Multiple Intelligence Theory Essay

Many students choose to attend APUS because the University fosters differing educational styles and empowers the students through education. The Student Handbook states, â€Å"The University System fosters an environment that promotes a life of learning for its constituents and uses feedback from its participants and supporters to improve the quality of its teaching, learning, and support†¦ The University System anticipates and adapts to its changing environment and responds to the needs of the organization and its constituencies in manners both appropriate and timely.† In the beginning of College 100, students are introduced to the different learning styles and the theory of multiple intelligences. By becoming familiar with other students learning styles and exploring the multiple intelligences students became more tolerant towards others and were able to strengthen their learning power. Being familiar with multiple intelligence theory, knowing the different learning sty les, utilizing appropriate classroom methods, and exploring the interdisciplinary classroom will empower students towards a lifetime of learning. Recognizing the multiple intelligence theory is the first step in capturing the different learning styles. â€Å"Howard Gardners multiple intelligence theory (Gardner, 1993) proposes the idea that we all have various levels of intelligence across a range of intellectual areas† (Pritchard, 2008). The concept that people learn in different ways, and perceive and learn by different methods is what makes up the theory of multiple intelligences. There are at least nine different intelligences in which people display in varying ways (Pritchard, 2008). The styles are as follows: linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, spatial/visual, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, and existential (Pritchard, 2008). Student’s particular academic strengths have a direct impact on how effective their learning will be for their overall education. When applying multiple intelligences to the classroom, it is very important to cater to all the types of learning styles. When discussing learning styles in the forums of College 100, every student had a different way of learning that especially worked for them. If every single assignment or activity in a classroom is slanted towards visual learning, then the students who are auditory or kinesthetic learners will be at a serious disadvantage. These students will not be able to express themselves or be able to conform to the teaching style if their learning needs are not met. â€Å"In planning for multiple intelligences, teachers consider the range of activities related to the content of the lesson and the intended learning outcomes will give a range of opportunities to the children’s different intelligence strengths† (Pritchard, 2008). It is very important for a teacher to introduce a range of activities and presentations in order to make the most out of multiple intelligences. A learning style is reflected by a students preferred method of learning, which is a direct result of their type of intelligence. It is irresponsible for a teacher to assume that all of their students will learn in the same manner. The four main styles of learning are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and extrovert. Every style has strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial in the educational environment to exploit the student’s strengths and protect the weaknesses. A student’s self-worth and esteem can be very much tied up with their learning capability. Teachers must exhibit a range of teaching styles, so that their students learning styles will be compatible. â€Å"Diverse personalities impact relationships, motivation, and ease of learning in classroom and work environments. Where there are diverse personalities within groups, people generally prefer and choose to be with others who are similar to themselves; individuals may even dislike those who have different attitudes and behaviors from their own† (Richardson & Arker, 2010). What Richardson and Arker are implying is that people of different personalities and learning styles tend to stick in the same groups. It would be to the benefit of everyone if individuals of different personalities and persuasions were put together in one group, that way the group will be more powerful and will benefit greatly from the input of everybody. A truly good teacher will ensure that they have designed their curriculum in such a way so that students learning needs are met. Classroom arrangements can be made so that individuals of similar temperaments are brought together in what is called compatibility scheduling. This arrangement will enhance the overall productivity of students as well as teachers† (Richar dson & Arker, 2010). As multiple intelligence theory has developed, advances in classroom methods have also been made. There are at least three different methods that combine multiple intelligence theory with learning styles in order to better the classroom environment. â€Å"Brain-based education supports the need to differentiate instruction† (Richardson & Arker, 2010). Some studies in brain research have shown that there is such a thing as a left-brain and a right-brain. People can be left or right brain dominate, which largely determines the individuals learning style. â€Å"Collaborative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which student’s team together to explore a significant question or create a meaningful project† (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004). This type of classroom learning will serve to help the entire group. The students and teachers will be able to pick out the roles that suit them best, thus serving the group to the best of their ability. Another method that is similar to collaborative learning is cooperative learning. In cooperative learning, â€Å"Students work together in small groups on a structured activity. They are individually accountable for their work, and the work of the group as a whole is also assessed. Cooperative groups work face-to-face and learn to work as a team† (Educational Broadcasting Corporation, 2004). Cooperative learning is becoming a very popular method. It uses individuals best qualities for the betterment of the group. By using these methods in the classroom learning becomes an active process and engages all types of learning styles. The Western world has divided education into blocks, and then further divided the blocks into disciplines. While convenient on paper, it is clear that education and disciplines overlap, the world is a fluid place. Interdisciplinary education is an approach that blends different disciplines and utilizes multiple intelligence theory and varying learning styles. â€Å"The exponential growth of knowledge in the twentieth century revealed how disciplinary cultures and perspectives could discourage inquiries and explanations that spanned disciplinary boundaries. Disciplines, it now seems clear, are powerful but constraining ways of knowing† (Lattuca, 2001). By breaking down the walls of the disciplines, students are empowered to use their differing learning styles. This will result in students having positive experiences with education. Students will then seek out a lifetime of learning, and encourage other to seek knowledge. Recognizing the theory of multiple intelligences and defining each student’s learning style will lead to success in education. By utilizing methods such as brain-based learning, cooperative learning, and collaborative learning teachers can empower students by giving them the educational method that works best for each individual. Combining all of these aspects yields the concept of interdisciplinary learning, leading to a lifetime of successful education, teaching, and learning. References Concept to Classroom: Course Menu. (2004). THIRTEEN – New York Public Media. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/index.html Lattuca, L. R. (2001). Creating interdisciplinarity: Interdisciplinary research and teaching among college and university faculty. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press. Pritchard, A. (2008). Ways of Learning [electronic resource]: Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom. Hoboken, NJ: David Fulton Publishers. Richardson, R., & Arker, E. (2010). Personalities in the Classroom: Making the Most of Them. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 46(2), 76-81.

Chinese culture Essay

William Faulkner once said that â€Å"The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past† and he could have speaking about the history of porcelain painting in China. The history of this ancient art lives and breathes in every porcelain plate we touch and eat off of. It lives and breathes in the small villages in China which cling to the past as much as they want to move into the future. We reach the beautiful of city of Yi-xing in the early morning hours. Early enough that the streets were empty and the sun was just peaking through the rows and rows of tea leaves. The blend of organic green and sandy orange reminded me of the beaches of California I had visited at a child. The city of Yi-ing is the home of several tea plantations which stretch as far as the eye can see. During the day the rows of teas are cluttered with the presence of severals humans which look out of place in the purely green surroundings. If you head south through the beautiful mountains, which look more like hills to me, you reach a deep and clear lake. This lake, Lake Taihu, is where Lu Yu once lived when he wrote his now infamous book about the magic of tea and it’s role in Chinese culture. Tea porcelain are intimately linked in Chinese culture. Each competing with the other to see which is older and more valued. Upon a close examination of the history it is hard to separate the two. The Chinese Porcelain factory sits on the far edge of the city of Yi-ing and is a striking contrast to the hills and valleys that lay in front of it and beyond it. It is interesting to see the coupling of industrialization and farming in a country which in some places seems oddly untouched by civilization and in other devastated by the pollution from manufacturers and cars. The story of Chinese Porcelain is one of perseverance and beyond that of innovation. Chinese ceramic and porcelain reveal the resourcefulness of Chinese artisans. They demonstrate in their pieces, which are found enclosed in glass in the ‘lobby’ area of the factory, how they utilized the materials that they had and turned them into pieces of pottery that have with stood the test of time. In the Yuan and Mind dynasties, Chinese porcelain makers combined porcelain stone with kaolin however kaolin was extremely hard to work with. It was then that Chinese porcelain makers discovered that if you ground kaolin and then added water a malleable substance was created with could be kneaded into porcelain stone. This could easily be formed into pots and vases on the potter’s wheel. During the drying processes a knife is used to slice excess porcelain from the pottery which accounts for the delicate thinness of Chinese Porcelain. To my surprise once we went into the factory the very same techniques were being used. Centuries later modern Chinese artisans were paying homage to their centuries old mentors by building pottery in the same fashion. The twist is that the new pottery produced in these factories are brightly colored by hand with a small paint brush. The craftsmanship is perfect and the people here, who are obviously under paid and living in less then optimal condition, absolutely enjoy what they do. They take pride in every piece they make and are more then willing to share their skills with you. Our tour guide informed us that many of the kilns in use at the factory were hundreds of years old. Apparently once a large kiln is established it can be used for hundreds of years. The art of preparing clay and the process which follows is a craft which is passed down again and again from generation to generation. This is why visitors can find subtle differences in glazing processes as well as firing processes throughout the villages and cities in China. Porcelain is more then just a container used for tea or food stuff. The art displayed on pieces of Chinese Porcelain reveal the entire history of the Chinese people. From myths to fears, historic battles and even home comings. Pottery and porcelain pieces exported during these periods are an excellent source of research materials on the history of China’s communications, trade, and economic relations with other countries. My trip to city of Yi-ing was memorable for several reasons but most importantly I was reminded of the value of craft within a society. I will never forget the feel of Chinese Porcelain on my fingertips. The knowledge that something that delicate could last for centuries was truly symbolic of the struggle and political strife that the Chinese people have dealt with since it’s birth. Art is not merely for decoration, entertainment, or even functionality. It serves a much more important purpose. Through art we can see the evolution and development of not just a country like China but the spirit and souls of the people who make their homes and keep their families in those counties.

Corporate Sustainability and Organizational Change - Case Of OMV Essay

Corporate Sustainability and Organizational Change - Case Of OMV Petrom Answering question that listed on order instruction - Essay Example In this case, the integrative strategy (Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) shows how the company can improve socially and environmentally while still maintaining its competitive advantage in business. The integrative model of organizational change is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA). In planning, it provides the recent condition, and it helps the company to set up its ultimate goals. So, the company will understand its requirement to change the values, norms and rules, or, in other words, the problems. The company will also understand the need to derive and detail individual goals. It will need to start collecting data and diagnosing the goals. After understanding those elements, it will need to adjust its management to lead the company towards set goals. Thirdly is â€Å"Check†. The corporation should check and evaluate the performance of the organizational change and whether the corporation and the employees can meet the objectives. The company needs to take corrective measure if it is underperforming. Fourthly is â€Å"Act†. After a corporation gathers all of the data, it should give its reaction, and readjust the plan if it does not meet the objectives. It needs to change or come up with new plan so as to achieve the objectives. OMV is a big company. The first major issue is that there is need to implement organizational change to 20000 employees. OMV needs to make all of its employees to have strong commitment towards supporting sustainable organizational change. Secondly, it needs to reduce emission by leading the company to operate with energy efficiency. It should apply safety, security, environmental care and corporate social responsibility. It is very expensive to lead the business to operate like this. The impact of sustainability and organizational change can cause employees to have different mindsets. Their main goal is how to operate a

American Atrocities in Vietnam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Atrocities in Vietnam - Research Paper Example According to Anderson, D (2002), atrocities such as the killing of noncombat civilians or the torture of prisoners occur in all wars but that it became a particular issue in the Vietnam War. Violence against the civilians of Vietnam by the American military was an intentional act of war and they acted with indifference to the destruction of noncombatants and to that of their property. Most of the military commanders of the United States were aware of the laws governing ground warfare that had been established by various international agreements but atrocities were still committed by some American soldiers and officers. Throughout the entire war, only two hundred and seventy eight soldiers and marines were convicted of murder, rape, and other violent crimes by the military justice system but many more incidents went unpunished or were not even reported. The policy of heavy bombing by in South Vietnam with high explosives and napalm by American forces to support ground operations in an d around villages and the widespread use of artillery for the same purpose generated many accidental civilian casualties. Martin, M F (2011) states that the United States military used herbicides and defoliants as part of its herbicidal warfare in Vietnam, and one of these, known as Agent Orange, was used extensively from 1961 to 1971 in South Vietnam and in portions of North Vietnam. At the time the herbicides were being used, there was little consideration within the American military about the potential long term effects of the widespread use of Agent Orange towards the Vietnamese population. It is further unclear exactly where in Vietnam the Agent Orange herbicides were sprayed and the amount sprayed at each location and this has ensured that virtually every aspect of the effects of this herbicide in Vietnam is infused with uncertainty. These herbicides were used on the crops of the Vietnamese civilians so that the crops could die causing mass starvation. The American army comma nders mistakenly believed that starvation would force the Vietnamese population to support the American backed South Vietnamese regime but this turned out to be counterproductive because instead the people lost all confidence in the southern government and secretly supported the North. Another major result of the use of these herbicides was the mass starvation that occurred after their use and a lot of the civilian population, which had nothing to do with the war, died in the resulting famine. Anderson, D L(2011) declares that it was the fear, anger, and incentive for promotion or commendation for a high body count (which was a requirement by the military at the time) that led the American soldiers to an over application of their weaponry which constituted atrocities against the civilian population. Individual Vietnamese and sometimes even entire villages could be killed because they were suspected of being the enemy or in certain incidents; they were simply killed just because they got in the way. Leahey, C R (2007) states that the Vietnam war, with its tactical use of high altitude bombing and artillery fire, and the search and destroy missions resulted in mass killings. These weapons were used indiscriminately by the American mili

Reducing and preventing obesity (through proper exercise, nutrition, Research Paper

Reducing and preventing obesity (through proper exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle changes) - Research Paper Example Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States that affects two-thirds of the adult population (American Obesity, n.d.). Not only is it physically unappealing, but the health risks involved with obesity should be everyone’s concern. Obesity has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, and increased morbidity (Flegal, Carroll, Ogden and Curtin, 2010). The statistics on obesity over the past few decades have been staggering. Obesity is preventable through proper nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Obesity is classified as a chronic illness of extreme relevance that appropriate government agencies have included it as one of its priorities under the national agenda of Health People 2020. Categorized under ‘Nutrition and Weight Status’, the program’s goal was to â€Å"promote health and reduce chronic disease risk through the consumption of healthful diets and achievement and maintenance of healthy body weights† (Healthy People 2020, n.d., par. 1). Defining obesity necessitates understanding the important element of using the body mass index as the framework for computation. The body mass index â€Å"determines whether a person’s weight is appropriate for height by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared† (Delaune and Ladner, 2006, 345). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially provided separate definitions of obesity for adults and for children and teens, to wit: â€Å"An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese† (CDC: Definition for Adults, 2010, par. 2).... ory to obesity, presenting the consequences, prior to delving into the suggested interventions to address the dilemma through proper nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes. Scope and Nature of the Problem The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged obesity as a global problem. According to its official website, â€Å"once considered a problem only in high income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings† (WHO, 2011, par. 1). Data and statistics provided by CDC indicate that despite the goals identified under the Healthy People 2010 program to reduce the proportion of adults and children who are obese (CDC: Healthy People 2010, n.d.), the recent report revealed that â€Å"in 2009, no state met the Healthy People 2010 obesity target of 10%, and the self-reported overall prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults had increased 1.1 percentage points from 2007† (CDC: Vital S igns, 2010, 1). The alarming outcome and the continuing increasing trend have proven the need for intensive efforts to focus on interventions that would create a positive impact on preventing and reducing obesity. The WHO (2011) published relevant facts pertinent to global statistics on obesity and overweight, as cited below: â€Å"1.5 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight. Of these 1.5 billion overweight adults, over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. Overall, more than one in ten of the world’s adult population was obese† (par. 7) Despite the disturbing figures and statistics, WHO indicated that obesity can be prevented. Aside from identifying changes in factors contributory to obesity, lead agencies, social work and health care practitioners have specifically detailed

Immigration in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Immigration in the US - Essay Example People have generally developed a negative perception about assimilation over the years. Assimilation has been largely viewed as a process of wearing a fake identity. Nevertheless, assimilation has played a fundamental role in the integration of ethnic minorities in the advanced societies. In this way, social assimilation enables the ethnic minorities to achieve cultural solidarity without having to compromise upon their indigenous cultural values and norms. Pluralism, by definition is the inverse of assimilation. Ethnic pluralism is the term used for such circumstances that enable the ethnic minorities to keep their original values and sustain ethnic heterogeneity. Ethnic pluralism is misunderstood as a social process which isolates one ethnic group from the rest. A more rational way to define ethnic pluralism is definition of a particular group in a larger society. This is the reason why ethnic pluralism gives rise to a multiethnic society instead of distorting one large society into several small societies. Different ethnic groups are interlinked by the economic and political systems in the society. Although American society is by large an assimilationist society, yet pluralistic elements are quite evident at several levels in the structure of the society. Whether an individual is inclined towards assimilation or ethnic pluralism fundamentally depends upon his/her choice. People that prefer to hold ethnicity as the most prominent fac tor of identification are more of ethnic pluralists than assimilationists. Assimilation and ethnic pluralism resemble each other in that both entail numerous forms and dimensions. Several dimensions including the cultural and structural dimensions can be defined for both assimilation and ethnic pluralism. Differences among individual ethnic groups sustain in both social systems. Both assimilation and ethnic pluralism are variables for societies and groups and both occur at different

Paternal Influences on Ethical Decision Making of Senior Leaders in Assignment

Paternal Influences on Ethical Decision Making of Senior Leaders in the Health Care Industry - Assignment Example m, International Olympic Committee, Enron, Tyco, Qwest Communications International, Duke Energy, Bristol-Myers Squibb, etc, as well as the sex scandal in the Catholic church, have resulted in a loss of confidence in the management and leadership of these large corporations and institutions. As a consequence, investors have become unnerved and the jolts have shaken international markets. No wonder that a CBS poll taken in the fall of 2002 finds that 79% of respondents believe questionable business practices are widespread and only fewer than one third thinks that CEOs are honest (Wallington, 2003). These companies have all come to the time light for the wrong reasons. As a result, the role of the CEO in ethical dilemmas has come under increased scrutiny. While ethical lapses occur at all the levels of organizations, senior executives who fail to set high ethical standards and live by them are senior leaders in organizations assume the responsibility to display high ethical and moral values in their conduct both within the organization and outside. However, many instances have come to where they discard this significant aspect subjected to scrutiny and held accountable for the consequences of unethical practices, damaging the interests of employees, shareholders and the society at large. CEOs and other senior leaders such as members of Boards of Directors are expected to provide role models and help develop and entrench the ethical belief system for all members of the organization. However, when these leaders fail in their commitment to stand up to the ethical responsibilities, the negative impact of their ethical transgressions will remain long after the leader has been punished. Instances of unethical conduct by senior leaders, which entail serious repercussions, have prompted the need to identify background factors, socialization practices, or early childhood experiences that may account for such behavior in adulthood. Thus, an interest has developed in

New York fashion week Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

New York fashion week - Essay Example Designers came up with events and conferences that were economical and aimed at reaching the people in the crucial time of the economic drop, giving them options that would help save. Further, they took to options that would help them cut out on runway costs or other organizing costs. Some of the events that have been part of the New York fashion week aimed at cutting down on costs, economizing and bringing to their audience what they are sure to receive with delight, technology. The costs of the show that would usually go up to $750,000 had been cut down and designers have gone economy friendly, however, not forsaking the striking patters, designs and beauty of the clothing range. In the current fashion scenario, simple and breathtaking are the two words often complimenting each other in collections that have been popular and sought after. The collections that are more wearable and simple in design still contain the glam and beauty that a more expensive and complicated array of fash ion clothing would hold. The birds collection by Andrew Holdes turned out to be a combination of just this. The colors were solid, the designs simple, angled and interesting. The collection included clothes with modern silhouettes that combined classic British tailoring with enduring American work wear, the most sought after style in the current season. Green jackets were cropped, corduroy vests with shawl collars paired with huge scarves as leather trimming and epaulets were added to other pieces.

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

None - Essay Example Sales job is task oriented and this job needs a strong evaluation with the passage of time. The sales manager needs to conduct evaluation of all the sales employees individually1. It is very important for the sales manager to supervise all the plans him/her self because sales executives require continuous training and development in their job. The responsibilities of a sales manager increase as he reaches the position of manager. Sales executive is an easier job than the sales manager. The main reason why the sales executive is an easier job is that in such a position the person is responsible only for his/her tasks and goals, but when the executive becomes a manager then he/she is responsible for the overall team. There are different problems that the sales manager has to face. The first problem that is faced at by the sales manager is the missing of objectives or to not clearly identify the objectives to be achieved. This problem is commonly faced by many sales mangers at the initial time of their career as a manager. The company is highly dependent on its sales objectives because the revenue of the company is associated with its sales objectives. Another problem that is very annoying for the sales manager is when the company is not giving the attractive offers to the clients or customers. In such a case the sales manager is required to make effective sales strategy to overcome this issue. Sales mangers consider this problem as one of the most difficult problems. One more issue that is difficult for the mangers at its initial level is the lack of customer identification and the lack of research for finding right prospects for the products or services. This is the fault of marketing professionals of the company for not clearly defining the target market to the sales professionals. This issue is being faced by the mangers that have the responsibility to manage the team of sales personnel. Sales executives or

Death According to Socrates and Roland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Death According to Socrates and Roland - Essay Example A majority of sixty voted to convict Socrates, and he jokingly offered to pay a fine of 100 drachmae, a fifth of his property. The prosecutor was not happy with this and pushed for the death, a penalty of which the jury agreed by a margin of 360 to 140. Although his supporters encouraged him to flee, Socrates did not and would not repent for his actions professing that he would rather die in his own manner than live like those who had condemned him. Socrates stated, "I say, gentlemen, to those who voted to kill me, that vengeance will come upon you immediately after my death, a vengeance much harder to bear than that which you took in killing me" (Plato 40). In essence, Socrates believed his death would teach others to hold fast to their convictions, even in the face of condemnation by an unjust society. The Song of Roland is touted as the oldest known major work of French literature. It is written as an epic poem depicting heroic deeds that took place in 778 A.D., when Charlemagne's retreating army was attacked by pagan armies. Roland was an army soldier, said to be a nephew of Charlemagne. The tale speaks of betrayal and revenge within Charlemagne's army, with Roland and his fellow soldier Oliver being left with only an army of twelve peers when thousands of Franks attack. Oliver pleads to Roland to retreat, however, Roland states, "Hold the field, let us not be beaten! The French say: 'A curse on the man who runs away! Until death itself not one of us will fail you'" (Merwin 35). Roland and his peers are successful in battle after a bloody fight which includes slicing off limbs. Roland eventually suffers a severe injury to his temple, not through battle but by blowing his horn at the urging of a comrade to call Charlemagne's troops. "Count Roland, in pain and anguish, and in grea t sorrow, blows a blast on his ivory horn, and the bright blood flows from his mouth, and the veins burst on his forehead, but the sound of the horn swells and mounts" (Merwin 55). Roland continues to fight, despite his injury, tries to unsuccessfully break his sword, and then "His brains have begun to seep out through his ears. He prays for the peers, asking God to summon them to His presence, and then for himself he calls upon the angel Gabriel.appearRoland is dead and God has taken his soul into heaven" (Merwin 69 & 73). It is clear that Roland fought a valiant fight and his honor and morality would not allow him to surrender even in the face of impossible odds. Therefore, Roland believed that his death would teach others to never give up on beliefs and values, even if faced with certain demise and destruction. How Does Socrates' and Roland's Beliefs Reflect the Values of Athens and Medieval Europe Socrates' beliefs do not appear to reflect the values of ancient Athens. He was not satisfied with accepting the mores of the day and questioned the influential figures of the time, whose reputations for wisdom and virtue he debunked through his questioning. Socrates also taught his students this method of inquiry, which greatly upset the established order and moral values of Athens. Socrates criticized democracy, including the local voting process, yet he also fought and argued for obedience to local

Employment and Trade Unions Essay Example for Free

Employment and Trade Unions Essay Throughout the study I have tried with the best of my capacity to accommodate as much information and relevant issues as possible and tried to follow the instructions as you have suggested. I tried my best to make this report as much informative as possible. I sincerely believe that it will satisfy your requirements. I however sincerely believe that this report will serve the purpose of my course (Industrial Relation). I am grateful to you for your guidance and kind co-operation at every step of my endeavor on this report. My effort will be reworded only if it adds value to the research literature. Introduction One of the major functions of human resource management is to maintain smooth industrial relations (IR). It is also treated as one of the oldest functions of HRM. It is basically allied with the relations between the employer and the workers in the industry (Singh Kumar, 2011: 3). According to Weeratunga (2003:5) Industrial Relations or Labor Relations, the terms used interchangeably, can be viewed as the interaction between the various interested parties involved in employment. The employer and the employee are obvious parties. The state, in ensuring a level playing field for both sides, provides the legal framework within which such relations may take place. In industrial relations, workers are generally represented by their trade unions formed under chapter 13 of Bangladesh Labor Act2006 whereas employers are represented by their associations such as Bangladesh Employers Federation. HR managers mediate the relationships between workers and employers though they are appointed by the representatives of employers. Another related term is Employee Relations. Though both the terms industrial relations and employee relations are structurally similar (Decenzo Robbins, 1999: 18), employee relations includes, in addition to industrial relations, such aspects as participative management, employee wellbeing, employee development, employee compensation, employee protection and health, and the like (Aswathappa, 2008:534). Generally industrial relations cover the areas such as trade unions, collective bargaining, settlement of industrial disputes, grievance handling procedure, role of government, labor laws, courts and tribunals and role of employers. In the context of developing countries, industrial relations has been influenced by features such as high exploitation of workers, low level of worker participation in decision making, government and political interferences, high rate of illiteracy of workers, low level of employment, low level of awareness among the laborers regarding rights, laws, and trade unionism, and low labor productivity (Khan Taher, 2008: 222-23). Industrial relations plays an important role in establishing and maintaining industrial democracy (Monappa, 2004: 9) and it is the key to improve productivity in industrial enterprises (Aswathappa, 2004: 534). Human resource management can play vital roles in enhancing cooperative and friendly industrial relations. In Bangladesh, collective bargaining on pay between employer and workmen is prohibited in the public sector enterprises as the government designs uniform pay and benefits for the employees of all public sector enterprises (Mahmood, 2008). The limited scope of collective bargaining in the public sector of Bangladesh influences the trade unions to develop network with government, political parties and other powerful bodies in organizing their activities. It hinders effective interactions between the representatives of employers and workers at enterprise level. Though performance based pay is considered to have significant impact on employee performance (DesslerVarkkey, 2010: 15), it is not at all practiced by the public sector enterprises in Bangladesh. As a result, public sector enterprises in Bangladesh have been incurring huge losses. On the other hand, all types of collective bargaining takes place at enterprise level in case of private sector enterprises (Khan, 1996). Mahmood (2008) mentioned that the industrial relations process in the private sector was often disturbed by links between private and public sector unions. Objectives: a) To explore the differences between public and private sector industrial enterprises of Bangladesh with respect to overall status of IR. b) To put forward policy implications of overall improvement in IR of Bangladesh. Industrial Relations Studies in Bangladesh Khan (1986) studied industrial relations in Bangladesh with special emphasis on trade unionism. †¦ Trade Unions Trade Union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals such as protecting the integrity of its trade, achieving higher pay, increasing the number of employees an employer hires, and better working conditions. An organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. A group of employees in a particular sector, whose aim is to negotiate with employees over pay, job security, working hours, etc. using the collective power of the members. The most common purpose of these associations or unions is maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment. Causes of organizing trade unions Provision of benefits to members: professional training, legal advice and representation for members is still an important benefit of trade union membership. Industrial action: Trade unions may enforce strikes or resistance to lockouts in furtherance of particular goals. Political activity: Trade unions may promote legislation favourable to the interests of their members or workers as a whole. To this end they may pursue campaigns, undertake lobbying, or financially support individual candidates or parties. Conditions of employment and any grievances — are settled through trade unions. Bargaining rights: Trade unions bargain and ensure the status, rights, wages and demands of workers of the modern world of industry. Contribution in economical growth: Trade unions are growing rapidly in an economy because of the expansion of business and economical growth. Objectives Trade unions are the only way to manage, compliant, and control the labour force. Lots of objectives are there to organize trade unions. . To defend or improve the wages and working conditions of workers and to bring about a change in the economic order. 2. To strengthen their (labour) bargaining power collectively to establish and achieve all their rights. 3. To dully protect all other interest of the workers . And from the managements point of view the objectives as written: a) To reduce the number of negotiation. b) To specify work rules, disagreements and grievances to give the better solution to workers claim. c) To establish the efficient communication between the employers and management to enforce the predictable standards. ) To enhance the overall organizational effectiveness workers can also be sometimes inspired to form and organize trade union. In fact, objectives of a trade union are not defined; rather these are changing according to the need of the economy and overall industry. When these objectives are not settled then the rivals are started History of Trade Unions The Pakistan Period (1947-71) -The East Pakistan Trade Unions Act, 1965 was enacted repealing the Trade Unions Act, 1926. -The Labor Disputes Act, 1965 was enacted. -Industrial Relations Ordinance, 1969 was enacted integrating the above two Acts. Bangladesh Period (1971-onwards) -Government of Bangladesh declared a labor policy in 1972. The right to strike and collective bargaining in the nationalized industries was prohibited for six months by Presidential order no. 55 in May 1972. -In 1973, the right to strike and lockout, as granted by IRO, 1969 was withdrawn. -In 1974 Act completely suspended the democratic rights of workers by prohibiting trade union activities such as strikes, lock-outs, collective bargaining. -The military regime of 1975 imposed restrictions on the rights of collective bargaining. The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Ordinance, 1977 liberalized the Rights of Freedom of Association -The Labor Policy of 1980 restored the right to freedom of association to a considerable extent -In 1982 the military regime banned trade union activities, strikes, and right of freedom of association. Limitations In Bangladesh Trade Unions have a lot of unavoidable problems: 1. Lack of consciousness: Trade union are not actu ally completely aware about employees legal rights and duties. 2. Lack of Unity: In Bangladesh trade unions are separated for political influence. 3. Lack of knowledge: The workers of Bangladesh dont have enough knowledge about their rights and duties. 4. Political influence: In Bangladesh, trade unions work a part of political parties not as a free right saving association. 5. Division of trade union: Bangladesh is a country where every organization has more trade unions in name only. The overall productivity got down. Suggestions Strengthening bilateral collective bargaining for solving problems quickly and effectively. Multiplicity of trade union creates the rivals in a union. So it must be reduced. Political involvement must be reduced. Organization must support financially as trade unions support the worker. Training programs under trade union should be helpful to develop the skills of the workers. Trade unions function should be increased and widened throughout the organization. Union leader must be given importance and encourage the members. If trust between workers and management increases, productivity increases. Management must help and guide trade unions to settle industrial clashes and crisis. Trade unions always should demand reasonable thing to the management. . What is a dispute? Academically speaking, industrial dispute refers to any conflict between employees and employers, between employers and employers and between employers and employees. †¢ But in reality, dispute is understood as the conflict between employees and employers. There are three types of Disputes : †¢ Disciplinary disputes †¢ Grievance disputes †¢ Industrial disputes †¢ According to Industrial Dispute Act, 1947, Industrial dispute means any dispute or difference between employers and employers, or between employers and workmen, or between workmen and workmen, which is connected with the mployment or non-employment or terms of employment or with the conditions of labour of any person. Causes of Industrial Disputes: Some of the prominent causes of industrial disputes may be listed thus: Employment: The list here includes disputes over wages, allowances, bonus, benefits, working, condition, unjust dismissals, retrenchment of workers, methods of job evaluation, changes in methods of production, non-implement of awards of tribunals, etc. The National Commission on Labor remarked â€Å"though on majority of occasions industrial disputes were based on claims pertaining to the terms and condition of employment, sometimes economic issues of a general character dominated and, on occasion, purely motives†. The causes of industrial disputes can be broadly classified into two categories: economic and non-economic causes. The economic causes will include issues relating to compensation like wages, bonus, allowances, and conditions for work, working hours, leave and holidays without pay, unjust layoffs and retrenchments. The non economic factors will include victimization of workers, ill treatment by staff members, sympathetic strikes, political factors, indiscipline etc. Wages and allowances:  Since the cost of living index is increasing, workers generally bargain for higher wages to meet the rising cost of living index and to increase their standards of living. In 2002, 21. 4% of disputes were caused by demand of higher wages and allowances. This percentage was 20. 4% during 2003 and during 2004 increased up to 26. 2%. In 2005, wages and allowances accounted for 21. % of disputes. Personnel and retrenchment:  The personnel and retrenchment have also been an important factor which accounted for disputes. During the year 2002, disputes caused by personnel were 14. 1% while those caused by retrenchment and layoffs were 2. 2% and 0. 4% respectively. In 2003, a similar trend could be seen, wherein 11. 2% of the disputes were caused by personnel, while 2. 4% and 0. 6% of disputes were caused by retrenchment and layoffs. In year 2005, only 9. 6% of the disputes were caused by personnel, and only 0. 4% were caused by retrenchment. Indiscipline and violence:  From the given table, it is evident that the number of disputes caused by indiscipline has shown an increasing trend. In 2002, 29. 9% of disputes were caused because of indiscipline, which rose up to 36. 9% in 2003. Similarly in 2004 and 2005, 40. 4% and 41. 6% of disputes were caused due to indiscipline respectively. During the year 2003, indiscipline accounted for the highest percentage (36. 9%) of the total time-loss of all disputes, followed by cause-groups wage and allowance and personnel with 20. 4% and11. % respectively. A similar trend was observed in 2004 where indiscipline accounted for 40. 4% of disputes. Bonus:  Bonus has always been an important factor in industrial disputes. 6. 7% of the disputes were because of bonus in 2002 and 2003 as compared to 3. 5% and 3. 6% in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Leave and working hours: Leaves and working hours have not been so important causes of industrial disputes. During 2002, 0. 5% of the disputes were because of leave and hours of work while this percentage increased to 1% in 2003. During 2004, only 0. % of the disputes were because of leaves and working hours. ? Miscellaneous:  The miscellaneous factors include   Ã‚   Inter/Intra Union Rivalry   Ã‚   Charter of Demands   Ã‚   Work Load   Ã‚   Standing orders/rules/service conditions/safety measures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Non-implementation of agreements and awards etc. Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining includes not only negotiations between the employers and unions but also includes the process of resolving labor-management conflicts. Thus, collective bargaining is, essentially, a recognized way of creating a system of industrial jurisprudence. It acts as a method of introducing civil rights in the industry, that is, the management should be conducted by rules rather than arbitrary decision making. It establishes rules which define and restrict the traditional authority exercised by the management. Importance to employees ? Collective bar aining develops a sense of self respect and responsibility among the employees. It increases the strength of the workforce, thereby, increasing their bargaining capacity as a group. Collective bargaining increases the morale and productivity of employees. It restricts management’s freedom for arbitrary action against the employees. Moreover, unilateral actions by the employer are also discouraged. Effective collective bargaining machinery strengthens the trade unions movement. The workers feel motivated as they can approach the management on various matters and bargain for higher benefits. It helps in securing a prompt and fair settlement of grievances. It provides a flexible means for the adjustment of wages and employment conditions to economic and technological changes in the industry, as a result of which the chances for conflicts are reduced. Importance to employers 1. It becomes easier for the management to resolve issues at the bargaining level rather than taking up complaints of individual workers. 2. Collective bargaining tends to promote a sense of job security among employees and thereby tends to reduce the cost of labor turnover to management. 3. Collective bargaining opens up the channel of communication between the workers and the management and increases worker participation in decision making. 4. Collective bargaining plays a vital role in settling and preventing industrial disputes. Importance to society: 1. Collective bargaining leads to industrial peace in the country 2. It results in establishment of a harmonious industrial climate which supports which helps the pace of a nation’s efforts towards economic and social development since the obstacles to such a development can be reduced considerably. 3. The discrimination and exploitation of workers is constantly being checked. 4. It provides a method or the regulation of the conditions of employment of those who are directly concerned about them.

Calcium Hydroxide in Simulated Lateral Canal Filling

Calcium Hydroxide in Simulated Lateral Canal Filling Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of calcium hydroxide dressing on the filling of simulated lateral canals by different obturation techniques. Materials and Methods: Sixty single root premolars were instrumented. Simulated lateral canals were drilled on each third of the roots. The teeth were divided into four groups: no dressing and obturation by lateral condensation technique (G1), dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by lateral condensation technique (G2), no dressing and obturation by hybrid technique (G3) and, dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by hybrid technique (G4). The teeth were maintained at 37oC in 100% humidity for seven days, and obturation techniques were performed. Radiographs were taken and lateral canals filled or unfilled were counted. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (ÃŽ ±=5%). Results: The hybrid technique filled large number of lateral canals compared to lateral condensation technique , regardless the use of intracanal medication (PPPConclusion: Regardless the obturation technique, calcium hydroxide dressing reduced the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals. Clinical significance: The persistence of calcium hydroxide residues reduces the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals, possibly representing a potential cause of failure in the future. Keywords: Calcium hydroxide, Endodontics, root canal obturation, laboratory research Introduction The root canal system has a very complex anatomy, characterized mainly by the presence of curvatures, accessory and lateral canals.1-3 The lateral canals can be observed anywhere along the root length of an important percentage of teeth, although more commonly in the apical third.1 Actually, the presence of lateral canals represents a challenge, as they are difficult to reach, clean, disinfect and fill during endodontic treatment,4 representing a potential cause of diseases.3,5-8 Considering that persisting bacteria may be located in not accessed areas like lateral canals, the intracanal medication and three-dimensional obturation of the root system becomes extremely important.4 The intracanal medication has been used to complete the disinfection and to prevent reinfection by these microorganisms,9-11 and can act chemically by killing microorganisms or physically by preventing bacterial penetration.12 The obturation also could prevent reinfection13 as the sealer isolates microorganisms without access to space and nutrients.14 Calcium hydroxide has been widely used as an intracanal medication for its antibacterial effect on most of the microorganisms identified in the root canal system.12 The therapeutic properties of this medication are associated with their pH value and with the period that they remain within the root canals.9,15 It has been pointed out that calcium hydroxide dressing for seven days with subsequent instrumentation and irrigation with sodium hypochlorite, improve the debridement of the root canal system and efficiently eliminate persistent bacteria.16,17 However, it was found that a considerable amount of calcium hydroxide paste remains attached to the root canal after instrumentation and irrigation with various solutions.18-20 Also, it is known that when calcium hydroxide is incompletely removed from the root canal, the residue compromises the endodontic sealing.20,21 Thus, it is possible that residual calcium hydroxide could obliterate the openings of the lateral canals, blocking their filling.19,22 Additionally, the type of obturation technique is a crucial factor to be considered in such situations, since the capability to ensure the filling of lateral canals is an important clinical parameter and may represent a favorable aspect of the filling technique. In this context, the aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of calcium hydroxide dressing on the filling of simulated lateral canals by different obturation techniques. Materials and Methods The study has been approved by an ethical committee from Pontifà ­cia Universidade Catà ³lica do Paranà ¡, under number of register 326/2004. Only one researcher has done the experimental procedures. Sample preparation In this in vitro study, a total of sixty human single root mandibular premolars with medium length between 21 to 23 mm were selected. The teeth were autoclaved and stored in 0.5% thymol solution prior to the experimental assays. The coronal access was gained with a #2 round and a #3080 diamond bur (KG Sorensen, Barueri, SP, Brazil). Then, the coronal and middle thirds of the root canal were shaped using #1, #2, and #3 Gates-Glidden drills (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). The canal length was visually established by placing a #10 K-file (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) in each root canal until it was seen emerging through the apical foramen. The working length was determined by subtracting 1 mm from this measurement. The teeth were instrumented at the working length using a #35 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). Simulated lateral canals Three simulated lateral canals were drilled on the mesial and distal surfaces (one in each third: coronal, middle and apical) by using a device. This device consisted by a #10 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with 4 mm from its tip sectioned, which was adapted in a low-speed contra-angle handpiece. The root canals were then instrumented using a #45 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) to the working length to create a smear layer. After every change of file size and at the completion of instrumentation, the canals were irrigated with 5 mL of a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution. Following this, the root canal was irrigated with 5 mL of 17% ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (Merck Brasil, Sà £o Paulo, SP, Brazil) followed by a final flush of distilled water. The root canals were dried with paper points (Tanariman Manufacturer, Amazonas, AM, Brazil). Experimental groups Afterwards, the sixty teeth were randomly divided into four equal groups of fifteen. The groups were separated according to the use or not of calcium hydroxide dressing, and the type of obturation technique, as follow: no dressing and obturation by lateral condensation technique (G1), dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by lateral condensation (G2), no dressing and obturation by Tagger’s hybrid technique (G3) and, dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by Tagger’s hybrid technique (G4). Dressing procedure In G2 and G4, the calcium hydroxide paste was prepared by mixing two parts of lab grade calcium hydroxide and 1 mL saline solution to obtain a creamy consistency. The paste was inserted using a #25 Lentulo drill (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), subtracting 2 mm from the working length. The access cavities were temporarily sealed with a cotton pellet and temporary seal (Coltosol, Coletene, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil). The samples were maintained at 37oC in 100% humidity for seven days. Afterwards, the temporary seal was removed and the calcium hydroxide was cleaned using a #35 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and irrigation with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution and 17% EDTA (Merck Brasil, Sà £o Paulo, SP, Brazil). The root canals were dried with paper points (Tanariman Manufacturer, Amazonas, AM, Brazil). Obturation techniques For obturation procedures, the AH Plus sealer (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) was used in all groups. The sealer was manipulated according with manufacturer’s instructions. The obturation technique was performed as follow. Lateral condensation For G1 and G2, it was used the lateral condensation technique. For this, a well-fitting master gutta-percha cone #35 (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) coated with sealer was taken up 1 mm from the working length. Then, the master cone was left seated and the lateral condensation was performed using a finger spreader B (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). This spreader was inserted with the sealer toward the canal’s wall and then counterclock wisely removed to create room for the insertion of the accessory gutta-percha cones (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). This procedure was repeated until the insertion of new accessory cones was not possible. After the obturation completion, the excess of filling material was removed and the cold vertical condensation was executed. Tagger’s hybrid technique For G3 and G4, it was used the Tagger’s hybrid technique. For this, a master cone was seated as described above. An initial lateral condensation was performed with the finger spreader B (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), and one accessory gutta-percha cone was inserted. Next, a McSpadden compactor #70 (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) was coupled to a low-speed contra-angle handpiece and introduced passively into the root canal. The penetration of the condenser inside root canal was obtained with the aid of a rubber marker 1 mm short of the working length. With the condenser inside the root canal, next to the gutta-percha cones, it was driven by forward and backward movements up to reach working length, staying in that position for about 1 second. The condenser was removed from root canal with the motor still driven with gentle pressure on one side of the canal’s wall. Following, the vertical condensation of the plasticized gutta-percha was perfo rmed through heat Paiva’s condensers in order to obtain a better adaptation of the filling material. Postoperative radiographs Immediately after filling, postoperative radiographs were taken and all of them were identically exposed, developed, and fixed. The radiographs were placed in slide mounts and projected in order to count the lateral canals filled or unfilled in each group. Only completely filled lateral canals were considered. Three calibrated examiners analyzed the images. Statistical analysis Data were statistically analyzed by the SAS/LAB package (SAS Software, version 9.0; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, USA). Firstly, Kappa’s test was performed to evaluate the examiner’s level of agreement. The assumptions of equality of variances and normal distribution of errors were checked and the data were transformed as suggested by the software. The simulated lateral canals were analyzed using three-way ANOVA followed by Tukey HSD test, considering the dressing, obturation technique and root thirds as study factors. The significance level was set at 5%. Results The value of the test of agreement between examiners was 0.89. In Figure 1, it is observed representative radiographs after obturation by different techniques. The Tagger’s hybrid technique filled large number of simulated lateral canals compared to the lateral condensation technique, regardless the use of intracanal medication (PP Although the coronal and apical thirds had a somewhat larger number of filled lateral canals than the middle third, this difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05) (Table 1). Significant differences were observed when comparing the number of filled and unfilled canals in the same root third of each group (PP>0.05). Discussion After shaping and cleaning the root canal, persisting bacteria may be located in not accessed areas like lateral canals, and this must be considered potentially pathogenic and a cause of future endodontic failure.3,5-8 For this reason, dressing and three-dimensional obturation of the root canal system becomes important steps.4 The use of calcium hydroxide dressing is established in the literature,23 however, persistence of this medication in the root canal walls could prevent the sealer penetration into the dentinal tubules,21 compromising the obturation procedure. Also, several techniques have been developed to achieve an adequate three-dimensional obturation of lateral canals.24 For this, we purposed to evaluate the influence of calcium hydroxide dressing on the filling of simulated lateral canals by different obturation techniques. The actual need to fill lateral canals has been a largely discussed in the current literature.2,4,19 However, it is important to point out that both lateral canals and apical ramifications have been implicated with treatment failure when they are sufà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ciently large to harbor signià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cant numbers of bacteria and to provide these bacteria with access to the periradicular tissues.3,25 Therefore, disinfection, dressing and filling of lateral canals in cases of pulp necrosis and apical and/or lateral periodontitis should be considered important goals of the treatment, although difà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cult to achieve.3 Calcium hydroxide is widely used as an intracanal medication,12 and several techniques have been used to remove it from the root canal.18,21,26,27 The enlargement of the canal to the next file size and copious irrigation with sodium hypochlorite and/or EDTA, which are the procedures commonly used in clinical practice, seems to be unable in completely remove calcium hydroxide from root canal.21,26 There is a consensus that the residues of the medicament persists in the canal even with different techniques for removal.28,29 The results of our study demonstrated that residual calcium hydroxide blocked the openings of the lateral canals, reducing and/or preventing the penetration of sealer or gutta-percha into the lateral canals, corroborating with a previous study.19 Regardless the obturation technique, we demonstrated that when calcium hydroxide was applied as a dressing medication (G2 + G4), 99 of the 180 simulated lateral canals were obturated. On the other hand, when calcium hydroxide was not used (G1 + G3), 129 of the 180 simulated lateral canals were filled. Also, in our study, simulated lateral canals were created in each third of the canal root. We showed that no differences were found among the different root thirds in the same group. About the ability of different obturation techniques to fill simulated lateral canals the literature indicates that warm gutta-percha techniques are superior.2 According to our results, the Tagger’s hybrid technique resulted in large number of filled simulated lateral canals, although it was reduced with the dressing with calcium hydroxide. Also, the lateral condensation showed the worst ability in filling simulated lateral canals, particularly when calcium hydroxide dressing was employed. It is possible that the cold condensation of gutta-percha difficult the penetration of the filling material.30 Thermoplasticized techniques improve the expansion of the material against the dentinal walls.31 A recent study about the interference of calcium hydroxide previous to the filling revealed that the medication can difficult the hermetic filling of the root canal system because of its property of obliterates lateral canals.22 Overall, the persistence of calcium hydroxide residues should be considered as a side effect when selecting this medication as an interappointment dressing in root canal therapy,19,22 regardless the obturation technique to be employed. Conclusions Regardless the obturation technique, calcium hydroxide dressing reduced the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals. Clinical significance The persistence of calcium hydroxide residues reduces the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals, possibly representing a potential cause of failure in the future. 1

Suprascapular Neuropathy in Overhead Athletes

Suprascapular Neuropathy in Overhead Athletes SUPRASCAPULAR NEUROPATHY IN OVERHEAD ATHLETES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON AETIOLOGY AND TREATMENT OPTIONS Surya.P, Pankhania. R, Funk.L ABSTRACT Suprascapular neuropathy is often overlooked as a cause for shoulder pain in overhead athletes. However, with recent advancements in the understanding of the condition as well as its treatment methods, suprascapular neuropathy is now diagnosed more frequently. Consistent overhead activities, rotator cuff tear and direct compression of the nerve, by space occupying lesion are important etiologies for suprascapular neuropathy. While MRI is widely used to identify space-occupying lesions and rotator cuff injury; Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) remains gold standards for confirming injury to the nerve. Conservative physical therapy, nerve blocks and arthroscopic and open surgical interventions are the main treatment plans for suprascapular neuropathy. 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The posterosuperior aspect of shoulder receives its sensory innervation from the suprascapular nerve. The suprascapular nerve also provides motor innervation to supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. Compression or traction of nerve and rotator cuff diseases are found to be associated with suprascapular nerve damage and neuropathy. Clinical symptoms of the condition include pain in the posterior shoulder, feeble forward flexion, and weak external rotation. It is also noteworthy that the multiple presentations for suprascapular nerve neuropathy vary greatly in different patients and thus diagnosis of the condition is often challenging. This kind of nerve damage is a less common reason for shoulder pain and dysfunction in the general population, however is widely observed in athletes who play overhead sports such as volleyball, tennis, badminton, and baseball. Such sports expose the athletes hands to overhead, abducted and externally rotated positions for prolonged periods of time. ( Cummins Schneider, 2008). Observational studies have identified that players involved in overhead sports are at higher risk of injuries related to overuse of the shoulder such as rotator cuff tendinopathy and tearing of glenoid labrum (Pillai et al. 2011). On the other hand, shoulder pain due to suprascapular neuropathy is observed in only 1-2% of cases and therefore, the condition is often overlooked during diagnosis for shoulder pain (Boykin et al. 2010). Among the overhead sports athletes, incidences of suprascapular neuropathy are maximum in volleyball players. Around 33% of volleyball players suffer from this condition at some instance in their career (Boykin et al. 2010). Traditionally, suprascapular neuropathy has always been regarded as a diagnosis of exclusion. However, now with further understanding of the etiology and advanced diagnostic options, the condition is being recognised by physicians from an earlier onset. 2. AETIOLOGY FOR SUPRASCAPULAR NEUROPATHY Rotator cuff tear is considered as a prime cause for suprascapular neuropathy. Studies show that suprascapular neuropathy can also develop secondary to traction and microtrauma, especially in overhead athletes, particularly due to tightening of the spinoglenoid ligament during the overhead throwing position. The risk for the development of suprascapular neuropathy also increases in patients with ossification of the transverse scapular ligament or spinoglenoid ligament. Other causes such as; compression of the nerve at spinoglenoid notch due to the presence of a bone tumor, cyst due to labral, soft tissue or capsular injury tissue can also lead to the condition. Suprascapular neuropathy is also rarely seen following brachial neuritis, glenohumeral dislocation, fracture of the shoulder girdle, and penetrating or iatrogenic injury to the nerve (Lewis et al. 2012). All these etiological factors for suprascapular neuropathy are discussed in detail in the following section. 2.1 Rotator Cuff Injury: Anatomically, the suprascapular nerve branches from the upper trunk of the brachial plexus. From there, it travels posterior to the clavicle, passes below the transverse scapular ligament and then enters the suprascapular notch. The motor branches innervate the supraspinatus, and the nerve continues past the spinoglenoid notch and innervates the infraspinatus. Injury due to traction or compression of the nerve at any point in this path can lead to suprascapular neuropathy. Retracted superior or posterior rotator cuff tear is the most common cause for suprascapular nerve traction injury. Tension on the suprascapular nerve lying at a suprascapular notch or spinoglenoid notch increases with the retraction of supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons. Studies on cadavers by Gosk et al (2007) showed that as the retraction of supraspinatus tendon increases, it reduces the angle between the suprascapular nerve and its first motor branch, which leads to an increase in tension and thus causes t raction injury. Gosk et al. (2007) also found that massive rotator cuff tear was the main reason for suprascapular neuropathy in eight different overhead players. On the other hand, studies by Lajtai et al. (2009) found that rotator cuff tear and muscle atrophy were responsible for only 8% of suprascapular neuropathy cases. Expanding the knowledge on the topic, different studies also showed that the tension between rotator cuff, supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons has a profound impact on the condition of the suprascapular nerve. Observations of cadaver showed that the tension on the neurovascular pedicle increases significantly once the lateral advancement of a retracted rotator cuff tear exceeds 3 cm (Greiner et al. 2003). Other studies suggest that if the rotator cuff extension increases by 3 cm, it lay significant tension on the motor branches of the suprascapular nerve. Also, the tension on the medial portion of the suprascapular nerve starts to increase only by 1 cm extension of the rotator cuff. Increased tension is one of the important reasons for traction injury to the nerve (Larissa et al. 2014). It has also been reported that following surgical repair of rotator cuff tear, the tendons can be advanced up to 3.5 cm without any significant risk to the health of suprascapular nerve. Various reports suggest that surgical repair of rotator cuff tear can help in either partially or completely resolving suprascapular neuropathy. Nerve recovery by reinnervation has been found in patients of suprascapular neuropathy following partial or complete arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (Petra et al. 2013). 2.2 Nerve injury: Sports Specific Etiology: Sports physiotherapists have proposed various etiological mechanisms for suprascapular neuropathy which includes repeated traction, microtrauma, ischaemia of the nerve and compression of the nerve by soft tissue, tumor or cyst. However, the majority of the healthcare professionals consider that nerve injury due to repetitive trauma is the main reason for the development of suprascapular neuropathy. Two main sites for suprascapular nerve injury are: the suprascapular notch and the spinoglenoid notch. The symptoms alongside clinical presentation for suprascapular neuropathy thus depend on the location of nerve injury. Injury of suprascapular nerve at the spinoglenoid notch has been found to cause isolated atrophy and weakness of the infraspinatus muscle. This condition is also known as infraspinatus syndrome. A systematic literature review by Lee et al. (2007) found that suprascapular neuropathy due to infraspinatus syndrome is common in overhead game athletes, particularly volleyball players. (https://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/article/1250) One important reason for traction injury in volleyball players is the huge amount of motion occurring at the shoulder during throwing action. The role of the scapula in allowing throwing motion as well as other overhead sports activity is now well-researched. It has been observed that the movement of the scapula during the protraction and retraction of hands leads to significant trauma of suprascapular nerve at both the suprascapular and spinoglenoid notches. This phenomenon is known as the sling effect. The sling effect proposes that certain positioning of upper limb during overhead activity exposes the suprascapular nerve at the suprascapular notch to a significant amount of sheer stress and thus injury. Sling effect also suggests that the suprascapular nerve is exposed to high risk of traction injury when it bends around the spine of the scapula at the spinoglenoid notch (Arash et al. 2015). Chronic overuse of shoulder, as well as functional instability, may cause the suprascapular nerve to angle sharply at the spinoglenoid notch, as an adaptive response. This condition is known as SICK scapula which is an abbreviation to Scapular protraction, Inferior border prominence, Coracoid tightness, and Kinesis abnormalities of the scapula (Burkhart et al. 2003). While imaging for the shoulder injuries of volleyball players, Crema Murakami (2016) found that SICK scapula significantly contributes to increased tension on the suprascapular nerve and thus causes traumatic injury. https://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/article/930 http://www.scielo.br The spinoglenoid ligament lays into the posterior glenohumeral capsule. Observations suggest that the ligament gets stretched and rigid with the abduction and internal rotation of the ipsilateral upper limb across the body. Such action leads to the traction of suprascapular nerve at the spinoglenoid notch (Crema Murakani, 2016). Sandow Ilic (1998) provided another proposal for traumatic injury to the suprascapular nerve. According to them, when the upper limb is abducted and externally rotated, the medial border of the spinatus tendon present at the spinoglenoid notch compresses the suprascapular nerve. Repeated upper limb action thus causes trauma to the nerve and injures it. Plancher Petterson (2016), recently supported this mechanism of nerve injury in their research paper. The injury to the posterior part of the suprascapular nerve is thought to occur due to multiple, abrupt, peculiar stretching of infraspinatus tendon during the deceleration phase of the floater serve (the most common type of overhead volleyball serve). Ferretti observed such injury in volleyball players while Arash et al. (2016) observed this in various overhead sports players as well as labourers. 2.3 Other etiologies: Nerve compression: According to Raddic Wallace (2016) direct compression of suprascapular nerve passing through spinoglenoid notch can occur due to ganglionic cysts arising from the glenohumeral joint. Such cysts are formed by synovial fluid leakage due to injury to the posterior glenoid labrum. Incidences of suprascapular nerve compression due to a bone tumor or the surrounding soft tissues are very rare but not absent. Nerve ischaemia: In very rare conditions, microemboli formed after any trauma gets trapped in the suprascapular artery and then migrate to the vasa nervorum thus hindering the blood and fluid supply to the suprascapular nerve. This leads to nerve ischemia and then neuropathy (Shin et al. 2016). 3. PRESENTATION DIAGNOSIS OF SUPRASCAPULAR NEUROPATHY The peculiar clinical presentations of suprascapular neuropathy are as follows: Shoulder pain which worsens on cross body abduction or internal rotation of ipsilateral muscle. Atrophy of supraspinatus or/and infraspinatus muscle, observable on physical examination. The weakness of ipsilateral shoulder abduction observed during manual muscle testing. The weakness of external rotation of shoulder observed during manual muscle testing. Pain elicited by pressure application over the suprascapular and spinoglenoid notch. The tenderness between the clavicle and the spine of the scapula or deep and posterior to the acromioclavicular joint (Podgorski et al. 2014). Radiological examination using X-rays is the first step for diagnosis if suprascapular neuropathy is suspected. It is important to have a radiological view of a suprascapular notch and spinoglenoid notch along with a standard view of the shoulder area. However, no remarkable changes can be observed in the radiological images unless is a prominent trauma responsible for the condition. MRI of the shoulder helps in identifying muscle oedema, muscle atrophy, and ganglionic cyst, if present. These factors are responsible for suprascapular neuropathy due to direct compression. Three Tesla (3-T) MRI scan is another tool used in the diagnosis of suprascapular neuropathy as it helps to identify any nerve abnormality or any denervation changes in muscles. Ultrasound is also appliable for the diagnosis of cysts and other muscle abnormalities as it is an inexpensive and relatively accurate diagnostic tool (Ahlawat et al. 2015). Electrodiagnostic studies are gaining increasing popularity as an important diagnostic tool for suprascapular neuropathy. Positive sharp waves and fibrillation potentials indicated by electromyography can suggest denervation while polyphasic motor unit action potentials suggest motor innervation abnormalities. Larisa et al (2014) suggest that electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests are the gold standards for the detection of suprascapular nerve injury. EMG and NCV are suggested in the following conditions: Consistent pain on the back upper side of the shoulder and no confirm diagnosis is found. Atrophy as well as the weakness of supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons in the absence of rotator cuff injury. MRI observations show muscle edema. Massive rotator cuff tendons with retraction and traction on the nerve. There are published and examined normative values for electrodiagnostic studies. According to which, the normal distal motor latencies to the supraspinatus muscles during stimulation at the Erb point are 2.7 msec  ± 0.5 and to the infraspinatus muscles, 3.3 msec  ± 0.5. Side-to-side differences greater than 0.4 msec suggest focal entrapment of the SSN or another neural injury (Larisa et al. 2014). In some cases, where outcomes of these electrodiagnostic studies are negative or not specific; fluoroscopically guided local anesthetic injection is used. This injection is administered to the region of suprascapular nerve and related pain relief is evaluated. This method is very effective in confirming the involvement of suprascapular nerve injury in shoulder pain (Debbie et al. 2014). 4. TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR SUPRASCAPULAR NEUROPATHY Treatment for suprascapular neuropathy is selected on the basis of different factors like etiology of nerve damage, the severity of nerve damage, duration of pain and weakness in shoulder, degree of functional disability and patients choice. The three main types of treatment options are conservative physical therapy, nerve blocks and surgical repair. 4.1 Physical therapy: If the suprascapular neuropathy is caused due to rotator cuff tear or labral tear with paralabral cyst, the treatment selection is done with regards to the pathology. However, in the case of isolated nerve injury, the conservative treatment plan including activity modification, analgesic drugs, and conservative physical therapy is initiated. The patient is asked to avoid or stop overhead activity as soon as he/she is diagnosed with suprascapular neuropathy. Following which, a physical therapy program is initiated which focuses on the movement of shoulder and muscle strengthening. The therapy also includes scapular stabilisation (Trojian, 2015). Different studies on patients with isolated suprascapular neuropathy suggest that non operative treatment for 6 months to 1 year provides good to excellent outcomes in the majority of the patients while surgical intervention following physical therapy is required by only 20% patients (Lee et al. 2007). Boykin et al (2010) suggest that such non-operative treatments in the case of suprascapular neuropathy due to compression by mass or a cyst do not provide satisfactory results. It has been found that 53% of patients with suprascapular neuropathy due to spinoglenoid cyst get significant pain control and symptomatic relief with non-operative methods while 96% of such patients experienced positive outcomes with surgical treatment. 4.2 Surgical Treatment: In case the conservative physical therapy for isolated suprascapular neuropathy fails, the patient is switched to surgical intervention. Furthermore, surgical intervention is immediately offered if suprascapular neuropathy is concomitant to rotator cuff tear or labrum tears with paralabral cysts. However, literature review suggests that there are debates about the application of surgical intervention for correcting nerve decompression in case of concomitant pathology. Many researchers recommend only for the correction of the isolated rotator cuff or labral repair and avoid surgery for nerve decompression (Boykin et al. 2010). Nerve damage at the suprascapular notch is usually treated with the release of the transverse ligament by an open or arthroscopic technique. Fewer complications have been observed with the open technique. Patients are reported to have adequate pain management as well as improved muscle strength with the open technique. However, muscle atrophy cannot be reversed in all the cases using this technique. Improvement of supraspinatus muscle strength is observed among 90% of patients treated by open technique while no significant improvement of infraspinatus muscle is seen (Kim et al. 2005). While there are no specific indications for arthroscopic suprascapular nerve decompression, it has been found to be similarly effective in resolving pain. However, extensive data is not available to show the effectiveness of the technique in treating muscle atrophy and weakness (Boykin et al. 2010). Nerve damage at spinoglenoid notch is usually secondary to nerve compression by the space-occupying lesion. Surgical management of such lesions often requires open or arthroscopic approach and resection of the lesion. It is noteworthy that patients with suprascapular neuropathy at spinoglenoid notch show poor results with physical therapy alone and thus are suggested to have surgical intervention immediately. Cyst recurrence rates are very low with both the methods (Petra et al. 2013). Literature review suggests that ultrasound-guided paralabral cyst aspiration is a good alternative to surgical intervention for suprascapular neuropathy due to compression at spinoglenoid notch. While the majority of patients reported excellent pain relief with the technique, recurrence rates for cyst are found to be between 75 100% (Moen et al. 2012). 4.3 Nerve Block: Nerve blocks are non-surgical treatment options for suprascapular neuropathy. Nerve blocks are usually administered to manage shoulder pain in preoperative setups as well as in the case of painful shoulder conditions like adhesive capsulitis. Diagnostic usage and specificity of nerve blocks are widely debated, but the blocks are used to achieve rapid symptomatic relief so that the patient can properly participate in the rehabilitation physical therapy. Nerve blocks consist of an injection of an anaesthetic mixed with corticosteroid administered to the suprascapular notch (Blum et al. 2013). Newer techniques like radiofrequency ablation of suprascapular nerve or palliative treatment for pain due to suprascapular neuropathy are still under consistent research phase and are not yet widely applied. 5. CONCLUSION The incidences of suprascapular neuropathy can be more easily recognised now due to increased understanding of the condition and improved diagnostic methods. Overhead athletes presenting with vague posterosuperior shoulder pain, muscle atrophy, weakness of supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons must be investigated for suprascapular neuropathy. The condition must also be investigated in all the athletes with rotator cuff tear, due to the high incidence. MRI and EMG are the most reliable diagnostic techniques to identify suprascapular neuropathy and rotator cuff health. Recently, fluoroscopically guided injections to the suprascapular notch are also gaining popularity as a diagnostic method for the condition. While conservative physical methods can be applied to treat the isolated suprascapular neuropathy, open or arthroscopic surgical corrections are compulsory to treat suprascapular neuropathy due to rotator cuff tear and cystic compression. REFERENCES:Ahlawat S, Wadhwa V, Belzberg AJ, Batra K, Chhabra A. (2015) Spectrum of suprascapular nerve lesions: normal and abnormal neuromuscular imaging appearances on 3-T MR neurography. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 204 (3), 589-601. Arash A., Michael J., and Felix H. (2015) Suprascapular Nerve Release: General Principles. In: Elite Techniques in Shoulder Arthroscopy. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 271-281. Blum A, Lecocq S, Louis M, Wassel J, Moisei A, Teixeira P. (2013) The nerves around the shoulder. Eur J Radiol., 82(1),2-16. Boykin RE, Friedman DJ, Higgins LD, Warner JJ. (2010) Suprascapular neuropathy. J Bone Joint Surg Am., 92(13), 2348-64. Burkhart SS, Morgan CD, Kibler WB. (2003) The disabled throwing shoulder: spectrum of pathology Part III: The SICK scapula, scapular dyskinesis, the kinetic chain, and rehabilitation. Arthroscopy, 19(6), 641-61. Crema M., and Murakami A. (2016) Imaging of volleyball injuries. In: Imaging in Sports-Specific Musculoskeletal Injuries. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 663-695. Cummins CA, Schneider DS. (2008) Peripheral nerve injuries in baseball players. Neurol Clin., 26(1), 195-215. Debbie L., Angel M., William E., Susan V., and Ambrose J. (2014) Optimization and Standardization of Technique for Fluoroscopically Guided Suprascapular Nerve Blocks. American Journal of Roentgenology, 202(3), 576-584, 2014. Gosk J, Urban M, Rutowski R. (2007) Entrapment of the suprascapular nerve: anatomy, etiology, diagnosis, treatment. Ortop Traumatol Rehabil, 9(1), 68-74. Greiner K., Golser M, Wambacher F, Kralinger G, and Sperner T. (2003) The course of the suprascapular nerve in the supraspinatus fossa and its vulnerability in muscle advancement. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 12(3), 256-259. Kim D, Murovic JA, Tiel R, and Kline D. (2005) Management and outcomes of 42 surgical suprascapular nerve injuries and entrapments. Neurosurgery, 57(1), 120-127, 2005. Lajtai G, Pfirrmann CW, Aitzetmà ¼ller G, Pirkl C, Gerber C, and Jost B. (2009) The shoulders of professional beach volleyball players: high prevalence of infraspinatus muscle atrophy. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 37(7), 1375-1383. Larisa J., Elena J., Marisa J., and Jeffrey A. (2014) Evaluation, Treatment, and Outcomes of Suprascapular Neuropathy: A 5-Year Review. PM R, 6(9), 774-80. Lee BC, Yegappan M, Thiagarajan P. (2007) Suprascapular nerve neuropathy secondary to spinoglenoid notch ganglion cyst: case reports and review of literature. Ann Acad Med Singapore, 36(12),1032-5. Lewis L., Michael T., Paul Y., and Jon J. (2012) Suprascapular Nerve: Is It Important in Cuff Pathology? Advances in Orthopedics, Article ID 516985. Moen TC, Babatunde OM, Hsu SH, Ahmad CS, Levine WN. (2012) Suprascapular neuropathy: what does the literature show? J Shoulder Elbow Surg., 21(6), 835-46. Petra M, Gaspar S, Sven L, Peter H, and Mathias W. (2013) Results of Arthroscopic Partial Repair of Large Retracted Rotator Cuff Tears. Arthroscopy-The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, 29(8), 1275-1282, 2013. Pillai G, Baynes JR, Gladstone J, Flatow EL. (2011) Greater strength increase with cyst decompression and SLAP repair than SLAP repair alone. Clin Orthop Relat Res., 469(4), 1056-60. Plancher K., and Petterson S. (2016) Distal Suprascapular Nerve Compression: Spinoglenoid Ligament Release. In: Elite Techniques in Shoulder Arthroscopy. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 283-302. Podgorski M, Miroslaw T, Marcin S, Piotr G, Ludomir S, and Michal P. (2014) New parameters describing morphological variations in the suprascapular notch region as potential predictors of suprascapular nerve entrapment. Bmc Musculoskeletal Disorders, 15. Raddic R Wallace A. (2016) Arthroscopic release and labral repair for bifocal compression of the suprascapular nerve. Shoulder Elbow, 8(1), 32-36. Trojian T. (2015, October 13) Suprascapular Neuropathy. Retrieved from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/92672-overview

AIDS in Africa :: AIDS HIV Disease Africa African Essays

AIDS In Africa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  HIV-AIDS has infected over thirty million people in the world. Over 95% of all AIDS cases in the world are in Africa and in some of those countries over 40% of the people are infected (Frederickson and Kanabus HIV and AIDS in Africa 1). AIDS does not solely affect homosexuals, or any certain ethnicity of people, either; HIV-AIDS can affect any type of ethnicity including African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, Indians, and Hispanic people. AIDS cannot be reversed or cured, but with proper treatment this deadly virus can be controlled and people can live a nearly normal life. In Africa, though, proper treatment is not nearly as available as it is in some other countries. Approximately 2.3 million people died in 2003 in Sub-Saharan Africa alone and that is only the beginning (Frederickson and Kanabus HIV 1). Because of AIDS and its devastating effects and increasing infection rates in Africa, organizations and governments are increasing their efforts to stop this dis ease. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on AIDS efforts, but still the disease continues to spread and take thousands of people?s lives each year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1992, 20% of Botswana, Africa was infected with HIV-AIDS. In 1995, 1/3 of the country was infected. Today over 40% of Botswana is infected with HIV-AIDS, and these numbers continue to increase (Epstlen 70). The rest of Africa is mimicking these same numbers as infection rates continue to rise. Of the 27 million infected in Africa, 3.2 million were new cases diagnosed in 2003, and over 2.3 million people died in Africa because of HIV-AIDS last year (Frederickson and Kanabus HIV 1). Such numbers are astronomical compared to the rest of the world. In the United States less than 1% of the population is infected; in Russia and India the numbers also match the United States. In Thailand, where it is claimed to be more corrupted in sex and drug trades and have even fewer anti-AIDS efforts than in Africa, the infection rates are still less than 2% (Frederickson HIV 70). Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst region to be infected with AIDS. While countries like Swaziland, Bot swana, Lesotho and Zimbabwe all have infection rates reaching near 40%, West African countries barely top 10% in some places (Frederickson 2). In Sub-Saharan Africa, 11 million children have been orphaned by AIDS (Frederickson AIDS orphans in Africa 1). Of the 27 million people infected, 10 million are between the ages of 15 and 24, and 3 million are estimated to be under the age of 15 (Frederickson HIV 1).

The Feel Good Hormone Essays -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Nature's Own: The Feel Good Hormone Sex feels good, that is why people do it for more than simply procreation. Laughing is enjoyable, for that reason people search for things that amuse them. Touch is pleasing, therefore the massage business thrives. These things can become addictive due to the pleasurable effect that they produce. People have been exercising obsessively for a long time but only recently was an idea postulated as an explanation. Laughter often begets laughter and in large doses, has the ability to make one feel high. We do what makes us feel good; human beings are naturally pleasure seekers. It is said that with drugs your first high is the best and never able to be duplicated. What keeps people using drugs, despite the downfalls associated with use, is that eternal quest for that ethereal feeling that they experienced the very first time. Pleasurable activities, like exercising, sex, laughter, touch, etc. can all become dangerously addictive. Some people will do anything and everything for 'that fix". So what is it that makes people search for the next high, or feel good experience? Exercise, sex, laughter, and touch all produce positive effects within the body via chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are called endorphins, a mixture of the two words endogenous, meaning from within the body, and morphine, a powerful pain fighting drug that is also used and abused for recreational purposes. Endorphins are the body's internal pain regulators. The drug opium has been used recreationally as early in the ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures. British physician, Thomas Syndenham brought opium to the public to be used for medicinal purposes around sixteen-eighty. By the end of the seventeen-twenties o... ...ing the individual's delicate, natural balance needed for survival. WWW Sources 1)Heroin http://weber.u.washington.edu/~chudler/hero.html 2) The Discovery of Endorphins http://www.methadone.org/discover.html 3)Endorphin, http://sun.hallym.ac.kr/~neuro/kns/tutor/medical/endo.html 4)Endorphin http://sun.hallym.ac.kr/~neuro/kns/tutor/medical/endo.html 5)Endorphin http://sun.hallym.ac.kr/~neuro/kns/tutor/medical/endo.html 6)Endrophine http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro99/web3/1 7)Endorphin http://sun.hallym.ac.kr/~neuro/kns/tutor/medical/endo.html 8)Natural Power of Endorphins http://www.biotech-usa.com/endorp.htm 9)How Endorphins Work for You http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro99/web3/1 10)How Endorphins Work for You http://parenting.ivillage.com/ 11)Chile Peppers http://parenting.ivillage.com/

John Fitzgerald Kennedy - JFK Essay -- President Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy - JFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917, the second son of financier Joseph P. Kennedy, who served as ambassador to Great Britain during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He graduated from Harvard University in 1940, winning note with the publication of Why England Slept, an expansion of his senior thesis on Britain's lack of preparedness for World War II. His part in the war was distinguished by bravery. In August 1943, as commander of the U.S. Navy torpedo boat PT-109, he rescued several crewmen after a Japanese destroyer off the Solomon Islands rammed the boat. His heroic rescue of survivors of his crew won him the Navy and Marine Corps Medal as well as the Purple Heart. In 1953 He married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, daughter of a wealthy Wall Street broker, they had two children Caroline & JFK JR. In 1946, and with the enthusiastic help of his brothers and sisters won the Democratic nomination to the House of Representatives in the ele venth district of Massachusetts. His mother and sisters organized teas at the homes of voters, while his father furnished campaign funds. He won the election and as Congressman voted for Truman's welfare programs, including expanded social security benefits, aid to veterans, and old-age benefits. In 1952, Kennedy upset the veteran Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge by winning his seat in the US Senate. He and his family began working tirelessly for his presidential nomination as early as 1956. In 1956 Kennedy almost gained the Democratic nomination for Vice President, and four years later was a first-ballot nominee for President. Millions watched his four television debates with the Republican candidate and current Vice President, Richard M. Nixon. Winning by a narrow margin in the popular vote, Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic President. His Inaugural address offered the memorable injunction: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." As President, he set out to redeem his campaign pledge to get America moving again. His economic programs launched the country on its longest sustained expansion since World War II; before his death, he laid plans for a massive assault on persisting pockets of privation and poverty. This plan was named the new frontier; his ideas were used for years to come. Ke... ... â€Å"of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth† The space program fascinates the American people. In the early 1960s whenever space flights were launched during school hours students would gather in gyms and auditoriums to watch the lift offs on television. The race to the moon continued through the 1960s. It is one of the nations single most expensive projects of the decade, costing $56 billion. On November 22, at 12:30 PM CST, while riding in an open limousine through Dallas, Texas, Kennedy was shot in the head and neck by a sniper. He was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where efforts to revive him failed. A commission headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren concluded in September 1964 that the sole assassin was Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine. Oswald, who was captured hours after the assassination in a nearby theater, was himself killed two days later by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby while being moved from the city to the county jail. The state funeral of President Kennedy was watched on television by millions around the world. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. To this day JFK is still considered one of the nations best presidents.

Titanic

One of the best known films of all time, in my opinion, is â€Å"Titanicâ€Å". Directed by James Cameron in 1997, this film captured both my attention and my heart with the plot of a tragic event hand in hand with a love story with everything but a happy ending. He managed to combine TragedyThe real story behind this film is that of the ship of dreams also believed to be the unsinkable ship and its tragic journey to the ocean floor. The love story that caught all of our hearts is that of Jack Dawson and Rose. They’ve been brought together by this majesty boat from opposite ends of the spectrum in an era where status is everything.Timing was also against them with the pressure of Rose’s engagement to Cal Hockley. Rose’s snobby mother Ruth Dewitt was also a major obstacle to their relationship from the beginning and insists on the marriage of Rose and Cal Hockley because of his inheritance. The story is narrated by aged Rose to a group of explorers who wanted to know more details about the wreck of the Titanic. The movie begins with the exploration of the sunken Titanic by treasure hunter Brock Lovett and his team. They are searching for a necklace called the â€Å"Heart of the Oceanâ€Å".They believe the necklace is in Cal’s safe, which they recover. Instead of finding the priceless diamond, they find a drawing of a nude woman wearing the necklace, dated the same night the Titanic hit the iceberg, April 14, 1912. Rose Dawson sees the painting on TV and immediately contacts the explorers and tells them she is the woman in the drawing. Brock Lovett, being very interested in her story, brings Rose and her granddaughter Lizzy to the ship. When asked if she knows the whereabouts of the necklace, Rose recalls her memories in a flashback and brought us aboard the Titanic.The story begins with Jack and his best friend, Fabrizio, betting everything they have on a game of poker for life changing tickets to board the Titanic, minutes befor e its departure. They win the tickets and head for America on what was believed to be at the time, mans greatest creation, the Titanic. Rose and Jack were part of opposite social classes on the ship. Rose being the part of the wealthy stayed in first class quarters while Jack being part of the third class passengers belonged in the bowels of the ship.It wasn’t until one night that Rose was just fed up by the distress by the engagement and the pressure from her mother, that she come out to the dock and considers suicide. Seconds aways from reaching the point of no return and jumping, Jack comes from behind and talks her out of jumping. From that night on Jack and Rose develop a relationship of friendship with undeniable potential to be soul mates. Jack soon discovers the not so pleasant people of â€Å"high society,† and sees clearly why Rose is so desperate to break away from that world.Jack was looked down upon by Cal, Ruth, and most of Rose’s acquaintances. It was long before Cal and Ruth forbid that Rose see Jack. Weighing out her options, Rose decides to defy her mothers orders and meet with Jack. She soon realizes that Jack’s world and Jack himself is an escape from her marriage to Cal. This leads to one of the best scenes, where Rose takes Jack back to her room and asks him to draw a portrait of her wearing nothing but the heart of the ocean necklace, an engagement present from Cal.The same portrait that was found years later in Cal’s safe in place of the necklace itself. Afterwards, the two find their way to the ship's cargo hold, where, for the first time, they make love. Perhaps one of the most steaming, lust filled scenes in movie history. After that scene Jack and Rose go up to the deck and experience what is going to change everyone’s life on that ship. The ship collides with an iceberg that the ships crew weren’t in time to prevent. They also overhear the crew speaking of the seriousness, so they ge t a heads up. They then rush to inform Cal and her mother.But before Rose reaches her mother and Cal to warn them about the collision with the iceberg, Cal confronts her. He has found the sketch that Jack had painted of her. He then plots against Jack by dropping the necklace into his coat pocket and frames him for being a thief. Jack is then arrested, taken to a room, and handcuffed to a pipe. Rose, being lied to about Jacks action, is then left with no choice but to leave with Cal. Cal, Ruth, and Rose then rush to one of the few life boats on the ship to try and escape what they already know will be a deadly end.As the minutes pass and the ship stands still on the icy cold sea water, panic on the ship grows immensely. As Rose takes her place in the lifeboat, she decides to leave Cal, he mother along with her safety and rejoin Jack on this shipwreck to be. Rose is racing frantically against the panicking crowds in an effort to fin and save Jack. She soon realizes that the deck she has to go thru is already a couple of feet underwater. Without hesitation, she continues and goes on to find the room where Jack is handcuffed.The room quickly begins to flood; and without a key to set Jack free, Rose goes back into the hallways and finds an axe. After only a couple practice hits, she swings the axe down and cuts thru the cuffs. By the time they get back to the deck the ship is halfway underwater. They make their way to the lifeboats but they were only letting the woman and children board. Rose of course didn’t leave him the first and doesn’t leave him this time either. Moments later everyone including Jack and Rose are racing to the front of the boat and it rises higher and higher into the sky.The ship now being in a 90 degree angle, Jack and Rose hold their breath as the boat finally goes underwater. After a few seconds of being separated they find each other in the icy cold water surrounded by fifteen hundred others shouting for help. They are hopin g for the lifeboats to return for them. Meanwhile they come across this floating wooden board, buts it’s only big enough to sustain one of them. Rose lies on the wooden board and holds jacks hands and wait. Wait to die, wait for rescue, just wait. It gets quieter and quieter as the minutes pass, and finally one boat comes back.When Rose realizes that there’s a boat, she tries to wake up Jack only find him lifeless still holding on tight to her hand. Definitely the saddest moment of the movie, this scene brings me to tears. Rose then blows a whistle she had taken from one of the already dead officers floating next to them. With nothing but just a memory of Jack Dawson, Rose survives that’s horrific night to grow old and live life like Jack said she would. Rose finishes her remarkable story, and that same night she reveals that she had this diamond all along and returns it to where she always thought that it belonged.In my opinion of the most memorable scenes was the image of the thousands of people struggling in the ice cold dark waters when Rose came out of the water without Jack. I can picture it so vividly. Another scene that I remembered is where an old couple embraces each other in bed knowing that they were going to drown. The love scene in the car where the windows of the car are fogged up show the passion that Rose and Jack had for each other. Titanic is filled with the most impressive camera movements like the swooping motions around the moving ship which he uses various times throughout the movie.They’re just breathtaking. Probably the most epic and mind-blowing camera moves were those during the collision and sinking of the Titanic. The way you see people falling from the ship slamming into the water, hitting the objects on their way down to the swallowing ocean, one character even hit the propeller. Before the movie hit the big screen, the press was trashing Titanic, mainly because the cost of this film extremely over bud get. Well let me be one of the many to say that it was worth every single penny.There is nothing I've seen in years that comes close to the power and glory of Titanic. Perhaps it’s because the movie was based on a real story. And, of course, it was a movie that contained drama, action, adventure and we cannot forget the romance. Titanic is also a symbol of a time when the movies swept you away in another world and kept you there. Even knowing what is to come at the end, your eyes will be transfixed. It's that good. That’s why I believe this movie will be as popular and well known for many generation to come as it was the year it premiered and as recognizable as it is today. Titanic One of the best known films of all time, in my opinion, is â€Å"Titanicâ€Å". Directed by James Cameron in 1997, this film captured both my attention and my heart with the plot of a tragic event hand in hand with a love story with everything but a happy ending. He managed to combine TragedyThe real story behind this film is that of the ship of dreams also believed to be the unsinkable ship and its tragic journey to the ocean floor. The love story that caught all of our hearts is that of Jack Dawson and Rose. They’ve been brought together by this majesty boat from opposite ends of the spectrum in an era where status is everything.Timing was also against them with the pressure of Rose’s engagement to Cal Hockley. Rose’s snobby mother Ruth Dewitt was also a major obstacle to their relationship from the beginning and insists on the marriage of Rose and Cal Hockley because of his inheritance. The story is narrated by aged Rose to a group of explorers who wanted to know more details about the wreck of the Titanic. The movie begins with the exploration of the sunken Titanic by treasure hunter Brock Lovett and his team. They are searching for a necklace called the â€Å"Heart of the Oceanâ€Å".They believe the necklace is in Cal’s safe, which they recover. Instead of finding the priceless diamond, they find a drawing of a nude woman wearing the necklace, dated the same night the Titanic hit the iceberg, April 14, 1912. Rose Dawson sees the painting on TV and immediately contacts the explorers and tells them she is the woman in the drawing. Brock Lovett, being very interested in her story, brings Rose and her granddaughter Lizzy to the ship. When asked if she knows the whereabouts of the necklace, Rose recalls her memories in a flashback and brought us aboard the Titanic.The story begins with Jack and his best friend, Fabrizio, betting everything they have on a game of poker for life changing tickets to board the Titanic, minutes befor e its departure. They win the tickets and head for America on what was believed to be at the time, mans greatest creation, the Titanic. Rose and Jack were part of opposite social classes on the ship. Rose being the part of the wealthy stayed in first class quarters while Jack being part of the third class passengers belonged in the bowels of the ship.It wasn’t until one night that Rose was just fed up by the distress by the engagement and the pressure from her mother, that she come out to the dock and considers suicide. Seconds aways from reaching the point of no return and jumping, Jack comes from behind and talks her out of jumping. From that night on Jack and Rose develop a relationship of friendship with undeniable potential to be soul mates. Jack soon discovers the not so pleasant people of â€Å"high society,† and sees clearly why Rose is so desperate to break away from that world.Jack was looked down upon by Cal, Ruth, and most of Rose’s acquaintances. It was long before Cal and Ruth forbid that Rose see Jack. Weighing out her options, Rose decides to defy her mothers orders and meet with Jack. She soon realizes that Jack’s world and Jack himself is an escape from her marriage to Cal. This leads to one of the best scenes, where Rose takes Jack back to her room and asks him to draw a portrait of her wearing nothing but the heart of the ocean necklace, an engagement present from Cal.The same portrait that was found years later in Cal’s safe in place of the necklace itself. Afterwards, the two find their way to the ship's cargo hold, where, for the first time, they make love. Perhaps one of the most steaming, lust filled scenes in movie history. After that scene Jack and Rose go up to the deck and experience what is going to change everyone’s life on that ship. The ship collides with an iceberg that the ships crew weren’t in time to prevent. They also overhear the crew speaking of the seriousness, so they ge t a heads up. They then rush to inform Cal and her mother.But before Rose reaches her mother and Cal to warn them about the collision with the iceberg, Cal confronts her. He has found the sketch that Jack had painted of her. He then plots against Jack by dropping the necklace into his coat pocket and frames him for being a thief. Jack is then arrested, taken to a room, and handcuffed to a pipe. Rose, being lied to about Jacks action, is then left with no choice but to leave with Cal. Cal, Ruth, and Rose then rush to one of the few life boats on the ship to try and escape what they already know will be a deadly end.As the minutes pass and the ship stands still on the icy cold sea water, panic on the ship grows immensely. As Rose takes her place in the lifeboat, she decides to leave Cal, he mother along with her safety and rejoin Jack on this shipwreck to be. Rose is racing frantically against the panicking crowds in an effort to fin and save Jack. She soon realizes that the deck she has to go thru is already a couple of feet underwater. Without hesitation, she continues and goes on to find the room where Jack is handcuffed.The room quickly begins to flood; and without a key to set Jack free, Rose goes back into the hallways and finds an axe. After only a couple practice hits, she swings the axe down and cuts thru the cuffs. By the time they get back to the deck the ship is halfway underwater. They make their way to the lifeboats but they were only letting the woman and children board. Rose of course didn’t leave him the first and doesn’t leave him this time either. Moments later everyone including Jack and Rose are racing to the front of the boat and it rises higher and higher into the sky.The ship now being in a 90 degree angle, Jack and Rose hold their breath as the boat finally goes underwater. After a few seconds of being separated they find each other in the icy cold water surrounded by fifteen hundred others shouting for help. They are hopin g for the lifeboats to return for them. Meanwhile they come across this floating wooden board, buts it’s only big enough to sustain one of them. Rose lies on the wooden board and holds jacks hands and wait. Wait to die, wait for rescue, just wait. It gets quieter and quieter as the minutes pass, and finally one boat comes back.When Rose realizes that there’s a boat, she tries to wake up Jack only find him lifeless still holding on tight to her hand. Definitely the saddest moment of the movie, this scene brings me to tears. Rose then blows a whistle she had taken from one of the already dead officers floating next to them. With nothing but just a memory of Jack Dawson, Rose survives that’s horrific night to grow old and live life like Jack said she would. Rose finishes her remarkable story, and that same night she reveals that she had this diamond all along and returns it to where she always thought that it belonged.In my opinion of the most memorable scenes was the image of the thousands of people struggling in the ice cold dark waters when Rose came out of the water without Jack. I can picture it so vividly. Another scene that I remembered is where an old couple embraces each other in bed knowing that they were going to drown. The love scene in the car where the windows of the car are fogged up show the passion that Rose and Jack had for each other. Titanic is filled with the most impressive camera movements like the swooping motions around the moving ship which he uses various times throughout the movie.They’re just breathtaking. Probably the most epic and mind-blowing camera moves were those during the collision and sinking of the Titanic. The way you see people falling from the ship slamming into the water, hitting the objects on their way down to the swallowing ocean, one character even hit the propeller. Before the movie hit the big screen, the press was trashing Titanic, mainly because the cost of this film extremely over bud get. Well let me be one of the many to say that it was worth every single penny.There is nothing I've seen in years that comes close to the power and glory of Titanic. Perhaps it’s because the movie was based on a real story. And, of course, it was a movie that contained drama, action, adventure and we cannot forget the romance. Titanic is also a symbol of a time when the movies swept you away in another world and kept you there. Even knowing what is to come at the end, your eyes will be transfixed. It's that good. That’s why I believe this movie will be as popular and well known for many generation to come as it was the year it premiered and as recognizable as it is today.