Advancements of Tourniquets in the Iraqi War Essay

Background of the War The name of the Second Gulf War has often been referred with the Iraq War, which has begun from March 20, 2003 and is still deteriorating lives of millions of people in the Iraqi region of the world. In the year 2003, invasion of Iraq was led by the United States of America, and this war is still ongoing, which has affected the world adversely. Development of weapons of mass destruction was one of the main rationales that were presented by the government of the George W. Bush, as well as, his supporters in the form of different Democratic and Republican parties. (Danchev, pg. 62-65) According to the Bush government, allies and interests of the United States posed a threat from the development of abovementioned weapons by the Iraq. In the year 2003, it was claimed during the State of the Union Address by the President George W. Bush that there was no time to wait for the imminence of the threat from the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. However, such weapons were not found by the United States after the invasion of the Iraq. In order to support the decision of the Bush’s government, connection was made between the al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein by the citing of their claims. (Murray, pg. 71-73)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another reason for the invasion of Iraq   Ã‚  given by the George W. Bush was the democracy in the Iraq, which was necessary for the development, as well as, stability of the country due to the abuse that was being done by the government of the Saddam Hussein in the Iraq in terms of human rights before the invasion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many forms have been observed in the casualties of the war in Iraq since March 2003 until present. In addition, great variation has been noted in the available information, as well as, its accuracy and validity regarding the occurrence of different types of incidents that have resulted in different types of casualties in the Iraq.   Even in the great variation, it is confirmed that the Iraq War has deteriorated and terminated thousands of lives and damaged houses and habitats of many lives in the region. One of the reasons of this deterioration was the opposition and criticism of the war by a number of experts, professionals, critics, and even the Americans. A range of serious health issues, as well as, mental disorders has been reported by many veterans of the Iraq War in the United States forces. Tumors, migraines, blood in urine, muscle pains, dysfunction of the sex, and a number of issues have been reported by the coalition forces in the Iraq. In this regard, utilization of radioactive depleted uranium has been found to be causing the abovementioned health issues and disorders in the coalition forces, which cannot be stopped during the war. Thus, the Iraq War has provided a number of serious losses to the United States government. (Murray, pg. 99-100) (Abrams, pg. 101-111) Over nineteen thousand casualties have been suffered by the military of the United States, as the fourth year started on March 19, 2006 during the war in Iraq. All these casualties included a broken leg, or a broken arm, which created a sense of fear and opposition in the Iraqi, as well as, American civilians. A number of American soldiers were sent to their homes with one leg, or one hand that changed their lives from their scratch. A soldier, who used to protect the country, now can look in the sky and dream of doing the same, while sitting on his wheel chair. This was the condition of many soldiers in the United States. (Danchev, pg. 50-52) This resulted in the hatred towards the Bush government, and towards the decision of sending American soldiers in the Iraq. (Abrams, pg. 91-101)   To help this kind of dreadful situation, the US Army started to provide their troops with a special kind of tool, a Tourniquet, which was designed to help the soldiers to save a limb thus saving their lives. What are tourniquets? To explain in simple words, a tourniquet is a piece of cloth and a stick, which is used to stop the flow of blood if a person faces emergency. These simple types of tourniquets were used in the 18th century. The exact and modern definition of a tourniquet is a device that works on the principle of compression and uses pressure to be applied on the wounded limb that blocks the circulation of blood in the specific area and prevents the flow of blood for a certain period. (Klenerman, pp. 33-36) With the advancement of technology and research, various types of tourniquets were introduced. Modern surgical types of tourniquets are being very popular because of their convenient mode of operation and availability. There are two types of tourniquets being used, one of the types uses a cloth or a piece or rubber and the other make use of gas to apply pressure. The number of limb-deprived soldiers was increasing day by day; to help solve this problem the US Army widened the use of tourniquets. (Abrams, pp. 40-44) Before the discovery of the highly effective tourniquet, the soldiers were using the basic field expedient tourniquet, which uses a cloth and stick to help control the flow of blood.   The Pentagon made every possible effort to provide every soldier present in Iraq with a standard tourniquet. The tourniquets were saving lives and the lives were stopped from being wasted unnecessarily. Data indicated that the soldiers that were not using the tourniquets and were not equipped with the tourniquets died, in a way, unnecessarily. In the year 2005, a newly designed tourniquet named as â€Å"The special operations Forces Tactical Tourniquet† (SOFTT) was issued to the soldiers in Iraq. This type of tourniquet was designed to be used using a single hand so that the soldier is able to apply the tourniquet all by him without needing any help. The SOFTT replaced the field expedient method. The field expedient method was also proving itself beneficial but SOFTT was even better. The number of casualties was also decreasing because SOFTT was also helping to save time. The SOFTT was reported to be very effective and useful in injuries that were hard to reach. The strap of SOFFT can be released completely and can be rethreaded; this allows it to be applied on limbs that are trapped. The SOFFT makes use of two latches, one is needed to provide effective use for the tourniquet while the other provides ability for securing the limb after the tightening..In order to use the SOFFT it is needed to be slide up on the limb and the pulling of the tail right after application. In order to be secure the screws must be tightened. The device remains in use until the bleeding is stopped. During these times another invention by US Army institute of surgical research came forth, which was the â€Å"Combat Application tourniquet† .This type uses a system of windlass with an internal band that provides pressure to the wounded limb. After tightening, the windlass is to be locked when the blood flow is stopped. A strap made of Velcro is then used to keep the windlass in place. The Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) was tested in 2004 at the US Army institute of surgical research with the other eight tourniquets available in the â€Å"Tourniquet off† .It was marked as the most effective tourniquet and it topped the list . It was easy to use hence it was recommended for use in the army. CAT was placed on the top of the â€Å"TOP 10 GREATEST INVENTIONS THIS YEAR† by the Army in 2005. Before SOFFT and CAT were introduced, the tourniquets were being used but they included the conventional cravat and stick types’ .The soldiers during their training periods were taught to use the conventional types that belong to the American civil war period. An unfortunate incident, proving the significance of tourniquets occurred with an Army medic who was climbing to reach the helicopter in Baqoubah in Iraq when suddenly bullets seared through his left thigh. As he lay beside his helicopter, he took hold of a tourniquet inside his pocket and immediately slide it on to his wounded thigh and the tourniquet worked efficiently in stopping the bleeding. Hence, the device, which was once considered extremely low tech, ended up saving yet another life in this high tech world. (Klenerman, pp. 65-66) If USAISR had not created such an invention, there would have been no effective tourniquet. Tourniquets are still being used widely and they are proving to be functional when it comes to saving lives, since there is no useful device available on the battlefield to save lives. There is a great deal of increase in the use of tourniquets during the Iraq war. The tourniquet, which has gained immense popularity, is the CAT and is still in use by the soldiers until date. The CAT was also made available for use for the civilians. In case of extreme traumas, CAT can be used as a lifesaver. (Taliaferro, pp. 22-25) Now, the Army doctors state that the use of tourniquets in the battlefield cannot be dispensed and they are striving to design even better and modern tourniquets to facilitate self first aid on the battlefield. Conclusively, we have discussed that a device that works on the principle of compression and uses pressure to be applied on the wounded limb that blocks the circulation of blood in the specific area and prevents the flow of blood for a certain period has been referred as a tourniquet. It is a hope that this paper will help the students, professionals, and experts in the better understanding of the tourniquet, as well as, its significance in the Iraqi war. References Alex Danchev. (2005). the Iraq War and Democratic Politics. Routledge (UK). Irwin Abrams. (2003). the Iraq’s War and its Consequences. World Scientific. Leslie Klenerman. (2004). the Tourniquet Manual. Springer. William Hay Taliaferro. (1972). Medicine and the War. Ayer Publishing. Williamson Murray. (2003). the Iraq War. Harvard University Press.

Audience Expectations in Horror Movie Trailers Essay

How genre conventions are used to raise audience expectations in horror movie trailers. ‘The word genre means ‘type’ or ‘category’’ (Teach yourself film studies) it is really important as an audience member to recognise genres as then things become categorised and easier for them to understand which is more comforting. Sometimes however genres are crossed and categories are broken for example sometimes we have ‘action thrillers’ or ‘sci-fi horrors’ this is known as a hybrid genre. This often intrigues the audience and draws them to the film as it changes their outlook as they have no expectations for the film as they have never been exposed to this genre before. The horror genre was created to frighten/disturb an audience. Cherry (2009) reinforces this theory ‘The function of horror – to scare, shock, revolt or otherwise horrify the viewer’. These are the main conventions of a horror movie often portrayed using fast cuts, heart racing music, flashing images, unknown creatures and darkened places. ‘Horror is an ancient art form’ (www.horrorfilmhistory.com) which is still popular today because of the emotions it evokes, the audience feel comfortable with the horror genre as the generic conventions have not changed drastically over the years, the audience knows what to expect. The iconic symbols of horror such as haunted houses, unknown creatures, darkened places and flashing images are still used in all modern horror movies, although the genre evolves to fit around the era and to appeal to that audience. ‘Genres are not static, they evolve their common attributes change over time’ (Teach yourself film studies), this is because genres need to become more current for example what disturbed/terrified audiences 10 years ago may not effect audiences today. Today most audiences are terrified by the paranormal and ghostly experiences, the trailers for ‘Paranormal Activity’, ‘Insidious’ and ‘Don’t be Afraid of the Dark’ are all based around this theme but use different generic conventions to portray their theme. Paranormal Activity was released in 2007 and is an independent film costing only $11,000 to produce, the trailer proved uncomfortable to audiences as the generic conventions were broken. The trailer was not the usual blockbuster horror that audiences expect to see, it was shot in an average home with a home camera, the camera angles are shaky and unprofessional and the actors are unknown which gives the feel that these are real events. Also the trailer not only shows clips of the movie but the audience reaction to what they are witnessing. This keeps the audience interested in the genre as they are not used to seeing an audience reaction – they are intrigued as to why the audien ce are so frightened; therefore want to see the film. ‘We derive basic thrills from triggering the rush of adrenalin which fear brings’ (www.horrorfilmhistory.com). Paranormal Activity reinforces this theory as it became a huge hit world-wide although it was such a low budget independent film. Paranormal Activity focuses on a young couple moving into a new home which is supposed to be an exciting time and people can relate to this as everyone has moved house at some point, the fact that the film is based in a normal household immediately alarms the audience. The sounds used in the trailer for Paranormal Activity are very effective as you can hear lots of screaming and fear but it is not in the film its self, it’s the audience that we’re first shown this film. Insidious was released in 2010 and was created by the same director as Paranormal Activity (James Wan) this draws in an audience immediately as people who are familiar with the directors work are immediately drawn to the film. Like Paranormal Activity, Insidious is also an independent film however the budget for this film was a lot higher at $1,500,000. The look the production company gave to this film is also a lot more professional as there are no home cameras and shaky camera angles. However this film does still use unknown actors, since doing my research I have noticed that the majority of horror films use unknown actors to make their film feel more realistic. Insidious is also based around the paranormal theme which shows that audiences in this era are frightened by the paranormal ghostly experience this must be working as insidious took in a gross of ‘$53,991,137’ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/). Also Insidious uses children and a family in a ‘normal’ home this immediately effects the audience as they can relate it to their own lives. The horror genre has become more realistic like this as instead of using zombies, vampires and made up creatures the genre has become more based around real life and what could actually happen as it affects the audience in a more psychological way. Also using children in the trailer will immediately effect parents as they start to imagine what they would do if that was their child and how it would affect them which straight away frightens them and evokes unwanted emotions/thoughts ‘I can speak for all parents when I say the loss of a child has to be pretty much the worst thing that could ever happen to them’ (http://www.horror-movies.ca/horror_13935.html) I have also looked at the film trailer for â€Å"Don’t be Afraid of the Dark† which was released in 2011. This film is from a different director to Paranormal Activity and Insidious however it follows a similar plot and has the paranormal ghostly edge. The budget for this film was much higher than both Paranormal Activity and Insidious at $25,000,000 the trailer is very stereotypical and uses the typical conventions of a horror trailer as it consists of multiple flashing images, heart racing music, darkness and unknown creatures. The sound used in a trailer is very important as fast paced non-diegetic music is usually played throughout the trailer which subconsciously makes the audience feel on edge and worried, also the diegetic sounds used such as loud bangs, creaky floorboards and screams make the audience jump. Putting both of these non-diegetic and diegetic sounds together creates tension and an uncomfortable atmosphere. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark also uses a small child within the film; this is quite controversial and usually makes older members of the audience feel uncomfortable as they imagine it as their own child. Also using a small child shows an extreme amount of vulnerability as small children cannot fend for themselves and they are not as strong as an adult. ‘How does the speed of what we see compare to watching a clip from a film?’ (Teaching trailers) the speed of what we see in the trailer gives the audience a taste of what to expect in the film. The trailer starts of slowly to attract the audience’s attention and get them interested in what they are watching, then the speed builds up to alarm the audience and frighten them once this has happened the trailers slows back down to an average speed to give the audience time to react and think about what t hey just witnessed. When comparing the three trailers together they are all very similar as they are all based around a paranormal scenario and they all evoke the ‘scared/frightened’ emotion to an audience. Also two of the trailers use children which takes away the innocence of a stereotypical child and makes the audience feel uncomfortable as the ordinary has been changed. Paranormal activity breaks the boundaries of the horror genre the most by showing the audience reactions within the trailer as this had never been done before which attracted a wide audience and made a lot of money. It also got a lot more publicity and became an extremely famous well known film purely because it took the audiences expectation of a horror film and changed it. However Insidious and Don’t be Afraid of the Dark are very stereotypical horror films using obvious frightening objects in their trailers which have been used throughout the history of the horror genre. The set-up of these trailers is also very stereotypical and expected because of the fast paced heart racing sounds and the fast paced flashing images. I also think it is important that all of the actors in these films are unknown ‘why are we told who is starring in the film?’ (Teaching trailers) this is because well-known actors with a huge fan base attracts audiences to a film, however with the horror genre this does not work as audiences cannot get a realistic feel as they are familiar with the actor and their work. This is why I think all of the films work well as none of the actors are very well known. To conclude I think that genre is used in all of these trailers to raise the audience’s expectations but in very different experimental ways and this is successful, the ‘horror’ genre is visible throughout all of the trailers and they have all attracted a wide audience using some different experimental or stereotypical expected techniques. Bibliography Cherry, Brigid. (2009) Horror. Oxon: Routledge. Wilson, Karina. (2001-2011) Horror Film History. Available from: www.horrorfilmhistory.com (Accessed: 26th October 2011) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/ (2011) (Accessed: 26th October 2011) http://www.horror-movies.ca/horror_13935.html (2011) (Accessed: 26th October 2011) Title: Teach yourself film studies Title: Teaching trailers

Marriage Partner Essay

1. At what point does marriage give a spouse the right to enter the property of his or her marriage partner? According to the information given in the early discussion, it clearly states that a spouse cannot be committed of burglary if the spouses are still legally married. This does not include legal separations or divorces. Also, the other must allow the entrà ©e of the spouse. While the offense [of burglary] is not committed by one who breaks and enters his own dwelling or other building, it has, however, also been held that the mere existence of the marriage relationship does not preclude the one spouse from committing burglary against the other spouse. 2. What test did the court apply in order to determine that the husband had no right to enter the home? The test the court applied in order to determine that the husband had no right to enter the house was the fact that a husband, although physically but not legally separated from his wife, can be guilty of burglary when his presence is not welcomed, as well as with the intent to commit an offense, such as the sexual assist he committed. Burglary, like trespass, is an offense against the possession, and hence the test for the purpose of determining in whom the ownership of the premises should be laid in an indictment is not the title, but the occupancy or possession at the time the offense was committed. A person â€Å"enters or remains unlawfully† in or upon premises when he is not licensed, invited or privileged to do so. 3. Are there other relationships that should also hold special legal status, as the establish privileges similar to those of legal spouses at issue in this case? What challenges are involved in enforcing such privileges? The other relationships that should also hold special legal status as the established privileges similar to those of legal spouses would be couples who are considered â€Å"boyfriend and girlfriend†, that are living together, or in some way roommates. Any relationship between two people that share a dwelling, or other major items should hold special legal status to ensure that there is fairness in the use of the item(s). These types of relationships make it difficult to enforce such privileges because of the lack of legal statutes they hold within the state.

“Deadly Unna” by Phillip Gwynne Essay

The novel, Deadly Unna, written by Phillip Gwynne tells the story of the multicultural bond between the Aboriginal up and coming football player Dumby Red and his loyal Australian mate Gary (Blacky) Black. There are many issues explored in the novel, such as family, domestic violence and above all, racism. Moreover, the novel demonstrates the issue of family. The Black family is portrayed as very dysfunctional. The reader understands from early on in the novel that Garry Black’s father is an unreasonable, irresponsible and violent father. Blacky demonstrates to the reader of his dad’s lack of support, when he says, â€Å"For a start I was always I bed when he (his dad) came home† (page 54). This insinuates that Blacky’s dad always come home late because he is too busy getting drunk at the pub. Consequently, due to Blacky’s dad’s absence, his mother is left to provide and play a big part in Blacky’s life. Consequently, Blacky’s f amily is faced with the problem of domestic violence. This makes the quality of living for the Black family low. â€Å"He chucked me out the of the wheelhouse, that’s how I got this† as Team-man pointed to his lip. He had been hit after his father after he turned the boat around due to his father falling asleep. The fear of being hit or beaten by their dad is not healthy at all. It all slowly builds up between all the siblings and eventually they crack and Team-man tries to kill him. The issue of Domestic violence is shown multiple times throughout this novel. Racism is very evident in this book. Being in a town like Blacky, where there is a vast spread of both whites and Aboriginies, he finds it hard too not judge them based on the stereotypes he has heard from other generations. The town is divided and usually both cultures do not mix. The Aboriginies live in the point and the whites live in the port. If an Aborigine or white are found in each other’s territory they are usually despised upon. At the pub the Whites and Aboriginals are separated and do not bond together. A tin shed down the point has clearly written in Graffiti ‘boongs piss off’ which is very racist and could’ve easily offended some of the Aboriginals. Also when Dumby dies the whites say ‘’it doesn’t matter’’ which is very disrespectful. This shows that problems involving racism and cultural indifferences in the book are so serious that they still occur in our day and age.

Joseph Rudyard Kipling Essay

The study room was surprisingly empty. The door was crying out for some one to come open it. The papers lying on the table were rustling out loud, almost as if giving a signal to use them. Beside were pens lying and whispering for someone to pick them up. The chair was looming for someone to come and use it for comfort. Slowly the door opens with a crack. There, enters a man: always with a look of confidence and pride showing away to everyone. A man loved by everyone for his work which was presented to the public. This person was none other then Kipling: a poet, novelist and not to forget an â€Å"imperialist†. The time period was around the 18th century when British established their rule over India. Another term for taking over was known as IMPERIALSIM: when a strong nation like British takes over a weaker region like India. Once they take over, they dominate the regions politically, economically and culturally (Imperialism 8). As every country wants to keep their own culture and have their own rule, India was against British rule. The only people who supported them were the Sikhs. When countries took over foreign lands, they expected the natives to practice their culture inferior to their own (Imperialism 9). This was called â€Å"the white man’s burden†. Later on there was a popular poem named the same written by Kipling. Joseph Rudyard Kipling was a blessed child born to be an English writer and a Nobel Prize winner to John Lockwood Kipling: an artist, a scholar and a capable writer, and to Alice Macdonald. Kipling was a man who wrote novels, poems, and short stories, mostly set in India and Burma (now known as Myanmar) during the time of British rule. He was born on December 30, 1865 in Mumbai, India. His first name Joseph which was never used as it was his father’s father name, except for his baptism in the cathedral. His second name Rudyard was named after the place, Rudyard River where his father and mother first met. As a child of a rich family, he never got the tender love and playing time with â€Å"mother† like most middle or low class children would. Instead he was bought up by an ayah. As being raised by native servants meant affection and intimacy, and that intimacy meant, above all, that he learned their language, Hindustani (Rudyard Kipling 19). He was sent to England for better education at the age of six to a foster home. There he received unkind treatment which he later expressed in the short story â€Å"Baa Baa Black Sheep† in the novel The Light That Failed. At the age of 13, Kipling entered Services College: an institution specialized in training for entry into military academies. Unfortunately his poor eyesight and other factors shredded his hopes for a military career. He returned to India at the age of sixteen. In 1882 he started working as a journalist in Lahore for the Civil and Military Gazette: a local newspaper where he wrote and edited short stories. Gazette was an excellent way of building up the knowledge of India that was going to make him as a writer (Rudyard Kipling 42). In 1887 he was promoted to the staff of the Allahabad paper, Pioneer: a sister paper with much higher standard then the Gazette as an assistant editor. India and Kipling had been made for each other. She gave him what no other English writer was ever to experience in comparable fullness and intensity; †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. As her mark was set on him for life: with the exception of some travel pieces, seven or eight stories and a few dozen poems all his best work reflects or remembers India (Rudyard Kipling 52). This statement shows us that he had a passion for India: all the colors and sounds and smells made an impression on him that was distinctive as well as deep (Rudyard Kipling 20). Almost every novel he wrote, short stories or poems were all connected to the life he spent in India. He loved his child hood days he spent in India â€Å"give me the first six years of a child’s life and you can have the rest† (Something of myself). His novels described the setting (India) very well especially, its beauty as a country, the culture and the distinct features it has as a diverse country. Kipling was an imperialist. He believed it was right and proper for Britain to â€Å"own† India and rule the people (www. english-literature. com). He accepted the Empire as it stood and he approved the annexation of Upper Burma (Rudyard Kipling 52). He was one of the few people who approved the right of British to rule India. He wrote books and poem supporting the fact that British has the right to rule. Famous poem was â€Å"the white man’s burden† and a popular novel named â€Å"KIM†. It is a novel that embodies his attitude towards British rule in India which these days are wholly unacceptable and unpalatable (www. english-literature. com). Even though he resided in India and was an Anglo-Indian he still supported British. Though he considerable colonial experience in India as well as sympathy for Asians, his writing clearly reflects the British and imperial attitude (Rudyard Kipling 67). Enough comments were made about the novel KIM such as â€Å"a master work of imperialism †¦.. Rich and absolutely fascinating. But nevertheless profoundly embarrassing novel (Edward, www. english-literature. com). Kipling is the man who is remembered for his celebration of British imperialism and heroism in India and Burma (Rudyard Kipling, 53). He is the man who is still remembered by everyone including kids by reading his wonderful work of writings written for us. Common examples are Jungle book, KIM, famous short stories such as Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the Naulahka are to name a few. His love for India was incomparable to any Anglo-Indian, it shown in almost every novel which had a setting of India. Kipling should be as thankful to India as India should be thankful for him. Kipling introduced a new type of story and brought out the knowledge of India more to other people around the world by having it included in his stories. He made a difference in the world of writing by producing great novels such as Barrack-Room Ballads, etc. Kipling’s life and work are extraordinary unlike those of any other English writer (Rudyard Kipling 1). He was the first Englishman to receive the Nobel Prize for literature. Kipling is man who left marks in the world of today by using his ability to remind about him and his works constantly. BIBLIOGRAPHY Book Amis, Kingsley Rudyard Kipling and his world. Great Britain, 1975 Handout given my Mr. Quan for Imperialism. Websites  http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A5316798

Reducing Binge Drinking among Teens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reducing Binge Drinking among Teens - Essay Example Since teenagers are the ones who decide the future of a nation, binge drinking habits should be regulated at any cost. Educating teenagers about the consequences of binge drinking, social norms marketing and alcohol screening for college students etc are some of the effective methods which can be utilized for reducing binge drinking among teenagers. School and college curriculum should be revised thoroughly to teenagers about the consequences of binge drinking. Prevention is better than cure. It is better to educate the teenagers before they start their binge drinking behaviour than treating them after they start their binge drinking habits. Hanson (2007) has mentioned that social norms marketing technique has repeatedly proven effective in reducing the use and abuse of alcohol among young people. â€Å"It’s based on the fact that the vast majority of youths tend to drink -- or drink more -- than they would otherwise, in an effort to â€Å"fit in† (Hanson, 2007). Youth s have a habit of spreading false data about the quantity of alcohol consumed by them in order to get recognition among peers. They often treat youths who consume more alcohol as heroes. In order to eliminate such false beliefs, it is better to convey them messages through social norms marketing. Internet, teenager’s favourite television programs, print media etc can be utilized for conveying the messages against binge drinking to the teenagers.

Produce a Research proposal entitled does performance management Essay

Produce a Research proposal entitled does performance management motivate staff - Essay Example interest to this study is the comparison of the employees who are incited to complete their tasks in specified time spans with those who will undertake the same tasks in a desultory or in a less motivated way. Interest is also directed at understanding the various motivational strategies the company uses as well as the strategic performance management practices carried out. This proposal will clearly highlight the research methods to be used by the researcher, data analysis criteria to be used as well as the historical background of performance management and the impact on the employees’ motivation. It will also clearly identify the performance management practices that really motivate the employees and those which demoralize the employees. This research will be explorative and will seek to show both the positives and negatives of performance management. The researcher will approach the topic with open mind in order to deduct the best results that are unbiased. Performance management is one of the key goals of the human resource, management department. Performance management in the human resource department includes activities to ensure that the organizational goals are efficiently and effectively met. Performance management focuses on the output and performance of an organization, and processes to build a product or service, employees and departments among others. Performance management has been known to either motivate or demoralize the employees (Armstrong, 2000). Various performance management practices have positive impacts on the company employees while others negatively affect the employees’ performance. Sometimes the human resource management department personnel is not aware of the impact any performance management practice can have on the employees work morale of which it may be detrimental to the company or the organization. A performance management practice that was successful to another company may not work in the current one while that which

Persuasive speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Persuasive speech - Essay Example The laws should be such that they should reflect the expectations and aspirations of the people. In a democratic society, laws reflect as to what people want and expect from the state. A poll conducted in March 2013 showed that a majority of the Americans do favor tougher gun control laws like barring people from purchasing automatic and assault weapons and conducting a background check on people buying arms (White, 2013). Hence, it goes without saying that the present statutory position that allows people to readily buy automatic and assault weapons is averse to the actual wishes of the people. The state and federal governments could not abjectly ignore the wishes of a majority section of the society. Without pointing to any specific incident, it is a matter of common knowledge that massive public shootings in the recent times have shocked the conscience of the masses. These shootings led to the death of many innocent and unsuspecting citizens in a ruthless and shocking manner. It was primarily owing to the lax gun laws that the perpetrators responsible for these shootings were able to purchase sophisticated weapons, which they later used to kill unarmed and defense less civilians. Hence, the natural premise that supports the tougher gun control laws is that they will certainly lead to a decline in, if not a stopping of the instances of mass shootings and will better the law and order situation. The detractors of the tougher gun control laws put forward the argument that if the laws governing the purchase of weapons are made stringent and strict, it will curtail their democratic right to bear arms and will prevent them from easily purchasing weapons, as and when they require. They believe that there should be no restraining mechanism that should prevent people from buying any weapons they feel like buying. However, the truth is that such logic is totally

Answer questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Answer questions - Essay Example Another assumption that will be considered is the time taken. Driving to and fro work takes a lot of time and effort than being a telecommuter. There are several valid reasons that would prompt one to consider the telecommuting offer. One of the reasons is reduction in expenditure. The telecommuter job will help in reduction of vehicle associated costs like fuel and maintenance costs. Consequently, one will have an increased amount of money for expenditure at home. The second reason is convenience. The telecommuter job will be convenient in terms of time taken and effort. The time taken to drive to work and effort used will be reduced. Thirdly, the job will reduce the risks associated with driving to work like accidents and insurance. While the current job is a race against time, the telecommuter job will be less of a burden. Fourthly, the telecommuter job will reduce the time taken to access the job location and also drive back home. This will increase the time that one can dedicate to the care of the baby. This in turn reduces the costs of childcare. Fifthly, the job reduces the distance that one has to commute to and fro work. The telecommuter job will result into pay reduction, which will affect the money available for expenditure. Secondly, it will reduce the comfort that one enjoyed as they drive to and fro work. Thirdly, the telecommuting job may not be luxurious as the current job and may have a lot of hardships. With lack of experience in the job, one is likely to face many problems. Fourthly, there may be no guarantee of how safe one will be on the job. Telecommuting may be an unstable job and may not guarantee job tenure. Fifthly, the telecommuting job may not offer the chance to grow career wise and one may stagnate in one job. As per my decision, I would prefer to remain in my current job rather than taking up the telecommuting job. The

Employee Relations- 'Finder' Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Employee Relations- 'Finder' Case Study - Essay Example This has meant anarchy of sorts and with the soft warning that the union ‘UNITE’ has given to the management and top heads goes to show the problem is more than skin deep and a major catharsis is required which will solve the issue once and for all. From the organizational standpoint, management is stuck as to how it can retain its employees whilst asking them to attend office on a consistent basis. This is a problem which has haunted Finder Industries for a long time and a solution needs to be found to tackle the issue at hand. However, the problems are many and the alternatives in the wake of solutions are less (Willman, 2009). This paper will try to establish where the problem actually lies within Finder Industries and what the solutions should be. Also it will aim to determine where and how the directives need to be changed so that the employees can stop taking the company for granted and give it their best in even the most trying of times and circumstances. Further, there will be recommendations that would address the problems at hand and consideration would be paid towards the barriers that have a say in a very destructive manner towards the outcome of the issue. Also a reflective statement would be mentioned that would add on to the discussion so that the end results are comprehensible, engaging and decisive as far as solutions are concerned. The problem with Finder Industries is that the employees are not respecting the workplace at the moment. What is even more distressing to know is that the company is not doing much for itself to get respected within the eyes of the employees and workers. This respect comes from empathy for one another that would eventually act as a symbiotic force for the long term solutions that could be found for the sake of the Finder Industries. What is a problem now could be treated as one of the pathways towards finding a solution – if only there is such a comprehension achievable in the first place. The re spect factor must start from the top; however there are times when this respect issue could be understood by incorporating motivation and providing incentives to the middle and lower middle management domains. One can be sure when the respect factor for the sake of the Finder Industries would be available, many problems would automatically get resolved, and that too in an amicable fashion (Bruno, 2005). The need right now is to find out what would motivate the employees to start respecting where they work and how they can live up to the organizational name and raise its stature more and more. Moving ahead with the debate, Finder Industries is going through a tough time at the present because its rules and policies as far as the sick leaves are not properly designed. If this can be done in a proper way, perhaps there could be a pathway to finding new solutions to tackle the issue at hand. Finder Industries needs to know why its rules and policies regarding sick leaves and absenteeism of employees is not drafted in a proper way but then again this would mean that the company has not gone forward but is geared to go back. This must not happen (Moriconi, 2011). The approach should always be positive because it sends good enough signals to one and all within the organization. The best foot forward would be to determine if there is room to devise rules and policies which would be deemed as agreeable by the union ‘

Why are Chinese factories turning to Bangladesh Essay

Why are Chinese factories turning to Bangladesh - Essay Example This scenario has been a major instigator for business organisations in China to look forward to better and more convenient option especially for manufacturing purposes in a foreign destination. China, in recent years, has been regarded as one of the fastest developing economies in the world. One of the key reasons behind the continued and sustained growth of the Chinese economy has been industrial growth (World Bank Office, Beijing, â€Å"China Quarterly Update†). However, in recent years the Chinese economy has witnessed a noticeable slowdown. The volatile world economic environment as well as rigid domestic polices have the combined factors that have contributed towards this scenario (World Bank Office, Beijing, â€Å"China Quarterly Update†). Thus, in order to mitigate this problem the Chinese factories or manufacturers have started to look beyond their own shores to import products. Consequently, Bangladesh has become a favourable option for them because it provide s efficient workers and comparatively lower wage rates. This strategy by Chinese manufacturers has been mainly prompted by the prevailing condition in their own market to manufacture products (Cawinfo, â€Å"Chinese Factories Turn to Bangladesh as Labour Costs Rise’). Thesis Statement The report intends to discuss the key reasons behind the Chinese factories turning to Bangladesh as a destination for especially importing products. The major driving forces of globalisation have also been considered in the report to comprehend the scenario. Globalisation as a Driving Force for Chinese Factories to Turning to Bangladesh The drivers of globalisation have been an imperative factor behind the Chinese manufacturers desiring to outsource their business in a foreign destination such as Bangladesh which majorly includes, open markets, International Trade Relation Policies, progress in transport and information technology, privatisation and liberalisation (A Global Ethic Now, â€Å"Dr iving Forces Behind Globalisation†). These key drivers that have encouraged the Chinese factories to turn to Bangladesh as a possible location for outsourcing are opening up of different national markets to all sorts of companies and removal of trade restrictions. However, in recent times, the one of the biggest problems which has been faced by Chinese manufacturers is the labour crisis. In China, a continued war in relation to labour rights has been a critical issue which has affected the industrial sector in recent times. The war has been engaged with a huge number of people who come under certain different categories of business world. The workers, trade unions, corporate, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and political parties in China are deeply engaged in this serious issue. It has resulted in an impact on worker privileges, wages, working environment in China. This battle is badly affecting the Chinese economic conditions. It has become a tough task for manufacturin g organisations to abstain from the intermediary cooperation among worker organisations and their allies to procreate a sustainable relation in between the justice related to economy and social activities. It is quite apparent that a host of challenges for worker and social movements are being created in the economy of China. The manufacturing industry which relies significantly upon the workers is facing major strife to deal with

Books and the power point Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Books and the power point - Essay Example In comparison to television programs, they pointed out that books give them more inspiration than television programs because the books are almost always there to be referred to. 2. As far as selection pattern is concerned, most respondents stressed that their pattern of selection is based on word of mouth that come in the form of recommendation from other people. This was made up of 60% of the respondents. 20% said he does extensive internet search based on popular search engine results whiles the remaining 20% said pattern of selection was purely academic. This means that apart from books that directly related to his course of study and that were recommended by professors, virtually no other form of pattern of selection of books was done. With the exception of the percentage that does internet search, the remaining respondents stressed that they did selection mostly from the traditional type of library. 3. From the information gathered, it would be said that learning about book titles is not so difficult if done through the internet. This is because the power of the search engines permits that a searcher gets as many reliable and authentic sources to books and magazines as possible as applies to a title being searched (quote). Even with those who do not read from internet sources but from libraries, they can still use the internet to make the searching easier whereby after searching with the internet for book titles, they will go to the library to use the catalog to search for the said books. Generally, it would be seen that some people read more than others based on the accessibility to the kind to book they seek. 4. The publicity of books is indeed a good thing as it widens the scope of knowledge that people have about the existence of particular books. Publicity and advertisement of any form can never be condemned because without it, it would be like trading in the

Black Film History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Black Film History - Essay Example The two main directors of the film are Charles Stone and Chuck Wilson. The actors include several various individuals, all which are divided into each segment. The idea of â€Å"Afrocentricity† is to depict the several ways of life that those in the African – American community are associated with. The directors move a step beyond this in showing how the ideas, imagination and the perspectives in this community fall back into problems with stereotypes; however, when looking at the films, there is not a true representation of what this is inclusive of. The strength of this overall film comes from the ideal presented about the diversity of the African – American community. The presentation of seven short films, all which are not related to the other, provides a different level of insight about the African – American community. This breaks down boundaries and stereotypes which are often in the media and gives a fresh look about the ideals of the African Ameri can community. Each of the short films is depicted in an artistic and valuable way to ensure that this message is given. The tension is created in each film, specifically by defining the problems which are associated with society, as well as how individuals have to learn how to overcome this. The weakness of the film comes from the misleading presentations which may distract an individual from buying the film. The title of Afrocentricity is one which isn’t realistic and doesn’t provide the correct depiction of what is presented throughout the film. The concept of diversity is a hidden message that is displayed through each of the films. If one doesn’t understand that this is several short films, one which only lasts for two minutes, then more problems may arise. However, this can work in favor of the film if one is able to understand and overcome stereotypes which may have been associated with the value of each story. Overall rating: 4 Breakdown Breakdown is the first short film that is able to give insight into the African – American community. The director of the film is Jeff Byrd. The actors include the lead, Vanessa Williams. The presentation in this film begins with showing a shooting at a bus station. Vanessa Williams is the only survivor of this incident. When moving through the film, Williams tells about the experience of the shoot down and recalls the trauma which she has gone through by being in this location and seeing what has happened in the specific situation. The strength of this plot is based on the ability for Williams to show the other side of the shootings. The stereotypes which are often depicted in the media are based on the side of African – Americans as having a gangster mentality and not basing their beliefs outside of this. The approach which is taken in this film gains its strength by showing the horror and drama of the shooting as well as the responses which have occurred because of this. The acting that is followed with this is realistic in nature and is able to depict the overall understanding of the complexities which occur in a realistic situation where a shooting occurs, no matter where it happens and who witnesses it. The tension which builds from this realistic viewpoint, as well as the resolution of learning from the trauma becomes the main

International Business Finance Report Research Paper

International Business Finance Report - Research Paper Example Most of the green building material firms in China and high-end architecture designs are widely influenced by foreign players, who account for approximately 30% of the whole market share within the republic (EU SME Centre, 2013). Among the 200 leading international companies dealing with green building materials, over 140 have already invested in the Chinese market. For instance, in the 2008 Olympic competition, nearly 121 organizations participated in designing of all the athletic stadiums, 74 of which were either overseas or foreign-owned (EU SME Centre, 2013). Moreover, key global engineering consultancies have their branches in China, participating in numerous large-scale projects nationally. Besides foreign organizations, Chinese firms, particularly the ones with government support, are powerful players in the market, towards realizing large-scale government projects. Relating to building materials, the organization is likely to face stiff competition from foreign firms. Nevertheless, there are more local Chinese producers utilizing the price benefits in the market, even though the standard is relatively low. OzGreen should brace itself for a stiff competition in the Chinese market. As a consolation, the market is still big enough to get a share of the cake (EU SME Centre, 2013). Some of the most establish green building material firms in China include Hunter Douglas, an international firm which boasts of building and furnishing the red skin for the Chinese Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 international Expo. Philips is also one of the key players in the market, having developed a sustainable lighting design and supply for Guangzhou Tower. Another likely competitor is OMA, which came up with the CCTV building in the heart of Beijing. Finally, we have Soeters and Grontmij, which recently won the contest of Wuhan New Energy Centre. The centre will be the most energy efficient tower in the planet (EU SME Centre, 2013). The building of

National Rifle Association Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

National Rifle Association - Essay Example The NRA in modern civil society receives much scrutiny for its stance on guns and people's right to maintain them but the NRA merely advocates correct gun usage as opposed to the implementation of guns in the world as they are perceived by many people to do (Helmut 2004). However, it must be stated that this stance is not one of promoting violence, but one promoting their basic foundation, the implementation of knowledge. Is gun possession for protection a civil liberty Well many people in the current civil society believe that there is enough independence in choice of human conduct. People are increasingly creating awareness that it's the person behind the weapon that commits a crime and not the weapon itself! The founders of national rifle Association believed that people in modern society were responsible enough to control their character even when in possession of a dangerous weapon like a gun (Kant, 2003 p. 33). Although NRA was faced with so much criticisms of controversy, it was one of the most influential lobby groups in the United States. There was growing need to support the second amendment which encouraged responsible gun ownership in the name of self defense. As a result of this, the NRA was formed from the views of two retired army officers who primarily wanted to make the entire human society more knowledgeable about the handling of firearms. Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate started NRA in 1871 to be able to promote a sense of scientific process among all individuals whenever they handle firearms (Anderson p. 186). After the US charter in the State of New York approved the existence of the NRA the First President of the organization, US Senator Gen. Ambrose Burnside, took responsibility of this position (NRA HQ website). Ambrose Burnside as the first president, he tried his best to establish the organization's reputation in the society that they were most involved with. The aim of this body was make the society more responsible in the way of handling guns for self-protection grounds. It is indeed from the primary aims of the founders of the organization that NRA actually started out to affect the modern civil society as a whole. George Washington once said, "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself." (Wilson 2002) I think that is a simple approach the NRA is taking on the consideration of the Second Amendment and trying to instruct the proper safety of handling a firearm. Hence, through the financial support provided by the Long Island and Creed Farm, the organization was able to establish a practice range that would train numerous individuals, with their own guns, for the purpose of self defense. The Credmor, NRA's first training grounds, was established in 1872. (Anderson p. 20 3) It was the initial venue for the first ever annual shooting matches that happened during those years. Up to this day, the organization aims to educate everyone in the society about the need to be responsible and knowledgeable about the right usage of guns and firearms. In an aim to educate everyon

Question and answer Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question and answer - Article Example 2. The authors describe the MITT protocol in the Statistical Analysis section of the methods. What do you feel are some benefits and limitations of using an â€Å"Intent to Treat† method for analyzing the data? Does it influence your interpretation of the study results knowing that the researchers used this method? I felt that MITT benefits a change in treatment policy rather than potential benefits of patients. Some of its limitation includes full application only in completed outcome, variations in handling deviations, and potential for biases because of some missing data which might influence the interpretation of study results. The baseline/screening period for the study was one week and the treatment period lasted for 12 weeks. The authors had provided evidence from other research, not to justify the length of the study, but to justify the hypothesis that whole-grain RTE cereals can reduce the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults with overweight and obesity. The evidences provided include those of Saltzman and colleagues who conduct the same study for six weeks and an incited study that reduced cholesterol level from baseline for two weeks (Maki, et al, 2010, 212). 5. Identify 3 exclusion criteria for participation in this study (Methods section). For each of the criteria that you chose, why do you think they needed to be excluded? Do you feel that these exclusion criteria affected the study’s validity (positively or negatively)? There are several exclusion criteria in the study but I chose the participants who use weight loss medications within 2 months before screening or supplements, programs, or meal replacement products within 2 weeks before screening because with these interventions, researcher cannot determine whether the whole-grain RTE cereal is effective in reducing LDL or it is the medications, supplements, programs, or meal replacements taken; participants with known sensitivity to any of the

Organizational change in the face of profitability drop in McDonalds Essay

Organizational change in the face of profitability drop in McDonalds Corporation - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that it is undisputable fact that change is inevitable and one of the most fundamental processes of any organization. Presently, than ever before, organizations face rapid change. Globalization and increased expectations of customers and employees, competition, technological advancements, and need to boost profitability is what have made change to be inevitable in organizations. Besides, more concern by stakeholders of organizations has prompted the management to adopt change strategies in order to convince the stakeholders that they are capable of achieving the organizational objectives. However, various studies have shown that despite the fact that change is inevitable and most companies management are planning and implementing change, the process of managing change is proving a great challenge. According to Isern and Pung, leaders rarely achieve their objectives when they have embarked on a major effort of change in their respective organi zations. They note that there are factors that distinguish successful and unsuccessful efforts to change. They argue that a true transformation within an organization is characterized by integration of different change types (commercial, operational, and organizational), sustained effort that last for longer periods, and high ambitions. Isern and Pung further note that numerous surveys have shown that have difficulty achieving intended results. According to a 2006 online survey by McKinsey Quarterly only 38 percent of the executives across the globe who responded reported to have had a complete success on the transformations they instituted in their organizations. A tenth of those who responded acknowledged that their organizational transformation efforts were completely unsuccessful (Isern and Pung, 2007, p.1). It is in the light of this that this discussion will critically evaluate using appropriate models, theories and practical interventions how a manager can successfully manage a ‘radical change’ within a complex organization. The evaluation will focus on radical change in regard to aspects such as a sharp drop or slide in profitability. The discussion will assess organizational change in the face of profitability drop in McDonald’s Corporation. Change Model Managing radical change within an organization may not be an easy task as various surveys have shown. Radical change may be prompted by various circumstances such as enticing new customers, fighting competition, and sharp drop in profitability. Since managing change needs to be done appropriately in order to be successful, it is important that certain model or models be adopted. In this case, and in particular reference to managing change in the face of drop of McDonald’s profitability, Kotter’s 8- Step Change Model will be used. Kotter (1996, p. 26) states the first step in managing change is through creation of urgency. Change will be of help to the company if the c ompany really wants it; therefore, there is need for development of sense of urgency. Burnes (2009, p.103) agrees with Kotter’s proposition of creation of urgency around a need by arguing that it is essential in motivating employees in the organization to get things moving. According to Kotter, creation of urgency entails the following; examining opportunities that can and should be exploited, identifying potential threats and developing scenarios of possible future happenings, giving of convincing and dynamic reasons so that people can talk and think about them, and requesting support of stakeholders, industry players, and customers so as to strengthen the argument about change. McDonald’

The impact of Privatization of the liquor control board of Essay

The impact of Privatization of the liquor control board of Ontario(LCBO)on economics - Essay Example The LCBO also develops wine and bear production in Ontario, its price and marketing policies are very supportive. The LSBO has successfully achieved all these objectives. "The LCBO"is one of the most profitable public agencies in Canada. It has delivered billions in profits and sales taxes to the taxpayers of Ontario over the past decade..." (Retail alcohol monopolies, 1993). So there is a question: will it be more efficient to divide the alcohol beverages market among smaller private firms which are not easy to be controlled rather than to provide reasonable policy in this market This paper will discuss possible impacts of privatization of the liquor control board of Ontario (LCBO) on economics and social sphere of Ontario. Privatization of alcohol beverages industry is a serious step touching all main spheres of Ontario population, so it can result many (basically negative) consequences for the province. The LCBO is a monopoly in the market which has its efficient net of stores, so it can "bargain for lower prices and greater special discounts from suppliers and carriers" (The Legislative Assembly, 2005). It also is able to provide efficient costs: "The liquor control boards are also likely to have lower operating costs. The privately-owned outlets are fragmented and multiply rapidly, while the control stores are open for fewer hours, and are integrated and centralized in their operations and distribution network" (The Legislative Assembly, 2005). In addition, privately-owned firms have higher capital costs than the LCBO that also leads to the price increasing. Experience analysis of other areas and countries follows the same tendency. In Alberta "the price of beer rose from 5 to 6%, the price of whisky from 6 to 8%, and the price of certain liqueurs rose up to 23% compared to ALCB prices" (Bernard M. and Lauzon L.-P., 1995). One more example: "Iowa, privatized the wine trade in 198 5, and the sale of spirits in 1987. After a short period of stability, sale prices gradually rose by 7% within a year, mainly to ensure a margin of profit for new private firms." (Bernard M. and Lauzon L.-P., 1995).Another impact of the LCBO privatization is a smaller product selection. At first it seems strange, but a corporation has more possibilities for providing consumer choice. It "consolidates orders and makes it possible to obtain a greater number of brands; a small retailer cannot afford to order items which are not best sellers" (Bernard M. and Lauzon L.-P., 1995). An example of Alberta illustrates the tendency: "before privatization, certain ALCB stores displayed over 2000 products; after privatization, the choice offered to consumers was reduced to less than 500 products. Inventories were reduced and discontinued items became a frequent occurrence" (Bernard M. and

Describe and explain the value of industrial location models Essay Example for Free

Describe and explain the value of industrial location models Essay What is an industrial location model? [5] 1) A model is a mathematical representation that is used to show why patterns have occurred, or to predict how things will occur in the future. A location model shows why certain things have located in certain spaces and aims to show where they will locate in the future. An industrial location model therefore aims to show why industry has located in the area it has, and where it will locate in the future. The term industry includes primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors. All sides of industry can be incorporated in these models, this includes tertiary and primary as well as secondary employment, although most models are designed with manufacturing specifically in mind. There are many types of industrial location model. Weber designed a model that showed where secondary manufacturing industry would locate based on the weight of raw materials used and the weight of the final product. Smith (1971) built an alternative to Webers model, which is more updated and takes into account new types of transport and industries other than secondary. There are also models such as the behavioural matrix which attempt to show what type of companies are more likely to choose the optimum location for their business. Describe and explain the value of industrial location models [20] 2) A model of industrial location put forward by Alfred Weber in 1909 assumes that industrialists choose a least-cost location for the development of new industry. The theory is based on a number of assumptions. Weber assumes that there is a flat relief, uniform transport, culture, climate, labour costs, political and economic system, and that markets are of fixed size and location. It is also assumed that transport costs are proportional to the weight of the goods and the distance covered by the goods, and that perfect competition exists. One of the main assumptions is that raw materials are either ubiquitous or localised. Ubiquitous raw materials are found everywhere and are evenly distributed, and therefore would affect industrial location e.g. water and clay. Localised raw materials are not evenly distributed. Weber suggested that raw materials and markets would attract the location of an industry due to transport costs. Industries with a high material index would be pulled towards the raw material. Industries with a low material index would be pulled towards the market. The material index is calculated by dividing the total weight of raw materials by the total weight of the finished product. A material index of much greater than 1 indicates that there is a loss of weight during the manufacturing process; for example butter making. The factory should therefore locate near to the raw material. A material index of less than 1, where weight is gained during manufacturing, would locate near to the market. An index of less than 1 could be achieved by an industry using largely ubiquitous materials, like water, as in the brewing industry. Once a least-cost location has been established through the material index, Weber considers the effect of labour costs in deflecting industry away from the least cost location. Isodapanes are constructed to determine the area within which an industry can locate without losing money. The critical isodapane is the greatest distance an industry can locate from the least-cost location without losing money. If a source of cheap labour lies within an isodapane below the critical isodapane, it would be more profitable to choose the site with low labour costs rather than the least transport costs location. Weber also takes into account agglomeration of industries, the model suggests that some factories locate within critical isodapanes of other factories, to share resources labour and transport costs. Webers model doesnt relate well to modern conditions. This is because it doesnt take into account many recent developments such as reduced costs of transport and government intervention. Weber assumes a lot of things that in reality wouldnt be found e.g. perfect knowledge of the market, and physical geography is ignored. Weber also ignores changes in costs and sources of raw materials over time. Overall Webers model is largely applicable to heavy industries only. In 1971 David Smith provided an alternative to Webers model of industrial location. Smith suggested that as profits could be made anywhere where the total income is greater than total costs, then although there is a point of maximum profit, there would be a larger area where production is possible and profit is still made. Smith suggested that industries rarely located at the least-cost location, but more often at a sub optimum and practical location. He suggested that this was due to imperfect knowledge about production and market demand, imperfect decision makers, who can be influenced by other factors, or may not act rationally, or a government policy, which may tempt industry to locate in areas of high unemployment or development areas. Smiths model takes into account all types of transport although a circular margin of profitability is rarely produced in real life. Where Webers model can only be used for secondary manufacturing Smiths model can easily be modified to include all types of industry. However Smiths model is based entirely on money and other factors such as employees needs are not taken into account. The UK iron and steel production is a good example of industrial location compared to Weber and Smiths models. Before the 1600s, iron making was found near to outcrops of ore, where there were plenty of trees, e.g. Forest of Dean, because transport was poor and they were unable to move raw materials large distances. This fits Webers model because iron making would have a material index of greater than one, due to iron ore being much greater in weight than the iron produced as the finished product. However Webers model says that a resource such as trees will be ubiquitous, which is not the case here. After 1700 coke began to be used to smelt iron more efficiently. The new furnaces were located near coalmines, where coal would have been the heaviest raw material to transport e.g. Sheffield and South Wales. This fits Webers model. Today the coalmines have run out, but the industry hasnt relocated because good transport systems mean that ores and coal can be transported in from abroad. This complies with Smiths model because profit has been made in a sub optimum location. Other reasons for the iron and steel industry remaining in the same areas are large amounts of labour and agglomeration, which are covered in Webers model.

The New Testament Essay Example for Free

The New Testament Essay The New Testament is deeply rooted in what Friedrich Nietzsche called slave morality. Its sense of ethics and the social values it expounds can be described as a downward pull towards a constant affirmation of a shameful human. One can see the New Testament as copying the ideals of the Old Testament, for the entire Judeo-Christian message is simply, echoing Mikhail Bakunin: God is everything, humanity is nothing; God is the master, humanity its slaves. As such, ethics, values and virtues that sprang from the New Testament is and will always be that of a slave race. Knowing that Jesus himself was highly influenced by Judaic tradition, one can say that the New Testament is merely a continuation of the Old Testament. The ethical atmosphere of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome were different from that of the Judeo-Christian one. The Greeks and the Romans were far more positive in their outlook of life and their civilizations were a mish-mash of what Nietzsche referred to as Apollonian and Dionysian elements. Whereas the Judeo-Christian God rules and controls all, the Greeks and Romans were able to construct a system where Fate controls all including the gods and goddesses themselves. Unlike the Hebrew and Christian â€Å"slave†, the Greek â€Å"human† is not a product of his God but of his passion, his capacity to reason, and his past. There may be gods and goddesses, but they exist as part of a hierarchy in nature. When a man fears a god, it was because of that god’s power (and there were many a variants of such powers). A man therefore fears god because he saw god as a superior; but this does not mean that he saw god as a master. On the contrary, a Greek or a Roman may imagine himself powerful enough to challenge the gods. The gods were feared because of their powers and not in the Christian sense when people fear God in fear of a brutal punishment in the afterlife. Thus, the Greco-Roman ethical atmosphere promotes what Nietzsche called master morality. What was valued more was the capacity of human beings to rise up towards the level of a god (like Homer’s Achilles) and not how much one has knelt before a God. There may be a noble acceptance that the actions of the gods were considered fate (as in Virgil’s Aenied), human actions still determine whether this or that human becomes a master or a god. What is similar between the Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian the sense of ethics and sets of values and virtues is their obsession for what is ideal. Greco-Roman values are based on the philosophy of a form and substance, where the form may suffer changes but its substance remain permanent. Changes may extinguish the form but the substance never perishes. Plato’s cave demonstrates this duality in reality. In the Judeo-Christian sense too resides this duality: body and soul. The body may perish but the soul does not. Taking care of the soul is therefore first priority of Judeo-Christian morality while deciphering and understanding the substance is the first priority of Greco-Roman philosophy. This difference is highlighted by the fact that Jesus’s taught his wisdom through verbal parables concentrating on morality, Homer and Virgil through their written vulgar display of the human senses in its struggle against godly intuitions, while Plato in his philosophical tracts that promoted a certain degree of idealism. This difference between Jesus and the classical writers can also be attributed to their audiences: slave morality for Jesus, master morality for the classical writers. Thus, Jesus himself was continuing a tradition deep into the world of the Old Testament â€Å"slaves† and in fashioning himself as the Jewish messiah his teachings were meant to salvage his world the same way as Moses salvaged his. The decadence of Jewish society during the time of Jesus was reminiscent of the Hebrew society before Moses came down with the two tablets in his hands. Jewish society had become a corruption of its former radiance and the teachings of the Christ was supposed to clean away such corruptions. Whereas Homer, Plato and Virgil wrote in attempt to expose the human spirit in its pure and real substance, Jesus spoke of that spirit’s final destination. The New Testament, in this sense, failed to realize that most of the time the journey of the human spirit is more important than its destination.

Impacts of globalisation on Walt Disney

Impacts of globalisation on Walt Disney Globalization is a process where there is increasing of connectivity and mobility of the worlds markets as well as businesses where they are expanding from domestic to international ones. Since the last two decades, advancement of technology has speed up the process to make travelling, communicating and business globally much more easily. The two major driving forces of globalisation are advances in telecommunications infrastructure and internet. As economies are more connected to each other, opportunities increase as well as competitions. Nowadays, most of the company in the world adapted globalisation to secure their position within the competitive market, for example, The Walt Disney Company (TWDC), yet there are still negative impacts on the company. http://www.investorwords.com/2182/globalization.html Walt Disney  is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world in term of revenue which is originally known as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studious. It is founded by Walter Elias Disney on October 16, 1923 and his brother Roy Disney. It is the leading diversified entertainment and media multinational enterprise with five business segments worldwide which are media networks, parks and resorts, studios entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. The companys key products and services are as follow: http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/index.html Media networks: Domestic broadcast television network Television production and distribution Domestic television stations Cable and satellite networks and international broadcast operations Domestic broadcast radio networks and stations Internet operations Parks and Resorts: Walt Disney  World Resort Disney Cruise  Line Disneyland Resort ESPN Zone Disneyland Resort Hong Kong Disneyland Tokyo Walt Disney Resort Disney Imagineering Studio Entertainment: Theatrical distribution Home entertainment distribution Television distribution Audio products and music publishing Consumer Products: Character merchandise and publications licensing Books and magazines Buena Vista games The Disney Store Disney Catalog and disneydirect.com Interactive Media: Disney Interactive Studios Disney Online In this assignment, we will be concentrated more on Disney Theme Parks and Resorts and touch a little bit on its other business segments: Disneyland Resort in Anaheim California. Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando Florida. Tokyo Disney Resort in Tokyo. Disneyland Resort Paris in Paris. (Formerly EURO-Disney) Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in Hong Kong. In order to expand its business, Disney chooses countries with high Disney awareness and affinity, large population centres with stable economies and people having disposable income to spend on leisure. The most important are the market size where it has to be large to guarantee a steady flow of visitors, and level of real income of consumers to have a certain spending power to enjoy leisure activities. The availability of infrastructures as well as skill levels in the host economy and other resources must take into account too follow by other aspects like political, trade policies and macroeconomic stability. To see whether a theme park operation is successful or not, it is highly depends on the stability of political and economical circumstances in the host country to avoid any negative impacts on its business. The characteristics of globalisation are there is an increase in foreign sales, foreign direct investment, expanding market size, communications, global competition, rapid increase and expansion of technology, liberalisation of cross border movement, development of supporting services, etc. Foreign Direct Investment Globalisation leads to increases foreign direct investment of a company from its country of origin into other countries. According to Stephanie Rohac (2006), foreign direct investment is the international flow of capital by creating or expanding a subsidiary in another country. It may be made through established a new enterprise or acquisition of an existing entity. A firm becomes multinational in the case of establishing in two or more countries business enterprises through FDI. Foreign direct investment provides job opportunities, and increase in transfer of skills as well as technology. The headquarter of The Walt Disney Company is located in United States, in order to expand its theme park and resort businesses, Disney develops its foreign markets by doing foreign direct investment in California, Tokyo, France and Hong Kong. After the success of its first venture of Disneyland in Anaheim, California, The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) continue to expand into Asian fields with Tokyo Disney in Tokyo. Nearly twenty years later, the company decided to do its expansion into the European market and here come Euro Disney which is now known as Disneyland Resort Paris. The theme park Euro Disney was expected to bring $600 million in foreign investment into France every year and it is the largest single Foreign Direct Investment ever in France. Lastly, back to Asia again, followed by Hong Kong Disneyland. http://books.google.com.my/books?id=9PqwNoOJagoCprintsec=frontcoverdq=foreign+direct+investment+of+disneysource=blots=Yap4ZathyBsig=Dkmc0vKm5ajWEuErX5x_E93osq0hl=enei=hCP_TJjSCcLirAfyyt2ACAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=10ved=0CFQQ6AEwCQ#v=onepageqf=false Mergers and Acquisitions According to QuickMBA.com, merger is the combination of assets and also liabilities of two companies to form a single entity while acquisition is when a larger firm took over the small ones. http://www.quickmba.com/finance/mergers-acquisitions/ According to Paul R. La Monica (2006), Disney bought over Pixar which is owned by Apple and led by Steve Job, a deal that worth $7.4 billion. The deals included Steve Job becoming one of the board members of Disney and 2.3 shares of Disneys will be issued for each Pixar share. Merger of these two companies will bring higher quality of films to the people around the world as well as generates higher profit. http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/24/news/companies/disney_pixar_deal/ Actual Impacts of globalisation on Walt Disney Political Positive impacts According to Stephanie Rohac (2006), France government has reduced 18.6% of value-added tax on Euro Disneylands ticket sales to only 7%. Besides that, 20 years loan of $960 million at low and subsidized interest rates of 7.85% is provided too. Variety of investment incentives are offered by the host governments to encourage foreign investors to invest into their country. The main issue of France government facing at the time was its unemployment rates increased by 10%. The opening of Euro Disneyland can actually solve the problem where it creates more than 30,000 new construction jobs, 12,000 on-site positions and 30,000 jobs in off-site serving. Economical Positive impacts Brand recognition worldwide The Walt Disney Company markets itself worldwide, creating huge revenues and further establishing itself as a global brand. As the business globalised, Disney brand is known by people globally and merchandising has played an important role in establishing the Disney brand. Market size Due to globalisation, company increases its market size from domestic to international market. By investing into various countries of its theme park and resort business as well as exporting its products to other countries, Disney has enlarged its market size at the same time. According to James Ketterer (2010), the very first Disney Store was opened 28th March 1984 in Glendale, California. The Disney stores are located worldwide, throughout the US, UK, Spain Italy, Japan, and France. Since May 1st 2008, the Walt Disney Company owns all Disney stores in America, Canada and Europe, however the stores in Japan are owned by the Oriental Land Company, for example, Disneyland Tokyo. In the year 2004 alone, merchandise has made $2.5 billion for the company, a figure that shows how globally successful Disney really is. http://www.suite101.com/content/disney-and-globalisation-a196391 Financial Revenues by country of origin: The US and Canada,  Walt Disneys largest geographical market, accounted for 76% of the total revenues in the year 2009. Revenues are generated through other countries of origin: Europe  (17%), Asia Pacific (5%) and Latin America and other (2%). Revenues Operating Income (in millions) 2009 2008 2007 2009 2008 2007 Country of origin: United States and Canada $ 27,508 $ 28,506 $ 27,286 $ 4,923 $ 6,500 $ 6,052 Europe $ 6,012 $ 6,805 $ 5,898 $ 1,158 $ 1,423 $ 1,192 Asia Pacific $ 1,860 $ 1,811 $ 1,732 $ 430 $ 386 $ 437 Latin America and Other $ 769 $ 721 $ 594 $ 161 $ 175 $ 156 Total $ 36,149 $ 37,843 $ 35,510 $ 6,672 $ 8,484 $ 7,837 The data above is obtained from Walt Disney 20009 annual reports. Regardless the financial performance of Walt Disney, try to imagine what would be the revenues and operating income of Disney if it has never globalise. Globalisation helps Disney to gain its revenues from all over the world instead of only from its host countries, United States. The total revenue in year 2007 was $35,510 million. The total revenues increased by 6.6% to $37,843 million in 2008. However, the total revenues dropped by 4.5% to $36,149 million in 2009. Negative impacts Global Recession According to Jason Garcia (2009), during the global recession in year 2009, despite the favourable timing of the busy Easter holiday, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts suffering from downfall of its operating profit and total revenues by 19% and 9% respectively. Disneys profit and revenues in United States have declined by 26% and 7% to $954 million and $8.6 billion respectively. Although Walt Disney World is having the same amount of visitor compared with the previous year and 10% more guests in Disneyland, Disney does not make any profit as it gives out discounts and special deals to uphold the attendance level of visitors. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-07-31/news/disney_1_walt-disney-disney-world-disney-parks Financial Crisis According to Wu Jin (2009), during 2009 global financial crisis, Hong Kong Disneyland left with no choice and plan to raise its entrance ticket prices by nearly twenty percent. The decision was made after numbers of market surveys have been conducted where the tourist visits are not affected by prices but seasonal factors. However, Hong Kong Disney have been threatened and boycotted by local travel agencies and public dismay, hence, it adjusted its price strategy again. http://www.china.org.cn/travel/news/2009-02/05/content_17226206.htm Global competitions A company at first have its own competitors in its domestic market, however, due to globalisation, there are more competitors as it has to face global competitions with international competitors. Company tends to strive to be better in order to compete with its competitors. Walt Disney Company has its own competitors in each and every one of its business segments locally and internationally. However, its major competitors are CBS Corporation (CBS), News Corporation (NWS) and Time Warner Incorporation (TWX). They compete directly with Disney in various business lines which is shown in the chart below: Disney CBS News Corp. Time Warner Films Theme parks Cable networks Broadcast networks Television stations Radio Internet Social Positive impacts Consumer Spending Source: http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2005/11/why_the_focus_o.html The table above shows where United States people spent their money. And it shows that most of their spending is on entertainment: publishing industries, motion picture and sound recording industries, broadcasting and telecommunications as well as amusements, gambling and recreation. This is favourable to Disney as it business focuses on those entertainments. Negative impacts Cultural Differences As every country have different cultural practices, Disney need to add local attractions to attract local consumers. For example, in Hong Kong Disneyland, a Mickey Mouse mascot is wearing a bright red Mao suit while Minnie Mouse mascot is wearing a cherry blossom red dress. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/arts/22arts-ACHINESEMAKE_BRF.html Besides that, employees in the theme parks have to know different languages in different Disneyland theme parks, in Hong Kong Disney land, they speak both English and local dialects like Cantonese and Standard Mandarin. Their brochures and maps are printed in those languages too with additional Japanese language. And the most special one, they actually included sharks fin soup in their menu. http://www.springerlink.com/content/h6335466636hw877/ Technology Positive impacts Nowadays, technology has become a very increasingly important tool to compete with rival companies and industries. The development of technology like video editing software, high definition and 3D have a strong impact on film producer like Walt Disney to helps them in producing the film efficiently. According to Bloomberg (2010), the latest Walt Disney animation movie which is named Alice in the Wonderland which comes with 3D resolution have hit 210.3 million ticket sales in worldwide and 116.3 million in United States. The improvement of technology brings better sales to Walt Disney. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-07/disney-s-alice-in-wonderland-makes-116-million-sets-records.html Negative impacts Before the existence of internet in year 1955, consumers purchased entertainment products such as music CDs from entertainment outlets. As technology advances, entertainment industry has been affected with the existence of Peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture which implemented worldwide. According to Sammy Khayat (2004), P2P is the distributed computing network where people directly shares files or resources from computer with others without going through central server, for example Napster. Hence, people no longer buy CDs from the shops anymore. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the number of CDs shipped in United States feel 15% from 940 million to 800 million between year 2000 and 2002 which brought to dropped in sales about $2.5 billion. Copyright infringement is expanding as people often do file sharing over internet which allows them to download free music and then send to their friends which is a great threat to Disneys entertainment business. Other than t hat, pirated CDs, DVDs and soft toys give big impacts to Disney as well. http://www.personal.psu.edu/sbk142/disney.htm Environment Negative impacts Bad weathers like rain and thunderstorm decreases entrance tickets sales of Disney theme parks as consumers will be taking the consideration under the hazardous weather. Take Gold Coast theme parks as example, the wet weather at south-eastern Queensland had affected the revenue of the company to fall. http://www.smh.com.au/business/wet-weather-means-less-fun-for-theme-park-profits-20101102-17cd3.html Legal All Disneys cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse are trademarked, hence other people cannot use them without authorization. There was a case back in year 1989 where there were three day-care centres in Florida painted Mickey Mouse and other Disney cartoon characters on their wall and Disney took legal action against them. The rival, Universal Studios replaced with its cartoon characters after Disneys were removed. http://www.snopes.com/disney/wdco/daycare.asp Besides that, technology advancement has led to pirated products such as soft toys which cannot be controlled by the company as it goes worldwide in huge numbers. Potential impacts of Globalisation on Walt Disney Lifestyle influences Nowadays, people are so stressful to face their problems at workplace, school and even at home. Tensed lifestyle is favourable to Disneys business which is concentrate on entertainment sector as people tend to spend their money on entertainments just to make themselves feel more comfortable and relax. This can actually lead to increase in Disneys sales and revenues. Technology advancement As the technology advances, Disney can cut its labour costs. For example, in Disney theme parks, people can buy their tickets from ticket machines where there is no need ticket booths that require workers to sell the entrance tickets. Operators are no longer requires if the theme park is fully computerized, where the roller coasters, marry-go-round, etc, will automatically run when consumers are ready to go. Besides that, future technology can makes Disney films more interesting, maybe it will be in 4D or 5D where people can experience new things and they are willing to spend their money for new kind of entertainment. Disney can also be innovative in their theme parks and come out with new kind of games, gadgets and amusement rides to attract more consumers. In this way, Disney can generate more revenue due to its new technology. Strategy China is having a population of 1.26 billion people which is equivalent to 20 percent of the worlds total population. With the humongous population and established relationship with Chinese Government, its foreseen by the Walt Disney Company that there is high demand for entertainment and the fourth Disney theme park, Hong Kong Disneyland can generates revenue by entering the country. Besides that, the labour cost in China is two third lower than Disneys other theme parks where lower costs generate higher profit. Disney can actually expand more of its businesses into China as it is having very huge and potential market. With one child policy in China, the grandparents as well as parents are pampering their child and they are willing to spend money on entertainment that their child wanted like theme parks and movies. The adults who are facing problems simply need entertainments just to relax themselves. The demand for entertainment is very high in China, however, due to their lower incomes, they may not afford to pay for it. Disney should have brought down its selling prices and hence generates more sales. Besides that, Disney has to understand their cultural practices and try to adapt local custom by doing more market researchers, interview and questionnaires, so that the company can roughly have an idea on what the local people prefer. There are a lot advantages for China if Disney to expand its businesses at China where the business can helps to raise its technology level, provide job opportunities for its people and increase its economic growth. In my opinion, the barrier for Disney to enter China should not be a problem. Source: http://www.indexmundi.com/china/unemployment_rate.html The table above shows the unemployment rate in China from year 2004 to 2010, the data is for urban areas only, including migrants may boost total unemployment to 9%, substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas. If Disney further expands its business in China, it can help to reduce China unemployment like how it helps Frances. The Walt Disney Company is having a strong brand name and reputation in this world, it should keep it up and achieve its mission all the time which is to make everyone happy. I believe that Disney will never fail in its business and always stay at the top level.

Efficacy of Oral Exfoliative Cytology in Diabetes Mellitus

Efficacy of Oral Exfoliative Cytology in Diabetes Mellitus EFFICACY OF ORAL EXFOLIATIVE CYTOLOGY IN DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS-A LIGHT MICROSCOPIC CONFOCAL MICROSCOPIC STUDY Abstract Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus has become a global problem. By monitoring the health status of these individuals, diabetic complications leading to morbidity can be prevented. Aim: We aimed to analyze alterations in the morphology and cytomorphometry of buccal epithelial cells of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients using oral exfoliative cytology technique and determine its importance in public health screening, diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes mellitus. Material Methods: The study was carried out in 100 Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients and 30 healthy individuals. Smears were taken from the right buccal mucosa and stained by the Papanicolaou technique. Staining with Acridine orange was carried out to view qualitative changes with confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM-510 Meta).The cytomorphometry was evaluated using IMAGE PRO PLUS 5.5 software with Evolution L.C camera. All findings were statistically analyzed. Results: The results showed that with increase in fasting plasma glucose levels, there is significant increase in nuclear area, decrease in cytoplasmic area, and increase in nuclear cytoplasmic ratio (P Conclusion: In the present study, we found significant alterations in the cytomorphometry and cytomorphology of buccal epithelial cells of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients. This study supports and extends the view that these cellular changes can alert the clinician to the possibility of diabetes and aid in monitoring of diabetes throughout the lifetime of the patient. Keywords: Confocal laser scanning microscope; Cytomorphometry; Diabetes mellitus; Oral exfoliative cytology. Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) is not a single disease entity but rather a group of metabolic disorders sharing the common underlying feature of hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. The chronic hyperglycemia and resultant metabolic deregulation of carbohydrate, fat and protein may be associated with secondary damage in multiple organ systems, especially the kidneys, eyes, nerves and blood vessels.1Recent estimates indicate that the number of people with DM in 2010 is 285 million and is expected to be 438 million in 2030. The global prevalence rate is 6.6% in 2010 and is expected to rise to 7.8% in 2030.2 India leads the world with largest number of diabetic subjects earning the dubious distinction of being termed the â€Å"diabetes capital of the world†. According to the Diabetes Atlas 2009 published by the International Diabetes Federation, the total number of people with diabetes in India is 50.8 million and is expected to rise to 87 million in 2030.3 It can no longer be considered a disease of affluent nation alone, it has become a global problem, a major epidemic of the twentieth century, and one which shows no sign of abating. 3 DM is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, adult-onset blindness and traumatic lower extremity amputations. The prevalence of DM is increasing sharply in the developing world as more people adopt a sedentary lifestyle, with India and China being the largest contributors to the world’s diabetic load.2 Oral Exfoliative cytology is a relatively simple and non-invasive clinical technique which has the potential to be developed as a routine investigation for screening of DM. It can be used chair-side during routine dental examination.4The various alterations in the cytomorphology of the oral mucosa in diabetes and characterization of these changes give clinicians a more accurate image of what really happens during diabetes. So in our study, the cytomorphometric and cytomorphologic changes were compared according to the different glucose levels of diabetes. In addition to light microscope, we used confocal laser scanning microscope, to ascertain the various cytomorphologic changes seen under light microscope. It is possible that the degree of cellular change depends on the progression of diabetes. Hence the present study was undertaken as this research area has received little attention to date. Materials Methods Selection of subjects: The study was carried out in Type 2 DM patients attending the diabetic outpatient department of General Medicine of Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India. These patients were under regular monitoring of blood sugar levels and subsequent treatment. The experimental group included 100 Type 2 DM patients and the control group consisted of 30 healthy individuals free of any systemic diseases with clinically normal oral mucosa. Study groups: The entire study sample was grouped for statistical analysis, based on the recent Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) levels as follows: Group I: FPG 110-150mg/dl; Group II: FPG 150-200mg/dl; Group III: FPG >200mg/dl; Control: FPGExclusion criteria: Individuals with habit of tobacco use in any form, habitual alcohol intake, any other systemic illness, clinically evident nutritional deficiencies like anemia, presence of oral sepsis were excluded from the study. After selection of the patient, informed consent was obtained and the p rocedure was carried out. In addition, the biochemical hematological measurements were carried out to exclude anemia other systemic disease. Smear collection and preparation: Patients were asked to rinse their mouth to remove any debris. Following this, with a gentle scraping motion, cells were scraped from clinically normal appearing right buccal mucosa. The scrapings were then evenly smeared onto the glass slide and immersed in 95% isopropyl alcohol in a coplin jar, for half an hour. Staining technique: Smears from all the samples were stained by the Papanicolaou technique (PAP).For few samples two smears were taken from the same site, one stained using PAP and other using Acridine orange(AO), a fluorescent dye, to view with confocal laser scanning microscope. In cases with very high plasma glucose levels smear was stained with Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) technique to assess presence of candida. Cytomorphometric assessment: The cytomorphometric analysis was done using IMAGE PRO PLUS 5.5 software with Evolution L.C camera. In each of the PAP stained slide, ten fields were chosen by systematic sampling in a step wise manner, moving from left to right and then down and across in order to avoid measuring the same cells again. Cells with clearly defined cellular outlines were only chosen those that were clumped, overlapped or folded were excluded for analysis. The cells were projected on to the monitor via the camera at 40x magnification and images were captured. In the software main menu, the function ‘Measurement mode’ was selected and the icon specifying ‘polygon’ was enabled to analyze the area of interest. The nuclear area (NA) and cytoplasmic area (CA) were obtained by drawing around the nuclear and cell boundaries using the cursor. The areas were recorded in square microns. The nuclear cytoplasmic ratio (N/C) was calculated for all the cells. The various parameters calculated were by the Image analysis software thereby reducing the subjective error. Cytomorphologic assessment: The PAP PAS stained slides were viewed under light microscope whereas the AO stained slides were viewed under confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM-510 meta).Morphologic assessment included inflammatory component, cell degeneration, micronuclei, binucleation, intracytoplasmic inclusion, candida, keratinization, intracytoplasmic microorganisms any other changes. Results On comparison of the cytomorphometry between the various study groups, the results showed a significant increase in the NA N/C ratio (p Discussion DM has become a global problem. It is not a disease but a metabolic disorder. Early detection and subsequent monitoring of this disorder will definitely improve the health of individuals suffering from diabetes. By monitoring the health status of the individuals, diabetic complications leading to morbidity can be prevented, thus producing a healthy society. In the present study we aimed to analyze alterations in the morphology and cytomorphometry of buccal mucosal cells of Type 2 diabetics using exfoliative cytology technique and determine its importance in public health screening and monitoring of DM. The study showed a significant steady increase in NA with increase in blood sugar level (Figure1) from control group (Mean NA-51.03 µm2) to the diabetic Group III (Mean NA-81.21  µm2). This finding concurs with other previously reported studies who reported a significant increase in NA in diabetic patients.5-7 However all these studies did not categorize the patients based on the blood glucose levels. Similar studies using cytomorphometry have been done to analyze the effect of alcohol, tobacco, radiotherapy on buccal mucosa. 8-12 Nucleus contains the genomic DNA, histones and several proteins. The nuclear size can therefore be altered by change in the content of DNA or proteins. There is usually twice as much protein as DNA in a nucleus.13 Hyperglycemia induces a compensatory increase in insulin secretion which in turn causes increase in protein formation. Insulin has several mitogenic functions, including initiation of DNA synthesis in certain cells. These may account for the i ncrease in NA seen in diabetes patients.14 Our study revealed a decrease in CA with increase in blood sugar level i.e.GroupIII mean CA was 2270.63  µm 2 and control mean CA was 2771.6  µm2 (Figure1). This finding is contradictory to studies by Alberti et al 5 and Shareef et al6 who found that CA did not show any significant difference in diabetics and Hassan et al7 who reported a significant increase in CA. However this finding concurs with Prasad et al15 who reported increase in cell diameter and cytoplasmic diameter with increase in glycemic status. Ogden et al10 have reported a similar reduction in cell diameter in patients with habit of alcoholism. The reduction in CA in our study could be due to the dehydrated condition of the diabetics. Increased blood glucose causes dehydration, polyuria polydipsia, intracellular extracellular dehydration. Glucose does not diffuse easily through the pores of the cell membrane causing an increase in osmotic pressure. This increase in osmotic pressure in extracellular fluid causes o smotic transfer of water out of the cells explaining the reduction in CA.16 The comparison of N/C ratio between control and experiment groups showed a steady increase in N/C ratio (from Control-0.0188 to Group III-0.0369) with increasing blood glucose levels(Figure1) .This may be due to a real increase in NA and decrease in CA in diabetic patients, rather than just a deviation from normal. This finding concurs with Rivera et al17 and Prasad et al15 who also reported increase in N/C ratio. In the qualitative changes we found that micronuclei (MN) was present in 44 cases which was statistically significant (p=0.018). MN are known biomarkers of genome damage and has been studied in buccal cell systems. They provide a convenient and reliable index of both chromosome breakage and chromosome loss.MN is found in cells that have completed nuclear division.MN was judged according to criteria by Tolbert et al. 18 Another biomarker of genome damage is nuclear bud formation which was also visualized but not statistically analyzed.16 The nuclear bud has the same morphology and staining properties as the nucleus, however, its diameter may range from a half to a quarter of that of the main nucleus. Hyperglycemia results in formation of Advanced Glycation End products (AGE), endothelial nitric oxide synthase uncoupling, activation of protein kinase C activation of polyol pathway. This in turn causes activation of reactive oxygen species which results in induction of oxidative stress . Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the biological systems ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates or to repair the resulting damage. The effects of oxidative stress depend upon the size of these changes, wherein a cell can overcome small perturbations and regain its original state. However, more severe oxidative stress can cause cell death and even moderate oxidation can trigger apoptosis, while more intense stresses may cause necrosis. Oxidative stress has been found to cause genomic damage in DM. 19 This supports the observation of MN in diabetic patients. Few other studies also showed increase in MN in lymphocyte cultures of type 2 diabetics.20, 21 This is the first reported study in which an attempt has been made to study qualitative changes of buccal smear using confocal microscopy. The use of fluorescence dye (Acridine Orange) and visualization under confocal laser scanning microscope enhanced the demonstration of nuclei and micronuclei. They also helped to avoid false positive results. Statistical analysis revealed that cell degeneration was present in 44 cases out of 100 cases. It was statistically significant (p=0.05) implying that increase in blood glucose level leads to oxidative stress and showed increase in degeneration and necrosis. The various qualitative changes included karyorrhexis, pyknosis, apoptosis chromatin abnormalities. Previous studies by Alberti et al5 Shareef et al6 also demonstrated qualitative changes of karyorrhexis. Another significant qualitative change found was the presence of keratinization. This finding is in accordance with an earlier study by Zimmermann et al22 who stated that endocrine dis orders like DM had increased keratinized cell count in the buccal mucosa. The increase in this keratinization may be a compensation for decreased salivary flow.5 Binucleation was present in 45 cases out of 100 but showed no statistically significant result. The significance of these binucleate cells is unknown, but they are probably indicative of failed cytokinesis following the last nuclear division in the basal cell layer. Studies by Alberti et al5 and Shareef et al6 also showed similar findings of binucleation. Increased number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes was observed in the experiment group than chronic inflammatory cells. Increase in inflammation could be due to decreased salivary flow found in diabetics owing to hypofunction of the salivary glands. Hassan et al7 in their study found that incidence of inflammation was higher in diabetic smears. Figure2 Figure3 shows the various qualitative changes viewed under light microscope and confocal microscope. Conclusion: From our study, we could conclude that diabetes produces significant alterations in the cytomorphometry and cytomorphology of buccal epithelial cells. The use of confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated qualitative changes with higher resolution and clarity and helped in reducing the possibility of recording false positive and/or false negative observations. Clinical significance: Exfoliative cytology is helpful in diabetic patients who have aversion and fear to needle pricks as it is painless and can be carried out regularly .The minimal time and ease of the procedure is beneficial in mass screening and public health awareness programme. They also aid in monitoring of diabetes mellitus throughout the lifetime of the patient, thereby decreasing the morbidity and preventing long term complications. Acknowledgements Authors would like to thank the Central Research Facility Department of General Medicine of Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai. We would also like to thank the lab assistant Department of Oral pathology and statistician for their valuable help in the study. No conflict of interest. No source of funding.