State Sovereignty and Lawful Intervention Essay

State Sovereignty and Lawful Intervention - Essay Example International law emphasizes on the duties and responsibilities of states, in the conduct of their international relations with other states. There is a duty â€Å"to refrain from intervention or the dictatorial interference by a State in the affairs of another State for the purpose of maintaining or altering the actual condition of things† (Coquia and Santiago 115). Intervention is basically illegal under international law as it violates the sovereignty of a state (Coquia and Santiago 459) and affects the independence, the international personality, the territorial supremacy and even the existence of a state (Coquia and Santiago 115). However, there are instances where intervention is lawful based on â€Å"existing legal restrictions upon the independence or territorial or personal supremacy of the State intervened with† (Coquia and Santiago 116). Among the reasons which have been cited for state intervention are the following: intervention as a self-defense, for humanitarian reasons and finally for abatement. Self-Defense A State may intervene for its preservation or self-defense against armed attack provided that there exists an immediate danger of attack. It is important therefore to determine whether there exists an immediate danger of an armed attack or not. Thus the exercise or the use of force in self-defense would be justified under international law provided that the need for such force was â€Å"instant, overwhelming, immediate and that there was no viable alternative action which could be taken†

Discuss the risk management process and its interactions with the Essay

Discuss the risk management process and its interactions with the project lifecycle - Essay Example Risk management is a process that leads to identification of the uncertainties that may arise in the future and provide remedies and precautions for handling these risks. Risks faced by an organisation may create a negative impact on its assets and the reputation it has gained. The aim of Risk management is to identify the potential risks that the company might face and develop resources for mitigating the adverse effects of such losses. An organisation may face various types of risks like financial risks, operational risks, perimeter risks and lastly strategic risks. Financial risks may result in the losses related to cost of claims and liability of judgments (Conrow 2003). Operational risks may be faced by the organisation in the form of labor strikes and strategic risks involve risks related to changes in management or loss of reputation. Risk management has a pivotal role to play in effective project management. The following paper, will throw light on crucial objectives of risk management, the process of risk management and interactions between risk management the project lifecycle. Objectives of Risk Management The process of risk management aims at identification of the potentially hazardous and harmful situations. ... The purpose of risk management is to develop strategies and plans for managing and mitigating the potential risks faced by the organisation. In this manner, risk management aims at preventing the organisations from various types of risks that it may face in the long run and provide effective tools for setting appropriate strategies. Risk Management Process Assessment of risks has a fundamental process that involves five steps in implementing an appropriate system of control so that risks can be minimised. It helps in the identification and analysis of the various risks that are harmful for the workplace and negatively impact the organisation. Therefore, risk assessment is a straightforward examination of the dangerous elements that can harm the people, as well as the reputation of the organisation in the long run. So there is a need to take proper precautions for eliminating all kind of risks in order to minimise the fuss that is created in the functioning of the organisation (Culp 2 001). The first step of risk management process involves identification of hazards and the harmful effects that these hazards possess. For this purpose, it is necessary to identify how people would be affected by the potential danger that is created by the risks. It is required that proper ramifications are undertaken for mitigating the possibilities of such risks. Various strategies and tools are identified to be crucial, for mitigating the dangerous effects of the risks. At this level, sources through which risks can be avoided are analysed, and appropriate measures are undertaken to keep the things at place. These sources of risks can be internal or external to the organisation. An example of internal and external sources of risks can be the employees and the operational

Lifestyle Changes For Diabetes Health And Social Care Essay

Lifestyle Changes For Diabetes Health And Social Care Essay Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous group of disorders, all characterized by increased plasma glucose. In the majority of patients with diabetes, the etiology of the disease is not understood. Expert panels have recommended one set of criteria for diagnosis and another set for classification . The criteria serve two purposes. One is to secure optimal treatment of the patient. The other is to support research aimed at understanding the aetiology and pathogenesis of diabetes syndromes Diabetes mellitus type 2 or type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or adult-onset diabetes) is a disorder characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency.(Robbins et al ,2004) More than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes. In 2005, an estimated 1.1 million people died from diabetes.Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Almost half of diabetes deaths occur in people under the age of 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women. WHO projects that diabetes death will double between 2005 and 2030.Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.(WHO,2009) Many types of diabetes are recognized (Tierney.L.M et al,2002) the principal three are: Type  1: Failure to produce insulin by body mechanism resulting in diabetes. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type  1 diabetes. Currently patients with type  1 diabetes take insulin injections. Type  2: Results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, may be combined with absolute insulin deficiency. Majority of patients world over who are diagnosed with diabetes have type  2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes: Pregnant women who previously never had diabetes before but who have sudden increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy mainly due to change in their diet are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It may precede development of type  2 (or rarely type 1) Diabetes mellitus . Type 1 Diabetes Diabetes is a long-term (chronic) condition caused by the increase in level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is also known as diabetes mellitus. In the UK, diabetes is seen in around 2.3 million people, and its estimated that there are more than half a million more people who have the condition but are not aware of it. Normally a hormone called insulin regulates the blood sugar level, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach). When food is digested and enters the bloodstream, insulin moves any glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it is broken down to produce energy. However, in those with diabetes, the body has higher level of glucose as it is stored and is unable to break down glucose into energy because there is either not enough insulin to breakdown glucose and store it as energy or because the insulin produced is not enough or does not work as required. Gestational diabetes is caused by excess weight, obesity and Insulin Resistance are a condition that develops in the third trimester of pregnancy and affects 4-5 % of all pregnant women in the U.S. That is around 135,000 cases each year. With Gestational Diabetes, the insulin production by pancreas is normal but it doesnt lower the mothers blood sugar levels. The symptoms are only detectable by laboratory testing. Pregnant women can test their blood glucose level by urine dip stick test with each pre-natal visit. This test may show glucose in the urine, which is sign and will require health care provider to carry out further examinations for the presence of Gestational Diabetes, also known as Gestational Diabetes Mellitus http://weight.insulitelabs.com/Gestational-Diabetes.php There are two types of diabetes type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body produces no insulin. It is often referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes. It is also sometimes known as juvenile diabetes, or early-onset diabetes, because it usually develops before the age of 40, often in the teenage years. Type 1 diabetes is far less common than type 2 diabetes, which occurs when there is too little insulin produced by the body to work, or when the cells in the body do not react properly to insulin. People with type 1 diabetes make up only 5-15% of all people with diabetes. type 1 diabetes, will need insulin injections for life as well as blood glucose levels stay balanced by eating a healthy diet and carrying out regular blood tests http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes/Pages/Introduction.aspx The  main symptoms of diabetes  are: feeling very thirsty(polyphagia) producing excessive amounts of urine(polyurea) tiredness and lethargy weight loss muscle wasting (loss of muscle bulk). Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop quickly, over weeks or even days. Other symptoms  are:   itchiness around the vagina or penis or getting thrush regularly, blurred vision (caused by the lens of your eye becoming very dry),   muscle cramps, constipation skin infections. Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) If a patient has diabetes, their blood glucose levels can become very low. This is known as hypoglycaemia (or a hypo), and happens because insulin produced by the body is more and has reduced the level of in the bloodstream. In most cases, hypoglycaemia occurs if there is overdose of insulin, although it can also happen if you skip a meal, exercise very vigorously or drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Symptoms of a hypo include: feeling shaky and irritable, sweating tingling lips feeling weak hunger nausea A hypoglycaemia can be brought under control simply by eating or drinking something with sugar in it . If a hypoglycaemia is not brought under control it can lead to confusion, slurred speech and unconsciousness. If this occurs there will be a need to have an emergency injection of a hormone called glucagon. This hormone will raise the level of glucose in your blood as it suppress the effect of insulin. Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) As diabetes occurs as a result of your body being unable to produce any, or enough, insulin to regulate your blood glucose level, your blood glucose levels may become very high. This happens because there is no insulin to breakdown glucose from the bloodstream and into the cells to produce energy. Blood glucose levels become too high, it lead to   hyperglycaemia. The symptoms are similar to the main symptoms of diabetes, but they may come on suddenly and severely. They include: extreme thirst a dry mouth blurred vision drowsiness a frequent need to pass urine. If left untreated, hyperglycaemia can lead to complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, which can eventually cause unconsciousness and even death. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when your body begins to break down fats for energy instead of glucose, leading to a build-up of acids in your blood urgent medical attention if diabetes develop in the body and this are the general signs and symptoms seen in case of diabetes a loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting (feeling or being sick), a high temperature, stomach pain or severe abdominal pain a fruity smell on your breath, which may smell like pear drops or nail varnish. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes/Pages/Symptoms.aspx The McKeown thesis and its Impact: The McKeown thesis attempted to reason the phenomenal growth in population of the from late 18th century to the present day .McKeowns thesis can be summarized as a steep growth in population was primarily due to decline in mortality form infectious diseases and the change in economic conditions due to industrial revolution ,which lead to improvement in rising of living standards and brought a gradual change in nutritional status that improved the human bodys resistance towards various diseases. The development in medical fields achieved by modern science did not make a significant contribution towards the population growth and was largely due to economic forces and changes in living and social conditions. This lead to McKeown reclassifying various fatal diseases recorded by General record office (GRO).McKeown classification was generally of three types (1)Infectious diseases spread through air -Respiratory tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Bronchitis (2) Infectious diseases spread through water or food Cholera, Diarrhoea, Typhoid (3) All other diseases contagious and degenerative When a population develops it is important that the individuals are in a position to fight diseases and problems that can arise from them, this depends on the resources that they have. These resources could be knowledge, social setup, power, money. Those people who have access to resources have advantage and can gain health benefits from the public health system from those who are not in position to direct access to public health system. Resources are important in two different ways first , they can develop the individuals behaviour towards health by helping them access and make choices and whether they could afford them all helping towards health enhancing behaviours and Second, resources are shaped across a broad range of contexts such as communities, neighbourhoods, social network , occupation and the risk as well as protecting factors .Housing for poor people would always be associated with pollution, noise, indifferent social conditions . Access to broad range of problems lie wi th socio economic condition of the individual like knowledge of best doctors and ideal treatment of medical problems and the freedom in making choices .The reason for social condition always being important is resources shape the access to health relevant circumstances . The social condition has been responsible for determining the quality of life and plays an important role as health determinant. (Link.B.G and Phelan.J.C 2003) Mckeown was the former chairman of World health organizations advisory group on health research strategy concludes that the average life expectancy had improved by 23 years in first half of century and medical therapy was responsible for only for few years of it. Meckeown believed that most this decrease was due to identification of bacilli which causes respiratory tuberculosis was not done till year 1882 and effective pharmacotherapy was not available till year 1947. Between 1700 and 1915, the mortality rate in England declined from 27.9 deaths per thousand living to 14.4 and average life expectancy at birth Increased from 37.1 (in 1701) to 53.5 (in 1910-12). These figures reflect a major Improvement in the life-chances of the British population over the course of the Period, and therefore it is hardly surprising that the McKeown thesis, which attempts to account for the decline of mortality and the modern rise of population, has played a big role in economic, social and medical history as well as history of epidemiology and population studies In the years following the publication of McKeown thesis it is argued that its unlikely the dietary standards would have improved during the second half of 18th century as the value of wages was falling as there were apparent contradictions between real wages and mortality. (Wrigley and Schofield, 1981). McKeown argued that there was no means to fight air borne diseases in 18th century and the reduction in deaths was more likely due to improved human body resistance towards these diseases. Illich was not content in criticizing modern medicines for to improve life expectancy , he proposed that medical interventions were in fact responsible for increasing the mortality rate by using ineffective and hazardous medical therapies which at times not tested or researched properly .Illich stated that chronic usages of drugs lead to numerous side-effects , infections acquired from hospitals , poorly performed surgeries as well as false positives and false negative tests from medical tests. McKeown was aware that higher rate in fertility was responsible for increase in population rather than reduced mortality rate but dismissed it on grounds that higher birth rate means higher infant mortality as well due to the high risk parity of mothers so would not account for such a high rate of population growth. McKeown pointed out that mortality rates for most of the infectious diseases reduced considerably before any effective medical measure was in place. McKeown concluded that public health measure such as sewage disposal system, public waste disposal, and supply of clean and potable water and pasteurization of milk was important only from year1870, so the reason behind the decline mortality rate before this was according to McKeown due to improvement in living standards .Improvement in nutrition due to increase in agriculture productivity was also responsible for the increase in resistance to airborne infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis.(Grundy,2005). Prestons article c oncluded that the increase in life expectancy all over the world between 1930s and 160s could not be totally attributed to increase in living standards and suggested that advances in medical care and public health did make significant contribution towards decline in mortality. Prestons did make an effort to prove McKeown thesis wrong but had little influence on conventional belief and the theory of improved standard of living became conventional wisdom for that present time. (Mackenbach J P,2006) It has recently been shown that McKeowns interpretations of his very own epidemiological data is flawed in many respects, firstly smallpox and diphtheria are two diseases that have been eradicated totally all over the world by vaccinations which is a preventive health measure .Positively the only three diseases to be eradicated before great world war was- cholera , typhoid and smallpox all these are attributed to public health measures and not nutrition .When all this data is analysed it goes to show that public health measures taken played the most decisive role in reduction of mortality . Furthermore since McKeowns work was published two significant forms of new evidence has appeared which slams the nutrition/living standard theory by McKeown. The first half of the century, the period which is under review suggests that as when the wages across sectors started improving, the reduction in mortality rate showed a slight decline from previous years and if wage increase meant better nu trition these was not seen in children .The growing cities and towns where the wage improvement were seen showed a trend of areas which had highest mortality rate and children were poorly developed (R.Woods and J.Woodward.1984).Although the points raised here are relevant they skew the main issue here which is that growth in income is not necessarily same all over the world and can vary considerably from developed countries to developing and underdeveloped countries .There are no patterns in cross-sectional associations between the income of a nation and progress in developing health standards as well as life expectancy of their population. Prestons analysis underestimated the effects of economic development and its relation with reduction in mortality rate, that the relationship between the economic development and the developments in medical field are crude conceptualization between the two. McKeowns study can be explained by relevance of the question that underlines them. This concerns the importance of medical interventions, social, economic, political measures which affects the health status and health inequalities. Study suggest that measures need to be taken to improve health inequality and medical interventions and social changes has to be taken as complimenting rather than opposing each other . Interventions Type 1 diabetes is approached by primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention Primary intervention includes treatment of all individuals with diabetes. The possibility of using autoantigens new medium to combat diabetes as a vaccination is currently being explored not only in animal experiments but also in human tests. The selection of children on the basis of HLA type is being used to treat newborns with either oral or nasal insulin. Animal experiments have shown that treatment of spontaneously diabetic nonobese diabetic mice with GAD as a peptide, protein, or expressed in potatoes reduced diabetes. Vaccinations studies done both children and adults remain a future possibility to test determine whether type 1 diabetes can be prevented. (Lernmark.A.1999) Secondary intervention involves screening for genetic, autoantibody, and other possible markers at birth, in school children, or in adults . Individuals classified with type 2 diabetes but positive for islet autoantibodies (representing slow-onset type 1 diabetes, latent autoimmune diabetes in the adult, or type 1.5 diabetes) are also being tested to determine whether they are suitable for immune intervention to preserve their ß-cell function. Recent studies in Japan suggested that early insulin treatment preserves ß-cell function. Several intervention trials are pending, including the use of subcutaneous or oral insulin in the Diabetes Prevention Trial for Type 1 Diabetes, milk formula or nasal insulin in Finland, aerosol insulin in Melbourne, or nicotinamide in the European Nicotinamide Diabetes Intervention Trial. In the next few years studies would find out the extent of such intervention trials preserve ß-cell function in subjects at risk for type 1 diabetes.(Lernmark.A .1999) Tertiary intervention involves the treatment of patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes very recently. Previous studies have demonstrated that treatment plans with satisfactory results are not present such as immunosuppression with cyclosporin and other agents has not been able to stop the pathogenetic process in new-onset patients. A future innovative treatment is planned so that it represents an antigen-specific immune intervention. Animal experiments have demonstrated that in case of early diagnosis or in patients with early onset the timely administration of antigen or insulin, at the time of clinical onset may slow the disease process.(Lernmark.A.1999) Being active is referred to as physical activity (exercise) and is defined as the act of expending energy. It is generally categorized into two different types aerobic (requiring oxygen to maintain muscular effort) or anaerobic (not requiring oxygen to maintain muscular effort). The term exercise is used as a general label for being active and physical activity as well as exercise. Major challenges to decision making about exercise include how to develop and implement an efficient and effective exercise regimen, how to modify it to an individual patients motivation level knowing his mindset and barriers so that exercise will be initiated and maintained, and how to select, measure, and achieve specific, desired outcomes. Given these decision-making challenges Exercise interventions aimed at achieving these outcomes usually vary by type, intensity, duration and frequency. As with any type of self-care behaviors, barriers to exercise vary and are individual to particular patients depend ing on their health status as well as mindset. Among potential considerations for barriers has to be devised for individual patients type of exercise and duration, intensity, and frequency may need to be tailored to severity of progression of diabetes since complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy may affect the exercise capabilities of a diabetes patient. In addition, patients may consider availability of time, among many other factors such as age, job profile, social status and other medical complications, as posing a substantial barrier to integrating regular exercise or physical activity into normal daily lifestyle. Each of these poses challenges to the initiation and maintenance which is the more difficult part of exercise for patients and therefore to the measurement, monitoring, and management of exercise intervention outcomes for providers. Exercise is one of the most important features to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients. For type 2 diabetes patients, engagi ng in regular exercise may improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of vascular complications, increase insulin sensitivity, reduce stress and stave off depression and contribute to control of lipids and blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in diabetes patients. Type  2 diabetes is determined primarily by lifestyle related factors and hereditary factors. Lifestyle A number of lifestyle factors are known to be important to the development of type  2 diabtetes. In one study, those who had high levels of physical activity, a healthy diet, did not smoke, and consumed alcohol in moderation had an 82% lower rate of diabetes. When a normal weight was included the rate was 89% lower. In this study a healthy diet was defined as one high in fiber, with a high polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio, and a lower mean glycemic index. (Mozaffarian.D.et al 2009) Obesity has been found to contribute to approximately 55% type  2 diabetes, and decreasing consumption of saturated fats and trans fatty acids while replacing them with unsaturated fats may decrease the risk.(Saad.F.2009) increased rate of childhood obesity in between the 1960s and 2000s is beleived to have lead to the increase in type  2 diabetes in children and adolescents. (Rosenbloom.A. et al.2003) Environmental toxins may contribute to recent increases in the rate of type  2 diabetes. A positive correlation has been found between the concentration in the urine of bisphenol A, a constituent of some plastics, and the incidence of type  2 diabetes. (Lang.A.2008) Medical conditions Subclinical Cushings syndrome (cortisol excess) may be associated with DM type 28The percentage of subclinical Cushings syndrome in the diabetic population is about 9%.Diabetic patients with a pituitary microadenoma can improve insulin sensitivity by removal of these microadenomas. (Taniguchi T.2008) Hypogonadism is often associated with cortisol excess, and testosterone deficiency is also associated with diabetes mellitus type 2, even if the exact mechanism by which testosterone improve insulin resistance is still not known. (Farrell JB,2008) Genetics Both type  1 and type  2 diabetes are partly inherited. Type  1 diabetes may be triggered by certain infections, with some evidence pointing at Coxsackie B4 virus. There is a genetic element in individual susceptibility to some of these triggers which has been traced to particular HLA genotypes (i.e., the genetic self identifiers relied upon by the immune system). However, even in those who have inherited the susceptibility, type  1 diabetes mellitus seems to require an environmental trigger. There is a stronger inheritance pattern for type  2 diabetes. Those with first-degree relatives with type  2 have a much higher risk of developing type  2, increasing with the number of those relatives. Gene expression promoted by a diet of fat and glucose as well as high levels of inflammation related cytokines found in the obese results in cells that produce fewer and smaller mitochondria than is normal, and are thus prone to insulin resistance. COMPLICATIONS of Diabetes Early complications- Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency, because it can cause coma and death. Hospitalization, usually in an intensive care unit, is necessary. Large amounts of fluids are given intravenously along with electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and phosphate, to replace those fluids and electrolytes lost through excessive urination. Insulin is generally given intravenously so that it works quickly and the dose can be adjusted frequently. Blood levels of sugar, ketones, and electrolytes are measured every few hours. Doctors also measure the bloods acid level. Sometimes, additional treatments are needed to correct a high acid level. However, controlling the levels of sugar in the blood and replacing electrolytes usually allow the body to restore the normal acid-base balance.( Robbins and Cotran,2007) Late Complication of Diabetes Mellitus: Macro-vascular complications as: Atherosclerosis with MI, CVA, peripheral vascular disease Micro-vascular complications as: Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy refers to progressive pathologic alterations in the retinal microvasculature. In type 2 diabetes, though the incidence of blindness is lower, higher disease prevalence results in an even larger number of patients affected with severe visual loss. Diabetic Neuropathy Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a common and troublesome complication of diabetes mellitus, leading to great morbidity and mortality and resulting in a huge economic burden for care of the patient with diabetes mellitus. It is the most common form of neuropathy in the developed countries of the world, accounts for more hospitalizations than all the other diabetic complications combined, and is responsible for 50% to 75% of nontraumatic amputations and patients have serious co-morbid conditions, especially heart, eye, and peripheral vascular diseases. Diabetic neuropathy is a heterogeneous disorder that encompasses a wide range of abnormalities affecting proximal and distal peripheral sensory and motor nerves as well as the autonomic nervous system. The major morbidity associated with somatic neuropathy is foot ulceration, the precursor of gangrene and limb loss. (Robbins and Cotran,2007) Research on diabetes The features of Type 1 diabetes in humans as well as mice in labororatory environment is significantly dependent on an relation between the environmental factors and genetic feature of humans as well as the study animal. Studies by Giulietti.A.et al(2004) al point towards vitamin D as being one of the environmental factors that can modulate the incidence of diabetes. This study further shows that in mice that developing Type 1 diabetes are generally at higher risk due to its genetics as well as vitamin D deficiency which leads to features seen in early part of life leading to a more aggressive form of the disease causing earlier onset, and a higher final incidence of the disease. This model of subtle vitamin D deficiency in early life, with only a marginal vitamin D deficiency in blood, but no effect on calcium concentration in serum or bone calcium content. This is most probably the reflection of the vitamin D status in many infants and small children as this model has temporary and limited vitamin D deficiency, even in areas with high exposure to sunlight, since infants always are shielded from UV B exposure or direct exposure of sunlight. The application of vitamin D supplement is advised in many countries it is far from strictly controlled and many times, these supplements are omitted or administered irregularly or not paid enough importance to keep tab on their supply and demand. The higher incidence of Type 1 diabetes in the past two decades may be seen due the nutritional rickets which has never been completely eradicated in many countries and may be reappearing in may industrialize countries (Giulietti.A.et al, 2004). It was found that the risks for diabetes in African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans are approximately 2, 2.5, and 5 times greater, respectively, than in Caucasians being the least. Various national and ethnic populations within the U.S. to the total U.S. population were analyzed to find possible risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes this was done by number of cross-sectional studies and prospective studies . Studies of the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites in San Antonio showed that there is an inverse relationship between prevalence of diabetes generally and their current socioeconomic status. The cultural effects lead to an increased incidence of obesity in these populations which may also be related to their diet and physical activities, which may lead to insulin resistance. Genetic factors may also be a contributing factor. (Haffener.S.M 1998) There are no high quality data on the research about the long lasting effectiveness of the dietary treatment of type 2 diabetes, however the data available indicate that the adoption of exercise which is a change in lifestyle appears to improve glycated haemoglobin at six and twelve months in people with type 2 diabetes. There is an urgent need for more well-designed studies which will analyse the wide range of interventions, at various points during follow-up (Moore.H. et al 2004) Weight loss improves glycemic control with magnitude of improvement related to both magnitude of weight and characteristics of patient , the amount of weight loss required to reduce blood glucose is large, even modest weight loss produces glycemic control .The most important issue is how to improve weight loss especially long term weight loss, in type 2 diabetic patient .Dietary modification is most important direction in weight loss program (Hertzel.C.et al) Implications for developing world Type I diabetes is the only major organ-specific autoimmune disorder not to show a strong female bias. The overall sex ratio is roughly equal in children diagnosed under the age of 15 but while populations with the highest incidence all show male excess, the lowest risk populations studied, mostly of non-European origin, characteristically show a female bias. In contrast, male excess is a consistent finding in populations of European origin aged 15-40 years, with an approximate 3:2 male:female ratio. This ratio has remained constant in young adults over two or three generations in some populations. Further, fathers with Type I diabetes are more likely than affected mothers to transmit the condition to their offspring. Women of childbearing age are therefore less likely to develop Type I diabetes, and should this occur are less likely to transmit it to their offspring. Type II diabetes showed a pronounced female excess in the first half of the last century but is now equally prevale nt among men and women in most populations, with some evidence of male preponderance in early middle age. Men seem more susceptible than women to the consequences of indolence and obesity, possibly due to differences in insulin sensitivity and regional fat deposition. Women are, however, more likely to transmit Type II diabetes to their offspring. Understanding these experiments of nature might suggest ways of influencing the early course of both forms of the disease.(Gale.E.A.M. et al 2001) It is recognized that there will be substantially increased costs of widely applying the recommendations of study in the U.S on the Diabetes control and complications trial (DCCT). There will also need to be additional efforts to ensure professional education, so that health practitioners are implement this recommendations through the trial are able to effectively and safely implement the therapy employed in the DCCT. It is hoped that the benefits of trial are long term healthier; more productive lives with fewer complications will offset the costs of tight control. The cost-benefit ratio for intensive therapy in diabetes in this trial is in a range similar to other accepted treatments in the U.S that are

Women in Management of Grief and A Pair of Tickets Essay -- Women Imag

Women in Management of Grief and A Pair of Tickets Both Management of Grief and A Pair of Tickets were written by women and about women. Authors were able to portray an image of women which differs from the traditional, stereotypical literary image of feeble and delicate creatures who needed to be cared for. Women in these stories were faced with horrible tragedies, but the determining element in their experience was not so much what happened to them but how they took it. After reading first few pages of Management of Grief one may see Shaila as "traditional" Indian woman who due to her upbringing was not even comfortable enough with her own husband: "I was too much the well brought up woman. I was so well brought up I never felt comfortable calling my husband by his first name" (Mukherjee 537). For a person who grew up in North American society this revelation may seem to come from an oppressed female, but later on in the story we learn that protagonist could stand up for herself and for other women, like in the airport incident. There again we were reminded of the way she was brought up: "Once upon a time we were well brought up women; we were dutiful wives who kept our heads veiled, our voices shy and sweet" (543). Only this time the statement is ironic. Shaila's actions show us that she is far from the voiceless, week female she was brought up to be. Shaila was not responsible for her own heredity. She could not control much of her environment ...

Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Essay

Psychology can be described as examination of ideas, intuitive feeling, and the way someone thinks and uses his or her wits be it physical, mental, or cognitive. Abnormal psychology is ideas or conduct causing the individual troubles. The deficiency may be sadness, potential fight, or simply uncomfortableness in the individuals daily life. Mental disorders or mental disease are practices not in general associated with a person. A number of these disorders can harm others or the one who is battling with the disorder. There are a number of therapies for these disorders and are different in each case. A closer look and contrast of normal and abnormal psychology is need along with mental disturbance and mental disease from a psychology position polishing off by way of a look at different therapies useful for normal and abnormal psychology. Abnormal and Normal Psychology are likewise, also the two look into behaviors, and because of individuals different cultures and beliefs some behaviors are normal. Then again oftentimes they could be different for the behavior is not really typical or something out the ordinary. To know the difference between normal and abnormal psychology helps with acknowledging mental disturbance from a psychological perspective. To help illustrate our research on abnormal psychology, this section will compare and contrast normal and abnormal psychology. Normal psychology focuses on the different ways different people see life and want to live life, rather than relying on generalizations made about whole populations of people. See more:  Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay These generalizations can often do harm because without proper consideration they can often imply norm of behavior inimical to a person’s existence. A normal psychology in this way doesn’t imply a perfect individual existence, nor that there aren’t any pathologies. Abnormal-is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder. The field of abnormal psychology identifies multiple causes for different conditions, employing diverse theories from the general field of psychology and elsewhere, and much still hinges on what exactly is meant by â€Å"abnormal†. Mental disorders and mental illnesses This next section will examine mental disorders and mental illnesses from the perspective of psychology. Adjustment disorders of mental disorders is related to an identifiable source of stress that causes significant emotional and behavioral symptoms. Anxiety disorders are those that are characterized by excessive and abnormal fear, worry and anxiety. In one recent survey published in the Archives of General Psychology 1, it was estimated that as many as 18% of American adults suffer from at least one anxiety disorder. Cognitive disorders are psychological disorders that involve cognitive abilities such as memory, problem solving and perception. Some anxiety disorders, mood disorders and psychotic disorders are classified as cognitive disorders. Alzheimer’s disease †¢Delirium †¢Dementia †¢Amnesia Therapies Psychotherapy is a general term that is used to describe the process of treating psychological disorders and mental distress. During this process, a trained psychotherapist helps the client tackle a specific or general problem such as a particular mental illness or a source of life stress. Depending on the approach used by the therapist, a wide range of techniques and strategies can be used. However, almost all types of psychotherapy involve developing a therapeutic relationship, communicating and creating a dialogue and working to overcome problematic thoughts or behaviors. †¢Psychoanalytic: An approach to therapy that involved delving into a patient thoughts and past experiences to seek out unconscious desires or fantasies. Cognitive-behavioral: A type of psychotherapy that involves cognitive and behavioral techniques to change negative thoughts and maladaptive behaviors. Humanistic: A form of therapy that focuses on helping people maximize their potential. Medical therapy for mental disturbance and sicknesses change between each philosophical system. The earlier style of psychotherapy were the psychodynamic therapies. Psychodynamic therapy tries to change personality practices through perceptiveness and the therapist-patient relationship (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). Inside this subdivision of therapy dwell the proficiencies of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy. These particular therapies ask the patient to lie on a sofa or sit opposite with a therapist and talk about what one thinks of, a technique known as free association. The two most adept humanistic therapies are Gestalt therapy and the client centered therapy. Gestalt therapy is somewhat like psychodynamic psychotherapy. The most commonly known technique of the therapy is the empty chair technique. Through this method the patient exercises emotional expression by visualizing that the individual him or her wants to converse with is in the chair. The second humanistic therapy is the client centered therapy. Through this technique the therapist exhibits an position of full credence for the patient by listening emphatically. Therapeutic change occurs as the patient hears his or her own thoughts or feelings reflected by the nonjudgmental listener. Conclusion There are a number of therapies for these disorders and are different in each case. Abnormal and Normal Psychology are likewise, also the two look into behaviors, and because of individuals different cultures and beliefs, some behaviors are normal. Lastly, normal and abnormal look into behavior, this behavior may be causing the individual troubles, confrontation, or simply uncomfortableness in daily life. Mental disorders including schizophrenia and Obsessive compulsive disorder can harm others or the individual battling with them. Mental illnesses comprise of perturbations of mentation, experience, and emotion cause operative disability making it very hard to nurture relationships, keep a job, and can lead to suicide. Treatment will change with regards to the form of disorder a individual has and the individuals commitment to look for assistance with a therapist. References Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2009). Psychology (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Nami ( National Alliance on Mental Illnesses, http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Mental_Illnesses/Depression/Mental_Illnesses_What_is_Depression.htm retrieved December 01, 2012. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mental-illness/ retrieved December 01, 2012. www.uidaho.edu/psych101/abnormal6.pdf. Retrieved December 02, 2012 Wood, S. E., & Wood, E. R. The World of Psychology. Boston, MA: A Pearson Education Company. Page 538 Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Essay Teresa Neal Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper In a world where nothing seems to be considered normal anymore, psychology tries to draw the line between what it is and what is not. The different schools of thought have their own perspective on the definition, origin, and treatment of abnormal behavior and this paper will cover a few, trying to make it possible to have a clear difference between normal and abnormal psychology. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Specifically defining behavior as normal or abnormal is a contentious issue in abnormal psychology. To try to distinguish between normal psychology and abnormal psychology, psychologists use three criteria; whatever is infrequent, maladaptive, and deviant from the cultural norm, falls under the category of abnormal behavior (Spoor, 1999). Mental health, also known as normal psychology, and mental illnesses and disorders, also known as abnormal psychology, have been defined in many ways, but should always be viewed in the context of ethnocultural factors and influence because what is considered normal in some environments may be considered abnormal in others. A person with a normal behavior and mental processes has the ability to adapt and cope with adversity, has a correct perception of reality, accepts self, avoids harm, and experiences continual psychological growth and development (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). Abnormal psychology, on the other hand, is characterized by unusual patterns that some people might show in their behavior, thought process, and expression of emotion, patterns that are associated with distress or disability and can cause harm and an unreasonable response to a particular situation. Mental Disorders Daily functions such as the ability to think, read, remember, plan, and understand rely on an individuals cognitive skills (Medalia & Revheim, 2002). Cognitive disorders are disorders of thinking or memory that signify an evident change from the personal former level of functioning. In certain situations the exact origin of the disorder can be identified, other cases the cause is unclear. Even though these disorders are biologically founded, the environment and psychological factors play significant roles in shaping the effect and extent of disabling symptoms in addition to the personal capacity to deal with them. (Nevid, et a. 2008). The most common cognitive disorders are amnestic, delirium, and dementia disorders. Amnestic disorders are a cognitive impairment relating a failure to develop new memories and the failure to remember old memories. Delirium is a severe, and reversible state of mental disorder, which involves confusion, and the lack of ability to focus on information or the surrounding environment. Individuals that suffer from delirium may suffer frightening hallucinations, particularly visual hallucinations. The loss of memory and understanding usually associated with behavior and personality changes describes dementia disorders. Different forms of dementia exist, depending on the cause; therefore; some types of dementia may be reversed with treatment. For example; those cases that are caused by brain tumors. Dementia caused by the disease Alzheimer’s cannot be reversed (Nevid, et al. 2008). On a personal note; these patients are difficult, they have to watch be continually as they can do harm to themselves and others. Mental Illnesses Although diagnoses of ADHD are based on behavioral symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity, evidence suggests that children with ADHD also show important cognitive weaknesses in areas that are necessary to daily functioning at home work and school. Particularly research studies indicate that children with ADHD often have problems in; Executive functions (for example, planning a project, keeping attentive to a task, ignoring irrelevant information) Working memory (which is often considered an executive function) speed of information processing (children with ADHD process information more slowly than their peers) Many of these cognitive processes are often interrelated. For example problems in working memory can negatively affect other executive functions, or slow processing speed may lower an individual’s ability to recall and organize information. ttp://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/15499890 From the cognitive perspective, theorists suggest that a person diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorders suffer from impaired information-processing. The impairment is present in defined categories and boundaries that are maladaptive and result in an over-structuring of input but there is no evidence to show that this is the c ause, rather than a consequence of OCD symptoms. Another cognitive theory suggests that OCD â€Å"fear structures† are especially various and a large number of stimuli can become associated with threat or danger. Passive avoidance of such a large number of stimulus associations can be extremely difficult and compulsions become necessary for the individual to feel safe. Although cognitive theories do provide insight into the outward aspect of OCD, they fail to clearly define how and why OCD and this cognitive impairment can arise. Similarities between the Schools of Thought There are quite a few similarities between the different schools of thought in treating mental disorders. All but the Psychodynamic therapies are short term usually lasting a year or less and most all therapies have the client or patient facing the therapist and are conversational. All therapies also look to help the client or patient change behaviors or thought patterns that are causing problems of one kind or another. Cognitive-Behavioral therapies help patients with behavior and cognitive problems. The therapist helps the patient focus on the problematic behavior and helps him or her find ways in which to address these behaviors and learn skills to change them. These therapies use a variety of techniques to help patients with phobias, social skills, accomplishing goals, anxiety disorders, and the like. Psychodynamic therapies both examine the patient’s thought patterns to get to the bottom of the undesired behavior or emotional responses. Humanistic therapies including Gestalt and Client-Centered therapies focus on the patient’s feelings and to experience themselves as they really are. Family, Marital, and Group therapies use group communication either one- on-one or in a group to help with problematic relationships and behaviors. Self-help groups are another type of group therapy that aims to help people either cope with undesired behavior, loss of a loved one, addictions, and disease. [ (Kowalski, 2009) ]The common thread here with most therapies, the approach is a warm relationship with the therapist who shows empathy for the patient or client and giving him or her hope or efficacy in coping with their problem[ (Kowalski, 2009) ] Differences between the Schools of Thought While each school of thought has common factors in treatment methods, each school has developed different ways of addressing psychological problem. For instance, Psychodynamic therapies rely on two principles: the role of insight and the role of the therapist-patient relationship (Kowalski & Western, 2009). It is believed that in order for therapeutic change to occur, a person must understand his or her own psychological processes. When in therapy it is one on one; the patient is either face to face with the therapist or lying on a couch with the therapist sitting behind them. Psychodynamic therapy emphasizes the notion that the patients problems stemmed from childhood. These problems follow the child into adulthood causing a conflict within new relationships. This transfer of emotion from past experiences is called transference, one of the techniques psychotherapies rely on. The two main treatments, psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, are a long term process that focuses on developing awareness of these unconscious feelings. Psychodynamic therapy, like psychoanalysis, consists of three days a week over a long period of time. It is considered that patients who meet at least twice weekly benefit more than those who do not. Unlike psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on the person’s life as it is now; the current and conscious thought patterns and behavior. They are not concerned with exploring and altering underlying personality patterns or unconscious processes (Kowalski & Western,  2009). The focus is on the present feelings and not the childhood experiences. Cognitive-based therapies are relatively short term and direct. Specific recommendations are made to bring about change in behavior. The sessions are well structured with questioning, and the patient usually is sent home with an assignment (Mote, 2011). While most cognitive behavioral techniques try to alter behavior, such as classical conditioning, cognitive therapy focuses on changing dysfunctional cognitions (Kowalski & Western, 2009). These behaviors are automatic, and not unconscious. Therapy is a process of identifying and altering these automatic thoughts. Cognitive therapy techniques such as rational-emotional behavior therapy recognize the behaviors and works to mediate between the activating conditions and the emotional reactions. As each of the other therapies are more therapist-patient, Humanistic therapies focus on the world of the patient and qualities that make him or her unique (Mote, 2011). The therapy techniques that are used, Gestalt therapy and Roger’s client centered therapy, are primarily based on becoming aware of one’s own emotions, values, and motivations to bring about change. With group therapy, the individuals are concentrated on the individual dynamics and their reactions in the group process. Family therapy is centered on the structure of the family, and the main roots of conflict in family interaction.

Humanities Today Essay

For as long as humankind has existed so have art, music, architecture, literature, and philosophy. The University of Phoenix (2009) defines humanities as â€Å"an approach to study that emphasizes ideas and values through analysis of modes of cultural expression, philosophical and religious thought, and modes of human communication† (University of Phoenix, Week One Supplement). Gloria K. Fiero (2006) further defines humanities as literature, philosophy, history, architecture, visual arts, music, and dance (p. 4). Humanities impact daily life without many people being aware of their presence. What distinguishes humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression is that they focus on ideas and values, not simply the production or result of an action. This paper will provide current examples of visual art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature and analyze how they reflect current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology. Visual art can be, but is not limited to, painting, sculpture, and photography. Classic paintings by renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso are still considered masterpieces in today’s society but are not enjoyed by the common population the way that graphic and digital art have in the past century. Graphic and digital technology have become the means by which visual art is to be viewed and cherished among the mass population in a way that has never been available in history. Today’s society has become focused on instant gratification. Changes are expected to be made in politics overnight, struggles in socioeconomics demand rectification within weeks (even though they took years to create), and advancements in technology feeds society’s dependence on better, faster, and stronger tools. Unfortunately, visual art has become victim to this need for instant gratification. No longer are single masterpieces created by the flow of an artist’s hands, shaping and molding art into a creation of his or her soul. Instead, art is generated digitally by the click of a mouse and a selection of color and size from a predefined chart. The art can then be mass-distributed and mass-produced around the world in the matter of minutes. The creativity is still there, but the love generated through the time and patience required to construct that art by hand is no longer there. With the flood of self-help books saturating the market, literature also reflects society’s need for instant gratification. Self-help books are a reflection of the current socioeconomic state in which everyone is looking for a way to better his or her life instantly. Politicians have indirectly supported this literary genre by focusing and promoting what is wrong in the country and in each other. For example, if a politician has shortcomings in his or her public speaking abilities, the opposing political party will ridicule that person publicly. Citizens who feel they also do not have strong speaking skills and fear being mocked may then be compelled to purchase a self-help book on public speaking. As technology has advanced, self-help books have become a wonderful tool for individuals struggling to learn how to use the newest electronic devices. One popular technology self-help series is the For Dummies books. The books began in 1991 with â€Å"DOS for Dummies† (Johnson, 2006, para. 3), but they have now sold over 150 million Dummies books in 39 languages. Many people have benefited from the simple, helpful language used in these books, but not all self-help books are created equal. Some self-help books offer a quick solution that often leaves individuals feeling worse than when they began. Striving for self-improvement is excellent; however, self-help books can sometimes do more harm than good. Music in today’s society can also do more harm than good when presented to an impressionable mind. Music has always been used as a means of creatively reflecting political and socioeconomic issues, but since the inception of the Rap and Heavy Metal music genres, discontent, anger, and frustration have become common and wide-spread in music over the past 50 years. Songs about drug use, suicide, murder, and rape and those that use explicit language are common in these two genres of music and have begun to permeate other forms of music. This reflects not only society’s discontent with the current political and socioeconomic state, but it also reflects society’s tolerance and acceptance of freedom of speech. The sound of music, the production of music, and the enjoyment of music have evolved as technology evolves. New sounds that have never been possible before are now available through technology. Music is now available anywhere through the use of an MP3 player or cell phone. No longer does a person have to stop and listen to a musician; music can be played at any time. This fills society’s need for instant gratification. Today’s architecture also caters to the on-the-go lifestyles of society. Bigger, stronger, smarter, and faster are all ideas and values visibly manifested in current architecture. The aesthetic appeal of a building has given way to designs which exploit opportunities to get the most for the money. A recent trend which reflects a change of political and socioeconomic initiatives is building environmentally-friendly structures. That means creating a building that produces little waste, uses alternative power solutions, and emits minimum greenhouse toxins. Advances in technology have made these structures possible; however, they cost additional money to construct, and businesses and individuals are charged more money to use them than a traditionally built structure. Instant gratification, the struggle for self-improvement, tolerance and acceptance, and the idea of making as much money as possible are all philosophies in today’s society. Each is reflected in art, literature, music, and architecture, but as a whole, they make up the philosophy of society through their ideas and values. Developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology have all played a part in creating these philosophies, but they are visibly manifested in the humanities. One can only wonder how the current humanities will be viewed and analyzed 50 or 100 years from now. The examples this paper has provided of visual art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature demonstrate how current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and technology are reflected. As politics, socioeconomics, and technology change so too will art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. They are a reflection of one another and intertwined in their evolution. References Fiero, Gloria K. (2007). The humanistic tradition (5th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Johnson, Doug (2006, October). For dummies books are popular learning aids. Retrieved from http://www. voanews. com/specialenglish/archive/2006-10/2006-10-12-voa1. cfm University of Phoenix (2009). Week One supplement: Humanities Terminology. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Week One, HUM102 – Introduction to the Humanities website.

A Look into Euthanasia essays

A Look into Euthanasia essays Wouldnt it be nice to die peacefully and not suffer? Its bad enough to die, but to go through a lot of pain before dying would just be miserable. Euthanasia, or mercy killing, is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals, human or animal, in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. Euthanasia helps ease the pain of the hopelessly suffering. Pain, doesnt that send shivers down your spine when you think of what it causes. Does it make you feel sorry for someone lying there on their death bed suffering? How does it make you feel when they ask you to just let them die? Dont you wish you could ease their suffering a different way? What about someone who has no hope of living, and theyre lying there unable to speak because theyre in so much pain? I know it breaks my heart to see anything in pain. I wish there was no pain in this world, but there is. There are different ways to cope with pain. Some people take medicine, some just say its all in their head and if they dont think about it then it doesnt bother them. What about all those people lying in their death beds suffering? Yeah medicine is keeping them alive, but is that any way to live. All they do is lie there, not being able to move. I know I wouldnt want to live like that, I would want to die. Is it murder when a dying patient willingly asks you to take their life? To some people it is, but the law states that doctors could withdraw treatment from terminally ill patients so long as the patient is willing The Right to Die. What about someone who cant say that they wish to die? The law states that when a patient cannot consent to withdraw treatment, then the family has the right to make the decision The Right to Die. Diane Collinson states that: ...

Mt St Helens 1980 Eruption

Mt St Helens 1980 Eruption At 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, the volcano located in southern Washington called Mt. St. Helens erupted. Despite the many warning signs, many were taken by surprise by the blast. The Mt. St. Helens eruption was the worst volcanic disaster in U.S. history, causing the deaths of 57 people and approximately 7,000 large animals. Â   A Long History of Eruptions Mt. St. Helens is a composite volcano within the Cascade Range in what is now southern Washington, approximately 50 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon. Though Mt. St. Helens is approximately 40,000-years old, it is considered a relatively young, active volcano. Mt. St. Helens historically has had four extended periods of volcanic activity (each lasting hundreds of years), interspersed with dormant periods (often lasting thousands of years). The volcano is currently in one of its active periods. Native Americans living in the area have long known that this was not an ordinary mountain, but one that had fiery potential. Even the name, Louwala-Clough, a Native American name for the volcano, means smoking mountain. Mt. St. Helens Discovered by Europeans The volcano was first discovered by Europeans when British Commander George Vancouver of the H.M.S.Discovery spotted Mt. St. Helens from the deck of his ship while he was exploring the northern Pacific Coast from 1792 to 1794. Commander Vancouver named the mountain after his fellow countryman, Alleyne Fitzherbert, the Baron St. Helens, who was serving as the British ambassador to Spain. Piecing together eyewitness descriptions and geologic evidence, it is believed that Mt. St. Helens erupted somewhere between 1600 and 1700, again in 1800, and then quite frequently during the 26-year span of 1831 to 1857. After 1857, the volcano grew quiet. Most people who viewed the 9,677-foot tall mountain during the 20th century, saw a picturesque backdrop rather than a potentially deadly volcano. Thus, not fearing an eruption, many people built houses around the base of the volcano. Warning Signs On March 20, 1980, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck underneath Mt. St. Helens. This was the first warning sign that the volcano had reawakened. Scientists flocked to the area. On March 27, a small explosion blew a 250-foot hole in the mountain and released a plume of ash. This caused fears of injuries from rockslides so the entire area was evacuated. Similar eruptions to the one on March 27 continued for the next month. Though some pressure was being released, large amounts were still building. In April, a large bulge was noticed on the north face of the volcano. The bulge grew quickly, pushing outward about five feet a day. Though the bulge had reached a mile in length by the end of April, the plentiful plumes of smoke and seismic activity had begun to dissipate. As April drew to a close, officials were finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the evacuation orders and road closures due to pressures from homeowners and the media as well as from stretched budget issues. Mt. St. Helens Erupts At 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck under Mt. St. Helens. Within ten seconds, the bulge and surrounding area fell away in a gigantic, rock avalanche. The avalanche created a gap in the mountain, allowing the release of pent-up pressure that erupted laterally in a huge blast of pumice and ash. The noise from the blast was heard as far away as Montana and California; however, those close to Mt. St. Helens reported hearing nothing. The avalanche, huge to begin with, quickly grew in size as it crashed down the mountain, traveling around 70 to 150 miles per hour and destroying everything in its path. The blast of pumice and ash traveled northward at 300 miles per hour and was a raging hot 660Â ° F (350Â ° C). The blast killed everything in a 200-square mile area. Within ten minutes, the plume of ash had reached 10 miles high. The eruption lasted nine hours. Death and Damage For the scientists and others who were caught in the area, there was no way to outrun either the avalanche or the blast. Fifty-seven people were killed. It is estimated that about 7,000 large animals such as deer, elk, and bears were killed and thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of small animals died from the volcanic eruption. Mt. St. Helens had been surrounded by a lush forest of coniferous trees and numerous clear lakes before the blast. The eruption felled entire forests, leaving only burned tree trunks all flattened in the same direction. The amount of timber destroyed was enough to build about 300,000 two-bedroom homes. A river of mud traveled down the mountain, caused by melted snow and released groundwater, destroying approximately 200 houses, clogging up shipping channels in the Columbia River, and contaminating the beautiful lakes and creeks in the area. Mt. St. Helens is now only 8,363-feet tall, 1,314-feet shorter than it was before the explosion. Though this explosion was devastating, it will certainly not be the last eruption from this very active volcano.

Aplastic Anemia Essays - Transplantation Medicine, Stem Cells

Aplastic Anemia Aplastic anemia is a disease of the bone marrow the organ that produces the body's blood cells. Approximately two thousand people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year with aplastic anemia. The symptoms of aplastic anemia are fatigue, bruising, infections, and weakness. Although these symptoms are much like those associated with leukemia, aplastic anemia is not a form of cancer. In patients with aplastic anemia the bone marrow stops producing, or produces too few red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Without sufficient red blood cells, oxygen cannot reach organs and tissues throughout the body. A decrease in the number of white blood cells causes the body's ability to fight infection as well as it should. Platelets are needed to help blood clot (Bone). Although the exact cause of aplastic anemia is not known, most evidence points to a combination of factors. The first factor is damaged stem cells. These are the primitive cells in the bone marrow that produce blood cells. Another factor is damage to the bone marrow environment in which blood cells develop (Aplastic). Other factors include abnormalities in the proteins that regulate blood cell production and a malfunctioning immune system that interferes with the normal blood cell production (Bone). Certain environmental factors have been associated with the development of aplastic anemia. Chemotherapy drugs such as busulfan or antibiotics such as chloraphenicol can cause temporary or prolonged aplastic anemia. Chemicals such as benzene and pesticides, infections such as viral hepatitis and mononucleosis, autoimmune disorders and ionizing radiation also have been linked to the development of aplastic anemia. Although exposure to these agents increases the risk of developing aplastic anemia, it is proven that they are not the sole cause of aplastic anemia (Aplastic). Aplastic anemia was once considered incurable. Today, more than fifty percent of patients diagnosed with aplastic anemia can be cured. For patients under the age of fifty and those over fifty that are in good health, the treatment of choice is a bone marrow transplant (National). However, more than half of the patients that are diagnosed are ineligible foe a bone marrow transplant because of age or the lack of a suitable bone marrow donor. For these patients, the preferred treatment is immunosuppressive therapy consisting of injections of antithymocyte globulin (ATG), with or without oral closporine. ATG therapy boosts the production of red blood cells, blood cells, and platelets in thirty to fifty percent of patients. In some cases, blood cell production returns to normal, while in others it returns to a level that allows the patient to have a normal lifestyle (Aplastic). Approximately ten to fifteen percent of patients who initially respond to ATG therapy have the disease relapse during the first twelve months following treatment. Another round of ATG therapy may be administered in an effort to bring blood cell production back to an acceptable level. Some patients who respond to ATG therapy eventually develop another bone marrow disorder such as myelogenous syndrome or acute nonmyelogenous leukemia. These disorders may be temporarily treatable, but are seldom curable. Overall, between thirty and forty percent of patients treated with ATG therapy become long term survivors and the majority of these long term survivors appear to be cured (Aplastic). Patients who have a relative with matching bone marrow have a seventy to ninety percent chance of being cured following a bone marrow transplant. Patients transplanted with marrow from a related donor whose marrow type nearly matches the patient's have a fifty percent chance of being cured. If marrow from a matched unrelated donor is used, the likelihood of a cure is twenty to thirty percent (Bone). Physicians determine whether a donor's marrow type matches the patient's by examining genetic markers on the surface of white blood cells called HLA antigens. These are the antigens that help the body identify invading organisms, and trigger an immune system attack on any substances that do not belong in that particular person's body, such as viruses and bacteria (Severe). If the patient's and donor's HLA antigens do not match, the patient's body will perceive the donor's bone marrow as foreign material to be destroyed. This condition is called graft rejection and results in a failed bone marrow transplant.

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 38

Discussion Questions - Essay Example I prefer Theory Y as an employee and as a manager. Self-motivated employees are beneficial for the organization. Employees gain success through hard-work and doing their work right. They can also prove their work through constant enthusiasm, taking on new ventures, and bringing in creative work processes. In my work, I have gained excellence through constant hard-work and introducing creative work, breaking the old chain and trying to make it as new as the time. I admire my team leader who is authoritative, creative yet open to new changes. He does not believe that he is the boss of all and at the same time he does not take credit for other’s work; he ensures that all his employees are rewarded accordingly. A group is a number of things and persons who have some relationship to one another; it is a subset of a culture or a society. A team is any group of people involved in the same activity, especially referring to work (Boundless, 2014). A team is a subset of group; a team tends to be closer and work together and holds stronger sense of collective identity. High performance team is one which delivers results. I have been a part of the team that introduces credit lines to the microfinance industry. The team work had paid off due because of the contribution of expert advice from each group member. If my team is having difficulty in taking a decision, I would sit with the team members and discuss the reason for this difficulty and the possibility of arriving at a decision. All humans are different and need to be communicated to differently; that is why a decision well understood by one person does not mean that it is understood by all other employees as well. I have dealt with clients from different countries including Bangladesh, India, and Turkey. I have always dealt with the companies differently, because same decisions have to be communicated separately to different companies. I took into account the cultural and ethical aspects of

Operational Management 302 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operational Management 302 - Essay Example The implementation of these standards is usually through the national standard bodies. In particular, ISO 9000 deals with quality management systems. ISO 9000 is a family of standards that provides organizations with quality management standards as well as quality products and services. Some of the notable standards include the ISO 9001: 2008 that provide the specific requirements that are set for a quality management system. Another standard is the 9000: 2009; this provides the basic concepts that are applied as well as the language. In order to increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of a quality management system, the ISO: 9004: 2009 comes into play. The most recent in this family is the ISO 19011: 2011; this one provides guidance on the audit of quality management system. ISO 9000 provides for a system audit in order to ensure adherence to set standards. Auditing is done in two main ways, firstly, by an external auditor and secondly by an internal auditor. The main objective of auditing is to ensure that at no given point will the system fail while providing continual improvement of the system. In some cases, the company can make a step of having the clients conduct an audit of the quality management systems. Auditing makes the company to develop an initiative of regular monitoring of its systems in order to ensure there is compliance with the set standards. Full compliance with the provisions of the ISO 9000 standards makes an organization to be ISO 9000-certified. The process of certification requires that an accreditation body be hired to conduct the assessment in order to prove whether there is compliance or not. The assessment of the organization is done from the staff level where they are interviewed in order to ensure they have an understanding of ISO compliance. In addition, the paperwork is assessed; a report is then made that details all the requirements that have been met as well as those that do not comply.

Development of Tourism in West London Assignment

Development of Tourism in West London - Assignment Example West London boasts many world class tourism assets and is a genuinely dynamic, vibrant and exciting place to visit. I believe this strategy will help West London to rise and meet the challenges ahead and I look forward to having the London Development Agency, West London Business, Visit London and the Boroughs work together to achieve the goals we have set here (London Development Authority, 2005). London's reputation as a world-class city is well-deserved. It is the place where the historic past and the vibrant present come alive. No other place in the world offers the range of sights, sounds and cultural diversity that London can boast. Visit London is passionate about London and we are committed to marketing all aspects of our great City. West London is a prime example of London's diversity. It is filled with a range of fascinating, multi cultural, enthralling destinations and products and it is this wide range of visitor experiences that will keep tourists coming back to London time and time again. The inception of this sub-regional tourism strategy is a positive step forward and we look forward to working in partnership with the London Development Agency and the sub-region to help to deliver the action plan (London Development Authority, 2005). West London - with a population of 1.4 million - is one of the most successful sub-regional economies in Europe with a 27 billion pound output. West London Business aims to sustain that success. A well established business-led organisation, West London Business is committed to supporting private and public sector interests in the sub-region and articulating their needs. The tourism and hospitality sectors make an important contribution to the West London economy and a dynamic tourism industry is an essential ingredient for continuing economic progress. West London offers a host of quality tourism and hospitality assets, which West London Business is keen to profile and promote. We are delighted, therefore, to be a key player in the implementation of this strategy. We look forward to working in partnership with the London Development Agency and Visit London to successfully deliver the actions that have been identified for the next two years (London Development Authority, 2005). Task 2 Question 2 Define a visioning (reference it) What is the vision outlined in this document 2-3 (sentences maximum) To develop London as an exemplary sustainable world city, based on interwoven themes: strong and diverse, long-term economic growth; social inclusion to give all Londoners the opportunity to share in London's future success; fundamental improvements in London's environment and use of resources. The following are the vision for the West London Tourism Development (London Development Authority, 2005): A Prosperous City , A City for People, An Accessible City, A Fair City and A Green City. Why is it necessary to vision It is necessary to have a vision because vision is the instrument in making a mission into a reality. Task 3 Question 3 What is the mission statement of the LDA (ONE sentence) The mission of

Symbolism in the Short Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Symbolism in the Short Story - Essay Example For instance, a substantial part of the story is spent on describing the â€Å"stepping stones† in the river and the girl’s passage of it. Stepping stones and rivers have traditionally been symbolic of the journey of life. Rivers are also important as boundaries and crossing them often signifies passage from one world to another. The crossing of river Jordan into the Promised Land, for instance, is a crucial element of the Bible (Ferber, 2007, p. 170). The stepping stones, that are at first harder to cross and easy afterwards are also symbolic of the passage of life. This is the first hint that the speaker may be coming from a different land, or even a different plane of existence. The emphasis on the â€Å"glassy† sky is yet another symbolic clue. Glassy has connotations of an unnatural or artificial material, as it is man-made. It can also signify a certain deadness of the subject, an absence of expression as in the phrase â€Å"glassy eyes†. The absence of life, and the distance she feels from manmade objects further intensify the suggestion that the speaker is already dead. The narrator also mentions several objects of the landscape that she finds missing, suggesting a rather long absence. There was now a road that had replaced the pave and the pine tree she knew was gone.

Marketing Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Analysis Report - Essay Example The company offers a range of products, in the form of flight transport services to passengers worldwide, both from Canada to different parts of the world, and vice-versa. The company products solve a range of individual, organizational and societal problems, through offering schedule flights to individuals who are seeking to travel to different destinations of the world, thus solving a societal problem. It also offers other individualized services such as cargo services to individuals and organizations dealing in the cargo business (Mills, 2006). The company also offers specialized Air Canada Jazz and Air Canada Jetz specifically for organizations and some individuals who would want to experience flexible departure and arrival time, and who cannot fit into the normal scheduled flight timetable. The individuals or organizations using this service are granted privacy, security and convenience, while also being granted customized services (Yerema & Leung, 2013). It also offers vacation services courtesy of Air Canada rouge, specifically for leisure purposes, through chartered flights to over 200 different leisure destinations worldwide. Another product offered by the company is the Air Canada Express, connecting over 90 Canadian cities (Milton, 2004). Pricing for the different products offered by the company is on a product-to-product basis, while promotions are done through mainstream media; both print and broadcast, social media, as well as promotional campaigns and special-offers advertising. Environmental Scan Regulatory environmental factors had been favorable for Air Canada in the early years up to the 1970s, where the government applied regulations to ensure that the company had an upper hand over the other privately-owned airlines. The government restricted short haul carriers to only one destination for other airlines, while allowing Air Canada to serve several destinations (Milton, 2004). Its main competitor, CP Air was restricted in terms of the interc ontinental capacity, while also being restricted from operating domestic flights. However, in 1987 deregulation of the Canada air market was introduced, and subsequently stiff competition set in, between Air Canada and other regional operators (Mills, 2006). Stiff competition for the company is mainly from Pacific Western Airline. The economic environment for the company was tough especially in the early 2000s, when the company pursued a merger with its major rival, Canadian Airlines, but realized that its economic situation was worse, an occurrence that led to financial problems and cargo and flight delays. This eventually led to a declaration of bankruptcy in early 2003, but the company recovered in the following year, and managed to strategize and resolved the financial problems (Milton, 2004). Nevertheless, the technological environment has impacted positively on the company’s business, through increasing business and repeat customer purchases. The company’s utiliz ation of its technology is impressive, with the company offering a range of technological services to its customers, such as

Digital Marketing Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Digital Marketing Techniques - Essay Example Apart from this, the report will also try to illustrate a suitable communication strategy by which the company can satisfy its needs through the use of digital media. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 5 Market Analysis 6 Market Research 6 Competitors Comparison 8 Target Segmentation 9 Management Issues of Mobgets 10 Communication Strategy and Rational 11 Brand Awareness 13 Driving web traffic 13 Conversion 13 Budget Breakdown and timeline 14 Conclusion 15 References 16 Bibliography 21 Appendix 1 24 Appendix 2 25 Appendix 3 26 Appendix 4 27 Introduction Digital marketing can be defined as the process of marketing by which the product is placed on the digital platform and making it available for the millions of users. In other words, digital marketing way of promoting products and services via online distribution channels to attain the customers cost-effective and timely manner (Mobilestorm, n.d.). It is also known as internet marketing (Miller, 2012, what is digital m arketing). The world of digital media is revolutionizing at an inconceivable velocity. It is transforming the way we intermingle and communicate with each other (Jones & Ryan, 2012, p.viii). People are accepting the digital technology in order to communicate in ways and are flawlessly integrating it into their daily lives. In digital marketing companies promote their brands by making the use of social media, Television. Internet, radio, search engines and other forms as well. In the context of smartphones, they are also mobile phones but built on a mobile computing platform (Artilib, 2011). Smartphones are characterized by the advanced ability of computing and strong internet connectivity (Psypost, n.d.). Companies hugely make use of the digital marketing in order to sell the applications of a smartphone. A mobile application is a software which is used by the operators for different applicative functions (Reif, Wang & Nieto, 2009, p.194). Mobile applications generally help the user s by linking them to internet services. In order to do a market analysis of the company SWOT will be used as the tool to showcase the present market situation of the company as it offers many benefits (Hartline & Ferrell, 2012, p.122). Market Research Marketing Research is a procedural design, collection, evaluation and presenting the data and findings into a meaningful information (Dutka, Breen & Blankenship, 1998, p.7).

Marketing Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Analysis Report - Essay Example The company offers a range of products, in the form of flight transport services to passengers worldwide, both from Canada to different parts of the world, and vice-versa. The company products solve a range of individual, organizational and societal problems, through offering schedule flights to individuals who are seeking to travel to different destinations of the world, thus solving a societal problem. It also offers other individualized services such as cargo services to individuals and organizations dealing in the cargo business (Mills, 2006). The company also offers specialized Air Canada Jazz and Air Canada Jetz specifically for organizations and some individuals who would want to experience flexible departure and arrival time, and who cannot fit into the normal scheduled flight timetable. The individuals or organizations using this service are granted privacy, security and convenience, while also being granted customized services (Yerema & Leung, 2013). It also offers vacation services courtesy of Air Canada rouge, specifically for leisure purposes, through chartered flights to over 200 different leisure destinations worldwide. Another product offered by the company is the Air Canada Express, connecting over 90 Canadian cities (Milton, 2004). Pricing for the different products offered by the company is on a product-to-product basis, while promotions are done through mainstream media; both print and broadcast, social media, as well as promotional campaigns and special-offers advertising. Environmental Scan Regulatory environmental factors had been favorable for Air Canada in the early years up to the 1970s, where the government applied regulations to ensure that the company had an upper hand over the other privately-owned airlines. The government restricted short haul carriers to only one destination for other airlines, while allowing Air Canada to serve several destinations (Milton, 2004). Its main competitor, CP Air was restricted in terms of the interc ontinental capacity, while also being restricted from operating domestic flights. However, in 1987 deregulation of the Canada air market was introduced, and subsequently stiff competition set in, between Air Canada and other regional operators (Mills, 2006). Stiff competition for the company is mainly from Pacific Western Airline. The economic environment for the company was tough especially in the early 2000s, when the company pursued a merger with its major rival, Canadian Airlines, but realized that its economic situation was worse, an occurrence that led to financial problems and cargo and flight delays. This eventually led to a declaration of bankruptcy in early 2003, but the company recovered in the following year, and managed to strategize and resolved the financial problems (Milton, 2004). Nevertheless, the technological environment has impacted positively on the company’s business, through increasing business and repeat customer purchases. The company’s utiliz ation of its technology is impressive, with the company offering a range of technological services to its customers, such as

Weekly Assignment Essay Example for Free

Weekly Assignment Essay In Moore’s proof if an external world, he is attempting to show that we can know things outside of our own us (Moore; 144). He proves this by using the example of showing his hands, pointing at one hand and saying â€Å"here is my right hand† then pointing to the other and saying the same thing (Moore; 144). He states that by just being able lift hand is proof that it exists. He provided three conditions that support his claim which are that; if his two conclusions differ from one another, which they do not. If he knew proof but did not believe it and vice versa; and finally if his conclusion did not follow the premises which it did (Moore ; 145). Moore addresses the issues that readers have about the fact that he is not answering the question. He claims that they are seeking a statement saying, â€Å"Here’s one hand and here’s the other†, to prove external existence by coming up and examining both hands (Moore; 146). This statement is meant to accommodate all the examples of proof of external objects (Moore, 147). It is very unlikely that on exists because for that statement to be true there would have to be an initial proof that a person is not dreaming which is quite difficult to do. Moore also provides an additional proof for objects that have previously existed by saying:† I held up two hands above the desk not very long ago, therefore two hands existed not very long ago and therefore at least two external objects have existed at some time in the past† (Moore; 146). He uses this as a solution to Immanuel Kant’s (1724–1804) problem of the existence of external objects; because it shows that the objects have existed at some point in time (Moore;146).

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein Identification of a novel conserved B cell epitope in the N protein of EAV (Bucyrus strain) Running title: Identification of epitope in EAV N protein. Highlights: One EAV N-specific mAb 1C11 was developed. A minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The identified epitope was conserved among different regional EAV strains. The mAb and identified epitope may be useful diagnostic tools for EAV infection. Abstract Objective: To identify the minimal epitope of N protein of the equine arteritis virus (EAV). Methods: The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR and ligated into pET32a vector for expression. The recombinant pET-N protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by Ni affinity chromatography. The purified N protein was used to immunize mice for preparing monoclonal antibody (mAb). The reactivity of mAb was evaluated by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The peptides were identified using the prepared mAb by indirect ELISA and Western blot. The homology analysis was performed using DNAMAN software. Results: Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. An EAV N-reactive mAb was selected and designated as 1C11. Indirect ELISA results showed that overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 was recognized by the mAb 1C11. Further, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope of the EAV N protein. The homology analysis showed that the identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Conclusion: One EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine. Keywords: Epitope; N protein; Equine arteritis virus; Monoclonal antibody Introduction Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the etiologic agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA) which is a respiratory and reproductive disease of horses [1-3]. EAV was à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst isolated from horses in Ohio in 1953. It is the prototype virus of the family Arteriviridae (genus Arterivirus, order Nidovirales) [4, 5]. EAV infection of horses has been reported in many countries including New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa [6-10]. EAV is a positive-sense, enveloped and single-stranded RNA molecule with a length of 12.7kb [11]. It contains two large open reading frames (ORFs, 1a and 1b) and seven smaller ORFs (2a, 2b, and 3 to 7). ORFs 1a and 1b encode two replicase polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab), whereas the ORFs 2a, 2b, 5, 6, and 7 encode the known EAV structural proteins E, GS, GL, M, and N, respectively [12]. Moreover, ORFs 3 and 4 encode glycosylated membrane-associated proteins whose functional role is still under debate [13, 14]. EAV N can be used as an alternative protein candidate of diagnostic antigens and accounts for 35-40% of the total virion protein [15]. B cell epitopes involved in the immune response against EAV [16]. In the present study, we aimed to identify the precise B cell epitope using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against EAV N protein. Our result will provide important information for developing serological diagnosis of EAV infection and understanding the antigenic structure of EAV N protein and vaccine design. Materials and methods Ethics statement Care and use of laboratory animals and all animal experiments were in accordance with animal ethics guidelines established by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee in China. All animal studies were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SYXK (H) 2006-032). Cell lines and virus SP2/0 myeloma and Rabbit kidney 13 (RK-13) cells were cultured and maintained in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM; Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA) in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C. All culture media were supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (GIBCO, Invitrogen) and antibiotics (0.1mg/ml streptomycin and 100 IU/ml penicillin).The Bucyrus strain of EAV (GenBank accession No. NC-002532.2, a highly cell culture-adapted strain provided by the key laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Diseases in Yunnan province, China) was propagated in RK-13 cells and stored at -80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. Expression and characterization of recombinant EAV N protein The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR using the following primers: 5†²-CCCGGATCCATGGCGTCAAGACGATC-3†² (upstream) and 5†²-TTTGTCGACTTACGGCCCTGCTGGAGGCGCAAC-3†² (downstream). The primers contained BamH I and Sal I restriction sites (italicized). The purified and digested PCR product was ligated into an expression vector pET32a (Novagen, Germany). The pET-N recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) and 1mM isopropyl-ÃŽ ²-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG, Invitrogen, USA) was used for inducing expression of N protein. The recombinant proteins were obtained from the bacterial lysates. The insoluble inclusion bodies were washed and solubilized with phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Then, the recombinant N protein fused with 6 His-tags was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and purified by Ni affinity chromatography according to manufacturer’s instruction (Invitrogen). Preparation and characterization of mAbs against N protein EAV N-reactive mAb was generated as previously described [17]. Briefly, 6-week-old female BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified recombinant N protein (100ÃŽ ¼g per mouse) mixed with an equal volume of Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA, Sigma, USA). Two booster injections containing the same amount of purified N protein in an equal volume of Freund’s incomplete adjuvant (FICA) were given at 2-week intervals. The purified N protein without adjuvant was injected intraperitoneally as the final immunization. After three days of the final injection, the mice were euthanized and their splenocytes were fused with SP2/0 myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol (PEG4000, Sigma). The hybridoma cells were seeded into 96-well plates and selected in hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) selection medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, 16mM thymidine, and 400 mM aminopterin). After 5 days, the medium was re moved and replaced with hypoxanthine-thymidine (HT)-DMEM medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, and 16mM thymidine). After selection in HAT and HT medium, hybridoma supernatants were screened for evaluating reactivity and specificity of mAb by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The class and subclass of the mAb was determined using a SBA ClonotypingTM System/HRP (Southern Biotechnology Associates, Inc., Birmingham, AL35260, USA). Polypeptide design and expression Eleven overlapping peptides spanning the N protein were designed (Table 1,). For each peptide, a pair of oligonucleotide strands was synthesized. Each pair of oligonucleotide strands was annealed and cloned into the BamHà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚   and Sal I sites of pMALâ„ ¢-C4x vector and expressed as MBP-N fusion proteins. These MBP-fused proteins were named consecutively MBP-N1 to MBP-N11. The recombinant plasmids were transformed into E.coli Rosetta (DE3) (Novagen). Each MBP-fused polypeptide was induced by IPTG and screened by indirect ELISA. Briefly, MBP tags and purified N protein were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Ninety-six-well microtiter plates were coated with expressed MBP-N fusion proteins at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ overnight and blocked with 5% skim milk for 1 h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. After washing three times by PBST (PBS plus 0.5% Tween-20), 100 ÃŽ ¼l of mAb was added to wells and incubated at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. Then, the plates were washed three ti mes by PBST and incubated with diluted horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG (Abcam, UK) at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. The color was developed and the reaction was stopped with 2M H2SO4. The absorbance at 450 nm was measured. All assays repeated three times and the average of the three values was calculated. Identification of the epitopes The MBP-N-fusion proteins were identified by indirect ELISA and Western blot using the mAb. Indirect ELISA was performed as mentioned above. For Western blot, the purified MBP-N recombinant proteins were electrophoresed on SDS-PAGE, and then transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. Nonspecific antibody binding sites on the membrane were blocked with 5% skim milk in PBS overnight at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was washed and incubated with mAbs for 1h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was incubated with HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody after five times washing with PBST. Following another five times washing, the color was developed using 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and terminated by rinsing the membrane with deionized water. Homology analysis To evaluate the conservation of the identified linear epitope among EAV from different geographic areas, the identified epitope and the corresponding regions of other regional EAV virus strains were aligned using DNAMAN software (Lynnon BioSoft Inc., USA). Results Production of recombinant EAV N protein and mAb As shown in Fig.1a, Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. A clear single target band with expected molecular weight was displayed. Accordingly, the recombinant EAV N protein was suitable as an antigen for immunization and hybridoma screening. Purified proteins were utilized to immunize BALB/c mice. After cell fusion and selection, an EAV N-reactive mAb generated from one hybridoma cell line was selected for its strong reactivity against N protein. This mAb was designated as 1C11. As shown in Fig.1b, c, mAb 1C11 reacted with recombinant N protein and total protein of EAV (Fig.1b, c). The reactivity of mAb was also assessed using RK-13 cells by IFA (Fig.1d). The mAb only reacted with EAV infected cells and not reacted with uninfected control RK-13 cells. Identification of EAV N epitope To localize linear antigenic epitopes within the N protein, 11 16-amino acid long MBP fused peptides (MBP-N1 MBP-N11) were expressed and probed by mAb 1C11 by indirect ELISA. The results showed that MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110) epitopes were recognized by the mAb 1C11 (OD450 > 1) (Fig. 2a). All the left fragments (MBP-N1-9) failed to react with the mAb. Because adjacent epitopes have 12 overlaps, we deduced that the linear epitope located in the overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106). To identify the minimal linear peptide epitope within this overlapping domain, a series of truncated polypeptides were expressed as MBP-fusion proteins. Ultimately, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope for the reactivity of the EAV N protein recognized by mAb 1C11 (Fig. 2c, d). Homology analysis Sequence alignment was performed to evaluate the conservation of the identified epitope among different regional EAV viruses (Fig. 3). The identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Discussion Mapping location of viral protein epitopes and defining the degree of their conservation may play an important role for understanding of the antigenic structure, virus-antibody interactions. It may be very useful for vaccine design and clinical applications. In this study, the B cell epitopes of EAV N protein were identified using a mAb. Epitope mapping using mAbs has become a powerful tool to study protein structure and provides new tools to diagnose diseases and design vaccines [18]. Here, we defined one peptide epitope of EAV N protein in by using an EAV N-specific mAb. To our knowledge, epitope on the N protein of EAV has been published, but no previous studies about 101QRKVAP106 have been reported. Starick et al. [19] produced a mAb against the N protein to detect EAV. Weiland et al. [20] used the same method to produce a mAb against the N protein of EAV and to distinguish different virus isolates from semen and tissue samples after passaging through RK-13, Vero and fetal equine kidney cells. However, the minimal epitope of these mAb was not defined precisely. Similar to the work of Starick et al. and Weiland et al. [19, 20], a mAb named 1C11 against EAV N protein was prepared by using recombinant N protein expressed in E. coli and used for identifying B-cell epitopes on EAV N protein. mAb 1C11 reacted well with EAV by WB and IFA, thus this antibody may be a useful detection tool in EAV diagnosis. mAbs are useful and effective for mapping antigenic epitopes of viral proteins. In this study, for epitope mapping, 11 overlapping peptides from EAV N protein were expressed with MBP tags and identified by ELISA to screen linear epitopes. The ELISA results showed that the epitope located in the sharing region of MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110). Then this region (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106) was expressed, and 7 peptides with deletions were obtained to identify the precise epitope. According to the results of ELISA and Western blot, 101QRKVAP106 was considered as the minimal linear epitope of EAV protein. This result is different from the previous studies [15, 21] which stated that the precise epitope of N protein located in amino acids 1-69. This may be due to the difference of the specificity and reactivity of the mAbs. Sometimes, a mAb can react with different locations of a viral protein. Sequence alignment showed that the identified epitope is very conservative among distinct regional EAV strains, but with a mutation of one amino acids on the ARVAC N protein epitope. This result suggests a slight regional difference emerged in this epitope. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish anti-Bucyrus EAV antibody from anti- ARVAC EAV antibody by using the epitope as antigen. This will be helpful in distinguishing the distinct regional EAV infection. This finding indicates that the N epitope of EAV identified in our study have a potential use in serological monitoring and differential diagnosis. In conclusion, one EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was defined. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine.