driven by the notion of speech without censorship as well as the desire for unified reasoning. According to Habermas, therefore, the public sphere involves both historical economic and political concerns. He continues to explain that every communication contains a communicative action which is oriented towards an agreement. Whenever a matter concerning living together as a people with differences is debated, the public sphere is always constituted. The public sphere became more of a commercial and entertainment entity rather than its conserving its political character. The shift from the original character to other commercialized versions is documented in the press. Habermas, therefore, looks at the integration of literature and journalism as well as the role played by mass media. The public sphere was also affected by the emergence of mass media. The apparent evolution of the communications environment has made the public sphere to change to a platform for advertisements. As a result of these, there emerges a new class of participants such as public relations practitioners (Thompson, 1993, p. 67). Democracy, according to Habermas, is founded on the world of life. It is this world of life that enables free communication between different people. It also drives people into pursuing private and individual interests as opposed to common goals in life. The media plays a crucial role in any democracy. This comes easier, of course, if the environment is right. Such an environment is one which consists of the requisite skills that enable democratic reporting. The media is most of the time flooded with advertisements that target some individual tastes. The information that is presented is also based on the pre-existing views. There should, therefore, be mechanisms which check for public accountability as well as professionalism in media operations. One of the characteristics that identify a democracy is the independence of the media. This is strengthened by the financial viability of the media organizatio ns. Financial strength ensures that the media operates in an environment free of external influences, especially political influences (Hallin, 1994, p.12). The media is also an essential for checking the political system when that system is unable to meet the social expectations. The media is, however, not expected to entertain political bias or partisan reporting at all. Accessibility of the media

UNIT 5-IP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UNIT 5-IP - Essay Example In statistics, for instance, if you take an exam and you fail it, statistically speaking the probabilities of passing the exam the second time around are higher. The more you take the exam the better scores you should obtain. This is a comparison made to, good judgment comes from experience. The more experience you have in a given situation the better you are able to make decisions. The difference between making judgments based on experiences and taking an exam over and over again is that, the exam is the same one and the situation in life may be similar but not the same. You have different players involved, other circumstances, other decisions to take in the process of making them, and other people may be affected by the decision(s) you make. This is a big responsibility. It is not only you the one that is involved but there are repercussions on other peoples ´ lives by a decision you have made or vice versa. This refers to making bad judgments and obtaining experiences. A marriage, for instance, you fall in love, do all the things psychologists tell you to do: communicate what you will put into the relationship and what is expected of the other person, go grocery shopping, go to religious ceremonies, cook together, wait for a year to get married and other identified tasks. After following all of the suggestions, a year later you are on the divorce statistics. There are no formulas for choosing a partner and there are no formulas in raising children. In the past there were no schools to become a parent and how to raise your children. It was a trial and error procedure. Parents were the models liked it or not. Today, there is an increase of interest by people wanting to know how to raise their children, wanting to go to seminars where they teach strategies on raising children, and in a few decades it will be known if it was worth while or not. This is the first generation to start

Medication Management Review Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Medication Management Review Questions - Essay Example Schedule 7 drugs have high to extremely high toxicity require special precautions in their manufacture, handling, or use they also require special regulations restricting their availability, possession or use. Also known as, a central line or CVC is long, soft, thin, hollow tube that is placed into a large vein. A central line is much like an intravenous catheter that is placed in a small vein in an arm, except that a central line is longer and is placed in a large vein leading to the heart in the neck, upper chest, leg, or arm. Bonnie Fahy, RN, MN, Marianna Sockrider, MD, DrPH "Defining Addiction, Physical And Psychological Dependence To Drugs, Alcohol And Other Related Addictions." Drug Rehabilitation .The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University:"Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities", March 2007. Myers, David G. Psychology. 9th Ed. Beilin Y, Arnold I, Telfeyan C, Bernstein HH, Hossain S (2000). "Quality of Analgesia When Air versus Saline Is Used For Identification of the Epidural Space in the Parturient". Reg Anesth Pain Med 25

Eating - Pica Essay Example for Free

Eating Pica Essay Pica is a compulsion to eat non food items when it is considered to be developmentally inappropriate for a time length of no less than one month. This disorder, also known as a â€Å"phenomenon† has been around since ancient times, with certain cultures accepting this not as a disorder, but as an accepted practice. There are several categories for describing pica. Some of the most commonly described types of pica are eating earth, soil or clay (Geophagia), ice (Pagophagia), and starch (Amylophagia) in humans. (http://www. encyclopedia. com/topic/pica. aspx). Pica is usually noticed in pregnancy, developmental delay and mental retardation, psychiatric disease and autism, early childhood, poor nutrition, lack of specific nutrients, vitamins, and/or minerals, and certain specific religions and their corresponding specific traditions. The specific causes for Pica are unknown, but certain conditions and situations can increase a person’s risk: Nutritional deficiencies such as iron and zinc Dieting- consuming non food items to obtain a feeling of â€Å"fullness† Malnutrition-especially in underdeveloped countries. Cultural factors such as family practices and religious factors Parental neglect, lack of supervision, or food deprivation Developmental problems Mental health conditions Pregnancy Epilepsy Brain damage (http://kidshealth. org/PageManager. jsp? dn=KidsHealthlic=1ps=107cat_id=146article_set=22148) Research suggests that there is no known cause for this disorder. In most studies into the disorder, the â€Å"habit† of eating non-nutritive substances usually clears up on its on terms for no known reason. Nevertheless, this disorder should be considered serious, as there are multiple risk factors up to and including death that present as outcomes. Pica has been shown to be a predisposing factor in accidental ingestion of poisons, particularly lead poisoning. The ingestion of bizarre or unusual substances has also resulted in other potentially life threatening toxicities, such as hyperkalemia after cautopyreiophagia (ingestion of burnt match heads) (http://emedicine. medscape. com/article/914765-overview) To date, there are no lab studies to show the onset, cause, and /or leading factors that contribute to this disorder. It is common practice to identify and treat a person for effects only after they have become susceptible to medical treatment. Physical examination findings are highly dispersed and depend directly on what substance has been ingested. Most research suggests that pregnant woman crave a specific nutrient missing from their diet, therefore consuming a specific non food substance rich in that nutrient to fulfill what their body is looking for. Most children up to two years old are said to simply be â€Å"exploring their environment† and do so by putting everything into their mouths. Medications used to help treat Pica disorder are commonly SSRI’s such as: Olanzapine: a drug typically used to treat the symptoms of various mental illnesses that cause a loss of interest in life, unusual thinking, or inappropriate emotions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Clozapine: another drug used to treat the symptoms of various mental illnesses by transforming natural substance activities in the brain. Risperidone: used to treat the symptoms assoc. with manic states and bipolar disorder. Both Olanzapine and Clozapine belong to a class of atypical antipsychotics that are sometimes used in Pica patients to help change the way they see certain materials and reduce their negative eating habits. Risperidone can be used to treat the symptoms of Pica disorder, as well as some of the underlying causes, including depression and psychotic factors. The most successful approach to treating a client with Pica disorder is a behavioral approach. Behavioral strategies have been shown to be extremely effective in treating many forms of Pica, up to and including: Discrimination training. Mouth self-protection devices Reinforcement behaviors Screening techniques (ex: covering eyes) Aversive oral taste (mint, lemon, etc. ) Aversive smell techniques Aversive physical sensation (ex: alternative response) Brief physical restraint Consultations (http://www. health guideinfo. com/other-eating-disorders) In General, the use of medications for Pica disorder are commonly used for the person(s) with a mental handicap, or in combination with any other medical diagnosis (ex: depression, ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder). Many physicians will have a focused aim on finding out if the body is lacking a nutrient†¦usually noted to be iron. There is no evidence to say that a lack of iron is linked to the disorder. Side effects will also vary depending on the type of substance was ingested. Common side effects include: constipation, cramping, pain, obstruction of bowel or intestine due to blockage, perforation from ingesting sharp objects, contamination and infection from ingesting parasites, weight gain, malnutrition, gestational diabetes false +, and decreased absorption of nutrients in the stomach (http://www. encyclopedia.com/topic/Pica. aspx). There is no true prognosis for Pica disorder as it depends on the substance and amount of the substance taken in. Usually the side effects and complications tend to dissipate as the behavior is stopped. Pica is seen in studies to subside once the labor has been successful and in children as they age, usually around two years of age. There are no specific lab studies indicated in the evaluation of a person with pica. Lab tests are generally completed when a patient has been seen by their physician for a complaint. As a patient admitted to the E. R. , the attending Dr.may order abdominal x-rays, barium swallows of the G. I. tracts, and an upper GI endoscopy in order to get a handle of what has been ingested and the location of the substances. A list of commonly ingested non-food items consumed includes: Dirt Clay Paint chips Plaster Chalk Cornstarch Laundry starch Baking soda Coffee grounds Cigarette ashes Burnt match heads Cigarette butts Feces Ice Glue Hair Buttons Paper Sand Toothpaste Soap A common approach used is education for patients in regards to a healthy approach to consumption to adequate sources of food substances. A common failure is non-information throughout the world.