Economic Development Programs Essay

Within my community, there are several development programs which have been established for the purposes of making the community more directly participative in economic development. Such programs include agricultural development programs, business development programs as well as higher education economic development programs. These programs will be addressed in this paper, with specific attention to the key actors/players in the programs, the short and long term goals of these programs, and also the political and economic issues they face in the process of promoting economic development in the region. Agricultural finance programs To begin with, there are special loan programs for new ranchers and farmers in this region, the most infamous one being the Aggie Bond Beginning Farmer Loan Programs. Through Aggie Board Loan Programs, the state helps the newly established farmers in the region to obtain loans for purchasing land and equipments, for breeding farm animals and for the construction of farm buildings (NCOSAFP, 2010). The main players/actors in Aggie Bond Program include the lending institutions (which are in collaboration with the state administration), state administration itself—playing the role of assisting beginner farmers and ranchers to obtain low rate interest loans which are exempt from federal income tax—and the ranchers/farmers who participate in the program. The federal government is also indirectly involved in these programs since it is the one that facilitates the provision of tax exemption on the interest income. Besides obtaining loans at reduced interest rates, the financial risks on loans solely rest with the lending institutions which have established for these purposes (NCOSAFP, 2010). The short term goals of Aggie Bond Programs are to act as the capital base for individuals or partnerships within the state who desire to engage in ranching, farming or both, but lack adequate financial resources to do so (NCOSAFP, 2010). In so doing, they provide all the necessary financial resources to individuals and transfer the credit decisions to the lending institutions. On the other hand, the long term goal of Aggie Board Programs is to facilitate economic growth and development within the state and the nation at large, through optimum utilization of the agricultural resources within the state and taking advantage of the tax-exempt provisions by the federal government. The program also aims at encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship within the state through assisting potential entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector to unleash their potential (NCOSAFP, 2010). The key economic problem that the actors in these programs face is mostly the failure of the farmers to repay loans granted due to unproductive farm activities or catastrophes which damage the farming/ ranching establishment–especially nature catastrophes (NCOSAFP, 2010). This becomes a setback all the players involved because the farmers undergoes serious financial losses, the lender incurs bad debts, the state and the federal government loses the potential economic contribution from the entrepreneur. Political issues on the other hand arise from the Aggie bond allocations and apportionments among the lending bodies. For instance, after a serious debate on the farm bill, the maximum bond allocation was increased from $469 200 in 2009 to 470,100 this year and the actors have been involved in political discussions regarding the meager increments and how it would be equally apportioned to the lending institutions (NCOSAFP, 2010). Business financing programs The other type of economic development programs are the business financing development programs. These programs are so closely related to the Aggie Bond Programs in that they offer loans for many kinds of business businessmen in the state. However, there is a slight different from the one discussed above because this program finances both established as well as new business-people in the industry. For the new entrants, capital is provided while for the already existing business people, the required funds for activities such as expansion and boosting for those experiencing serious financial traps is availed (OK Commerce, 2010). The actors in these programs are established lending institutions and the business community. They include; Economic Development Administration, the Bureau Of Indian Affairs Loan Guaranty Fund, The Industrial Finance Authority, Capital Access Program, and the Linked Deposit Loan Programs. The short term goals of these programs is to provide short term business financing to the business community to solve short term cash problems, while the long term goals are to offer long term low interest loans to major business persons/ institutions to solve serious and long range financial issues (OK Commerce, 2010). Mostly, these programs do not face much political issues as compared to the economic issues which are tied to the unsecured loans and competition. While the unsecured loans may sometimes compel the lending institution to file cases in the legal system against errant and faulting business people, the competition from other existing lending institutions makes them too congested in the estate (OK Commerce, 2010). Higher education programs The state also has a Higher Education Economic Development Program. This program is designed in such way as to generate partnerships between businesses and higher education institutions within the state in order to nurture higher learning via State Regents’ Economic Development Grants. Nominations are made from the institutions and assessed by State Regents’ staff committee. Submissions are made just once for every partnership, and a limit of twenty five recognitions can be made annually (OK Highered, 2010). The actors in this program are basically partnering institutions, which usually pay $500 coordinated by the state regents. The money provided is used for internships for students of institutions to work in the enterprises of partnering business, faculty externships with partnering businesses, tuition waivers to partnering businesses’ staff members, and development of partnerships with supplementary equipment, supplies and materials (OK Highered, 2010). The short term and long term a goal of this program is the same: to facilitate economic development through partnering for the purposes of higher education. In so doing, the partnering members are able to assist each other in catering for the expenses of higher education to ensure that none is left out. In addition, they promote economic growth growth of the member businesses through materials and other kinds of supplies using the funds contributed by each partner (OK Highered, 2010). Just like the other economic development programs mentioned above, this program also faces a number of political and economical problems in its endeavors to accomplish goals and objectives. On the economic part, the program currently has a capacity of twenty two member universities and sometimes, the resources available from the partnership funds cannot meet all the needs of the partners: consequently, the process of assisting members cater for higher education needs has to take longer than the members desire (OK Highered, 2010). This basically, has the result of slowing down the accomplishment of goals and also sometimes results to withdraw of some impatient partners. In addition, the members have too much higher education needs such that the partnership has only to cater for a small percentage of the required amounts. In so doing, the economic goals are partially and not wholly accomplished. Politically, the program is not affected by external politics, but rather by internal politics among the members which mostly results from conflicting interests amongst the members and also in the selection of the leaders who will foresee the management of operations and finances (OK Highered, 2010). However, such issues have been solved successfully within the environs of the partnership. References NCOSAFP (2010). Types of state agricultural finance programs. Retrieved from http://www. stateagfinance. org/types. html OK Commerce (2010). Business financing programs. Retrieved from http://www. okcommerce. gov/Start-A-Business/Financing-Programs/ OK Highered (2010). Economic development grant for the partnership development program. Retrieved from http://www. okhighered. org/econ-dev/partner-recog. shtml

Practice Exam 1

Choose four (4) of the following questions and answer them in short essay format. All questions are worth equal marks. (12. 5 marks each) QUESTION 1 (12. 5 marks) Discuss the key factors in the international environment that managers of emerging global organisations look to as threats to their international operations. Provide examples as appropriate. International Environment is the management of business operations conducted in more than one country and usually outside of the organisations normal environment (out of the country).Legal-Political Environment: Political systems the organisation may be unfamiliar with; dealing with the government. – Political stability – Quotas, tariffs and taxes – Law and regulation Economic Environment: Economic conditions in which the organisation operates in – Consumer Market – Exchange rates – Economic development (Developing country? Depression? ) Sociocultural Environment: Common behaviour and way of thi nking among the consumers. – Religion – Time orientation – Beliefs and values(Hofstede) – Language QUESTION 2 (12. 5 marks)What are Porter’s competitive forces in an organisation’s environment? Explain them and provide examples to illustrate your answer. Threat of new entrants: – Capital requirements and economic of scale are potential barriers – Easier to enter mail order business than automobile due to high capital cost – Technology made it easier for new entrants to enter market. – Threat of existing rivalry: – Coke VS Pepsi, Toyota VS Honda – Influenced by the other four forces and cost-product differentiation Threat of substitute products: – Affected by cost changes or trends Internet open new ways to meet customer needs – Low cost airline tickets VS travel agencies Bargaining power of buyers: – Few buyer, many suppliers. Goods are standardised. (High buyer power) – B uyer gets more information about the car they want to buy; accident before? Bargaining power of suppliers: – Many buyers, few suppliers. Highly valued products. (High supplier power) – Airplane engine suppliers will have great power due to lack of competition – Internet helps the suppliers to reach end users and greater number of buyersQUESTION 3 (12. 5 marks) What is the difference between organisational structure and organisational design? Outline the six elements of organisational design. Organisational structure is a framework that defines the way tasks are assigned, the formalization of reporting relationships and the effectiveness of coordination of employees across departments. It is an expression of who is performing various tasks and how they are related to one another whereas organisational design is the process of reshaping or changing the organisation structure.Organisation leaders develop plans to function or perform better. Six elements are: 1) Wor k Specialisation – A. k. a Division of labour. Main idea is to divide the jobs so that everything is not done by one individual. Employees can focus on doing specific functions in their own department allowing them to effectively and efficiently specialise in that particular job. 2) Chain Of Command – Line of authority from the upper level of organisation to lower level of organisation and classifies who reports to whom. Unity of command where each employee is held accountable to only one supervisor.Scalar Command defined line of authority that refers to all employees. 3) Responsibility, authority & delegation – Authority is the legitimate right of managers to issue orders, make decisions and allocate resources. Responsibility is the duty to perform a task an employee is assigned to and usually comes with authority for managers. Delegation is the transfer of authority to a lower level position in the hierarchy. 4) Span of management – Refers to the number of employees reporting to a supervisor. Also known as span of control.Determines the number of employees a supervisor can effectively and efficiently manage. 5) Centralization & decentralization – Centralization is when the authority is located at a single point usually at the top level of the organisation and decentralization is when decision authority is pushed down to lower organisation levels. Decentralization is believed to relieve burden on top managers, make greater use of worker skills and abilities and permit rapid response to external changes. 6) Formalization – Process of creating written documents to direct and control employees.These include rule books, regulations and job descriptions. These provide the employees with descriptions of tasks, responsibilities and decision authority. QUESTION 4 (12. 5 marks) A contingency approach to leadership seeks to explain the relationship between leadership styles and specific situations. Describe Hersey and Blanchard ’s situational leadership model. Provide examples to illustrate your answer. [pic] QUESTION 5 (12. 5 marks) Managers faced with ethical choices have a number of approaches that they may use to guide their decision making.Discuss the various approaches to ethical decision making, providing examples to help explain your answer. Utilitarian approach is the moral behaviour of producing the greatest good for the greatest number. Decision makers are to consider the effect of all parties and select one that best gives satisfaction to the greatest number of people. Squatter homes are not abolished because the government may find that leaving the squatter homes untouched may be a better option as it provides as a home for many people.Dunlop closed their manufacturing plant in Australia and decided to open one in Thailand and Malaysia, managers justified that decision on the basis that it produces greater good to the company as a whole. Individualism approach promotes the individualâ⠂¬â„¢s best long term interests which will lead to the greater good. The action in which is intended to produce greater good than bad to the individual rather than other alternatives. This will in turn, lead to greater good as individual’s behaviour fits the standards of behaviour people wants towards themselves.Moral rights approach defines the fact that human beings have rights and liberties that cannot be taken away by another individual. This approach suggests companies to maintain the rights of the people affected by it. Western countries give their people the right to have their own say (freedom of speech) and in some companies, they give their customers the freedom to speak and complain. Hence, the saying the customer is always right. Justice approach is the moral decision based on equality, fairness and impartiality. There are 3 types of justice concerning managers: distributive ustice where people should not be treated differently based on illogical characteristics s uch as gender. Procedural justice where rules should be administered fairly and consistently and Compensatory justice where individuals should be compensated for the cost of their injuries by the party responsible. QUESTION 6 (12. 5 marks) A current issue for HRM involves the changing nature of careers, and the evolving dynamic of relationships between employers and employees. Discuss the major issues involved in the changing nature of careers, and the HR issues in the new workplace. Provide examples as appropriate.Major Issue: Changing social contract Issues in new workplace: 1) Becoming employer of choice – company highly attractive to employees due to HR practices that focus on not only tangible benefits but intangible too. 2) Team & Projects – People who used to work alone now has to work in groups. Many workers handle multiple tasks and responsibilities. 3) Temporary employees – Demand has grown for professionals. Contingent workers means reduced payroll an d benefit costs as well as increased flexibility for both employer and employee. 4) Technology – Virtual teams and telecommunicating ) Work/Life Balance – Telecommunicating helps employees work from home to balance life and work. 6) Downsizing – Some companies have to downsize and let employees go. ———————– Old contractNew Contract Employee Employer – Job felt secure – One part of the organisation – Knowing – Routine Jobs – Standard training programs – Limited information – Traditional compensation package (typical benefits) – Manage own career (employment not guaranteed) – Partner in business improvement – Learning – Challenging assignments – Continuous learning, lateral career – Information & resources – Creative development opportunities Practice Exam 1 Choose four (4) of the following questions and answer them in short essay format. All questions are worth equal marks. (12. 5 marks each) QUESTION 1 (12. 5 marks) Discuss the key factors in the international environment that managers of emerging global organisations look to as threats to their international operations. Provide examples as appropriate. International Environment is the management of business operations conducted in more than one country and usually outside of the organisations normal environment (out of the country).Legal-Political Environment: Political systems the organisation may be unfamiliar with; dealing with the government. – Political stability – Quotas, tariffs and taxes – Law and regulation Economic Environment: Economic conditions in which the organisation operates in – Consumer Market – Exchange rates – Economic development (Developing country? Depression? ) Sociocultural Environment: Common behaviour and way of thi nking among the consumers. – Religion – Time orientation – Beliefs and values(Hofstede) – Language QUESTION 2 (12. 5 marks)What are Porter’s competitive forces in an organisation’s environment? Explain them and provide examples to illustrate your answer. Threat of new entrants: – Capital requirements and economic of scale are potential barriers – Easier to enter mail order business than automobile due to high capital cost – Technology made it easier for new entrants to enter market. – Threat of existing rivalry: – Coke VS Pepsi, Toyota VS Honda – Influenced by the other four forces and cost-product differentiation Threat of substitute products: – Affected by cost changes or trends Internet open new ways to meet customer needs – Low cost airline tickets VS travel agencies Bargaining power of buyers: – Few buyer, many suppliers. Goods are standardised. (High buyer power) – B uyer gets more information about the car they want to buy; accident before? Bargaining power of suppliers: – Many buyers, few suppliers. Highly valued products. (High supplier power) – Airplane engine suppliers will have great power due to lack of competition – Internet helps the suppliers to reach end users and greater number of buyersQUESTION 3 (12. 5 marks) What is the difference between organisational structure and organisational design? Outline the six elements of organisational design. Organisational structure is a framework that defines the way tasks are assigned, the formalization of reporting relationships and the effectiveness of coordination of employees across departments. It is an expression of who is performing various tasks and how they are related to one another whereas organisational design is the process of reshaping or changing the organisation structure.Organisation leaders develop plans to function or perform better. Six elements are: 1) Wor k Specialisation – A. k. a Division of labour. Main idea is to divide the jobs so that everything is not done by one individual. Employees can focus on doing specific functions in their own department allowing them to effectively and efficiently specialise in that particular job. 2) Chain Of Command – Line of authority from the upper level of organisation to lower level of organisation and classifies who reports to whom. Unity of command where each employee is held accountable to only one supervisor.Scalar Command defined line of authority that refers to all employees. 3) Responsibility, authority & delegation – Authority is the legitimate right of managers to issue orders, make decisions and allocate resources. Responsibility is the duty to perform a task an employee is assigned to and usually comes with authority for managers. Delegation is the transfer of authority to a lower level position in the hierarchy. 4) Span of management – Refers to the number of employees reporting to a supervisor. Also known as span of control.Determines the number of employees a supervisor can effectively and efficiently manage. 5) Centralization & decentralization – Centralization is when the authority is located at a single point usually at the top level of the organisation and decentralization is when decision authority is pushed down to lower organisation levels. Decentralization is believed to relieve burden on top managers, make greater use of worker skills and abilities and permit rapid response to external changes. 6) Formalization – Process of creating written documents to direct and control employees.These include rule books, regulations and job descriptions. These provide the employees with descriptions of tasks, responsibilities and decision authority. QUESTION 4 (12. 5 marks) A contingency approach to leadership seeks to explain the relationship between leadership styles and specific situations. Describe Hersey and Blanchard ’s situational leadership model. Provide examples to illustrate your answer. [pic] QUESTION 5 (12. 5 marks) Managers faced with ethical choices have a number of approaches that they may use to guide their decision making.Discuss the various approaches to ethical decision making, providing examples to help explain your answer. Utilitarian approach is the moral behaviour of producing the greatest good for the greatest number. Decision makers are to consider the effect of all parties and select one that best gives satisfaction to the greatest number of people. Squatter homes are not abolished because the government may find that leaving the squatter homes untouched may be a better option as it provides as a home for many people.Dunlop closed their manufacturing plant in Australia and decided to open one in Thailand and Malaysia, managers justified that decision on the basis that it produces greater good to the company as a whole. Individualism approach promotes the individualâ⠂¬â„¢s best long term interests which will lead to the greater good. The action in which is intended to produce greater good than bad to the individual rather than other alternatives. This will in turn, lead to greater good as individual’s behaviour fits the standards of behaviour people wants towards themselves.Moral rights approach defines the fact that human beings have rights and liberties that cannot be taken away by another individual. This approach suggests companies to maintain the rights of the people affected by it. Western countries give their people the right to have their own say (freedom of speech) and in some companies, they give their customers the freedom to speak and complain. Hence, the saying the customer is always right. Justice approach is the moral decision based on equality, fairness and impartiality. There are 3 types of justice concerning managers: distributive ustice where people should not be treated differently based on illogical characteristics s uch as gender. Procedural justice where rules should be administered fairly and consistently and Compensatory justice where individuals should be compensated for the cost of their injuries by the party responsible. QUESTION 6 (12. 5 marks) A current issue for HRM involves the changing nature of careers, and the evolving dynamic of relationships between employers and employees. Discuss the major issues involved in the changing nature of careers, and the HR issues in the new workplace. Provide examples as appropriate.Major Issue: Changing social contract Issues in new workplace: 1) Becoming employer of choice – company highly attractive to employees due to HR practices that focus on not only tangible benefits but intangible too. 2) Team & Projects – People who used to work alone now has to work in groups. Many workers handle multiple tasks and responsibilities. 3) Temporary employees – Demand has grown for professionals. Contingent workers means reduced payroll an d benefit costs as well as increased flexibility for both employer and employee. 4) Technology – Virtual teams and telecommunicating ) Work/Life Balance – Telecommunicating helps employees work from home to balance life and work. 6) Downsizing – Some companies have to downsize and let employees go. ———————– Old contractNew Contract Employee Employer – Job felt secure – One part of the organisation – Knowing – Routine Jobs – Standard training programs – Limited information – Traditional compensation package (typical benefits) – Manage own career (employment not guaranteed) – Partner in business improvement – Learning – Challenging assignments – Continuous learning, lateral career – Information & resources – Creative development opportunities

Adults with Learning Disabilities Essay Example for Free

Adults with Learning Disabilities Essay ? The discourse of ‘learning disabilities’ is now being used to challenge a wide range of acts and practices, including violence and intimidation, non-consenting sexual acts, the bullying of less resilient people by more able service users, unacceptably deprived physical or social environments and financial exploitation or fraud. Some argue that it should include all abuses of human rights. Clearly, these issues are not new as the following essay illustrates, and historically some of these practices have been hidden within service cultures while others have been quite open but variously rationalized as ‘behavior modification’, ‘relationships’, ‘control and restraint’, or ‘not giving in to attention seeking’. Abuse was regarded as a central, and inevitable, feature of institutionalized provision in influential models such as that of Goffman (1961) and Wolfensberger (1975 and 1980) within an analysis whose focus was on organizations and ideology. The new discourse is much more personalized and within it the focus is on the experience of the victim. This has some advantages for individuals and highlights some dilemmas for service organizations. It makes clear that people with learning disabilities are harmed, as any individual would be, by personal or sexual violence or exploitation. Harm is deemed equivalent whoever has caused it, for example whether it has been perpetrated by another service user, a member of staff or a stranger. This way of framing harmful acts highlights conflicts of interest between service users: the discourse of ‘challenging behavior’ for example, designed to neutralize the stigma of difficult behavior, inadvertently deflects from and discounts the experience of those on the receiving end of difficult behavior. Naming these acts as abusive confronts service agencies with the need for specialized, safe (expensive) placements for those who present a risk to others. Men with learning disabilities who have difficult sexual behaviors, for example, are often placed alongside very vulnerable people, their needs for asylum taking precedence over the safety of more vulnerable people (Thompson and Brown 1998). But while this acknowledgement is a step forward for individuals ,the new discourse risks personalizing forms of mistreatment that arise out of societal and structural inequalities. At an individual level, when issues of power are overlooked or neutralized, abusive and exploitative interactions can be explained away as relationships of choice. At a service level, new fault-lines between agencies and between purchasers, providers and regulators set up contingencies that make abuse more likely and less visible. At a societal level, there is growing inequality between the pay and working conditions of managerial, professional and so-called ‘unqualified’ staff within and across the statutory, private (for-profit) and voluntary (not-for-profit) sectors. Gender and race exacerbate the unequal position of direct care staff and the disproportionate responsibility that falls on them. This paper divides into two parts. First, I shall review the current usage of the term ‘learning disabilities’, looking at how it is being defined and categorized. Second, I will outline what is emerging as good practice in this field. WHAT DOES A LEARNING DISABILITY LOOK LIKE? Let me explain this with an exaomple: Sara’s lifelong difficulty with reading and writing had nothing to do with not being â€Å"smart. † Most individuals who have a learning disability are of average to above average intelligence and therefore have the intellectual potential to succeed at school and in careers. But they often do not reach this potential. While effort and motivation are important for success, it is clearly unfair to say of someone with a learning disability that he or she â€Å"just needs to try harder. † No matter how hard Sara worked, her problems did not go away. We know that a learning disability is caused by specific dysfunction within the central nervous system. The central nervous system, made up of the brain and the spinal cord, controls everything we do: our ability to process and think about language and to express ourselves verbally, as well as our ability to process nonverbal information, including art or music. Sara’s symptoms included reversing or rotating numbers (6 for 9), letters (b for d;p for q), and words (was for saw; on for no) when writing; omitting letters and sounds; and making sound and word substitutions when reading (tril for trial;then for there). Such problems make it difficult to decode words, and these decoding errors are most evident when reading aloud. Though never diagnosed, Sara’s symptoms became evident in first grade, when formal reading instruction began. As we learn to read we must of course master the alphabet, which is like a code, and learn the relationship between letters and sounds. Reading is a process of decoding the clusters of letters, converting them into words, and then attaching meaning to the words. In many cases, problems with phonological processing the ability to receive, transform, remember, and retrieve the sounds of oral language interfere with the acquisition of reading skills. Phonological processing involves the ability to separate a word into its component parts or blend sounds to construct a word. Problems with these skills make it very hard for the beginning reader to achieve fluency. Comprehension of written material depends on accurate and fluent decoding, a good vocabulary, and comprehension of the grammatical structure of sentences. When these skills are not developed that is, when they are slow and labored — the reader must devote more energy and effort to identifying and comprehending each individual word, rather than constructing meaning from an entire paragraph or from general context. For many years, researchers believed that the reader automatically moved from reading the words on a page to comprehending, without participating in the process of constructing meaning. But recent research points to the fact that the reader plays an active role: using background knowledge about the subject, calling on appropriate strategies for both decoding and comprehension, and applying the right amount of attention and concentration. Reading strategies are now considered essential components of the reading process. These might include paraphrasing while reading or summarizing afterward to help with comprehension. Competent readers are able to evaluate the reading task and select strategies that are a â€Å"good fit† or match to the task. In Sara’s case, she read slowly and had to reread material several times, so she found it difficult to comprehend content or recall important facts when questioned about them later. Unlike good readers, she did not rely on strategies that could help her. She also struggled with writing. Many times she was ashamed to submit patient reports because she knew they were filled with spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors and were not organized or structured well. Her reports never reflected her knowledge or keen insight into patient care. Writing problems can be seen at any age, although they become more evident as academic or work demands increase. While Sara knew what she wanted to say, she had trouble getting started, focusing on the essential facts, and editing effectively. She tended to use the same words over and over. This was so different from her spoken language, which was rich and varied. Not surprisingly, it took her a long time and a good deal of effort to complete her reports. Her mathematical skills, though, were more than adequate. But there are people with learning disabilities who have problems understanding mathematical concepts or difficulty solving verbal or written mathematical problems. These problems may stem from more than one source, including inadequate spatial or directional sense and difficulty understanding abstract symbols or the language of mathematics. To use a basic example, someone who does not have a good understanding of concepts such as â€Å"plus† and â€Å"minus† is going to find it hard to identify the process needed to solve a mathematical problem. Learning strategies will be of great help to this person. Sara was also troubled by her erratic performance at work. Some days, she would be fine. But when she was fatigued or stressed, she found her attention was poor and she made more than the usual number of errors. At these times, she did not feel in control and usually needed to take a break and call on the support of friends to help her get back on track. While Sara felt her social life to be strength, some individuals who have learning disabilities have difficulty in social situations because they cannot perceive others’ needs and make or keep friends. Relationships with family and friends and associates on the job may suffer. As a way of compensating, an individual may avoid social situations altogether and thus become isolated. Others may struggle with low self-esteem and a lack of assertiveness, which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies of failure. Moreover, repeated negative experiences in school and at home can discourage an individual from even trying. Many individuals who have learning disabilities have difficulty planning ahead and then evaluating their performance in academic courses or work-related tasks. Planning involves the ability to determine the outlines of a task and the skills it will require. Planning helps us generate strategies or know when to ask for outside help. We are not always conscious of initiating this type of planning because so many tasks are performed automatically, such as remembering a frequently called phone number by using a mnemonic, or writing notes in a book or on a memo. But when tasks are new or complex, active planning is needed. Other learning problems may stem from an inability to manage one’s time effectively to get something done on schedule. For example, many college students do not leave sufficient time to research and write a term paper, and end up frantically completing it the night before it is due. Or a manager may delay writing a budget or marketing report, finding it hard to begin. In order to use strategies at school, at home, or on the job, we need to be aware of ourselves as learners. Researchers have suggested that each of us has our own built-in executive function that directs and controls our actions. If this â€Å"executive† is efficient and aware of individual skills and the strategies needed to accomplish a task, the appropriate plan of action can be put into effect. If the plan is unsuccessful, then the executive reevaluates and initiates a new course of action. Individuals who have learning disabilities have a less efficient executive, the theory goes, and are therefore less able to generate and use effective strategies in their personal and professional lives. In addition to learning disabilities, a large number of adults suffer from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD affects an individual’s ability to focus and concentrate on school or work tasks, and to make good use of strategies. The struggle to achieve is so much harder with the added burden of ADHD. Although external factors do not cause a learning disability, we know that they do play a significant role in learning. It is well documented that the environment we live and work in influences and helps to shape our learning patterns, behavior, and sense of self. Research has consistently shown that the type and quality of support provided both at school and within the home are strong determinants of success in school, at work, or in one’s personal life. For example, a supportive family, early identification of learning problems, and appropriate intervention may make all the difference in helping an individual compensate for the disability. Learning disabilities are found throughout the world and in all socioeconomic groups — they are not bound by culture or language. Approximately the same numbers of males as females have learning disabilities, and the problem tends to run in families. Many prominent figures in politics, science, and the arts are reported to have had a learning disability, among them Nelson Rockefeller, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Auguste Rodin. Einstein, for example, was described as having difficulty learning a foreign language and mathematics — of all things! He also struggled with other academic subjects and with writing. All adults face the challenges and rewards of employment, home and family, leisure pursuits, community involvement, emotional and physical health, and personal responsibility and relationships. Adults who have learning disabilities must manage these life demands with an added set of problems. Society expects adults to be self-supporting, to function within a community, and to exhibit appropriate social behavior. Typically, to be self-supporting one must be employed. Employment for most adults spans a long period of time. It may begin with the exit from high school and continue for fifty or more years. While research on the employment of adults who have learning disabilities is sparse, and the findings that are available reflect the heterogeneity of the population, the information reported is unfortunately discouraging. It suggests that individuals with learning disabilities, as a group, show higher rates of unemployment, have jobs of lower status, receive lower pay, and change jobs more frequently than those without learning disabilities. Of course, there are many individuals at all levels of the workforce who do attain professional success. Further, there are well-documented accounts of persons with learning disabilities throughout history who have made significant contributions to society, among the most notable being Einstein, Edison, Churchill, and Rockefeller. It is important to keep in mind that adults who have learning disabilities who have above average intelligence, come from middle to higher economic backgrounds, and/or have completed postsecondary education, have higher rates of employment, higher job status, and greater job satisfaction than this research indicates. Those who graduate from college are much more likely to hold professional or managerial positions, for example, than those who have only a high school diploma. What makes success on the job so difficult for some people with learning disabilities? For one thing, persistent problems with reading, writing, and arithmetic can interfere with their work. Many report that they continue to struggle with decoding skills, sight vocabulary, and reading rate. Banking tasks and money management often bring out their troubles with arithmetic. Spelling is frequently reported to be the biggest problem of all. The level of basic skills that is required in the current job market is expanding to include more abstract abilities. Employers want their workers not only to be proficient in basic skills but also to be able to use these skills effectively and efficiently to solve on-the-job problems. Employers want the people they hire to be able to read for information, to analyze and synthesize the material, and apply the material read to on-the-job situations. They further expect employees to analyze problems, formulate solutions, and communicate that process, in writing, to others. Workplace mathematics, like reading and writing, also requires identification of the problem, analysis, and then the ability to find a solution. Employers further expect good interpersonal skills. The ability to use technology and information systems is becoming more essential as well. To do all of these things efficiently and effectively, workers must have mastered basic skills and be able to apply thinking skills. They also need personal qualities such as individual responsibility, self-esteem, and self management. The nature of a learning disability may affect the development of some of these competencies. For example, because of years of struggle and failure, self-esteem may be low and self-monitoring skills may not be functioning effectively. Employers often do not understand what a learning disability is, thus making it even more difficult for the adults with learning disabilities whom they supervise. Because employers cannot â€Å"see† the disability and may have limited knowledge about learning disabilities, they may find it difficult to understand that the problems are real. Therefore, they may fail to provide the necessary accommodations and supportive environment. They may often fail to recognize that, with assistance, workers who have learning disabilities may be tremendous assets to the company. A learning disability is a lifelong condition. Some adults, by the time they have completed their formal education, have learned to compensate for their difficulties. For many others, difficulties continue and to varying degrees impact on careers, social relationships, and activities of daily living. There are adults who were diagnosed as children and received services under the guidelines of PL 94-142. But more and more adults, who never knew why school was so hard, are now addressing the problem by initiating an assessment and seeking services to help them cope with their disabilities. Adults who have learning disabilities are a heterogeneous group. Some struggle with reading and writing, some with mathematical tasks, some with the basic challenges of daily life. There are adults who have learning disabilities who have trouble finding and keeping a job; others are professionally successful yet cannot seem to develop a satisfying social life. And there are those who seem to have few problems as they successfully negotiate the range of life’s demands. Adults who have learning disabilities are not merely children with learning disabilities grown up. The impact of having a learning disability differs at each stage of development. And adulthood itself has many stages, each with its unique challenges. Satisfaction or dissatisfaction at one stage does not guarantee the same degree of adjustment at another. At one point, the adult might deal with self-identity, at another with employment and economic independence, and still another with personal responsibility and relationships. As a group, adults who have learning disabilities represent a broad spectrum of the population. We see individuals of different ages, from different socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural groups. We see different clusters of social and learning problems that affect education, social, personal, and occupational adjustments. The field now recognizes the unique needs of the adult who has learning disabilities, and as such has responded by providing legal protection, programs, services, and an ever-developing information base. Where do we stand today? References: Erikson, E. H. 1968. Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton. Hallahan, D. P. , Lloyd, J. W. , Kauffman, J. M. , Weiss, M. P. , & Martinez, E. A. (2005). Learning disabilities: Foundations, characteristics, and effective teaching (3rd ed. ). Toronto: Pearson Education, Inc. Johnson, D. J. , & Blalock, J. W. (1987). Adults with learning disabilities: Clinical studies. Orlando: Grune & Stratton. Jordan, D. R. (1996). Teaching adults with learning disabilities. The professional practices in adult education and human resource development series. Malabar, Fla: Krieger Pub. Shapiro, J. , & Rich, R. (1999). Facing learning disabilities in the adult years. New York: Oxford University Press. Wong, B. Y. L. (1998). Learning about learning disabilities. San Diego: Academic Press. Adults with Learning Disabilities. (2016, Dec 10).

Consumer Law - University Level 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consumer Law - University Level 3 - Essay Example Even though it extends the two-stage chain of remedies in Art.3 of the Consumer Rights Directive, this Article is an absolute revision of the former provision. The pressing consequence is that the new proviso is possibly less composite and thus easier to read; but the benefit is simply outbalanced by the substantial alterations made to the remedies. Many of these remedies are or may be detriment to the consumers. Actually, it is in the background of the remedies where user protection would be trimmed back under the proposed Consumer Rights Directive full harmonisation scheme. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 the purchasers’ right to a refund is restricted by Section 11 (4). This section states that the right to reject the goods by the purchaser depends on his acceptance of the goods. But as soon as acceptance takes place then the contract is complete and this will reduce the buyer’s right to a lesser claim of damages. Once acceptance has taken place, the buyer’s contractual claim is reduced to breach of warranty affording the buyer the lesser claim of damages. These are assessed as the difference in the value of the goods at the time of delivery and the value they would have had if they had conformed to the contract. In practice, these will usually amount to the cost of repairs. Claims for consequential losses are also allowed in accordance with the principles of the general law of contract. The meaning of acceptance is given under SS 34 and 35 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979. Section 34 calls for the vendor, on petition, to provide the buyer a reasonable chance to inspect the goods. Section 35 lays down the rules for acceptance which can be completed in three ways: With regard to consumer transactions, the third kind, that is acceptance after the lapse of a reasonable time, is a very common type of acceptance. The query of what is a reasonable time is a problem of fact. Conversely, a

Summarize idea on the article paragraph reaction, response, question Essay

Summarize idea on the article paragraph reaction, response, question - Essay Example tive difficulties but at the same time many researchers are now recommending a more widespread use of these cognitive enhancing drugs to help people concentrate more, be awake longer hours and a lot more. However, with an increasing access to these drugs, there is a lot of arising issues that come up, such as the efficacy of this activity and the proven benefits that it can give rather than the problems it can cause. One of the main concerns with the use of these pharmaceutical drugs is the adverse effects it can wrought a person. All we know today is that cognitive enhancing drugs can really give immediate mental which can be attested by the many people who have already tried taking these drugs and have felt and experienced a significant wakefulness, energy, stamina, and memory. In certain surveys, a lot of people take these drugs before testing, while they are doing a paper, or perhaps during long hours of no sleep and they liked the fact that these drugs have delivered in the aspect of urgency by allowing them to think quickly and have an active body. However, speaking of the long term effects of which, little data is available. This is the problem that we have to deal with when it comes to bringing the use of cognitive enhancing drugs to the mainstream. Also, another thing to consider would be the fact that these people who can attest to the effectiveness of the drug cannot truly confirm tha t they actually got great results in the long run, such as the quality of a paper/dissertation, a result to a test, or, perhaps, a grade for a recitation they used the drug for. Thus, though quantity could be the strength of cognitive enhancing drugs as you can do more at a certain period of time, quality is not something they could guarantee. We all know that it is human nature to want to push against our limitations, but what about the risks? This is that one question we need to ask ourselves regarding the use of cognitive-enhancing drugs. Take Ritalin as an example. It

Contract law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contract law - Essay Example Legal Status of the Advertisement The advertisement has been issued to public at large. Akono has given his email address and telephone number in the advertisement for this purpose. Generally, advertisements  are invitations to treat. In  Patridge v Crittenden [1968], Lord C. J. Parker said, ‘when one is dealing with advertisements and circulars, unless they indeed come from manufacturers, there is business sense in their being construed as invitations to treat and not offers for sale’. Also, consideration is an important constituent in a valid contract. The expression ‘willing to pay ?100 or more’ in the advertisement shows that the consideration is undetermined. In Harvey  and Anor v  Facey  and Ors  [1893], it was held that the mere statement of the lowest price at which the vendor would sell contains no implied contract to sell at that price to the persons making the inquiry. Similarly, in this case Akono is not bound to buy at any particular price. The advertisement is given with the intention to induce people to respond with their offers. Any response to the advertisement cannot be treated as an acceptance, though it is stated as ‘Please phone or email to accept’ in the advertisement. The advertisement is an invitation to offers in this case. ... In Hyde v Wrench (1840), it was held that the counteroffer rejected the offer previously made, and it was not competent afterwards to revive the original proposal. In this case, Akono states, ‘If you want to sell it to me, I need to receive your response on paper by the morning of Friday 5 October’, which is a counteroffer. This should be treated as rejection of the original offer. On Tuesday evening, Ju posts a letter to Akono, agreeing to take the ?100 for her Dumbledore costume. Her letter does not arrive until Saturday, 6 October. Akono did not receive any valid acceptance from Ju within the stipulated time. In Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893],   L. J. Bowen said, ‘where a person in an offer made by him to another person, expressly or impliedly intimates a particular mode of acceptance as sufficient to make the bargain binding, it is only necessary for the other person to whom such offer is made to follow the indicated method of acceptance...’ I f the statement ‘I’ll only pay ? 100’ by Akono is treated as an offer, it is a conditional offer, the condition being receipt of Ju’s acceptance on paper by the morning of Friday, 5 October. It was held in Holwell Securities v Hughes [1974] that the words ‘notice in writing’ mean notice received by the offeror. Since the conditionality with regard to ‘acceptance on paper’ is not met by Ju, the acceptance is not valid. On Wednesday, 3 October, Akono posted a letter to Ju, stating that he no longer wanted her costume. The offeror can revoke his offer any time before its acceptance (Ramsgate Victoria Hotel Co v Montefiore 1866) and hence, this revocation is valid. Akono v Bob Ju gets her friend Bob to telephone on 4 October to ascertain the receipt of the letter posted by

Descriptive Statistics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Descriptive Statistics - Assignment Example For the data presented; the descriptive statistics help in understanding the extent of spread of scores, the aggregate score s of groups of participants, and the most representative scores in different groups(Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias, 2008). For the control group, it is evident that the scores on both variables – Depression and the number of candy bars eaten – are higher than the group receiving CBT. The control group had a Mean score of 5.3 and a Median and Modal score of 5 for candy bars eaten. The range of the scores was 4 and variance was 1.79 while Standard Deviation was 1.34. The CBT group had a Mean and Median score of 1.5 and Modal scores of 1 and 2. The range of the scores was 3, with a variance of 1.17 and a Standard deviation of 1.08. For the whole sample, the Mean was 3.40 and mode was 5 while median was 3.50 while range was 8, variance was 5.2 and Standard deviation was 2.28. For both the groups; the Mean, Median and Mode are quite close and this may b e interpreted to mean that these groups are somewhat normally distributed, though the CBT group is a bimodal group with two adjacent modes. For all three measures of central tendency, the Control group had higher scores as compared to the CBT group. The control group also had higher scores on all measures of dispersion, showing that there was more variability in the control group’s scores than the CBT groups. The measures of variability were highest for the whole sample showing that all participants together had more variance in their scores. The same trend was noticed for depression scores with CBT group scoring lower than the control group. The control group had a mean score of 72.2, a median of 74.5 and a mode of 72. The range of scores was 32 with a variance of 87.57 and a Standard deviation of 9.36. The mean score for the CBT group was 40.8, the median was 40 and the mode was 35. Although the control group had similar mean, mode and median showing a relatively normal

Is racism and anti-semitism still a problem in the United States Assignment

Is racism and anti-semitism still a problem in the United States - Assignment Example The root causes of racism and anti-Semitism are derived from the ideology of the white man’s burden that continues to be the hallmark of white supremacy. In addition, one cannot diminish the fact that America was founded upon the idea of â€Å"melting pot.† Racism and anti-Semitism are prevalent in American society due to enactment of affirmative action, ethnic profiling post September 11, and the vague existence of the KKK, Racism and anti-Semitism still exist in American society due to the fact that affirmative action legislatures were enacted to give minorities an opportunity for employment. Anti-affirmative action enables minorities to be embedded in the work and schools so society does not discriminate against them. Majority of the executives in the American Society are dominated by male executives. Racism is also founded due to the economic status of some minorities. Many Americans feel as if they would be unemployed as minorities will continue to take their curre nt posts. According to CNN, in 2004 the percentage of Americans living under the poverty level was 12.5%. Without these laws, companies and schools can easily discriminate to Racism and anti-Semitism no doubt continue to still exist in American society after the attacks in September 11 that has lead to unfair racial profiling. After the attacks in September 11, Muslims and Jews have became a target group for racial and ethnic profiling. Many US citizen Muslims were detained, deported or sent to Guantanamo Bay for felonies and crimes that they never committed. According to ADL, a survey conducted â€Å"revealed that while 44% of foreign-born Hispanics hold hardcore anti-Semitic beliefs, 20% of Hispanic Americans born in the U.S. fall into the same category.† Furthermore, the government itself continues to propagate against the Muslims and created barriers for the general public to learn more about Islam. Racism and anti-Semitism undoubtedly are still part of American society a s they are depicted through the existence of the KKK. The KKK was an organization that was initiated after the civil war to embed fear, blackmail into minorities. Many joined the KKK as a push to solidify the concept of white supremacy along with showing their patriotism. Although the existence of KKK is vague, the organization continues to impact American society. According to Spartacus Educational, â€Å"On 17th May, 2000, the FBI announced that the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing had been carried out by the Ku Klux Klan splinter group, the Cahaba Boys.† Undoubtedly, racism will continue to haunt the American society for decades to come and impact the future generations of America. The American generation must continue to fight racism in many ways and accept the diversity that America was founded upon. Ignorance and self-hatred must be abolished in order to understand the beauty of diversity As young generation grows older, it is vital that they stop history from re peating itself by propagating against anti-Semitism and racism. Works Cited Anti-Semitism on the Rise in America -- ADL Survey on Anti-Semitic Attitudes Reveals 17 Percent of Americans Hold "Hardcore"

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Microeconomics - Essay Example One of the main characteristics of perfect competition includes sale of homogenous goods where all firms in the market same the same good. The second characteristic of perfect competitive market is perfect information where all sellers and buyers if goods know the price of the good and an increase in price by the seller will result in zero sales. Monopoly is a market structure consisting of one seller and many buyers; hence, the seller has total maker power on price and quantity. The main characteristic of this market is the lack of close substitutes; hence, the users have to purchase from the firm at the price. The second characteristic of monopoly is high barriers of entry that could be as a result of high capital requirement, ownership of production resources by the firm, natural causes, and government offer of single license to the firm ensuring presence of abnormal profits in the long-run in a monopoly market. Oligopoly defines a market structure characterized by few large firms operating in the market hence the decision of a firm affects other firms in the market. A characteristic of an oligopoly is aggressive and defensive advertising to ensure buyers get information on the products and give a firm advantage over the other firms in the market. The other characteristic is price rigidity, since when one firm increase price other firms may not follow suit leading to loss of sales by the firm with an increased prices and augmented sales for the other firms. Monopolistic competition consists of a market structure consisting of firms with a degree of market power owing to the production of non-perfectly substitutable goods, and the aim of the firms is profit maximization. A characteristic of monopolistic competition is free entry of firms ensuring the economic profits in the long-run are reduced to normal profits. The second characteristic is that firms produce differentiated products allowing for a certain degree of market power since the goods cannot be

Role of ATP in Supporting Energy to the Body Essay Example for Free

Role of ATP in Supporting Energy to the Body Essay When food is ingested, it is broken down into components and utilized in a specific manner in three major cellular pathways to provide energy for the cells and the body.   Ultimately, these pathways involve the breakdown and utilization of food, the utilization of O2 and the production of CO2, the generation and regeneration of ATP and the production of water.   Therefore, these processes involve respiration as well as the breakdown and utilization of food and oxygen. Three major pathways are involved:   glycolysis which takes place in the cellular cytoplasm and breaks down glycogen and glucose from food, the Krebs Cycle which occurs in the mitochondrion and oxidative phosphorylation which occurs in the mitochondrion.   Ã‚  Ã‚   These three pathways occur in two cellular locations.   Glycolysis takes place in the cytoplasm and The Krebs Cycle and oxidative phosphorylation take place in the mitochondria.   During these three pathways, there is a utilization and production of ATP that biochemists follow closely.   It results in the net production of 36 molecules of ATP.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To understand the entire process that illustrates how food is broken down and utilized in the body, it is instructive to follow a bolus, that is, food consumed, chewed and swallowed.   Each step involves some aspect of digestion that breaks down complex sugar and protein molecules into smaller units.   Proteins are broken down into peptides and amino acids while starches and other complex sugars are broken down into glucose. The glucose undergoes glycolysis in the cellular cytoplasm beginning with the enzyme hexokinase, and the entire process of glycolysis is controlled by the rate limiting enzyme phosphofructokinase (PFK).   Kinase enzymes (enzymes that break down ATP) are common all along the three pathways involved, glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle (also called the Citric Acid Cycle and the Tricaroxylic Acid Cycle) and phosphorylative oxidation.   Kinases are enzymes that break down or utilized ATP, ADP and AMP as their substrate or one of their substrates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fiske and Subbarow discovered and characterized ATP in 1929.   At that time, the work of some demonstrated that the breakdown of ATP provided energy for muscle contraction, but other studies demonstrated that there was ATP synthesis during glycolysis and during electron transport.   Although ATP is made throughout the cell, the cellular location of ATP synthesis varies with the biochemical pathways associated with ATP synthesis.    Although one common pathway of ATP synthesis and breakdown is associated with the adenylate kinase reaction that forms two ADP molecules from ATP and AMP, studies in the late 1920s and beyond demonstrated that ATP synthesis was also associated with glycolysis and during electron transport.   In 1949, Kennedy and Lehninger demonstrated that ATP synthesis and the citric acid cycle occur in the mitochondria.   We now recognize that ATP synthesis and breakdown can be associated with specific biochemical pathways in the cell cytoplasm and in the mitochondria.    Some enzymes are sensitive to the ratio of ATP to AMP and to the presence of ADP.   This realization led to the concept of the energy charge, the relative concentration of ATP to ADP to AMP in the cell.   An energy charge of 1.0 represents all ATP, and energy charge of 0 represents all AMP and an energy charge of 0.5 represents all ADP or equal amounts of ATP and AMP or some combination of the two.   These ratios, and thus the energy charge are important to the cell because many cellular enzymes such as PFK are sensitive to and regulated by the relative amounts of the adenine nucleotides, ATP, ADP and AMP. Glycolysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Glycolysis, also referred to as the Embden-Meryhof-Parnas pathway (figure 1), is essentially the breakdown of glucose in the cytoplasm of the cell.   The glycolytic process can begin with glucose or glycogen.   During the process, glycolysis generates the high energy compounds ATP and NADH that serve as the energy sources in the cell.   Among the many cellular roles for glycolysis, it serves three central cellular functions.   First, it generates high energy molecules such as ATP and NADH. It also produces pyruvate for the Krebs cycle and a variety of three and six carbon compounds involved in the intermediary metabolism of the cell.   The rate limiting enzyme for glycolysis, that is, the key enzyme that controls the glycolytic pathway, is phosphofructokinase (PFK).   PFK is feedback inhibited by high levels of ATP which acts by lowering the affinity of the substrate F6P for PFK.   AMP can reverse the inhibitory effect of ATP rendering PFK, and thus the control of glycolysis very sensitive to the ratio of ATP/AMP in the cytoplasm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The final product arising from glycolysis depends on the cellular conditions.   Whereas glycolysis begins with glucose or glycogen, it ends with the production two molecules of the three carbon compound pyruvate.   Under anaerobic conditions, pyruvate is reduced to form lactic acid or ethanol and under aerobic conditions pyruvate loses CO2 and forms the product acetyl-coenzyme A as a result of oxidation of pyruvate to carbon dioxide and water in the citric acid cycle within the mitochrondia.   Glycolysis occurs in the cellular cytoplasm and the Krebs Cycle and oxidative phosphorylation occur in the mitochondria.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Glycolysis results in the formation of fructose from glucose and the formation of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate and compounds along the pathway on the way to splitting the resulting 6-carbon compound into two three carbon units of pyruvate.   In the process, NAD+ serves as a hydrogen carrier and is reduced to NADH, the oxidized form of NAD+. In the cell, the oxidation of aldehyde to carboxylic acid is very complex and strongly exergonic and is generally coupled to ATP synthesis.   Glucose goes to Glu-6-P to Fructose with the breakdown of two ATP molecules.   Fructose gives rise to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate which is ultimately splite in a complex reaction chain to phosphoglycerate, phosphoenolpyruvate which is finally split into two molecules of pyruvate by pyruvate and the regeneration of the two ATP molecules previously utilized. Glycolysis Figure 1. Embden-Meryhof-Parnas pathway, also known as glycolysis.   Reproduced from Michael W. King, Wednesday, 22-Mar-2006. The Citric Acid Cycle   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Citric Acid Cycle (Figure 2) is the most complex of the three components associated with carbohydrate metabolism and the consumption of food.   It involves the following eight enzymes and the components they use as substrate:   Citrate Synthase, Aconitase, Isocitrate Dehydrogense, alpha-ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase, Succinyl-CoA Synthetase, Succinate Dehydrogenase, Fumarase, Malate Dehydrogenase.   The generation of acetyl-CoA from carbohydrates is a major control point of the Krebs cycle.   Therefore, glycolysis and the rate limiting enzyme of glycolysis, PFK, play a role in the control of the Krebs cycle.   The oxidation of an acetyl group is a difficult chemical process and may be the reason that nature developed the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCAC), also known as the Citric Acid Cycle and the Krebs Cycle. The Krebs cycle begins when the products of glycolysis leave the cytoplasm (cytosol) and enter the mitochondria.   Once glycogen or glucose have been broken down into two three carbon units of pyruvate, the pyruvate can be further broken down into a high energy compound called acetyl-CoA resulting in the production of CO2 and water.   Acetyl-CoA combines with oxaloacetate (also spelled oxalacetate) to form the 6 carbon compound citrate.   From this condensation reaction, a complex array of biochemical reactions take place that involve various molecular transformations such as isomerizations and molecular rearrangements. These various steps result in transformations from the 6-carbon condensation that gave rise to citrate and subsequent 6-carbon units of cis-aconitate, isocitrate to a five carbon unit of alpha-ketoglutarate to the four carbon units of succinate, fumarate, malate and oxaloacetate which, once regenerated is available to combine with another high energy acetyl-CoA and form another unit of citrate under the influence of the enzyme citrate synthetase.   After citrate is formed, two carbon atoms are removed as CO2 as the various TCAC intermediates are formed leading to the regeneration of the 4-carbon oxaloacetate. There are several oxidation steps on the way to the reformation of oxaloacetate.   Each step feeds reducing agents, either NADH or FADH, into the cycle on the way to regenerating oxaloacetate from citrate.   The reducing agents (or reducing equivalents) remove hydrogen from the enzyme substrates.   So, the reducing agents serve as a pool of hydrogen carriers and allow for the further synthesis of ATP during electron transport.   The TCAC results in the production of 2 ATP molecules, 10 carrier molecules and CO2 from each molecule of glucose. Glycolysis and the Krebs Cycle Figure 2. Glycolysis and the Krebs Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCAC).   Reproduced  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from David R. Caprette, 2005. Electron Transport   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The complex molecules that were reduced during the Krebs Cycle are re-oxidized by means of the electron transport system. (Figure 3)   Although TCAC results in the production of 2 ATP molecules from each molecule of glucose, electron transport gives rise to 34 ATP molecules and water from the carrier molecules.   Therefore, the majority of the ATP in the cell must be produced in the mitochondria.   The re-oxidation of reduced NADH and FADH2 by O2 involves a sequence of electron carriers in what has become known as the electron transport chain.   It ultimately results in the generation of three molecules of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate for every oxygen molecule involved. This process is called oxidative phosphorylation and is the principal source of usable energy (in the form of ATP) in the cell.   It is provided by the breakdown of both carbohydrates and fats.   In the process, reduced NADH transfers a hydrogen atom plus two electrons (a hydride ion and H-).   Two complex molecules, NAD+ and FAD+, serve as the pool of hydrogen carriers and thus act reducing agents in the mitochondria; NAD+ is reduced to NADH and FAD is reduced to FADH2.   These compounds serve as electron carriers because their oxidation or reduction, the transfer of H+ (a proton), is accompanied by one or two of the electrons. The electrons donated from NADH or FADH2, upon entering this complex, travel from one carrier to the next, with each carrier being a somewhat more powerful oxidant than the previous one.   The hydrogen donated by the reducing agents combines with O2 such that with each molecule of O2 combines with 4 H+ to form water.   Therefore, two molecules of NADH must pass four electrons down the electron transport chain for each reduced oxygen molecule (O2). The chemical structures of the components of the electron transport chain fall into several distinct classes.   Most are proteins that contain special coenzymes called prosthetic groups.   Although they differ in chemical structure, a major difference between NADH and FADH2 is that NADH difuses freely between the dehydrogenases transfer hydrogen to it whereas FAD+ and FADH2 do not.   Another class of electron carriers in the mitochondrial membranes is iron-sulfur [Fe-S] clusters that are bound to proteins and release Fe3+ or Fe2+ plus H2S when acidified.   All of the carriers only appear to carry one electron at a time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ubiquinone or Coenzyme Q is a third hydrogen carrier localized in the mitochondrial membranes.   It is a common electron carrier that collects electrons from three or more points of input along the electron transport chain and passes them to molecular oxygen.   Unlike the other mitochondrial electron carriers, ubiquinone is not uniquely associated with proteins.   The cytochromes are a final class of electron carrier localized in the mitochondrial membrane.   Cytochromes are small, chemically distinct proteins that contain heme.   Like the other electron transport agents, the cytochromes only carry a single electron.   Cytochromes pass electrons from cyt bcyt ccyt acyt a3O2 Electron Transport/Oxidative Phosphorylation Figure 3.   Electron Transport during Oxidative Phosphorylation.   Reproduced from M. W. King, 2001. Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The pathways discussed here involve food consumption and energy utilization arising from food consumption.   Once food is taken in and reaches the stomach, it enters the body and the cells of the body.   Before digestion, food consists of complex, long chain molecules that must be broken during digestion beginning in the mouth and continuing in the stomach.   Once digested food reaches the cells, long chain molecules such as starch and other complex carbohydrates are further broken down into glucose.   Glucose, a six carbon compound, undergoes the process of glycolysis in the cellular cytoplasm to become two three carbon units of pyruvate. Under anaerobic conditions, pyruvate goes to lactic acid or ethanol, but in the presence of oxygen, pyruvate breaks down into a two-carbon compound, Acetyl-CoA and enters the Krebs Cycle.   There, food can be used to form energy for the cell in the form of ATP.   In the mitochondria, 36 molecules of ATP are formed for each molecule of O2.   Two ATP molecules arise from the Krebs cycle and 34 molecules arise from electron transport for each molecule of oxygen.   Thus, food consumed and oxygen taken in combine to replenish the energy supplies in the body in the form of ATP. References Caprette, David R.   Substrate Oxidation:   Krebs Reactions.   Experimental Biosciences 31 May, 2005.   The Krebs Cycle:   http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/studies/mitochondria/mitokrebs.html, Thursday, 7 June 2007. King, Michael W. Digestion of Dietary Carbohydrates.   Wednesday, 22-Mar-2006 Glycolysis: http://web.indstate.edu/thcme/mwking/glycolysis.html, Thursday, 7 June 2007 King, Michael W. Principals of Reduction/Oxidation (Redox) Reactions. Friday, 30 Mar-2007.   Oxidative Phosphorylation:   http://web.indstate.edu/thcme/mwking/oxidative-phosphorylation.html, Thursday, 7 June 2007.

Family Support Programme for ICU Patient Relatives

Family Support Programme for ICU Patient Relatives Constantin Vintilescu From DNP Online Community Davidson, E., Daly, J., Brady, R. Higgins, P. (2010). Facilitated Sensemaking A Feasibility Study for the Provision of a Family Support Program in the Intensive Care Unit. Critical Care Nurse Journal 33 (2) 177-189. Introduction / Purpose Evidence has shown that family members of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients develop anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress syndrome -like symptoms. Paparrigopoulos (2006), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) (2006) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine recommend family-centered care, but few studies demonstrate successful interventions to â€Å"decrease the ad ­verse psychological effect of critical illness on the family.â€Å" (Azoulay, 2005) This project served to examine the feasibility of such interven ­tions, and as a pilot program to investigate research procedures before the design of a controlled trial. Derived from business leadership models, â€Å"Facilitated Sensemaking,† provided the theoretical framework for the interventions: family members experience a disruption in their lives when a loved one is admitted to the ICU; they adjust with a compensatory process that may be influenced by nursing interventions. Methods The ‘Family Support Pro ­gram’ was developed consisting of personalized instructions delivered a clinical nurse specialist, and a family visiting kit in zip-locked plastic bag consisting of: a workbook including program introduction and instructions, cognitive recovery activities, activities to perform at the bedside including passive range of motion exercises, and personal care items. The program was offered to 30 consecutive families in a 32 bed â€Å"mixed-use ICU. All participants were English-speaking adult family members of mechanically ventilated adult ICU patients. To evaluate feasibility, data was collected on program acceptance, time of personal instruction, use of items in the family visiting kit, and family perception of program usefulness. In piloting the research procedure: a Family Sup ­port Program evaluation, and adapted Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (aCCFNI) was administered and psychometric properties of the instrument the reliability and validity of the questioner and scoring method were assessed. A convenience sample is a study of subjects taken from a group that is conveniently accessible to a researcher. One advantage of this is that it is easy to access, requiring little effort and time. This sampling method suffers from a major disadvantage in that it is not an accurate representation of the population, which can skew results quite radically. Use of a convenience sample is quite popular and prevalent, however, and it can be valid under certain conditions. Biases and Flaws Any number of biases can occur in a convenience sample. By selecting from a specific population such as students enrolled in Sociology 101, people visiting a mall between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on Saturdays, or library patrons, the study inadvertently excludes a great deal of the population. Choosing only students in a particular classroom at a certain university can easily exclude certain portions of the general populace, such as children or those without the financial means to attend the school. Such exclusions are not always a problem. For example, a study on library patrons could easily take a convenience sample of people at a certain library and generalize the results. On the other hand, a study on social attitudes toward people with disabilities should not use only the students in a sociology class, which does not necessarily represent an accurate cross-section of the population. This inability to accurately generalize the results of such a group makes it ineffective for many studies. Researchers who want more valid results typically take a probability sample, which attempts to get an accurate representation of the population. It is not generally possible to study everyone, but it is possible to randomly assign people to a study with an eye toward retaining a balance of characteristics seen in the population in general. For example, organizations that conduct political polling usually try to draw on a large database of people and select subjects randomly. This randomization increases the chances of a more accurate pool forming to produce results that can be better generalized. If a convenience sample is used, researchers typically disclose this fact. Good research usually includes a detailed overview of the sampling techniques used, so that people reading about it have a better understanding of how it was conducted. When revealing that a convenience sample was used, the researcher may also present justifications for its use and defend its accuracy. Evaluation / Analysis Standard statistical methods were applied using SPSS. Each aCCFNI item was ranked in order of importance using a weighted average analysis to measure â€Å"the importance of the need and how well that need was met† (Davidson 2010). The Family Sup ­port Program evaluation questioner was in the same way analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results Of the thirty family members approached for the Family Support Program, all consented to participate. 22 surveys were returned. Quantitative analyses of the aCCFNI results determine all 45 needs had some importance. Likewise, all items offered within the family visiting kits were found useful to some fam ­ily members. 42 Referrals to ancillary services were made for the 30 family members. Discussion / Conclusion Like previous research, this study demonstrated the importance of each of the 45-aCCFNI needs. A list of top 10 needs was also identified and corresponds with work by other researchers. Several non-generalizable opportunities for unit-specific performance improvement, including parking and other transportation related areas of stress were identified. 27% of family members who participated in the study did not to complete the surveys. The authors speculate that, â€Å"the early critical care period may be too stressful to concentrate on writing.† Only two family members were observed writing in the provided workbook even though the workbook was reported as helpful on the program evaluation questioner. The authors point-out similar phenomenon demonstrated in the literature (Kloos 2008). The small sample size was identified as a study limitation. Results of this study are â€Å"also limited to English-speaking adult family members of mechanically ventilated patients† (Davidson 2010). The contents of the family visiting kits were re ­fined with feedback received from family members during the study. It was suggested to build a ‘family supply cart’ to wheeled around the unit and offer supplies to family members. Operational issues During the study, many unit-specific issues arose regarding current practice and were for ­warded to the leadership team for action. For example, while screening patients for inclu ­sion into the study, the investigator discovered that many patients did not have family mem ­bers or visitors. A visiting ministry to meet the social needs of those patients has been suggested. Nurses and families alike were unaware of the hospital’s family room in the medical li ­brary equipped with an Internet-connected computer and handy hot-linked Web sites as well as novels. Because of study refer ­rals, the librarian reported an increased use in the family room (M. Robinson, personal oral communication, September 30, 2007). An informational sheet of family-friendly med ­ical information sites was prepared for in ­clusion in the visiting kit and later use. A note card explaining library services was de ­veloped, printed, and stocked in the waiting areas. As found in studies by Lautrette et al,31 Melnyk et al,14 Jones et al,13 and Kloos and Daly,33 family members appreciate supportive interventions that are multimodal in nature, both verbal and written. In this study, families also self-reported and it was observed that tac ­tile interventions using common household items for hands-on bedside activities were a welcome addition to the family support services. CONCLUSION The Family Support Program based on the model of facilitated sensemaking is not only feasible but also helpful to family members of mechanically vented, adult ICU patients. The demonstrated reliability of the aCCFNI supports its continued use in identifying im ­portant needs and evaluating whether those needs are met for families of ICU patients. An overall score weighting importance and needs-met for each item aided in ranking op ­portunities for improvement. Future research is warranted to continue evaluation of the Fa ­cilitated Sensemaking theory and measure ef ­fect of these interventions on outcomes (eg, anxiety, depression, symptoms suggestive of risk for posttraumatic stress). Inclusion of this nursing intervention is warranted to assist family members in communicating with the patient as part of the list of bedside activi ­ties. Future study design should be expanded to other cultures or patient groups. Educa ­tional programs targeted to provide instruc ­tion f or nurses on how to include family mem ­bers into daily practice are also warranted. The time the lead investigator spent per fam ­ily in supportive interactions appeared rea ­sonable for inclusion into the bedside nurse’s practice. Feasibility was further supported in that family members accepted and used the inter ­ventions that were based on concepts of the Facilitated Sensemaking model. Information to assist with decoding by explaining equip ­ment, alarms, and surroundings was notably accepted. Instructions for interacting with or assisting ICU patients were appreciated. The provision of personal care supplies was found to be most helpful and useful. Verbal instruc ­tions and hands-on activities were preferred over journaling activities. References Azoulay, E., Pochard, F., Kentish-Barnes, N. et al. (2005). Risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms in family members of intensive care unit patients. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine .171 (9): 987-994 Paparrigopoulos, T., Melissaki, A., Efthymiou, A. et al.(2006).Short-term psychological impact on family members of intensive care unit patients. Journal of Psychosomatic Research.61 (5):719-722

The Necessity of Marrying Well in Jane Austens Sense and Sensibility E

In Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, the necessity of marrying well is one of the central themes. In Austen’s era a woman’s survival depended on her potential to acquire an affluent partner. This meant a choice of marrying for love and quite possibly starve, or marry a securing wealthy person, there was a risk of marrying someone who you might despise. Passage One, portrays the relationship between Marianne and Willoughby. Marianne was blinded by her love, ‘He was exactly formed to engage Marianne’s heart.’ Marianne is someone who can show no concern for wealth if she believes she has found true love. Willoughby was estimated to be ‘Faultless as in Marianne’ Willoughby was all that Marianne fancied, her affection for him was beyond everything else. This is rather ironic for Willoughby the man she loves holds a wholly contradicting viewpoint on the matter. Willoughby is willing to sacrifice even the greatest of loves if it cannot secure status and wealth. Passage one also indicates the necessity of marrying well. Mrs. Dashwood illustrates a shallow reaction to the situation ...

My Name Is Asher Lev Essay example -- essays research papers

Asher Lev Essay: Minor characters are central to our understanding of any text. Analyse their significance in My Name Is Asher Lev. Central to our understanding of â€Å"My name is Asher Lev† by Chaim Potok, is the dynamics of Asher’s relationship with different minor characters involved. Each minor character such as Yudel Krinsky, Uncle Yitzchok, the Rebbe, and Jacob Kahn each help Asher in a different way allowing the reader to interpret the text more thoroughly. Their guidance to the antagonist creates a vivid image inside the reader’s mind of the type of character and their importance to our understanding of the text. Each minor character listed has a deep impact on the resolution of Asher Lev  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yudel Krinsky is a Russian Jew from Siberia, in Russia. When he arrives in Brooklyn he is very grateful towards Asher’s father. â€Å"Did you know Asher that your father is an angel of God?† he says. When Asher first meets Yudel Krinsky his curiosity about Serbia and Yudel Krinsky begins. This curiosity soon makes him ask more and more questions about Yudel. â€Å"We saw a Jew from Russia,† he says to Mrs. Rackover. When asked about Siberia Mrs. Rackover replies, â€Å"What is Siberia? It is a land like the inside of this refrigerator. It is a land of ice and darkness where the Russian government sends people it hates. What is Siberia? No-one should know of it.† This gives a good impression to the reader the torment and struggle Yudel must have felt when living in Siberia. Asher of course does not view this information lightly and wishes to seek more answers about Yudel and Russian Jews. â€Å"The son of Reb Aryeh Lev,† is the name Asher is referred to during the beginning journeys of to Yudel’s store. It is important to note he is called the son of Aryeh Lev because they don’t really know each other but later called ‘Asher’. On the first encounter Asher does not ask Yudel any questions. On the second encounter though Asher begins to ask Yudel questions relating to the news in Russia and the relationship between Yudel and Asher begins to bloom like a rose bud. On the next encounters to Yudel’s store, Yudel starts addressing Asher as ‘Asher’ and not ‘the son of Aryeh Lev’. Asher seems almost attracted to the store and is mesmerized by the metal glass showcase of oils and paints. When Asher steals the oils because he can’t afford them, Yudel starts nurturi... ...en’t for Jacob’s significant contribution by offering Asher help and criticism Asher would have never prospered as a great painter. Throughout the text â€Å"My name is Asher Lev† by Chaim Potok, minor characters of Jacob Kahn, the Rebbe, Uncle Yitzchok and Yudel Krinsky are central to our understanding of the text. Each character plays a significant part in the artistic progress of Asher Lev and allows him to reach a level of artistic talent at a young age. Their description and techniques used to describe them help the reader interpret the text thoroughly as they have an understanding of the type of character. Each minor character is as vital as the other as without one character Asher may not have been able to accomplish his great feats. Their contributions to Asher through either materials or advice are essential for Asher to establish himself as a great painter. Each character’s actions helping Asher succeed and also attributes to the tension created between themselves and Aryeh Lev which eventually results in the downfall of the Lev household. The minor characters are in essence the key to our understanding as each evaluates Asher’s feelings, emotions, and frustrations of art.

Chopins Lilacs and the Story of the Annunciation :: Chopin Lilacs Essays

Chopin's Lilacs and the Story of the Annunciation  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   When the theologian Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza writes that the myth of the Virgin Mary "sanctions a deep psychological and institutional split" (59) among women in the Catholic tradition, she captures what Kate Chopin also captured in her story "Lilacs." There, sisterhood between secular and religious women appears fragmented and nearly impossible. To scrutinize the division, Kate Chopin fashions her story around the portion of the Virgin Mary myth told in St. Luke's gospel of the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus spoken to Mary by the archangel Gabriel. Working with that text, "Lilacs" mocks a tradition prizing virginity and separating the cloistered from the secular. Irony prevails, but so too does the sorrow born of religious restraint and condemnation. From the tension in the Annunciation between the virginal and the non-virginal comes ages of women divided from one another on the basis of chastity and divided internally into spiritual and physical selves.    Chopin's "Lilacs" plays out this division on the grounds of a Sacred Heart convent and in the apartments of a Parisian mondaine to question whether a life almost wholly spiritual or a life almost wholly physical can be anything but the subject of ridicule. The narrator tempts us to enjoy the ridicule only to have us feel more painfully at the story's end the dolorous effects of con strained desire, effects which diminish both nun and secular woman.    As a story that draws so heavily on the details and symbols of the Annunciation story, "Lilacs," we could assume, would want to remind us of Mary's (and, by extension, woman's) salvific role as the vessel chosen by God to ensure humankind's redemption. But "Lilacs" fails to announce the good news for women as it sees too clearly that what was salvific for humankind ended up dividing women within themselves and within the Catholic tradition because of that tradition's insistence on Mary's virginity before and after childbirth. This insistence separated the ideal virginal mother from real women and mothers whose joyously experienced sexuality closed the doors to work within the clerical ministry even until today. The Annunciation story for Kate Chopin is a story told at the expense of women's sexuality and spirituality, full and complementary as they might have been. The notion of a failed annunciation, then, opens "Lilacs": "Mme. Adrienne Farival never announced her coming.

Hippotherapy

Plan of the project: 1) What is hippotherapy? 2) Analysis of the organization 3) SWOT analysis 4) Target Audience 5) Objectives PR campaign 6) Task of PR campaign 7) Plan of the PR program 8) Work plan of preparation for the conference â€Å"Hippotherapy-riding to health† 9) Information for controllable mass media 10) Information for non-controllable mass media 11) Budget 12) Press kit: * Press release * Information about organization * Biography of the CEO * List of quotations * Logo * Questionnaire for journalistsWhat is hippotherapy? About hippotherapy known since the time of Hippocrates. He claimed that the wounded and the sick get better faster if they ride on horseback, and melancholic part with their dark thoughts. In the middle of the XVIII century the encyclopedist Denis Diderot, in his treatise: â€Å"About riding and what it means to maintain health and to find it again†, wrote: â€Å"Among the exercise the first place belongs to ride. It can be used to trea t many diseases, but may also prevent them befores they appear. Hippotherapy is a comprehensive and multi-method of rehabilitation, a form of physiotherapy (physical therapy), where tools for rehabilitation are the horse, the process of riding and exercising that a person does during riding. While riding all the major muscle groups of the body receive a work out. This occurs at a reflex level, because sitting on the horse, moving along with it, the person instinctively tries to keep the balance not to fall off the horse, and thus encourages the active work of both healthy and affected muscles, without noticing it.Hippotherapy is the only type of treatment when the patient may not understand that he is treated, riding and communication with the horse becomes a game. Psychogenic factor increases the ability to adapt to reality. For a person with a mental disorder, the position on a horse becomes winning – â€Å"I above, but they below†. All the fundamental principles of psychotherapy – a unity of place and characters, the unity of time and unity of action – stay complied. Hippotherapy is effective in: †¢ Cerebral palsy. †¢ Orthopedic syndromes. †¢ Disorders of the musculoskeletal system that result from paralysis and other lesions of the central nervous system. Lesions of the senses – blindness, deafness. †¢ Disorders of posture, scoliosis †¢ Malformations of the limbs. †¢ Various forms of intellectual disability resulting from organic or genetic diseases. †¢ Down syndrome. †¢ Violations of the psycho-emotional sphere: * Autism * Neuroses * Mental retardation * Schizophrenia * Emotional disorders * Social maladjustment * Syndrome of hyperactivity * The state of anxiety The process of riding improves blood circulation and breathing, it involves the work of almost all the muscles and tendons, ligaments and joints of the body.This is particularly important for autistic people, who cannot be motor-active without stimulation from the outside – not counting their stereotypical movements. The horseback riding includes training of overall coordination, maintaining balance and responsiveness. It trains senses and a deep sensitivity. Through the senses different stimuli are taken and accumulated. The horse becomes a link between the inner world of the person and the surrounding reality. Communion of human and horse is a full chain of communicative feedback between person and the outside world, which allows a person to perceive reality more wholly.Analysis of the organization: Hippotherapy center SPIRIT was established in 2010 in Kiev, by a group of enthusiasts with the support of Children's Psychological Center. The center has eight experts: three hostlers and 5 hippotherapy specialists. It is located in the city of Kiev. The center has its own space: the manege – 900 m? , 200 m? stable, cafe 35 m? and public spaces of 30 m?. In the property of hippotherapy cen ter SPIRIT there are ten horses. An average weekly visits of the center 50 people. The cost of training is 40 UAH. An annual income from services of the organization is 96,000 UAH.An annual income from conferences and seminars is 250,000 UAH. Expenditure on the horses and the activities of the center is 600 000 UAH. The difference between the revenue and expenditure of the budget is covered by the Center of State Support, donations from individuals and charitable organizations, including  «American Hippotherapy Association ». To date, the HC SPIRIT has an opportunity to conduct 90 classes per week and is planning in two years to expand the area of the base in half and increase the number of horses to 15. SWOT analysis StrengthsEnthusiasm, love of horses, the desire to help people, professional knowledge and experience in the field of hippotherapy, specialists in medicine, such as: rehabilitation, neurology, psychotherapy and psychology. Existence of its own space in Kiev and tr ained horses. The support of the Children's Psychological Center. Weaknesses Material and technical infrastructure is not powerful enough to meet the demand for the services of the organization. Opportunities Prepared strong scientific base on a global level. The growing interest to hippotherapy of the target audience.The development of social orientation in sport, community and government organizations. Growth of financial capacity of the target audience through the creation and development of relevant charities, philanthropy and government support in recent years. Threats Unstable economic situation, the high cost of maintenance of horses (feeding, treatment, ammunition), high rates for advertising. Target Audience The target audiences for PR action are parents of children with specific diseases at whose treatment the hippotherapy is aimed.The scientific community is interested in the exchange of information in the study of hippotherapy. Ukrainian and international governmental an d non-governmental organizations that are related to the specific theme. Objectives PR campaign At this stage, the Organization aims to increase attendance in half and increase organizational effectiveness for the treatment of profile diseases, which, in turn, increase the interest in the work of the HC SPIRIT of the Ukrainian and international governmental and charitable organizations and increase their funding in the center.This will enhance the material and technical base of the center and go to the free form of treatment for patients. Also, the expansion of international recognition will help the exchange of scientific information and enhance the effectiveness of treatment. Task of PR campaign Improve the knowledge about the HC SPIRIT of potential customers, Ukrainian and international governmental and charitable organizations. Enhance the image of the center as an open, social-oriented organization with professional, scientific approach to work and the desire to develop.Plan of the PR program: 09:00 – 09:30 Registration of Journalists Meeting with the guests near the Hotel â€Å"MIR†, departure to the HC SPIRIT 09:30 – 10:00 Opening. Speeches by the President of the Equestrian Federation of Ukraine A. Onishchenko and the Deputy Head of the department of Reform and Development of medicine N. Hobzey. 10:00 – 11:00 A scientific conference on â€Å"Hippotherapy in the treatment of cerebral palsy. † Speakers: Professor A. Denisenko (Ukraine), neurologist, Professor D. Tsverava (Georgia) 11:00 – 12:00 Coffee Break 2:00 – 13:30 A scientific conference on â€Å"Hippotherapy in diseases of the musculoskeletal system† Speakers: Professor M. Rukhadze (Georgia), Professor Naomi Robert (USA) 13:30 – 14:00 Lunch 14:00 – 14:30 Reception of children from Rehabilitation Center 14:30 – 16:00 Master Class. Hold by prof. Naomi Robert and prof. D. Tsverava. The program includes: practical lessons wit h children demonstrating different methods of hippotherapy in cerebral palsy, scoliosis, osteochondrosis 16:00 – 16:30 Departure of children to rehabilitation center.Coffee break 16:30 – 17:00 Communication with visitors. Questions and answers 17:00 Departure of guests from HC SPIRIT to the Hotel â€Å"MIR† End of program. Information for controllable mass media: For â€Å"Horses† & â€Å"What’s On† Magazines: â€Å"Hippotherapy – riding to health† – the slogan of charity event for children with disabilities. Nowadays it is great to hear about different kinds of charity events that are going on in all parts of the world. We are not an exception, being heard in Ukraine.A charity event is going to take place in Kiev, organized by volunteers and Hippotherapy center SPIRIT. It is an event for children with mental disabilities from rehabilitation center. Do we hear about hippotherapy every day? It is a form of physical, occup ational and speech therapy in which a therapist uses the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input. Hippotherapy is also used in speech and language pathology. This method uses a horse to accomplish traditional speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing goals.Using hippotherapy, appropriate sensory processing strategies have been integrated into the treatment to facilitate successful communication. So, basically we can help the children without them even noticing it. The charity event is taking place on 6 April 2013. Children are transported from the rehabilitation center right to the HC SPIRIT. The parents are also invited to receive more information about the therapy. Professors and doctors prepare speeches about what is hippotherapy and how it can be used as a treatment for the child.The event is sponsored by the following organizations: the Equestrian Federation, Hippotherapy center SPIRIT, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Children's Psychological Center and American Hippotherapy Association. Information for non-controllable mass media: An event devoted to hippotherapy, which helps children with mental disabilities from Kiev rehabilitation center, is going to take place on the 6th of April 2013 in HC SPIRIT. Sponsors, doctors and professors, parents and children, as well as authorities are going to be present at this event.The main goal is to attract the society’s attention to children with disabilities and to inform guests about advantages of hippotherapy. The project is sponsored and supported by: the Equestrian Federation, Hippotherapy center SPIRIT, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Children's Psychological Center and American Hippotherapy Association. Budget 1. Coffee-break Program| Number of participants| Coffee-break menu| Quantity| Price per unit UAH| Total priceUAH| Price to payUAH| Source of financing| Coffee- break 1| 50? Coffee| 100 | 5 | 500| 4250| American Hippotherapy Association| | | Tea| 100| 5 | 500| | | | | Cookies| 10| 15 | 150| | | | | Sandwiches| 150| 10 | 1500| | | | | Server| 2| 300| 600| | | | | Transportation| | 500| 500| | | | | Other| | 500| 500| | | Coffee-break 2| 50? | Coffee| 100 | 5 | 500| 2750| American Hippotherapy Association| | | Tea| 100| 5 | 500| | | | | Cookies| 10| 15 | 150| | | | | Sandwiches| 150| 10 | 1500| | | Lunch| 50? | Coffee| 100| 5| 500| 2820| HC SPIRIT| | | Tea| 100| 5| 500| | | | | Set lunch| 52| 35| 1820| | | 5 doctors, 5 officials, 10 journalists, 10 personnel, 20 clients, 10 others 2. Transportation Transport| Number of people| Route| Price UAH| Total price UAH| Source of financing| Minibus for children| 10| Rehabilitation center – HC SPIRITHC SPIRIT – Rehabilitation center| 600| 1200| Ministry of Labor and Social Policy| Minibus for guests (doctors and specialists)| 5| Hotel – HC SPIRITHC SPIRIT â⠂¬â€œ Hotel| 600| 600| Ministry of Health| 3. Hotel | Number of people| Number of nights| Price per night UAH| Total Price| Source of financing| Guests (doctors and specialists)| 5| 2| 500| 5000| Ministry of Health| . Presents for children Type of present| Number of presents| Price per unit UAH| Total price UAH| Source of financing| Assorted candies| 50 packages| 40| 2000| American Hippotherapy Association| Books for painting| 50| 40| 2000| | 5. Mass-media Type of mass-media| Type of service| Number of advertisement| Price UAH| Total price UAH| Source of financing| Magazine â€Å"Zdorovie†| Order a special article| One page + three photo| 2000| 2800| Children's Psychological Center| Web-site zdorovbud. com. a| Placing an article| | 800| | | Photograph | | | 500| 500| Equestrian Federation| 6. Advertisement materials Type of advertisement| Type of work| Number of materials| Price UAH| Total price UAH| Source of financing| Prospect, press release? | Layout, printing| 100| 1200| 1200| HC SPIRIT| Prospect of the conference showing sponsors? | Layout, printing| 300| 1500| 1500| Equestrian Federation| Brochure with materials about hippotherapy? | Layout, printing| 100| 2500| 2500| Ministry of Health| Internet banner? | Creating, placement on websites zdorovbud. om. uamedical. us | | 800| 800| HC SPIRIT| ? Distributed four months before the conference to the media, charitable organizations, social organizations, in order to find sponsors. ? Distributed three months before the conference in the profile of medical institutions and doctors. ? Issued after the  conference to all interested and distributed to the profile Medical Institutions. ? Placed a month before the conference on  websites: zdorovbud. com. ua, medical. us and Equestrian Federation site. 7. Medical and Police supportDepartment| Type of service| Price UAH| Total price UAH| Source of financing| Medical| Emergency brigade on duty| 1500| 3000| Ministry of Health| Police| Escort of the bus with c hildren| 1500| | | Total expenditures Organization| Expenditures UAH| HC SPIRIT| 4,820| Ministry of Health| 11,100| Equestrian Federation| 2,000| Children's Psychological Center| 2,800| Ministry of Labor and Social Policy| 1,200| American Hippotherapy Association| 11,000| Total| 32,920| Press kit Press release Horse as doctor and friend for your children. Hippo therapy- new way of treating children with disabilities. Hippotherapy-riding to health† is the slogan of the charity event which is taking place on 6 April, 2013 in Hippotherapy center SPIRIT. The main goal is to inform parents and doctors about the advantages of such treatment. The event attracts society’s attention to children with disabilities. Its aim is to attract more financial help from government, business people and charity organizations. At the beginning the President of the Equestrian Federation of Ukraine A. Onishchenko and the Deputy Head of the department of Reform and Development of medicine N.Hobz ey will present speeches about the importance of such events. The topics of the conference are â€Å"Hippotherapy in the treatment of cerebral palsy† and â€Å"Hippotherapy in diseases of the musculoskeletal system†. Among the special guests neurologist Professor A. Denisenko (Ukraine), Professor D. Tsverava (Georgia), Professor M. Rukhadze (Georgia), Professor Naomi Robert (USA). Expected number of guests is around 50. The program with horses for children includes practical lessons demonstrating different methods of hippotherapy in cerebral palsy, scoliosis, osteochondrosis.The project is financed by Equestrian Federation, Hippo therapy center SPIRIT, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Ukraine, Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Children's Psychological Center and American Hippotherapy Association. Contact information: Hippotherapy center SPIRIT Phones: 099-155-24-54, 096-295-95-45, 093-401-36-94 e-mail: spirit. [email  protected] com Information about organization The idea of the project was developed by three students of the International Christian University-Kiev. Hippo therapy center SPIRIT was pleased to help in organizing this event on their part.That’s why the project has a form of charity event. Center SPIRIT was founded in 2010 in Kiev by a group of enthusiasts with the support of the Children's Psychiatric Center. Experts of the center hold higher education degrees and have been trained on the course â€Å"Hippotherapy for children's diseases† abroad. At the center work professional psychologists, rehabilitation specialists, neurologist. Horses are specifically purchased for use in hippotherapy and are trained by professional athletes. We care about safety. Classes are held with the participation of three people: the ringleader, hippotherapist and assistant to hippotherapist.Biography of the CEO Director of the Hippotherapy center Spirit, Anna Burago, established the center in 2010. Prior to that, she took a course â₠¬Å"Rehabilitation of patients with limited ability† at Medics’ Retraining Facility of People’s Friendship University of Russia. She is a specialist in rehabilitation. In May 2010 she completed a course in â€Å"Ridetherapy in Children’s Diseases† and got a qualification of instuctor of hippotherapy at Tbilisi Medical Academy. Every year the center organizes special events regarding hippotherapy. List of quotationsA parent says about the results of therapy: â€Å"The biggest change for Maxim has been the area of speech. Before the hippotherapy, he could say only a few words clearly and would attempt speech only if it was modeled for him. After only four sessions, Maxim speaks about 20 words clearly and is making approximations of several more, sometimes spontaneously. Something extraordinary happens to Maxim when he is up on that horse. The feeling of the rhythm of the horse walking seems to be helping Maxim’s brain organize what it needs to make speech happen. † Professor M.Rukhadze tells about the difference of hippotherapy from clinics: â€Å"Hippotherapy takes the patient out of the traditional clinical setting and places them into a more relaxed, yet stimulating atmosphere in order to help them meet their functional goals. Patients are in a natural environment, which may help integrate their needs into everyday life experiences. Children, who are sensitive to being â€Å"different†, do not consider the riding environment to be a clinic. † Logo Questionnaire for journalists 1. Name and last name 2. Company 3. Phone number 4. E-mail