Monday, September 30, 2019

Exploratory Paper

Exploratory Paper-Revise English 1302/July 4th On-line Class 20 July 2011 Unhealthy Food Banning From Schools Presently, children in Los Angeles Schools are being denied chocolate milk due to an unhealthy food ban. According to an L. A. Times article, chocolate milk being served in Los Angeles public schools has as much sugar as a cup of regular Coke (Macvean, par. 9). Such findings have resulted in chocolate milk, which accounts for more than half of the milk consumed in Los Angeles public schools, being banned on July 1, 2011.So, why are Los Angeles Schools and other schools in the nation enforcing unhealthy food bans? It is not surprising that Los Angeles and many school districts in the country have been introducing strict bans on unhealthy foods due to an alarming problem with childhood obesity. The problem became more apparent when a national study conducted by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) found that one in three American children attending public schools were reported to be obese (Chase, par. 7).Most of the blame for the alarming ratio of student obesity was directed to â€Å"Junk† foods and sedentary activity. In response, Los Angeles schools and many other schools in the country have made it a mission to offer their students ealthier menus and encourage good eating habits largely by banning food items that are deemed unhealthy. The crusade to ban unhealthy foods from schools has had its fair share of critics, primarily by the producers of the labeled snack and soda foods who argue that banning their products will not solve the obesity problem that is currently affecting children.They claimed it is not there product, but the lack of exercise is the cause of obesity. In response to the obesity issue, producers such as Pepsi-Cola have generously provided large monitory donations to school physical education programs. School administrators and student organizations themselves have argued that food bans on snacks and sodas would create a fin ancial burden for schools, and is the wrong way to target children eating habits.One major concern is that unhealthy food bans in schools will harm school fundraising efforts for sports programs and school bands that have relied on extra revenue from sodas and candy sales. According to an article in Education Week by Linda Jacobson, 30 percent of California high schools that generated income from such products each raised more than $125,000 a year (23). Korey Capozza of Prevention magazine reported that the average teenager consumes almost two cans of soda per day that are usually purchased from a school vending machine (par. 1).An average two soda consumptions could generate thousands, or even millions of dollars in soda-company incentives to a school district's budget. A popular protester of such policies that ban unhealthy food is political conservative icon Sarah Palin. While visiting a private school in Pennsylvania she made a clear point about where she stood on the matter are losing their rights for an occasional classroom treat†like her cookies. Her focus was to push for laissez-faire, which would prohibit any government controls on what children can and cannot eat at school.Palin argued that government control on school foods is an assault on the American way of life, â€Å"On freedom and simple pleasures. On wholesome childhood delights and†¦ the integrity of the family' Oudith, par. 2). Despite debate, the popular trend by local governments in dealing with childhood obesity continues to be the banning of unhealthy foods in schools under the idea that this will encourage schools to provide nutritional meals and teach hildren how to become healthy eaters.To some degree, states like New York and California have a zero tolerance policy on unhealthy foods that can be sold or consumed on school premises. Both states also have extreme foods policies, which prohibit bake sales, treats given by teachers, and birthday cakes in the classrooms (Brow n, par. 2). A public school in Chicago has even banned the lunches students bring from home unless they have a medical excuse ensuring they will only eat the food provided by the school cafeteria (Eng, par. 5). According to an article in CQResearcher, many studies have found that eating habits start at a young age and the author of the article, Alan Greenblatt, believes that because of this, schools can play an important role in combating obesity (73). Greenblatt added that food controls is not the only solution and cautions that children will more or less fill up on unhealthy food outside the school (75). He also purposed that unhealthy school food bans should also include an increase in physical exercise and education about eating healthy that will also involve the students' parents to encourage them to prepare ealthy foods at home (Greenblatt 78).The federal government has also lent its attention on the problem of childhood obesity and has supported state government efforts to ba n unhealthy foods from schools so much so that in July of 2011, President Barrack Obama signed the child nutrition bill which places a national ban on selling candy, sugary soda, salty and fatty food in school snack bars, vending machines, and a la carte cafeteria lines (Severston, par. 1). This measure by the federal government has emphasized the argument that unhealthy food bans in schools are too intrusive nd even go against American values.The only clear conclusion in the debates involving child obesity is that something has to be done by somebody. Why not start teaching children to eat well in a place where they do most of their learning? For the fact schools are where children spend most of their time, and makes logical sense to lay the foundation for healthy habits there. It is also uncertain whether unhealthy foods on the long run will create financial difficulties for the schools or force student to eat those banned items outside of school.Nevertheless, schools can probably enerate extra revenues sales if vending machines are refitted with healthier alternatives, such as granola bars and water. This will also motivate the producers of â€Å"Junk foods† to provide and advertise healthier products to children. Hopefully a healthy eating trend among children and adolescents can start with no â€Å"Junk† food venting machines. As far as â€Å"laissez-faire† is concerned, I have no objection to the government showing concern about what our children eat in our schools and taking on the obesity problem head-on to help improve the quality of life in our society.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Functions of Management Essay

United Health group is a major insurance company that provides medical and mental health coverage to its consumers. The organization manages Medicaid and Medicare accounts as well as commercial accounts from employers. Providing healthcare insurance is a competitive job, therefore, the management of the organization has to use the four functions of management to remain in the competition. The four function of management are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. In this paper, we will discuss the four functions of management and how it relates to the organization. The four functions of management is planning, organizing, leading and, controlling. Planning is for the goals of the organization, planning sets the stage for action and major achievements. Organizing is assembling and coordinating human, financial resources needed to achieve the goals. This could be organizing activities such as grouping jobs into work units, marshaling and allocating resources and creating conditions so that people and things work together to achieve maximum success. Leading is stimulating people to be high performers. Leading can take place in departments, teams as well as divisions. By encouraging high performers, you are increasing their inner moral, making them feel and believe they can complete their goals rather it is individual goals that coincide with the organization’s goals. Another management function is controlling, managers make sure the organization’s resources are being used as planned and that the organization is meeting its goals for quality and safety. The four functions of management have in common is to achieve the goals for the organization. The four functions all work together. There are three different levels in management; top level managers, middle level managers and, front line managers. Top level managers are typically the CEO, COO or CIO. Middle level managers are under the top level managers and, frontline managers are considered operational managers. The top level manager determines and identifies the goals that are needed for the entire organization. Once the CEO has identified the goals and what steps that are  needed to achieve the goal, the information is conveyed to middle management. Middle management takes those goals and determines what’s needed to achieve the goals such as organizing workloads, teams or units. Then convey to frontline managers. Front line management does most of the leading, their more hands on with employees or teams. Front line managers assist with establishing individual goals that will benefit the company and coincide with the company’s goals. Front line managers also use controlling by making sure the e mployees utilize company resources if needed. Also by making sure the company goals are being met. The organization uses all four of the management functions. There have been many cases of increased health issues within call center environments such as; obesity, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety issues. The organization created incentives to make the idea more appealing to the employees. The organization has decided to inspire and motivate their employees to take better care of their health. By creating the goals of decreasing the health issues within the office setting the organization set their stage for action so they could achieve these goals. Now that the goal has been established the organization needs to assemble humans, physical information to coordinate ways to achieve the goals. The organization started providing bonus incentives such has decrease in insurance if you’re passed a bio metric screening. The organization also begin to partner with Weight Watchers providing employee discounts, LA Fitness (discounted membership), provide stress management classes along, with providing ways to exercise in the office. There are different teams within the company with a goal of losing the most weight. The teams encourage one another and provide support during their weight loss journey. All teams support and encourage with the expectations of dropping the weight and defeating the other team. The teams have weekly check-ins where the members have to weigh in, report their meal plans. By utilizing the four functions of management, the organization has been able to lower their premiums for their employees, and increase better health within the organization. The organization identified the issue of health  concerns within the office setting, set the goals of prevention and reduction. With those plans of prevention and reduction the organization was able to organize employees and coordinate ways to achieve the goals. The staff coordinated and provided information to their employees to educate and prevent. The leaders promoted the resources and encouraged those to be active and participate in all the resources the organization has to offer. Reference Page: Bateman Thomas S., Snell Scott A. 8th edition, 2009 McGraw-Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World, Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Sedentary jobs helping to drive obesity epidemic. (2011). Retrieved from http:// health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/fitness/articles/2011/05/26/sedentary-jobs-helping-to-drive-obesity-epidemic.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Reality creation and practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Reality creation and practice - Essay Example The social construction framework is useful to human service workers in the fields of family therapy and psychotherapy in that it allows practitioners to investigate and empower client’s creation of meaningful understandings of themselves and the wider world. The framework focuses on the key influences of sociocultural forces and the environmental context of human understanding, learning and accumulation of knowledge. Within family therapy this theory provides the therapist with a powerful ability to draw family members away from blaming each other for their behaviors, and placing these behaviors within a larger sociocultural context. For example, the Western values of independence, competition and profit contributing to the family to place pressure on their son to find gainful employment and to do better in life than what they have. In turn, the son has felt misunderstood, isolated and unable to achieve due to constant â€Å"failures† and has chosen to drop out of soci ety. Now living in a shelter, the son is attempting to find work, but constantly faces rejection, which is further inhibiting his self-esteem. His parents feel they are unable to help him, feel guilty for his poor upbringing and don’t have anyone to talk to. The framework is useful for the family therapist in this instance in that the family can be encouraged to exhibit agency within the therapeutic process, such as role playing each other as well as perceived ideals, and with their increased agency and autonomy be less dependant on the therapist to provide meaning for their experiences. The psychotherapist as well benefits from the use of the social construction framework in that theories such as Bandura’s self-efficacy model complement the concept of reality being constructed through human activity. Using social modeling of Bandura allows the personal counselor to empower their client by

Friday, September 27, 2019

Information Management - Midterm Assessment Essay

Information Management - Midterm Assessment - Essay Example All these categories should be cohesively used and are vital for the achievement of any enterprise. Different concentrations of analytics give insight to various factors. For example: knowledge on customer preference, location and retention (Farasyn et al. 2011: 67). The biggest weapon that P&G had was arguably top notch analysts who did not take the traditional ways to do things as the one and only rule. Tores, Perssini, McDonald and the rest of the team were a group of forward thinkers, risk takers and a team that valued transparency, qualities that are all paramount in analysis. They did a big job of introducing and encouraging an analytical culture and environment in the company (Davenport, Thomas, Marco Iansiti, & Serels 2013: 5). 1. Provision of up to date data- before analytics was adapted in P&G, historical data was relied upon for analysis and statistics. These meant problems were not seen as they emerged but periodically after the storm had passed. Analytics helped to provide up to date data, all the market changes or consumer behavior changes are easily noted, and problems nipped at the bud as soon as they appeared. An excellent example is seen in the North America Laundry detergent Market case study, if the market growth was not noticed in time, P&G would consequently lose that potential market to competitors had they not addressed the issue of supply in time (Davenport 2006: 98). 2. Marketing strategies- analytics provide a good way to formulate marketing strategies to yield the best result. P&G decided to start with North America, Ohio and roll out to the rest of the regions after studying the consumer’s behavior to the new compact powder. From the findings, the team was able to know which stores to supply a new product with. Even though, initially the sales were difficult to track due to stores that had stocked the older version of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Homeopathy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Homeopathy - Essay Example Conventional medicine is the system being practiced by medical degree holders such as medical doctors and the medical practitioners who work with registered nurses, therapists, and psychologists. It is also referred to as mainstream medicine, or "regular" medicine. Complementary medicine, when practiced alone, is used along with conventional medicine to supplement the latter. An example of complementary medicine is the intake of plant extracts and juices believed to have extraordinary therapeutic effects to supplement conventional medicine. The use of alternative medicine, on the other hand, most of the time replaces conventional medicine. For example, a cancer patient may choose to engage in a series of practices including diets and supplements instead of going through the methods of conventional medicine which may include surgery and chemotherapy. Integrative medicine is defined as a practice that "combines mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high -quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness" (NCCAM 2006). For some, the combination of mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies is best than depending on a single ttype of therapy. Lastly, Complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, is "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine" (NCCAM 2006). It is a movement that is seeking ways to treat illness with minimal disruption of the internal environment of the body. A more organized and established example of alternative medicine is the practice of homeopathy. This form of alternative healing, which dates back to 200 years ago, uses a different approach in diagnosing and treating medical conditions. It is primarily based on the Law of Similars which promotes curing "like with like" which means that "small, highly weak & diluted quantities of medicinal substances is given to treat symptoms, but when the same substances are given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms in patient" (Weiner & Goss 6). Homeopathy is one among the many approaches to complementary and alternative healing. Its increasing popularity over time and its worldwide success indicate that like most approaches to health care, it should be chosen with considerable care, and considered only as an alternative should other approaches to healing such as "conventional medicine" have proven unsuccessful. There are however some doubts on the usefulness and affectivity of the practice of homeopathy. The modern medical practice as we know it is well founded on scientific studies and proofs. There is a growing trend in modern society to seek natural healing treatment for various illnesses that plague mankind. Homeopathy, despite considered to be unscientific by some, is one of those CAM that society is willing to try. The main reason is the that modern medicine, which is based on pharmaceutical products, do not address all the concerns of the ailing public. People want more preventive and natural remedies and don't want to become human experiments for pharmaceutical drugs. Most pharmaceutical products have harmful side effects, sad to say, some of these side effects

Research into the Software Required to support a True Distributed Essay

Research into the Software Required to support a True Distributed Computer System - Essay Example and Lau, F., 1999. Special issue on software support for distributed computing. Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing - Special issue on software support for distributed computing, 59(2), pp.101-06. 19 Introduction Ever-increasing competition and quick developments in information and communication systems, technologies, and a great deal of proliferation of low-cost workstations and PCs have offered a broad avenue for distributed computing to develop into a conventional computing structure and arrangement. At present, distributed computing is no longer limited to literature and advanced research laboratories; however, it is now easily in reach of a huge community of technology producers and clients. In fact, the transformation of status would not have been possible if there were not considerable endeavours that technology and communication researchers have offered for the development of essential supporting application, distributed OS, remote procedure calls, network file syst ems, OO (object oriented) middleware and message passing interfaces (Ahmad and Lau, 1999). In addition, the arrival of the WWW (World Wide Web) and high speed broadband Internet connections have as well put fuel to such kind of technology transformation. Presently, the Internet has turned out to be one of the biggest distributed systems. Currently, it is being utilized by the majority of people to resolve very complicated and challenging issues such as â€Å"search† to discover the biggest prime number, intended for space intelligence, and to break the RC5 block encrypted cipher, etc. In this scenario, a lot of huge and worldwide distributed systems are in progress to develop a huge â€Å"Globe system.† This Global system will offer an excellent support for resolving global issues (Ahmad and Lau, 1999). This essay discusses the software required to support a true distributed computer system. This research will provide a detailed overview of true distributed computing e nvironment that is a necessity to develop and use appropriate co-operating subsystems. Distributed Computing Environment: An overview The distributed environment is in some sense overcoming the limitations of traditional computing offering independence from the Personal Computers (PCs) to the golden or dark period of the mainframe. In the past, computers were single user machines with minimum storage capacities. Hence, the appearance of time-sharing machines and operating systems provided excellent opportunities to people all around the world. In fact, it allowed them to make use of the same hardware framework to support several people working simultaneously or cooperating with each other. Additionally, with the arrival of wide area networks (WANs), this cooperation further extended across the world and up till now simply needs a few central points of integrity control and management (Trireme, 2004; Nemeth and Sunderam, 2002). In addition, the arrival of the workstations took the pe ople right back to single user machi

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Principles of criminal liability Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Principles of criminal liability - Term Paper Example The rule that says that the prosecutor has to prove every element of the principles beyond reasonable doubt is called â€Å"corpus delicti rule† (Hall, 2011). When a crime is committed, it is said to have some elements that directly show how and why the crime has been committed in a broad view. These elements may include the presence of a mental state, a prohibited action and a lack of legal justification. These elements should be proven by the prosecutor beyond reasonable doubt and in the cases where these elements are not proven, the person who is charged of the crime should be charged not guilty. The principles are mens rea, actus reus, concordance and causation. These principles are related to one another in a significant way as if one doesn’t satisfy, then it can change the whole scenario, and thus all should collectively apply on the crime (Lanser and  Bloy, 2000). Mens rea Mens rea is the Latin word for â€Å"guilty mind†. This is an element which shows that every crime is convicted in a state of mind. It is the state of mind of the defendant when he is or has committed the prohibited act of crime. In the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, the primary source used to define mens rea sets four standards. These standards suggest that the guilty mind can be attributed to those individuals who commit crimes â€Å"purposely†, â€Å"knowingly†, â€Å"recklessly†, or â€Å"negligently†. There have been developed statutes that provide more to the definition of these elements and they specify which mental states apply to which particular crimes (Hall, 2005). When an individual knows that his act will cause an expected negative result, it is â€Å"purposely†. When he commits an act being aware that his conduct will be highly risky of causing a negative result, he acts â€Å"knowingly†. When he knows that the act is going to be risky and still disregards the existence of the unjustifiabl e risks associated with the act, he is said to act â€Å"recklessly†. Lastly, if the individual has totally deviated themselves from the standard of care that he has towards a reasonable person, so he has committed the act â€Å"negligently†. In the criminal law, mens rea is considered as one of the most important and necessary elements that have to be present at the time of a crime. The common law system made the rule that the liability applies on the criminal on the grounds that the act will not make a person guilty of charge until and unless his mind is also guilty. Thus, it is important that there should be actus reus where mens rea is present to make sure that the defendant is charged of the crime he committed. So it can be held that the person who committed a crime without being at mental fault is generally not criminally liable for that act (Hall, 2005). Mens rea is not required in civil law as a subjective element to prove liability, but if a tort or a contract is breached with wrong intention, that may be counted in the offence and it would increase the scope of the liability on the offender and the measure of damages may be increased that have to be paid to the plaintiff. Therefore, it is evident that the existence of mens rea allows the accompanying principle of the actus reus as well and is closely related to each other. Without the presence of any one, liability will not be imposed (Hall, 2011). The principle issues on which mens rea is applied hold many stages of development. Some issues are said to be

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Challenges of Internet Marketing and Customer Empowerment Essay

Challenges of Internet Marketing and Customer Empowerment - Essay Example The use of the Internet as a central point for businesses and consumers has boomed since 1995 and is now becoming a central area for businesses to work toward specific solutions. In recent years, there has been a large amount of growth with individuals connecting online as well as searching for online strategies that have been developed to assist businesses in connecting with others that are online. The use of the Internet is one which has not only developed in given areas, but is becoming a global way of connecting to businesses and to individuals for information. As seen in figure 1, the use of the Internet is continuing to evolve with millions of individuals in every region of the world using this particular tool as a main method of connecting. The growth that is occurring with the Internet is then being noted as a primary force for businesses, information and connections that are needed for the evolution of different needs on a global level. The growth by region has furthered with changes that are now affecting businesses as a main way to connect online and to connect with others. Businesses are using this as a main proponent for a variety of reasons. The first is based on the economic recession which began in 2008. ... s connecting online as well as searching for online strategies that have been developed to assist businesses in connecting with others that are online. The use of the Internet is one which has not only developed in given areas, but is becoming a global way of connecting to businesses and to individuals for information. As seen in figure 1, the use of the Internet is continuing to evolve with millions of individuals in every region of the world using this particular tool as a main method of connecting. Figure 1: Use of the Internet by Region The growth that is occurring with the Internet is then being noted as a primary force for businesses, information and connections that are needed for the evolution of different needs on a global level (Internet World Stats, 2011). The growth by region has furthered with changes that are now affecting businesses as a main way to connect online and to connect with others. Businesses are using this as a main proponent for a variety of reasons. The fi rst is based on the economic recession which began in 2008. Many businesses are finding that Internet marketing is a way to leverage the costs and businesses from different levels while finding new opportunities that are needed in the area. The second is based on advertising opportunities, such as social media and connecting with others at a global level. For businesses, this is a simplistic way of expanding into the market and across regions. It is also noted that there are changes in consumer behaviors that lean toward the use of technology, specifically with growth of consumption on the Internet by 27%. This is inclusive of e-Commerce sales that are continuing to rise across the Internet. Within this are new forms of advertising that are now expected, including video and mobile

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Music Copyright & Interband Agreements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Music Copyright & Interband Agreements - Essay Example (c) The Members agree they will act in good faith in connection with any matter relating to the constitution of the group and any of the activities of the Group and any obligation of the Group entered into with third parties. (d) the choice of record company and publishing company and the negotiation of the terms of any long term agreement relating to the professional services of the Group or any promotion or exploitation of any product of or rights in the goodwill and reputation of the Group; (g) the making of any request for or commitment to any significant loan or any other Group financial liability to any party (including any guarantee of third party obligations) and for any purpose in this context the term "significant" shall mean a transaction or series of related transactions or a facility exceeding (e.g. Â £30.00 - insert appropriate amount) whether or not the whole amount thereof is intended be drawn down at any time; 3. (a) Any decision not being within clause 2 or which is otherwise stated to require the unanimous consent of all Members will be decided upon by a majority vote on a show of hands each Member having one vote. (c) If the Group appoints its manager or any other party to adjudicate on any matter which cannot be resolved by voting then a condition of that appointment is that the decision of the adjudicator will be accepted by the Group. (ii). In the case of any ground for expulsion other than fundamental disagreement on Group policy or development the expelled Member must first (if appropriate) have been given a reasonable opportunity to remedy the complaint or to have been warned about his or her activity complained of and the written notice of expulsion must state the reason for the expulsion. (b) If the unanimous decision is given without reasonable cause such as (but not limited to) a material breach of this Agreement or permanent incapacity or a serious criminal conviction or a fundamental

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Sickle Cell Disease Essay Example for Free

Sickle Cell Disease Essay Sickle cell disease is more prevalent in people whose ancestors resided in tropical or sub-tropical climates, for the reason that having one recessive sickle cell gene causes resistance to malaria, which is a common disease in those areas. Thus, those of African-American or Hispanic descent have a higher likelihood of having the disease. Today, nearly 72,000 Americans have sickle cell disease, with 1-in-2,000 newborns having the disease. Symptoms The misshapen blood cells that are formed as a result of sickle cell disease can cause multiple problems and patients show many symptoms as a result. The majority of the symptoms are caused by the blockages that can form in the blood vessels of the patients. Due to the irregular shape of the red blood cells, they cannot easily flow through the blood vessels in a linear formation like regular red blood cells, but instead they can clump together and form clots, constricting blood flow and oxygen supply. Symptoms of sickle cell disease include: irregular blood pressure, jaundice skin or eyes, pale skin, bone or joint pain, delayed growth, skin ulcers (common on the legs), anemia, constant headaches, dizziness, fatigue, organ or tissue damage, pulmonary hypertension, shortness of breath, numbness in the extremities, and stroke. Sickle cell disease is known to be extremely painful in many instances due to the damage of the blood vessels and organs in a patient’s body. Complications Sickle cell disease is extremely detrimental to one’s body, and due to the complications involved with the disease, it can become deadly. Many suffering from sickle cell disease are susceptible to strokes caused by arterial blockages near the brain, this is one of the deadlier complications involved with the disease. Patients can also develop acute chest syndrome (ACS) from blockages in the lungs. From the high blood pressure caused by the arterial blockages in the lungs, patients are commonly known to develop Pulmonary Hypertension as well. Due to blood clots and lack of oxygen, organs in patients with sickle cell disease commonly receive damage, which can cause these organs to malfunction. This can become especially life threatening when it occurs in the body’s vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, or brain. Blindness can also occur in those with sickle cell disease due to decreased blood flow to the eyes. Skin ulcers are common in patients with the disease. This is especially dangerous because ulcers are open wounds that cause the body to become extremely susceptible to infection and disease. Priapism can become prevalent in males with sickle cell anemia, due to the decreased amount of blood flow from the scrotum area that clots can cause. Treatment The standard of treatment with sickle cell disease has increased exponentially in the last few decades due to the latest medical advances. Yet, sadly, the goal of sickle cell disease treatment is to treat the symptoms so that they become less prevalent, because no cure for the disease has been developed. Although, hematologists are conducting promising research involving the disease. For example, bone marrow transplants are becoming increasingly effective in treating patients with sickle cell disease, with the success rate of transplants steadily climbing. Blood transfusions are becoming a biweekly occurrence for those suffering from the disease in an attempt to increase the level of normal red blood cells in a patient’s blood stream, preventing the worsening of said patient’s anemia. Common medications used to treat the symptoms of sickle cell anemia include: antibiotics (for treating infection), NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, for pain), opioids (for pain), and hydroxyurea (for pain). Nitric oxide has begun to show promise as a treatment for blood clots in the eyes of many hematologists. Nitric oxide has been shown to temporarily expand blood vessels, acting as an anticlotting agent, potentially preventing the major symptoms caused by sickle cell disease, but the administering of nitric oxide is still relatively new. Gene therapy research is accepted as an eventual cure for sickle cell disease and many inherited diseases, yet we currently lack the technology to manipulate genes in the specific manner desired. Prognosis Currently the average life expectancy for people with sickle cell disease is much higher than in the past, with many patients living well into their 50’s and older. Statistically, females with sickle cell disease live longer than their male counterparts. Sickle cell patients will inevitably experience pain as a result of the disease, and most suffer from small blockages in the arteries that are known to cause strokes and various other symptoms that are previously mentioned. Acute chest syndrome is also common in those with sickle cell disease. Ultimately, Sickle cell disease is harsh and constant, but the number of treatments and their levels of success are ever increasing. Sources Used United States. Department of Health and Human Services. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH). NHLBI, NIH. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 28 Sept. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2013. Sickle Cell Information Center. Sickle Cell Disease Sickle Cell Information Center. Â  Sickle Cell Disease Sickle Cell Information Center. Sickle Cell Information Center, 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 04 Apr. 2013. Staff, Mayo Clinic. Definition. Â  Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 26 Mar. 2011. Web. 04 Apr. 2013. Bownas, Jennifer. Sickle Cell Anemia Disease Profile. Â  Sickle Cell Anemia Disease Profile. Ornl. gov, 5 May 2005. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Respiratory Lungs Buffer Response Biology Essay

The Respiratory Lungs Buffer Response Biology Essay Acid-base balance is predominantly maintained through several physiologic methods that might be distress by occurrences such as severe ailments or injury. To maintain pH amid the normal scale of around 7.35-7.45, the development of acidic surroundings must be either cushioned or excreted. The instruction of acid-base equilibrium remains overseen by three critical processes, namely: buffer system, respiratory, and renal methods. The paper investigates the role of the lungs in overseeing stabilization of blood pH. Carbon dioxide (CO2) derives from typical body metabolic processes. Once oxygen is inhaled, and CO2 is exhaled, the blood transports the oxygen or carbon dioxide either to the lungs and/or body tissues. Disturbances in the processes impacts on CO2 intensities and HCO3- are expected to produce acid-base disparities (Raymond 2010, p.244). An outstanding system through which the body exploits to direct pH entails the discharge of CO2 from the lungs. The brain adjusts the magnitude of CO2 exhaled by guiding the pace and intensity of breathing. This forces the lungs to either augment or lessen the tempo and intensity of ventilation until the appropriate quantity of carbon dioxide has been re-instituted. The magnitude of CO2 released influences the pH of the blood, which heightens as breathing, turns out to be fast, and profound (Chatterjea and Shinde 2012, p.713). In adjusting, the pace and deepness of breathing, the brain plus the lungs direct the blood pH. The Respiratory (Lungs) Buffer Response Usually, blood pH ranges in the region of 7.4 (slightly alkaline). In the event that pH levels drop to 7.6, then body cells are likely to cease functioning. It is obvious that blood pH levels 7.9 are lethal even if they last for a short time, which renders it essential to gain equilibrium in pH levels (Sherwood 2007, p.11). The competence of the body to handle every pH adjustment is steered by three indispensable factors, namely: the lungs, the kidneys, and buffers. In the event that a strong acid manifest, the bicarbonate-carbonic acid, which yields an overall rise of carbonic acid that dissociates into CO2 and H2O. An augmentation of H+ within the blood triggers the medulla to augment the respiratory tempo that assists CO2 eradication (Brown et al. 2011, p.323). In the event that pH stays high relative to an augmentation in HCO3-, the respiratory centre holds back, and consequently the respiratory tempo lessens (Raymond 2010, p.245). This enhances CO2 retention in which it becomes accessible to form carbonic acid that cushions the surplus bicarbonate. The respiratory system consequently balances the registered alterations within pH transmitted to metabolic disorders by regulating Pco2 that alters the bicarbonate carbonic acid proportion. Nonetheless, the respiratory system cannot orchestrate any loss or an augmentation of hydrogen ions. Buffers direct molecules that admit or discharge ions in order to maintain the H+ ion absorption at a certain level. Buffers facilitate to saturate up additional H+ ions with the majority buffer entailing a fusion of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate ion (HCO3). CO2 derives carbonic acid (H2CO3) when is liquefies in water and operates as an acid releasing hydrogen ions (H+) when necessitated (Lew 2010, p.31). The respiratory system pursues sustenance of appropriate blood pH, in the event that the bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer system fails to react quick enough to stabilize the registered pH interferences, processes such as hyper/hypoventilation can be induced to direct the amount of carbonic acid contained in the blood (Rhoades and Bell 2013, p.454). The respiratory centre reacts by varying levels of H2CO3- within the blood. Hyperventilation makes the body to breathe out and remove CO2 from the bloodstream, through the lungs. The expulsion of carbon dioxide diminishes acidity within the blood pH. The reverse method transpires in cases of hypoventilation that leads to the withholding of CO2 within the blood (Lew 2010, p.32). The CO2 becomes carbonic acid when it dwells within the blood and combines with water. In the event that carbon dioxide is retained, then the acidic intensity of the blood increases. This amplified acid bears the capability to buffer any excess base that registers within the blood. In the event that the blood alkalinity rises, then hypoventilation may involve a pertinent way to neutralize it and overturn the progression so that the blood pH returns to usual levels (Chatterjea and Shinde 2012, p.714). Constituents that control acid-base stability comprise protein, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous. Cells and body fluids inside the body entail acid-base buffers that assist in the deterrence of speedy modifications inside the body fluid pH over short episodes until the kidneys and pulmonary systems can achieve appropriate alterations. The kidneys, as well as the pulmonary system toil to uphold acid-base equilibrium by means of excretion contained by the urine or respiration (Plowman and Smith 2008, p.279). The temporary pressure of PCO2 amid the pulmonary system can be measured with a blood sample and links with blood CO2 levels. PCO2 can then be utilized as a marker of the intensity of acid within the body. Common Diseases and Disorders Acid-base disparities surge principally from either metabolic or respiratory malfunctions. An amplification of HCO3- designates metabolic alkalosis whereas a decline in a similar substance outlines metabolic acidosis. An increase in PCO2 is leads to respiratory acidosis, whereas a decline in a parallel element is designated as respiratory alkalosis. Mostly, respiratory alkalosis originates from hyperventilation, and the means of stabilization incorporating kidneys preserving developed quantities of HCO3- to amplify pH (Brown et al. 2011, p.324). Respiratory acidosis, on the other hand, may flow from respiratory depression activated by under-ventilation, and the form entailing kidneys excreting augmented quantities of HCO3- to diminish pH. Conclusion A significant constituent of blood marks its intensity of acidity or alkalinity in which the blood acidity increases when the intensity of acidity compounds within the body swells (through augmented uptake or creation, or curtailed exclusion) or when the intensity of crucial (alkaline) compounds inside the body plunges (via diminished intake or augmented removal). Body alkalinity grows with the overturning of the processes. Ventilation plays an indispensable function in maintaining pH stability. The respiratory system can inspire modifications in pH levels amid a period of about 1-3 minutes and can eliminate or preserve CO2 (that automatically impacts on the acid-base status) more promptly and competently relative to all other buffer systems.