Modern Technology Has Made Our Lives More Complicated

Hardy’s Mayor of Casterbridge is a novel that revolves around the concealment and divulging of secrets. Henchard, Susan, Newson and Lucetta all keep secrets, which are revealed throughout the course of the novel. Although Susan is a minor character, she plays a major role in the novel through the concealment of her secret. She hides her daughter Elizabeth Jane’s true identity from Henchard, thus allowing him to think she is his daughter. She also keeps the information about her prior relationship with Henchard from Elizabeth Jane, as well as the fact that she had a half-sister that died. The lack of information strangles the relationship between Henchard and Elizabeth Jane. Although Susan keeps these secrets to protect her daughter, her lack of candor results in the consequences she fears most – her daughter’s emotional upheaval. While Susan herself does not reveal the secret, it is disclosed through a letter before the planned time, thus causing Elizabeth Jane’s alienation from Henchard. The reader is oblivious to Susan’s secret until it is revealed in her letter to Henchard. Susan chooses to keep Elizabeth Jane’s identity a secret because she is afraid of disappointing Henchard. A quiet, unassuming woman, Susan is scared of disappointing others and how they will react when she upsets them. She believes that in order to restore order between her and Henchard she must conceal the truth about Elizabeth Jane. It is hard enough for her to reunite with Henchard and when she is alone in the ring with him, she admits meekly, â€Å"I am quite in your hands, Michael†¦if you tell me to leave again to-morrow morning, and never come near you more, I am content to go† (63). Susan’s speech is reflective of her timid and submissive personality. In addition, when Henchard asks Susan if she forgives him, â€Å"she murmured something; but seemed to find it difficult to frame her answer† (64). Susan is unable to show her true feelings because she is afraid of Henchard’s reaction. Thus she finds it necessary to keep Elizabeth Jane’s birth a secret because she is scared of upsetting Henchard. At the same time that she conceals the identity of Elizabeth Jane’s father from Henchard, she hides her connection with Henchard from Elizabeth Jane. Although many times â€Å"she had been upon the point of telling her daughter Elizabeth-Jane the true story of her life† in the end she â€Å"had restrained† (20). Susan’s choice to leave her daughter in the dark allows Elizabeth Jane to enjoy an innocent childhood, and she is blissfully unaware of her mother’s troubles. Susan is afraid of disrupting Elizabeth Jane’s equilibrium and cannot bring herself to tell the truth. â€Å"The risk of endangering a child's strong affection by disturbing ideas which had grown with her growth was to Mrs. Henchard too fearful a thing to contemplate† (20). The words â€Å"endangering† and â€Å"disturbing† highlight Susan’s main goal in hiding her secret from Elizabeth Jane and reflect her entire purpose in life. Because Susan is meek and easily controlled, she is afraid to cause a reaction that she cannot control. She is â€Å"fearful† of anything beyond the ordinary, including unexpected reactions. This character trait is evident when she first meets Henchard and is surprised by his appearance as mayor. â€Å"I don't think I can ever meet Mr. Henchard,† she says in shock. â€Å"He is not how I thought he would be—he overpowers me! I don't wish to see him any more† (29). The sentiments she expresses in this statement illustrate her fear of the unknown, and her easily manipulated nature. Susan uses the word â€Å"overpowers† to demonstrate the lack of control she feels in her life and her tendency to be dominated by a superior. In Elizabeth Jane’s case, as in her relationship with Henchard, she prefers secrecy over openness because of her fear of upsetting others. Susan’s secrets are unexpectedly disclosed to both parties, when she is no longer alive to view the reaction. Their revelation results in the opposite effect, harming both Henchard and Elizabeth Jane. Susan’s greatest desire is to shield her daughter from trouble, but her fear of dealing with the truth ends up bringing on what she dreads most. Susan is overly concerned with appearances and manners, and she fusses about what others will think and say. Susan’s letter exhibits her tendency to avoid disappointing and shocking others. Even in her writing one can sense her fright at revealing the news to her husband. She begins her letter by prefacing â€Å"I hope you will understand why† (108). Later on she begs, â€Å"Don’t curse me, Mike. † Although she is only writing and not speaking, she finds it hard to let out her secret, explaining â€Å"I can hardly write it. † However, despite all of Susan’s reservations and hesitations, and intentions to protect her daughter, she ends up harming her. Her worst fears are confirmed when Henchard begins to treat Elizabeth Jane coldly and Elizabeth Jane â€Å"lived on, a dumb, deep-feeling, great-eyed creature† (115). Instead of showering her with warmth and love, Henchard sharply reprimands her when she uses incorrect grammar. â€Å"Are you only fit to carry wash to a pig trough,† (114) he yells, degrading Elizabeth Jane and humiliating her. Susan’s secret keeping leaves Elizabeth Jane worse off. Her lack of confidence ends up bringing on what she fears most. Hardy uses secrets in The Mayor of Casterbridge to highlight Susan’s character flaw and demonstrate that the situations people fear most are those they ultimately bring upon themselves. While Susan acts out of a desire to help Elizabeth Jane and Henchard, she ends up harming both of them. The concealment of information from her daughter and husband is what destroys their relationship. Susan’s greatest concern is what people will think about her daughter and her top priority is conforming to societal standards. However, her meek personality and constant worrying eventually cause her worst fears to come true. Susan’s saga of secret-keeping serves as a warning to readers†¦ concealing the truth will come back to haunt you.

Data integrity is essential for a company’s operations Essay

Describe various steps companies can use to ensure the integrity of its information. Just as the question states, data integrity is imperative to the success of a company’s operations. Data integrity is processing integrity which is one the five principles of systems reliability (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012, p. 274). For a company to be successful they must have a reliable system that is accurate, easily manipulated, timely, and valid (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012). Now that you know what data integrity is, we will discuss steps that company can take to ensure the information is accurate and valid. The first step that a company can take would be forms design, where they will sequentially prenumber all source documents to verify no documents are missing, and turnaround documents which are machine readable and do not include a possibility of human error (Romney, & Stein, 2012). The second step a company can take is utilizing data entry controls, which is performing several checks to ensure that the information is correct, one example would be a field check where the individual will determine whether the characters in a field are of the proper type (e.g. if you are expecting a zip code and you do not have numeric characters, there would obviously be an issue) (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012). The third step we will discuss is checking output controls. There processes would include users examining the system output verifying the information is reasonable and they are the intended recipients. In addition, users should periodically reconcile their reports and any other information including the general ledger to keep accurate up to date information (Romney, & Steinbart, 2012). By following these three steps/processes that I have discussed, companies will put themselves in a position to be the most successfully by accurately displaying the information. If they properly utilize these checks and balances, the possibility of any major issues is minimal and the likelihood of their business being successful substantially increases.

The Hypocrisy of Being Earnest

The Victorian era was a time of smugness and pomposity for the newly rich generation who quickly rose in class during and after the industrial revolution. Nothing was as it seemed in this day when earnestness was allegedly the most prized attribute a man could possess. In Oscar Wilde’s classical satire, â€Å"The Importance of Being Earnest,† every character embodies the ideas and values of this â€Å"earnest† age. Oscar Wilde’s primary character in â€Å"The Importance of Being Earnest,† Jack, spouts hypocrisy when his mouth is open, and sometimes when it is closed. At first impression, Jack seems to be a true gentleman. Indeed, the beginnings of his conversation with Algernon in the opening scene proves just that, but when the subject of his travels back and forth from the city to the country is brought up, Jack makes excuses and hastily changes the subject to more lighthearted topics like cucumber sandwiches (890). But very soon Algernon broaches the subject of â€Å"Bunburying,† to Jack’s ignorance. Little does this kindly gentleman know, however, that he is in fact â€Å"one of the most advanced Bunburyists (Algernon) know(s)† (894). The explanation Algernon receives from his questions is simply that Jack is Ernest in town, and Jack in the country. Perhaps Jack who is Ernest is not as earnest as he seems? Algernon certainly thinks so. He produces a cigarette case belonging to Jack with the inscription â€Å"From little Cecily with her fondest love† (892). At which point, Jack says that it is very ungentlemanly to read someone else’s cigarette case. If Jack is so concerned about being gentlemanly, then why is he, as Algernon puts it, a â€Å"Bunburyist? † Only a few lines later, Jack says to Algernon: â€Å"My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn’t a dentist. It produces a false impression† (893). This statement condemns him as a dreadful hypocrite to attentive readers. Jack claims to be a gentleman though he leads a double life, yet still dictates to others how a gentleman should act. In essence then, Jack, despite his admonishing of Algernon, is very much talking like a hypothetical dentist even if he isn’t one. It is not only Jack who is a hypocrite, however, as Algernon and Jack committed twin sins. After Jack’s admission of leading a double life, Algernon too confesses: You have invented a very useful younger brother called Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town as often as you like. I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the country whenever I choose. Bunbury is perfectly invaluable. If it wasn’t for Bunbury’s bad health, for instance, I wouldn’t be able to dine with you at Willis’s to-night†¦ (895) Bunbury and Ernest are one of the same. However, Algernon is guilty of hypocrisy in more than just this instance. Upon Jack’s entrance, Algernon has a spread laid out in preparation for Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen, including a selection of cucumber sandwiches. When Jack reaches for one, his hand is slapped away by the host, because they are to be saved, then Algernon continues eating the cucumber sandwiches (891). However, perhaps the most astonishing crime of hypocrisy Algernon commits takes place in act II, upon Jack’s discovery that Algernon is assuming the role of his â€Å"brother,† Ernest. Algernon declares that â€Å"one must be serious about something, if one wants to have any amusement in life. I happen to be serious about Bunburying† (932). With this statement, Algernon has admitted that the only thing he is serious about is lying to others. This Victorian gentleman, who claims to be earnest, is serious about nothing but the deception of others. Cecily and Gwendolen, too, are prisoners of their own hypocrisy. Indeed, it seems as though Cecily is such a hypocrite that the only hypocrisy she can detect herself is in lies. Upon her meeting with Algernon, who is at the time pretending to be Jack’s wicked imaginary brother Ernest, Cecily expresses that: â€Å"I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy† (913). In addition, Cecily too contradicts the lady-like humble manner the Victorian women were so proud of. As Algernon, in guise of Ernest, declares his love for Cecily, instead of the typical thank you and returning of compliments, she pulls out a diary and writes the compliment down, asking for more. Gwendolen, meanwhile, is worrying over whether or not she is still to love Jack since his name is Jack, and not Ernest as he deceived her. Her judgment is sure to be flawed though, seeing as how in her opinion, â€Å"In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing† (935). At last, the true irony of this hypocritical opinion comes out when Jack confides that he is to be rechristened â€Å"Ernest. † Then, Gwendolen is not opposed to the marriage as she had been five minutes prior. Indeed, as events unfold her decision changes along with the changing of Mr. Worthing’s first name. Remember, that earnestness is prized above all, so Gwendolen and Cecily both desire to marry a man named Ernest. Whether he is really earnest or not is of no importance, because as Gwendolen said, style is much more important than sincerity. All in all, the behavior of Wilde’s infamous hypocrites is astounding, to say the least. However, this must say something of the manner of the â€Å"earnest† Victorian age. Was it truly being earnest that was the desire of men and women? Or was it to appear earnest? If the latter is true, then it was necessary to be a hypocrite just to keep a name. Regardless of the case, it can be sure that Worthing at least has succeeded. All of his life he claimed to be Ernest, not Jack, but when he found out he truly was Ernest, he finally realized the importance of being earnest.

The scene of a beach on a beach on a hot summers day.

I stepped out into a burning oasis. Somehow I suddenly forgot about my home it seemed a world away from where I was standing. My eyes fluttered as a peered at the sun, the grains of sand at my feet began to feel familiar. As I started to wonder over the dunes. In the distance figures darting across the white hills appeared. I stopped quiet abruptly, and turned to the sea. My eyes glittered as I studied the waves. Boats on the horizon seemed like pointless dots on a piece of paper; forgotten but will always purpose. I saw a lilo bobbing in the in the uncharted waves. A body was placed so lightly upon the plastic float with skin so tender the light kissed it. Children playing so innocently by the shore, sand castles scattered about all with a different story to tell. The children were white with sun block as they paddled in the tide. I carried on stumbling over the boiling sand. I noticed some surfers taming the waves, that tossed them carelessly aside. I started to walk closer to the sea, I felt the salty cooling breeze upon my face so pure. I took off my shoes and sat by the shore as I once did when I was a child, now I was no longer alone. The seagulls ‘cooed' gently, then I heard the complete opposite to the seagulls soft voices I heard people, yelling and laughing I turned and saw a busy promenade. The peer was in the distance, the old fun-fair temping me over though now the heat was overpowering me. I carelessly dragged my feet up the cobbled steps to the promenade. Shops piled upon shops, people piled upon people. Shops filled with food as I pushed closer I began to smell all too familiar smells, that all my life had reminded me of this wonderful place, the seaside. Fish and chip bars placed in every other window it was as if I was walking down I hall of mirrors. After looking around for a while I began to feel very hot and tired so I returned back to the beach, boiling and sticky I slipped onto the sand. I lay looking at the clear blue sky, blue like the waves that calmly lapped the shore. A mother and child sat quietly beside me, the child holding a green spade that caught the light and made my eyes squint whilst he dug furiously into the sand. His mother lay perched on a deck chair, sunbathing her eyes fixed on her child. â€Å"Alfie† she called â€Å"be carefully†, the young child covered in a white paste giggled and carried on. I turned over now alone with my thoughts, staring back at me was a huge grey donkey part of a fleet of them that marched like soldiers alone the beach every single day, tens of times. His eyes; seemed tired and weepy. I went on to imagine how thirsty he must be in this intense heat. Volley ball pitches were littered upon the flat open range to my left. The noise of laugher filled the air people were every where to be seen, deckchairs and coloured umbrellas with families around them continued in sequent's as far as I could see down the flat plain of sand. I turned to my right once again, it looked like a untamed world compared with what I had just saw it was much quieter here. There was only the silent mother and her child to be seen. The mother now cradling her child tightly to her chest. The child was now lapping up a ice-cream, it must have been ice cold to touch the child's lips. The sun began to set upon a day full of interest. The tide began to draw near, closer and closer the water came, the light bouncing off the tiny waves. As the water prudently teased my toes. I stood up and walked knowing away from my oasis.

Barbara buyer memo

I was told about the details of your situation. I am aware that you want to bring a lawsuit against Sam salesperson and the seller. I have done some research and gathered the following information for you. The ethical issues involved in your situation include violation of full disclosure, unfair practices, and breech of contract. Sam Salesperson failed to disclose to the seller that you requested an extension of the earnest money payment, and did not tell you this. Sam Salesperson Intentionally let time lapse to void your contract in order to accept a higher offer.There are several causes of action in your case. You may bring action against the seller and Sam Salesperson based on a breach of contract. Because you had an agreement with the seller. There was a lack of communication between the salesperson and seller. There are grounds for fraud here based on Sam Salesperson not Intending to let the timeline for the earnest payment lapse. You also have grounds for negligent misrepresent ation based on a breach of fiduciary duty to you.You may request that the judge rescind the purchase contract as you had a contract with salesperson and seller before the higher offer was discovered. You had a contract agreement with the leer to purchase real estate which was breached when the seller accepted the higher offer. You also had a contract with the salesperson which was breached when you failed to pay the earnest money by the deadline. Even though Sam salesperson failed to notify the seller of your request for extension you are the one who breached the contract since there was never a stipulation extending the time for you to pay. A contract is created at law when there is a mutual exchange of promises upon reasonably understandable terms and conditions. A contract does not have to be reduced to writing in order to be enforceable† (ass) http://www. Us. Deed/counsel/ brief/contractions. HTML Remedies: You may request damages which would be measured by the difference in the price stated in your contract to buy the real estate and the price of the higher price it was sold for.Rescission and restitution in order to cancel the contract with the subsequent buyer and pay restitution as punitive damages for time lost. Elements of a contract: Offer, acceptance, and consideration. The breach of contract is when one party Involved failed to fully or adequately perform the duty the contract provided. RE-28-1 101 . Dunes to Client A. A licensee owes a fiduciary duty to the client and shall protect and promote the client's Interests. The licensee shall also deal fairly with all other parties to a transaction.Barbara buyer memo By fruitychick2000 the earnest money payment, and did not tell you this. Sam Salesperson intentionally are grounds for fraud here based on Sam Salesperson not intending to let the the Judge rescind the purchase contract as you had a contract with salesperson and involved failed to fully or adequately perform the duty the contract prov ided. RE-28-1101. Dunes to Client client's interests. The licensee shall also deal fairly with all other parties to a

Bovine Spongy Encephalitis (BSE) in Japan

Bovine Spongy Encephalitis (BSE) in Japan The essay aims to investigate the issue of Bovine Spongy Encephalitis (BSE) in Japan, with particular emphasis on the meat traceability system adopted by the Japanese regulatory authorities and its implications for the Japanese food markets, its beef industry, and the hospitality industry. Presumably written in late 2005 or early 2006, some three years after BSE reared its head in Japan, the essay attempts to trace the events that led to the BSE scare in Japan and the responses adopted by the state and industry to cope with market and customer apprehensions. Essays, on specialised subjects like these, need to have reader friendly, grammatically correct structures that guide curious lay people through the complexities of unfamiliar issues in sequential logical steps; such efforts should be well researched, evidence clarity about the subject at hand, make good use of language skills and engage reader interest in the main and allied themes. BSE, better known as mad cow disease, emerged first in the UK in 1986, its manifestation in cattle being associated with a number of logical, as well as fanciful theories that included (a) force feeding of cattle, animals that are normally herbivorous, with meat or bone meal from semi-sterilised cadavers, and (b) import of meat meal, contaminated with human meat, from India (Jones, 2001)! Related to the presence of a misfolded protein called Prion in the brain tissues of cattle, BSE is known to make the brain of a cow a bloody mass of spongy tissue, followed by the certain death of the affected animal (Jones, 2001). Worryingly it is also known to infect humans who consume BSE tainted products (Jones, 2001). The disease first showed up in commercially reared livestock in the UK, and has since then been associated with more than 150 human deaths in the UK alone; its occurrence in the United States led to panic in Japan, a major importer of US beef, and thereafter to a number of protective and regulatory steps by the Japanese for ensuring the safety and quality of beef consumed in the country (Nottage, 2004). Whilst such background information would have been particularly relevant for establishing the importance of the topic, especially in light of the levels of global panic generated by the outbreak of BSE in the early 2000s, there is little of it in the essay; the author preferring to commence the study directly with the detection of the first BSE case in Japan in 2001 and the events that followed. With much effort having been given to providing technical details about Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease, (CJD) and its new variant, in the appendices to the essay, some elementary information about Prion, established to be the root cause of BSE, the substantial loss of human life, and the worldwide concern that arose, post the emergence of the disease, would have helped in driving home the need for governments to adopt stern regulatory measures and in putting the Japanese regulatory efforts in their proper p erspective. Ford’s book on the risks posed by BSE to mankind, which has otherwise been included by the author in the references, provides a graphic account of the dangers of BSE and the essay would have been well served by the inclusion of some of the highlighted risks.

The effects of raising the minimum wage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

The effects of raising the minimum wage - Essay Example The minimum wage increases compress the wages distribution. Firms respond to these higher labor costs by reducing employment, reducing profits, or raising prices. [1] European Employment and Industrial Relations Glossaries. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions [2] History of the National Minimum Wage. Employment Matters. United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry Raising the minimum wages increases the cost of government social programs due to assistance programs aiding the laid-off workers. Some also argue that higher minimum wages reduce teenage education levels and decrease workers' long-term earnings. They contradict the benefits of raising the minimum wages and argue that the minimum wage does not reduce poverty and also slows economic growth of the country. Minimum wage increases lead to widespread unemployment, and such an intuitive argument, that society would have to be a pretty bizarre place not to abandon the wrongheaded policy altogether. For those low-wage earners who are members of poor families, will experience severe effects that an increase in the minimum wage will have. Increase in minimum wages will reduces demand for workers through a reduction in the number of jobs. Also it will affect the profit margins of business owners employing minimum wage workers. By raising unemployment and eliminating entry-level jobs, minimum wage hikes also eliminate opportunities for workers to gain valuable experience and skills that prepare them for... The minimum wage has become a hot topic. The arguments for and against a higher minimum wage boil down to whether the Country’s economy should follow a low-road/low-wage or high- road/high-wage growth path. A low-road strategy involves developing an economy based on mass production, with large numbers of workers hired for low-skill jobs at low wages. A high-road strategy involves developing an information-based economy, which would require a flexible workforce with a high level of skills; such workers would, of course, command higher wages. Legislating an increase in the minimum wage would contribute to accomplishing this task. From the social conscious movement, which has been sweeping the newer generations, it is viewed that a higher minimum wage is needed to keep the lower classes living at a comfortable level. Raising the minimum wage is not simply a magic tool to increasing the condition of living for the lower classes in a country; it actually works against that as it br ings down the condition of living even further for those who become unemployed. The free market is a beautiful thing, which balances itself out and rewards each participant with that which they input.

College Athletes Should be Paid to Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

College Athletes Should be Paid to Play - Essay Example Some argue that athletes are paid by virtue of their scholarship and that is sufficient reimbursement for their services. Putting aside for the moment that athletes that participate in the more popular sports earn millions of dollars for the university and that other students reap these benefits as well, athletes are denied the same lack of restrictions to earn while they learn and as a result should be somewhat compensated. The NCAA alone makes hundreds of millions of dollars every year from the men’s March basketball tournament. The bowl games that follow the regular football season supply the conferences with revenues of many million each winter. Now add up ticket and concession proceeds, corporate sponsorships and money gained from merchandise sales that without the presence of sports would not be funneled into a university annually. The athletes know that they generate literally many billions of dollars for their schools, yet are not allowed to earn even pocket change whi le at school, giving their all for ‘ole State U. Athletes are allowed only the most meager of an existence under NCAA regulations. Meanwhile, they witness other students with money enough at least for an occasional date and their coach earning a multi-million dollar salary but know that they are the ones that make the greatest sacrifices. The NCAA reports that of the 1000 schools in its membership, only 40 earn a profit each year, all of which are Division I-A institutions and have either a successful football or basketball program. Though revenues continue to rise for these select schools; the remaining schools are suffering growing deficits. In most cases, schools utilize money gained from its more successful and thus profitable sports programs to fund the other sports activities at the school such as the bulk of women’s athletic programs. The vast majority of schools could not afford to pay for programs that did not pay for themselves if not for the athletes that put ‘butts in seats.’ These athletes are producing enormous revenues that not only pay for other sports programs but pump money into the general scholarship fund. Athletes should be compensated at least minimally but not just athletes that are involved in revenue producing sports. All college athletes should receive a modest salary because all of them allocate so much of their time to their particular sport. Even the non-profitable sports programs provide publicity to the institutions in amounts impossible to quantify. â€Å"There are also student-athletes who have to leave school early because they do not have enough money to continue, or to pay their bills and leaving school for a career in professional sports is an easy way of making money.   The argument is that if student-athletes get paid, they will remain in school and complete their education† (Meshefejian, 2005). When a student-athlete or their family is experiencing financial problems as is the case in m any situations, the pressure to quit school and pursue a professional career is immense. What would motivate an athlete in this predicament to stay and finish school if they were offered even a minor league contract or a backup role at the major league level? Many examples exist where athletes opt to turn professional, then are out of a job within a year or two and cannot return to school because they can no longer be offered a scholarship. If they could have justified, financially speaking, staying in school, many may have graduated and whether or not they succeeded at the professional level, they would have had a diploma and therefore a solid career and a

Republic Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Republic Government - Essay Example The great French Revolution, although short-term, roused a new spirit of independence in Europeans. Later, in the 19th century, many countries outside Europe attained independence through continuous struggle; but the major turn out came after the 2nd World War, of which most of the countries developed a trend away from democracy. (Carey, 2007) Even though colonial life has almost ended, some parts of the world are still fighting for a proper government according to their own views. Two of these major parts are Palestine and Kashmir. What's ironical is that countries involved in these disputes are republics themselves; but look at the years of struggle these areas have gone through. Theoretically, the United States is a democratic republic nation where people exercise control over their rulers through elections and lobbying; but since implementation of the new constitution, the government has been facing extensive difficulties. Financial problem was the main worry of the new government. They were in huge debt due to the Revolutionary War, which was a threat to their economy. The need for roads and bridges was inevitable, but they could not be afforded. Enforcing new taxes was also a problem, which lead to the Whiskey Rebellion.

What is happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

What is happiness - Essay Example In the summer, when I sit in the grass and feel the sun warm your skin, testing the water temperature with my feet. In the autumn, I can see the red maple leaves falling from the trees. In the winter, I feel the crispness of the air on your face and hearing the crunch of snow under your feet. All of the sense makes me feel happy. Happiness, for me, also includes travel experiences. I saw some beautiful scenery I had not seen before, I could taste different foods, and I tried some new things. Last summer, I traveled to Nepal and tried paragliding. When I was gliding in the sky, I felt free like a bird and flew the clouds clear my mind. I felt happiness in that moment. Imagine how it feels when you have a chance to fly in the sky. Do you think you will have the same sense of freedom as me? Some people think happiness means keeping up with the Joneses. However, for me, I do think happiness is measured by wealth. Many people in the world have excessive wealth. They use the money to buy a number of cars and build mansion to show their status in the society. Even though they have everything they desire, they still want to be happy. For example, Guangxu was one of the emperors in Qing dynasty. He had status, money, women but he still felt miserable due to the failure to control his life. He could do everything his grandmother wanted him do. On the other hand, a famous Chinese man who lived during Second World War gave up the rich life and the chance to be a doctor to become a poor writer. Although he lived a poor life, he never regrets. Instead, he was happy as his work could bring great change to the society. Chinese people’s minds about propaganda, he helped to bring about the revolution of China. This is the reason I believe that happiness is having enough to sur vive comfortably. Friends play an important role in our life. We cannot be happy without friends. Studying alone

My Decision to Return to College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Decision to Return to College - Essay Example Since there is a general feeling that college graduates adjust easily within the reigns of organizations and that are easily trainable, I believe I would offer the company much to start with. My skills and my experience would suggest a thing or two and that too in the positive sense. Within the workforce, I would enhance my organizational skills consistently so that I could become indigenous and my work would speak for its own self. Since I value education more than anything else, I am of the view that following the college would be out of my comfort zone but I am ready and willing to take this opportunity and grab it with both hands. I will challenge myself within different areas, one of which would be to acquaint myself with the computer literacy skills, which I perceive needs polishing. Further, the mere feeling that completing a degree would give me a satisfying attitude is reason enough for me to go all-out and do my very best. Education has its different levels and it is best to reach the top most level once you are a student. I am hopeful that I will continue on my yearning and opt for the Associate’s degree program after which I would pursue my Bachelor’s. Similarly, attaining a Master’s degree is anyone’s dream and for me, there is thrill in envisioning myself becoming a Master in a specific discipline, a few years down the road. I opine that education makes one complete and I am of the firm view that in my case, this is absolutely true. Completing college life makes one reap rewards throughout the course of his life. I would advance my base within life once I am out of college and plan to pursue with my university life. Moving ahead, joining a profession that I like would make me even more satisfied and matured after which I will earn and support my family – a satisfying feeling nonetheless. In the end, I am hopeful that if I get admission within college, I would live up to my promise

Safegurads and Controls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Safegurads and Controls - Essay Example The used book store envision to promote literacy through their funding for education improvement programs by buying books that people do not want, find buyers and fund the proceeds for social cause. Used books are usually collected through campus collection from universities and colleges and from donation initiatives and discard of Libraries. Online services enables the store to distribute used books to a wide range of people globally, nationally and locally, who are in need of free books in underdeveloped countries. Alans used book store gives importance to save million of tonnes of paper waste for recycling rather than using it for landfills. The book store also envisages collecting voluntary funds from customers at exit point to fund reforestation programs and renewable energy credits (Profits with Purpose: Better World Books). Books should be handled with care while arranging them in shelves and moving it to make place for new arrivals. The dust jackets usually get damaged when moving books. Further books should be stored in a systematic manner to avoid theft and to locate books quickly. Books have to be categorized and numbered and stocks should be taken at regular intervals to keep a check on the number of sold items and the number of new arrivals. Proper accounting with details of the book will enable the business to identify books that sell fast and books that do not sell quickly. Books should not be stacked in the shelves; instead it should be placed in a stand up position. This reduces damage to books and offers ease to handle books and prevent the probable damage while taking a book from the bottom of a stacked row. Books should always be placed on the shelves. Books should not be place on the floor since it may contact moisture. Books will get faded and pages will turn yellow if it is exposed to d irect sunlight. Alans used book store proposes to manage risk by purchasing books from users that are mostly sought

Credit Crunch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Credit Crunch - Essay Example This paper briefly analyses the major reasons for the credit crunch started in the last year. The major reason for the current financial crisis is the unwise lending habits of the financial institutions like banks. â€Å"Banks found ways to increase the number of mortgage loans through strategies such as interest only mortgages, 100% mortgages and lending to people with poor credit histories† (Who is to Blame for Credit Crunch?). American public have the habit of spending all the money they earned without saving anything for the future. When they are need of money they approached the banks and the banks were ready to give them loans as much as they required, without assessing their financial capabilities. Banks never calculated that an economic crisis like the current one may happen in near future. The banks thought that the global economy is a renewable source. They consider it as an ocean of wealth which will never be exhausted. The allocation of resources in the case of a bank is mainly the loans of different forms to the customers. This allocation has not been don e properly by the banks. They have allotted loans to all the people irrespective of the financial strengths of the customers. They have not conducted any reviews to assess the financial setups of the customer at present and also they failed to forecast the future. On the other hand, the greedy customers accepted all the offers from the banks with both hands. They have approached the banks for everything and the banks were ready to fulfill their dreams. The banks were too focused on selling their goods or services rather than buying the goods or services. They thought the success of banking business rest on selling rather than purchasing. They never bothered too much about the returns against the services they provided. In their opinion, American economy was capable of facing any challenges or threats from the

Arabic Language and English Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Arabic Language and English Language - Essay Example Arabic is from the Semitic language family, subsequently, its grammar is altogether different from English. There is an expansive potential for lapses of impedance when Arab learners produce composed or spoken English. Arabic has a three-consonant root as its premise. All words (parts of speech) are shaped by joining the three-root consonants with altered vowel designs and, in some cases, an affix. Arab learners may be befuddled by the absence of examples in English that might permit them to recognize nouns from verbs or descriptive words, and so forth. The Arabic sentence is generally separated into two primary parts: the column and the supplement (extra) if any. The column could be mapped to the thought of the atomic in expository structure hypothesis. The satellites of the logical structure hypothesis could be equal to the supplement. The column has two parts: the data furthermore the subject. The subject could be acknowledged as the member where an activity, a state, or a depicti on is alluding to. The data could be seen as the movement, the state, or the portrayal itself. An Arabic sentence may be either ostensible sentence or a verbal sentence. The ostensible sentence begins fundamentally with a noun and the verbal sentence begins with a verb. The mainstay of an ostensible sentence is constituted by a primate and a predicate. The primate is a noun that generally a sentence begins with. The capacity of the primate is the subject-work (the member). The predicate qualifies the primate and fills the data a piece of the mainstay of the ostensible sentence. The mainstay of the verbal sentence is constituted by a verb and an operator if the data is a known verb or a star executor if the data is a disregarded verb. While proceeding towards the comparison in details it is necessary to first shed some light on the definition of culture as defined by Geert Hofstede. According to the cultural dimensions premises acknowledged by Geert Hofstede, the westernized nations like the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, etc. creates the individualist bunch and is placed at one severe end of the band whilst the Asian nations such as Pakistan, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, etc. forms the collectivist bunch and is placed at the other intense end of the range.  

The Strategic Issue of Newspaper Paywalls Essay

The Strategic Issue of Newspaper Paywalls - Essay Example The Guardian’s lead media blogger Cory Doctorow led the critical analysis in asking three main questions about the dataset as presented by Murdoch’s company. (Doctorow, 2010) â€Å"What sort of purchases are the paid subscribers making?† â€Å"How much do advertisers value the additional information the Times can supply about paying users?† â€Å"What does it cost to get a subscriber?† These questions are important in determining what the paywall and subscriber numbers mean to News Corp’s bottom line profit figures. This experiment with the online subscriber model for news is important to the sector due to the declining revenues and bankruptcy of many traditional newspapers. If News Corp is successful in attracting consumers to its online subscription models, iPad only newspaper, and financial industry news, then it represents a business possibility or even necessity for other newspapers in the sector like the Guardian to follow. Looking at t he actual numbers released by News Corp in their Nov. 2nd, 2010 press release: â€Å"News International today announces that the new digital products for The Times and The Sunday Times have achieved more than 105,000 paid-for customer sales to date. Around half of these are monthly subscribers. These include subscribers to the digital sites as well as subscribers to The Times iPad app and Kindle edition. Many of the rest are either single copy or pay-as-you-go customers. In addition to the digital-only subscribers, there are 100,000 joint digital/print subscribers who have activated their digital accounts to the websites and/or iPad app since launch. As a result, the total paid audience for digital products on The Times and The Sunday Times is close to 200,000 (allowing for some duplication in the digital customer sales number).† (Paid Content, 2010) Felix Salmon adds another aspect of the paywall that may not be immediately evident from this news release, reporting that â₠¬Å"traffic has fallen off a cliff, from 21 million to 2.7 million pageviews per month† for these same sites. (Reuters, 2010) From these statistics, the 200,000 paid subscribers are only viewing on average 10 pages or news articles per month. This does not indicate a strong pattern of readership, but more of the average daily or single-setting news content of a site browser. In analyzing the effect of this, for example, as it relates to the Guardian business plan, it should be noted that by page volume this is approximately a 90% reduction in the number of advertisements served by the website per month. Thus, looking at the issue of paywalls and online newspapers from a strictly profit and loss perspective, the GMG can calculate whether a 90% reduction in advertising revenue would be offset by the savings on server infrastructure with reduced site traffic and the revenues generated by the subscription fees. To put this in context with what the News Corp numbers mean, Dan Sabbag ah of the Guardian reviewed the three different subscription plans represented in the statistics and came up with an estimate: â€Å"the total is ?5.5m a year, gross.† (Sabbagah, 2010) This includes the 1-day subscriptions, the monthly subscriptions, and iPad newspaper subscriptions. In this manner, it could be related that loss of 90% of site traffic and viewership for the newspapers was not worth the minimal

Self Ethic Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Self Ethic Evaluation - Essay Example This only makes things easier to analyze and thus implement at a later stage. I have also known that by being ethical I am only following the nature in one way or the other. It adds up to the kind of optimism that one can wish for in this day and age with immense negativity already being portrayed by the media and related tangents. My ethical domains have thus come from my own comprehension with regards to tasks and actions which have been drawn up with the passage of time and since I have grown and developed I have also found out that this is the best foot forward. I need to remain in loop with ethics as it makes me feel at ease with my own self and the people who are around me or the ones I am dealing with on a day to day basis. My ethics is therefore a manifestation of who I am and how I would like to see things through on a regular level. A self evaluation of ethics deduces the fact that I am indeed on the right path as far as ethical dimensions are concerned as these beef up my personality in more ways than one. These allow me to remain vigilant with my tasks and undertakings, and to be loyal towards doing something worthwhile for the sake of the society in the long run. As far as my personal ethics are concerned, I would describe these to be a combination of doing well for others as well as paying heed to what others have to suggest without having any malice whatsoever. My personal ethics is therefore a documentation of how my personality has shaped up over the years and how I wish to see things in proper contexts and perspectives. My personal ethics takes a leaf out of my father’s book who I respect immensely. I have seen him manage things in a moral way time and time again, and this is the manner under which I have been able to achieve much success over the years. I have learned that by being ethical, one can have a good rapport with the people around him or the ones who work alongside him. By being ethical, one can learn many new things in life which would have been difficult to envisage if ethics were missing from the related realms (Mauro, Natale and Libertella 1999). My personal ethics is banking a great deal on how I view things from an ending viewpoint. This means that I deduce the result beforehand and then decide how to go about managing activities and behaviors. It allows me to learn new nuances and get the feel of quite a few tangents, all of which remain significant towards my life. When I derive happiness and satisfaction from what I do in my personal activities, I find out that my ethical domains have been truly manifested. This allows me to comprehend where I was right and where I have gone completely wrong. I make amends and discern how I shall shape up my life in accordance with my personal ethics which remain quintessential to me. In entirety, I keep on learning new aspects and adopt from others what they do with regards to their respective ethical definitions. This is a classic case of learning in a hands- on fashion because it allows me to manifest what I am continuously finding out. Business has a huge list of responsibilities attached to it as far as incorporation and implementation of ethics is concerned. This is because it has to satisfy a number of publics on many levels. It has to be accountable to the people for which it exists, i.e. the customers, as well as the ones who are working under its aegis – the employees. The role of the business within this day and age is not only to make a profit but do it

Cherokee Indian Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cherokee Indian Nation - Essay Example The constitution, the comprehensive legal code, and the many governmental related services of the Cherokee Nation contribute to a justice system that operates autonomously to promote order and advancement within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. Though the Cherokee Nation is a sovereign entity with a complete legal system, they also work with the cooperation of federal agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to maintain order. They also have agreements with local and state governments to help insure consistency and support within both the Cherokee Nation and local governments. Indeed, there has been an ongoing policy of the US government to help insure that Cherokee law and Federal laws have a measure of conformity (Distinctive Features). However, the recent limits placed on the State Police on Indian lands has prompted the Cherokee Nation to take a greater responsibility for law enforcement within their borders and has necessitated the formation of the Cherokee Nation Marshall Service. In 1986, a ruling by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that "[...] Oklahoma law enforcement officers have no criminal jurisdiction "in Indian country" unless the crime is committed by a non-Indian against another non-Indian ..." (Heck, Keen, and Wilds, 26). The previous two centuries had been marked by federal reluctance to recognize sovereignty compounded by a checkerboard of overlapping federal jurisdiction. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service is responsible for enforcement on Indian land, and though they have been in existence for over 20 years, their ranks are thin as compared to other urban and rural forces. The 2002 census reported only 11 full time officers to cover the entire population and vast land area ("Census", 10). The Cherokee Nation also shares criminal jurisdiction with various state and federal authorities through cross deputizing (Heck et al., 33). Jurisdiction is decided through a complex evaluation of whether the defendant and victim are Indian or Non-Indian and the seriousness of the crime. According to Heck et al. while, "[...] either federal or Indian law enforcement officers can make arrests for major crimes, most major crime cases are tried in federal courts" (33). However, victimless crime or minor crime where both defendant and victim are Indian, is the sole jurisdiction of the tribal courts. There may be rare exceptions to this, such as the jurisdiction for the enforcement of traffic laws where major routes are patrolled by a state police agency. The District Court of the Cherokee Nation serves all 14 counties in the jurisdiction of the tribe and handles civil and criminal proceedings. In addition, they handle some limited juvenile cases and family law issues involving deprivation and neglect ("District Court"). According to the 2002 census, the Cherokee Nation criminal court can only prosecute a case that would result in a jail term of not more than one year and a fine of less than 5,000 dollars ("Census", 2). More serious cases are sent to the federal court system for prosecution, sentencing, and incarceration. The Cherokee Nation operates a detention and holding center for short-term

Buddhist Temples As Educational Centers For Spiritual Quest Essay

Buddhist Temples As Educational Centers For Spiritual Quest - Essay Example Buddhism is a choice religion for this, as it emphasises meditation, contemplation of nature, and non-traditional thinking. To understand how Buddhist temples can become educational centres for this kind of spiritual journey, one must first understand the nature of Spiritual quests and Buddhist faith, before looking again at the issue of questing and education. Spiritual quests have been an essential part of religious experience for most of recorded history. From shamanistic vision quests to the separations of Religious leaders, the spiritual quest is the path to enlightenment. These journeys often involve great challenges, difficulties or impossible tasks to be performed. Mythologies often depict heroes going on long journeys, and overcoming terrible odds in order to obtain valuable items, or important knowledge. The Scandinavian tale of Odin hanging from the world tree in order to obtain knowledge for human kind is one example of a spiritual quest. Often originating in personal cat astrophe, the spiritual quest seeks to bridge the divide between possible and impossible worlds. The seeker isolates him or herself from general society, and puts himself through an ordeal. Passing through that experience gives the seeker enlightenment, and they can then return to their society with the gifts that the quest has brought out and developed within them. In modern western society, the religious quest does not seem to be so important to us. Many people do not undertake these journeys - jobs, families and other ties mean that it would be extremely difficult to isolate yourself from the rest of society for long periods of time. In the present day, these quests are generally undertaken in less strenuous circumstances. Anyone wishing to perform an actual quest or journey can go on vacations to spiritual places, or join quest expeditions which Combine sightseeing with meditation, Yoga and other lessons in self-discovery and self empowerment (Andrews) Even if modern Western societies have adapted the spiritual practices of the past, then this does not mean that they are any less valid or challenging. In recent years, the spiritual quest has been compared with the scientific questioning of the world: The scientific quest is to discover the order in the external world of space, time energy and matter. The spiritual quest is to discover order in our consciousness. (Krishna) Krishna also emphasises the importance of personal experience in spiritual seeking. "In the spiritual quest, knowledge is not helpful" (Krishna). What is needed is an insight into the truth, the same insight which the spiritual leader once had: Buddha's student has to observe all over again and rediscover what the Buddha discovered, in order to come upon that order in his own consciousness. One simply cannot learn it like knowledge. (Krishna) Spiritual quests demand that the seeker not only know the works of the leader, but also attempt to go through the same journey than Buddha, Christ, Krishna, Odin, or any other religious leaders. In this sense, spiritual questing can bring about a greater understanding of the seeker's faith, and give true meaning to the texts of religious traditions. 2)Buddhism Buddhism is not necessarily what one would expect from a religion. Instead of teaching salvation though submission to a supernatural entity, Buddhist teachings focus upon the mind as the way to spirituality and understanding. While the Buddha is venerated as a god or gods might be in other religion, it is also true that he is seen as a

EM-CNI Joint Venture Collaboration Research Paper

EM-CNI Joint Venture Collaboration - Research Paper Example This collaboration can accelerate the forward momentum of the company and the benefits of such partnerships are often derived much faster, cheaper, easier, more profitable, and without debilitating conflict and turmoil when compared to a typical merger or acquisition.  In today’s technologically fast-changing business environment, the windows of opportunity for strategic attacks often are open only briefly and close quickly. More importantly, if we do not exploit an opportunity, other competitors will. This may turn the table, giving them additional resources, time, market share, and profits. However, we have the technology, Information Technology tools, the Internet, and other business innovation tools that we can avail of in the collaboration process. Collaboration is not new in the world of globalization. Businesses and organizations are merging and forming alliances to further their aims. And as we said earlier, if we don’t do it rightly and quickly, our competito rs will because they also have those tools at their easy reach. Our primary objective is to acquire the government license from Amazonia. This is a long-term project that requires a lot of planning. But the rewards of a successful collaboration can be enormous in Amazonia. When the firm wins the application, we are rewarded with a major source of competitive advantage. We will also be strengthened financially, organizationally, and reputationally while our competitors are weakened. Moreover, these competitors are watching and doing something to get the leverage.  Financial benefits can come sooner, but we have to take the financial side carefully and this has to be forecasted in a ten-years time. We can virtually create a new vital core competency with financial, managerial, and reputational benefits that can reverberate into the future of the organization.  

Geography in the middle east Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Geography in the middle east - Essay Example upport that Christian Zionists and Jews received from such powers as the United States shows the general aim of their empowerment and motivation towards the liberation. The United States, for example, recognized rights of Soviet Jews to their traditional beliefs and elevated Zionists and Jews to political posts (Class Notes, n.d., Slide 97). Statements that key leaders made, in relation to the events also identifies the need for liberation as reason for the unity and violence as the approach to the liberty. While Soviet restrained Jews movements, Sharansky acknowledged that the Jews Movement was significant to the fall of the Soviet (Class Notes, Slide 100). The key indicator of the role of violence in the liberation is the role of the United States in empowering Al Qaeda for violent attacks on the Soviet and Brzezinski and Clinton admits to America’s role in creation of Al Qaeda (Class Notes, Slide 98, 99). Shultz, however, established the plight of the Soviet Jews to America ’s government to facilitate the nation’s influence on the fight (Class Notes, Slide

Individualism as an American Culture Essay Example for Free

Individualism as an American Culture Essay Question: How do the examples involving the child who has fallen, the way food is served and eaten, and the newspaper route provide the author with significant insights into American cultural value? Do you agree with her interpretations? Poranee like many other immigrants are faced with various changes/challenges when they leave their homeland to start a new life in another country. Some of these changes are obvious, while others are not so blatant. Poranee first realized these changes with the simple question â€Å"how are you?† While somethings are consider normal and acceptable in one country, it may be consider rude or inappropriate in another. Poranee was raised in culture that emphasis service and togetherness, which is why she felt comfortable enough to help the fallen child. Without being told, she wouldnt have known that letting the child get up himself will teach him to be independent from an early age. Just like the fallen child, eating off someone else plate or reaching across the table isnt consider inappropriate since the Thais focuses more on forming a community than individualism. The American way of eating is consider inappropriate to the Thais because it is seen as selfish and inconsiderate to have so much food on your plate. I agree with the author on her interpretation of the examples except for the example about the newspaper route. I dont think that the couple who own the BMW’s were materialistic because they were well off but still made their children work. I think that by making their son sell newspapers and their daughter babysit, they were teaching them the value of hard work Working teaches them that just because their parents have money, doesnt mean they can sit around and do nothing.

Social Isolation and the Female, Live in Domestic Worker in South Africa Essay Example for Free

Social Isolation and the Female, Live in Domestic Worker in South Africa Essay In a world which tends to discriminate against race, gender and class, many black, female, lower class women face an uphill battle in day to day life. Those who manage to find employment often work as domestic workers in the homes of the more elite. These women often serve many roles within a household such as nanny, cook and cleaner. Many of these women become live in maids for the convenience of their employers. This study takes a qualitative approach in examining why these women are prepared to leave their families and face such social isolation. Using one women’s story of life as a live in domestic worker this study delves into the reality of day to day life in post apartheid South Africa. This allows one a unique opportunity into a personal perspective of those previously disadvantaged and even though the sample is not big enough to generalize with the study is relevant in that it provides a framework and the motivation to pursue further studies in this area. One must also take into account that even though one person’s experiences may be narrow, their perspectives may reflect those of a greater population and therefore must always be considered relevant in some way. Literature Review Many female South African domestic workers live in the houses of their employers. This may be isolating and lonely for some. This qualitative study seeks to observe the effect this has on ladies who are particularly far from their families. Many domestic workers in South Africa are migrants from upper Africa who are already culturally isolated, by becoming live in they may experience social and class isolation. This interview tells the story of a female live in domestic worker who, although South African, has followed her job more than ten hours away from her family and support network. The key issue here is social isolation. For one to be socially isolated one is living without companionship, social support and connectedness. One has no one to turn to for day to crisis and it is not surprising that the stress of such a situation is associated with poorer health. It is also associated with things like poor life meaning, levels of satisfaction and well being. The socially isolated even have a higher consumption of health care resources and unfortunately fare badly in acute interventions such as cardiovascular surgery. The socially isolated are far more highly linked to mental illness, distress, dementia, suicide and premature death (Hawthorne, 2006). Social isolation is therefore a grave matter and with findings like this the western ritual of paying domestic workers to live in and possibly in turn become socially isolated should seek ethical approval. Social Isolation In Graeme Hawthorne’s study he points out that social isolation is most connected to personal relationships, or rather lack thereof. He points out that within this things like neighbourhood friendliness, social initiation, geographic location and ethnicity play a large role in determining isolation. Ethnicity plays a large role in the social isolation of a domestic worker because although interacting with others they are not around those of their own ethnicity. Hawthorne’s study investigates the validity of a psychometric scale to measure social isolation and therefore defines the concept well, giving one a well rounded perception of this sort of isolation. His study found that the ‘friendship scale’ was a reliable tool when measuring social isolation and would therefore prove to be an interesting second measure when looking at social isolation of female domestic workers in South Africa (Hawthorne, 2006). To follow up this quantitative research with a reliable psychometric scale may yield fuller results. This together with a larger sample of domestic workers would make this study far more reliable and conclusive. In interviewing one participant many gaps are left, for instance this case shows a very positive employer-employee relationship however this cannot simply be generalized to the rest of the South African population and therefore cannot be used for much in the line of determining where change is needed. Race, gender, class post apartheid changes. Race, gender and class come up in any study such as this, especially when the country has a history a rife of that of South Africa. Although these discriminatory themes are still a serious issue in South Africa, past studies do show that things may have improved vastly since even the late apartheid era. A study by Hickson and Strous (1993) depicts a far worse picture than the results of this interview, with complete lack of care for the humanity of the worker, poor live in living conditions and low, often non-monetory salaries (Hickson Strous, 1993). This study shows a problem which has to a large extent lessened with many domestic workers well supported by the families for which they work. Shireen Ally goes as far as to say that post apartheid South Africa has launched one of the most extensive efforts to protect domestic workers. These efforts have surely paid off in many ways as pay in itself has improved on a great scale. Just the fact that domestic workers are politically recognized and are able to form unions was a big step out of the apartheid days (Ally, 2008). A later study by Jennifer Fish shows that although social change on a public level has dramatically revolutionised, the micro scale of everyday interactions still has a long way to go. Therefore although things have changed in certain areas many domestic workers are still being subjected to very discriminatory treatment as a result of their race, class or gender (Fish, 2006). Due to these present and past discriminations there remains an air of elitism among employers. This air may serve as a barrier to connectedness between employer and employee. This lack of connectedness to those around the live in employee leads to social isolation with grave consequences. The live in dometic worker A study by Hondagneu-Sotelo shows some benefits of domestic workers who do not live in. It provides an interesting alternate perspective. This study followed immigrant Mexican women in California. These women are isolated from their culture, country and often family. However the fact that they are not live in provides them with networking opportunities. They mostly work numorous jobs a week and in doing so interact with many other women who, although not always even similar in ethnicity, provide a support structure for each other. This structure helps the women to learn skills like negotiating fair pay and more importantly provides them with connectedness and social interaction (Hondagneu-Sotelo, 1994). This study when compared to studies on live in domestic workers may yield a more healthy and ethical alternative and therefore is very relevant to this topic. Method This studied used a qualitative approach to research. Such an approach allows for great depth of research rather than great breadth. Qualitative research allows for more understanding into why people behave in certain ways or how they think rather than focussing simply on what they do or believe (Ambert, Adler, Adler Detzner, 1995). This makes it suitable for research on the attitudes and perspectives of the less heard groups of people, like domestic workers. It allows for true feelings and attitudes to be revealed and therefore gives far greater insight into the life and trials of a domestic worker. The method used to obtain information was that of a semi structured interview. This is an interview guided by questions but not strictly so. It is a highly beneficial means in many ways. It obtains macu relevant information, the audience is specifically targeted, it is structured to allow comparisons, can be used on sensitive topics, and allows for new areas of interest to emerge as one is able to diverge from the topic if necessary. The disadvantages however are that interviewing skills are required and that it is a time consuming and resource intensive process. There is also always a risk of interviewer bias as the interviewer is a just a human being interacting with another human being (Cozby, 2005). The participant in this study was a 53 year old black lady from originally Vryburg. She is the domestic worker of my father’s girlfriend and therefore has had much contact with me prior to the interview. Although she was a very willing participant this may have affected the way in which she answered questions. She was promised complete confidentiality which should have helped her to feel comfortable to say what she wants, however there is still the possibility she may have held back especially in regard to her feelings about her employer, you may notice she only said positive things about this which leaves room for the unsaid negative. However she seemed comfortable and relaxed throughout the interview. Being from a higher class to that of the participant may have limited the interview somewhat. The interviewee may have felt I cannot relate to her and therefore shared less of her experiences. Perhaps in further research of this kind it would be beneficial to train ex-domestic workers to conduct interviews. By doing so the participant would stand on common ground with the interviewer. Although the participants English was extremely good it is not her first language and perhaps if I were able to conduct the interview in her first language it ould have been more welcoming and she might have expressed herself far better. Results The interview shed light on five major themes. These themes may not all be entirely relevant to the question posed, however that’s the beauty of qualitative research, one often finds far more than one was looking for and this opens up new areas to be researched. Gender, class race effects It became apparent that the participant views of herself and capabilities were constructed closely around what would be expected of a black, lower class women. She aspired to nursing and then as a second resort chose domestic work. Passive acceptance Throughout the interview the participant never once shows a strong desire to change her situation even though she does not seem entirely satisfied with it. She accepts the situation and does not seem to see a way out of it. Isolation The participant admits to wanting to be around her family. She very rarely socializes with someone she calls a friend and this lack of companionship must be very lonely. Self sacrifice The participant seems to feel that even though she is not satisfied the fact that she is able to support her family is enough for her. This may link up to the theme of gender in that as a women she may feel her happiness is less important than serving her husband and family. Money Money is a large theme that appeared in this study. The participant mentions it numerous times and it seems highly relevant in her job satisfaction. Being able to support her family financially appears more important than being there with them. This theme also fits in with that of self sacrifice. Discussion Some of these themes that arose relate closely to the literature reviewed. Race, class and gender tie in closely with the literature on domestic work during apartheid and the after effects thereof. Having constructed her hopes around what a person of her position should expect to hope for she has left no room for disappointment and is possibly protecting herself. This is perhaps a coping method. The participant seems to identify the positive in most situation, thereby holding onto the all the dignity and satisfaction possible. This study however broke away from any literature which depicted the new South Africa as still lacking change on a micro level. The participant seems well looked after by her employee and seems to like this aspect of her career, ‘ miss X has helped my family alot over the years’. Social isolation becomes clear throughout the interview. As Hawthorne says social isolation occurs as a result of a lack of personal relationships, and this is very apparent in the life of the participant (Hawthorne, 2006). She seems to long for her family, ‘if I could live with my family that would be better ’. This could be having serious effects on her health as she ages. Although the participant seems to think being a live in domestic is beneficial in her case, Hondagneu-Sotelo argues that the social networks developed amongst part time workers are highly beneficial and supportive to women who are otherwise isolated. Money and benefits seem to stand out almost the most in this study. In asking questions unrelated to money the participant answers saying that the pay is good, showing the great emphasis she puts on it. This theme is the most probable answer to the research question posed. The participant’s main reason for being willing to isolate herself from her family, culture and class is money. She wants nothing more than to support her family and make sure her children are educated. The fact that her employer is generous and she has been able to do this leaves her at terms with her social isolation. Further research into her stress and isolation levels at a quantitative or psychometric level my yield clearer results, this study however demonstrates that there is a ground for such research and that it may be beneficial. Physical health tests of live in as opposed to live out domestic workers may also lead to interesting literature on this matter. Conclusion This study has therefore provided an in depth account of a problem which possibly demands more consideration, showing that some women are prepared to sacrifice almost their whole life in order to support their loved ones inancially. Although the situation shown here is somewhat undesirable this study has also depicted many positive changes of the post 1994 South Africa with the participant saying she is looked after well by her employee. This study therefore not only met its aim of finding out why women are prepared to live in, but also uncovered other interesting research areas. Hopefully in the future these other topics will be covered more extensively.

Effect of cooking on amylose content of rice Essay Example for Free

Effect of cooking on amylose content of rice Essay In diabetes type 2, there is a deficiency of insulin which results in improper/ slow breakdown of food. This results in sugar level spikes immediately after a meal, which can be harmful. Hence, diabetics must have food stuffs which have a slow release rate so as to not cause any spikes. In order to find out the most suitable method of cooking rice for diabetic patients, we found out the amylose content of rice cooked by different methods and co-related it with Glycemic Index (GI). Glycemic Index is release of glucose in the blood by the breakdown of carbohydrates. Higher the glycemic index, faster breakdown of food and thereby more release of glucose in the blood, so immediate requirement of insulin, which can be toxic for diabetic patients. Glycemic index and amylose content are inversely proportional to each other. There is a wide variation in the amylose content of rice depending on the way it is cooked. In this paper, the effect of cooking on amylose content of rice is described using various experimental approaches. Various method of cooking involves traditional method, microwave and steam cooked method. The amylose content of the rice is then co-related with its glycemic index. Keywords: Rice; Glycemic Index; Amylose Content; Diabetes; Cooking. INTRODUCTION Rice is the most important staple food for a large part of the worlds human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies [6]. The awareness of the general public related to health foods has been on the rise recently and people are looking for the right variety of rice and more efficient methods of cooking it for diabetics. Due to the low insulin concentration in the body, the release of sugar into blood is less controllable than normal, leading to spikes in blood sugar after meals for them. High blood sugar, if left untreated, can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance etc. over short term and retinopathy, nephropathy over long term. Hence, this is an acute problem faced by all diabetics. Brown rice is obtained directly from the plant and is rich in nutrients like vitamin B1, B3 and minerals like iron which can be used in preventing deficiency diseases like beriberi etc. [8]. The nutrient content of consumable rice varies with the processing techniques. For example, brown rice undergoes minimal processing and thus retains most 385 Pelagia Research Library Ashish Jain et al Euro. J. Exp. Bio. , 2012, 2 (2):385-388 of the original nutrients within the grain, whereas white rice or polished rice is devoid of most of the nutrients as they are pushed into the husk of the grain during processing which is then removed during polishing [9]. Similarly, the starch content also varies with the cooking methods viz., traditional methods or home-made or microwaved method etc. [6]. Rice contains two types of starch in rice: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is a long straight starch molecule that does not gelatinize during microwave cooking [4] and hence rice with more amylose content tends to cook fluffy, with separate grains. Besides, amylose also hardens and forms during crystals during cooking and melts when the rice is re-heated. Rice that is high in amylose has a lower Glycemic Index number [1, 7]. This is because amylose is harder to break down than simple sugars like glucose etc.and ensures a sustained release of sugar into blood without spiking immediately after a meal. MATERIALS AND METHODS The following reagents are used for estimation of amylose content and for preparation of standard: 95% Ethanol: Prepared from 100% Ethanol 1N NaOH, Iodine Potassium iodide solution Standard amylose: Obtained from HIMEDIA 1N Acetic acid: From NICE Chemicals Glassware: Borosil Water bath: High Precision water bath from Acmas was used Spectrophotometer: From Amersham Biosciences to measure OD Cuvette: Quartz Cuvette to measure OD. Software: HandyGraph Software to draw graph 1N NaOH solution: Dissolve 40g of NaOH in 1000ml distilled water 1N Acetic acid solution: Dilute 57. 5 ml glacial acetic acid to 1000ml using distilled water Iodine Potassium iodide solution: Dissolve 0. 26 g of Iodine in 10 ml of Potassium iodide solution containing 2. 6 g of KI Standard Amylose Solution: Take 40mg of pure potato starch (amylose) in a 100 ml volumetric flask and add 1 ml of 95% ethanol and 9. 0 ml of 1N NaOH. Shake well and boil over water bath for 10 minutes and make up the solution to 100 ml using distilled water. Method: We weighed 100 mg well powdered milled rice into 100 ml volumetric flask and to it 1 ml 95% ethanol and 9 ml 1 N NaOH was added. The sample was heated for 10 minutes in boiling water bath, cooled and the volume was made up to 100 ml. 5 ml was pipetted from the 100 ml into another 100 ml volumetric flask. To it 1 ml I N acetic acid and then 2 ml iodide solution were added and the volume was made up to 100 ml. The mixture was stirred and allowed to stand for 20 minutes and the per cent Transmittance at 620 nm was determined using a colorimeter. A series of standard starch solution containing 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% amylose was prepared as in the steps 1 to 5. The transmittance of the standards was read at 620nm and a standard graph was plotted. Amylose content of the sample was determined in reference to the standard curve and expressed on percent basis. RESULTS In Table 1, five different amylose solutions were prepared at different concentrations and the absorbance values at 620nm were noted down. The absorbance readings were triplicated for standard amylose and standard graph was obtained as follows: 386 Pelagia Research Library Ashish Jain et al Euro. J. Exp. Bio. , 2012, 2 (2):385-388. Table 1: Preparation of Standard Graph from Amylose Amylose Concentration (mg/mL) Blank 8 16 24 32 40 Abs @ 620 nm T1 T2 T3 0 0 0 0. 079 0. 072 0. 077 0. 156 0. 156 0. 149 0. 239 0. 24 0. 239 0. 321 0. 32 0. 33 0. 40 0. 40 0. 40 Avg. Abs 0 0. 076 0. 153 0. 239 0. 323 0. 40 Std. Deviation T1 T2 T3 0 0 0 +0. 003 -0. 004 +0. 001 +0. 003 +0. 003 -0. 004 0. 000 +0. 001 0. 000 -0. 002 -0. 003 +0. 007 0. 000 0. 000 0. 000. This table is used in making the graph shown below. The procedure followed to obtain these readings is described in the Materials and Methods section. T1, T2, and T3 are the triplicated values. Scale X Axis: 1cm 8mg/ml Y Axis: 1cm 0. 08OD A b s o r b a n c e A b s o r b a n c e Amylose concentration Amylose concentration A b s o r b a n c e Amylose concentration Figure 1: The above graphs are obtained by taking Concentration on the X-axis and Absorbance at 620nm on the Y-axis for each of the set of values. 387 Pelagia Research Library Ashish Jain et al Euro. J. Exp. Bio., 2012, 2 (2):385-388. Table 2: Extrapolated values of rice cooked by different methods Cooking Method Steam Cooked Traditional Method Microwaved Raw Abs @ 620 nm T1 T2 T3 0. 169 0. 172 0. 171 0. 195 0. 194 0. 196 0. 227 0. 227 0. 230 0. 258 0. 259 0. 259 Avg. Abs 0. 171 0. 195 0. 228 0. 259 Amylose Concentration (mg/mL) 17. 35 19. 67 22. 98 25. 99 This table lists the amylose content of rice which is cooked by different methods. The values are obtained from extrapolating from the standard amylose curve. DISCUSSION. Table 3: Co-relation between amylose content and Glycemic index of rice [8] If Amylose content is high Amylose content is low Then Low Glycemic Index and the rice grains will show high volume expansion (not necessarily elongation) and a high degree of flakiness. The rice grains cook dry, are less tender, and become hard upon cooling. High glycemic Index and the rice grains will cook moist and sticky It is seen that amylose content is inversely related to the Glycemic index. From table 2, it is observable that the amylose content of microwaved rice is highest after raw, uncooked rice. Hence, this method of cooking rice is the most suitable for diabetic patients as the Glycemic Index will be lowest. Since the Glycemic Index is low, the breakdown rate is slower, which prevents the sugar levels in blood from spiking just after a meal. REFERENCES [1] DJ Jenkins et al. (1981). Am J Clin Nutr 34; 362–366. [2] Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, et al. , N Engl J Med. 2002;346(6):393–403. [3] Brouns et al. (2005). Nutrition Research Reviews 18; 145–171. [4] Chiu CJ, Liu S, Willett WC, Wolever TM, Brand-Miller JC, Barclay AW, Taylor A. , Nutr Rev., 2011 ;69(4): 231-42. [5]. Temelkova-Kurktschiev TS, Koehler C, Henkel E, Leonhardt W, Fuecker K, Hanefeld M. , Diabetes Care. 2000 Dec;23(12):1830-4. [6] White Rice, Brown Rice, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women. †Arch Intern Med 2010 170: 961969. [7] International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002. †Am J Clin Nutr 2002 76: 5-56 [8] Brand-Miller JC, Pang E, Bramal L. Am J Clin Nutr 1992;56:1034–6. [9] Srisawas, W. and Jindal, V. K. (2007), Journal of texture studies, 38: 21–41. doi: 10. 1111/j. 17454603. 2007. 00084. x 388 Pelagia Research Library.

Typhoid Fever Signs, Symptoms and Treatments

Typhoid Fever Signs, Symptoms and Treatments Name of disease: Typhoid Fever 1. Aetiology: Typhoid fever, otherwise known as enteric fever, is a potentially fatal multisystemic illness caused primarily by Salmonella typhi. S typhi has been a major human pathogen for thousands of years, thriving in conditions of poor sanitation, crowding, and social chaos. It might have been responsible for the Great Plague of Athens at the end of the Peloponnesian War. The name S typhi is derived from the ancient Greek typhos, an ethereal smoke or cloud that was believed to cause disease and madness. In the advanced stages of typhoid fever, the patients level of consciousness is truly clouded. Although antibiotics have markedly reduced the frequency of typhoid fever in the developed world, it remains endemic in developing countries. This large genus of gram-negative bacilli within the family Enterobacteriaceae consists of two species: S. enterica, which contains six subspecies, and S. bongori. S. enterica subspecies I includes almost all the serotypes pathogenic for humans. According to the current Salmonella nomenclature system, the full taxonomic designation S. enterica subspecies enterica serotype typhimurium can be shortened to Salmonella serotype typhimurium or simply S. typhimurium. Salmonellae are gram-negative, non-spore-forming, facultatively-anaerobic bacilli that measure 2–3 by 0.4–0.6 Â µm. The initial identification of salmonellae in the clinical microbiology laboratory was based on growth characteristics. Salmonellae produce acid on glucose fermentation, reduce nitrates, and do not produce cytochrome oxidase. In addition, all salmonellae except S. gallinarum-pullorum are motile by means of peritrichous flagella, and all but S. typhi produce gas (H2S) on sugar fermentation. Notably, only 1% of clinical isolates ferment lactose, and a high level of suspicion must be maintained to detect these rare clinical lactose-fermenters. 2. Incidence: Typhoid fever occurs worldwide, primarily in developing nations whose sanitary conditions are poor. Typhoid fever is endemic in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania, but 80% of cases come from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, or Vietnam. Within those countries, typhoid fever is most common in underdeveloped areas. Typhoid fever infects roughly 21.6 million people (incidence of 3.6 per 1,000 population) and kills an estimated 200,000 people every year. In the United States and other developed nations, most cases of typhoid fever arise in international travelers. 3. Pathogenesis : All Salmonella infections begin with ingestion of organisms, most commonly in contaminated food or water. The infectious dose is 103–106 colony-forming units. Conditions that decrease either stomach acidity or intestinal integrity increase susceptibility to Salmonella infection. Once S. typhi and S. paratyphi reach the small intestine, they penetrate the mucus layer of the gut and traverse the intestinal layer through phagocytic microfold (M) cells that reside within Peyer patches. After crossing the epithelial layer of the small intestine, S. typhi and S. paratyphi, which cause enteric (typhoid) fever, are phagocytosed by macrophages. These salmonellae survive the antimicrobial environment of the macrophage by sensing environmental signals that trigger alterations in regulatory systems of the phagocytosed bacteria. In addition, salmonellae encode a second type III secretion system that directly delivers bacterial proteins across the phagosome membrane into the macrophage cytoplasm. This secretion system functions to remodel the Salmonella-containing vacuole, promoting bacterial survival and replication. Once phagocytosed, typhoidal salmonellae disseminate throughout the body in macrophages via the lymphatics, and colonize reticuloendothelial tissues (liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow). Patients have relatively few or no signs and symptoms during this initial incubation stage. Signs and symptoms, including fever and abdominal pain, probably result from secretion of cytokines by macrophages and epithelial cells in response to bacterial products that are recognized by innate immune receptors when a critical number of organisms have replicated. Over time, the development of hepatosplenomegaly is likely to be related to the recruitment of mononuclear cells and the development of a specific acquired cell-mediated immune response to S. typhi colonization. The recruitment of additional mononuclear cells and lymphocytes to Peyer patches during the several weeks after initial colonization/infection can result in marked enlargement and necrosis of the Peyer patches, which may be medi ated by bacterial products that promote cell death as well as the inflammatory response. 4. Clinical features : Typhoid fever begins 7-14 days after ingestion ofS typhi.The fever pattern is stepwise, characterized by a rising temperature over the course of each day that drops by the subsequent morning. The peaks and troughs rise progressively over time. Over the course of the first week of illness, the gastrointestinal manifestations of the disease develop. These include diffuse abdominal pain and tenderness and, in some cases, fierce colicky right upper quadrant pain and also constipation. The individual then develops a dry cough, dull frontal headache, delirium, and an increasingly stuporous malaise. At approximately the end of the first week of illness, the fever plateaus at 39-40Â °C. The patient develops rose spots, which are salmon-colored, blanching, truncal, maculopapules usually 1-4 cm wide and fewer than 5 in number; these generally resolve within 2-5 days. During the second week of illness, the signs and symptoms listed above progress. The abdomen becomes distended, and soft splenomegaly is common. Relative bradycardia and dicrotic pulse (double beat, the second beat weaker than the first) may develop. In the third week, the still febrile individual grows more toxic and anorexic with significant weight loss. The conjunctivae are infected, and the patient is tachypneic with a thready pulse and crackles over the lung bases. Abdominal distension is severe. Some patients experience foul, green-yellow, liquid diarrhea (pea soup diarrhea). The individual may descend into the typhoid state, which is characterized by apathy, confusion, and even psychosis. Necrotic Peyer patches may cause bowel perforation and peritonitis. This complication is often unheralded and may be masked by corticosteroids. At this point, overwhelming toxemia,myocarditis[C1], or intestinal hemorrhage may cause death. If the individual survives to the fourth week, the fever, mental state, and abdominal distension slowly improve over a few days. Intestinal and neurologic complications may still occur in surviving untreated individuals. Weight loss and debilitating weakness last months. Some survivors become asymptomaticS typhicarriers and have the potential to transmit the bacteria indefinitely. However, there are some atypical presentations of classical typhoid fever and the clinical course of a given individual with typhoid fever may deviate from the above description of classic disease. The timing of the symptoms and host response may vary based on geographic region, race factors, and the infecting bacterial strain. The stepladder fever pattern that was once the hallmark of typhoid fever now occurs in as few as 12% of cases. In most contemporary presentations of typhoid fever, the fever has a steady insidious onset[C2]. Young children, individuals with AIDS, and one third of immunocompetent adults who develop typhoid fever develop diarrhea rather than constipation[C3]. In addition, in some localities, typhoid fever is generally more apt to cause diarrhea than constipation. Atypical manifestations of typhoid fever include isolated severe headaches that may mimic meningitis, acute lobar pneumonia, isolated arthralgias, urinary symptoms, severe jaundice, or fever alone. 5. Complications: These include the following: Gastrointestinal bleeding (10–20%of patients), intestinal perforation (1–3% of patients).Others are neurologic manifestations which occur in 2–40% of patients, including: meningitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, neuritis, and neuropsychiatric symptoms usually described as muttering delirium or coma vigil, with picking at bedclothes or imaginary objects. Rare complications include: Disseminated intravascular coagulation, haematophagocytic syndrome, pancreatitis, hepatic and splenic abscesses and granulomas, endocarditis, pericarditis, myocarditis, orchitis, hepatitis, glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome, severe pneumonia, arthritis, osteomyelitis, and parotitis. Fewer than 10% of patients develop mild relapse, usually within 2–3 weeks of fever resolution and in association with the same strain type and susceptibility profile.About 10% of untreated patients with typhoid fever excrete S. typhi in their feces for up to 3 months, and 1–4% develop chronic asymptomatic carriage, shedding S. typhi in either urine or stool for greater than one year. Chronic carriage is more common among women, infants, and persons who have biliary abnormalities or concurrent bladder infection with Schistosoma haematobium. 6. Examination and tests: The diagnosis of typhoid fever (enteric fever) is primarily clinical. However there are series of tests which could confirm the diagnosis . These tests are : Cultures: Blood, bone marrow, stool and urine specimens. Blood Cultures are widely considered 100% specific while culture of bone marrow aspirate is 90% sensitive until at least 5 days after commencement of antibiotics. The technique is extremely painful, which may outweigh its benefit. Blood, intestinal secretions (vomitus or duodenal aspirate), and stool culture results are positive for S typhi in approximately 85%-90% of patients with typhoid fever who present within the first week of onset. They decline to 20%-30% later in the disease course. In particular, stool culture may be positive for S typhi several days after ingestion of the bacteria secondary to inflammation of the intraluminal dendritic cells. Bone marrow aspiration and blood are cultured in a selective medium (eg, 10% aqueous oxgall) or a nutritious medium (eg, tryptic soy broth) and are incubated at 37Â °C for at least 7 days. Subcultures are made daily to one selective medium (eg, MacConkey agar) and one inhibitory medium (eg, Salmonella-Shigella agar). Identification of the organism with these conventional culture techniques usually takes 48-72 hours from acquisition. Molecular Method: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been used for the diagnosis of typhoid fever with varying success. Nested PCR, which involves two rounds of PCR using two primers with different sequences within the H1-d flagellin gene of S typhi, offers the best sensitivity and specificity. Combining assays of blood and urine, this technique has achieved a sensitivity of 82.7% and reported specificity of 100%. Serologic tests : These are assays that identify Salmonella antibodies or antigens, supporting the diagnosis of typhoid fever, but these results should be confirmed with cultures or DNA evidence. The Widal test was the mainstay of typhoid fever diagnosis for decades. It is used to measure agglutinating antibodies against H and O antigens of S typhi. Neither sensitive nor specific, the Widal test is no longer an acceptable clinical method. Indirect hemagglutination, indirect fluorescent Vi antibody, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies to S typhi polysaccharide, as well as monoclonal antibodies against S typhi flagellin are promising, but the success rates of these assays vary greatly in the literature. Other non-specific laboratory studies Most patients with typhoid fever are moderately anemic, have an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), thrombocytopenia, and relative lymphopenia. Most also have a slightly elevated prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and decreased fibrinogen levels. Circulating fibrin degradation products commonly rise to levels seen in subclinical disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Liver transaminase and serum bilirubin values usually rise to twice the reference range. Mild hyponatremia and hypokalemia are common. A serum alanine amino transferase (ALT)–to–lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ratio of more than 9:1 appears to be helpful in distinguishing typhoid from viral hepatitis. A ratio of greater than 9:1 supports a diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis, while ratio of less than 9:1 supports typhoid hepatitis Differential diagnosis: This includes include Malaria, Hepatitis, Bacterial enteritis, dengue fever, rickettsial infections, leptospirosis, amebic liver abscesses, and acute HIV infection. 7. Risk factors: a Gastric Factors : Antacids, histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2 blockers), proton pump inhibitors, gastrostomy, and achlorhydria decrease stomach acidity and facilitate S typhi infection. b. Genetic and host factors: Genetic polymorphisms. c. Environmental and behavioural risk factors that are independently associated with typhoid fever include: 1. Eating food from street vendors, Living in the same household with someone who has new case of typhoid fever, Washing the hands inadequately, Sharing food from the same plate, Drinking unpurified water, and Living in a household that does not have a toilet 8. Treatment: The proper treatment approach to typhoid fever depends on whether the illness is complicated or uncomplicated. Complicated typhoid fever is characterized by melena (3% of all hospitalized patients with typhoid fever), serious abdominal discomfort, intestinal perforation, marked neuropsychiatric symptoms, or other severe manifestations. Depending on the adequacy of diagnosis and treatment, complicated disease may develop in up to 10% of treated patients. Medical Care: If a patient presents with unexplained symptoms suggestive of typhoid fever (enteric fever), broad-spectrum empiric antibiotics should be started immediately. Treatment should not be delayed for confirmatory tests since prompt treatment drastically reduces the risk of complications and fatalities. Antibiotic therapy should be narrowed once more information concerning the definitive diagnosis is available. Recommended antibiotic therapies are Cefixime, Azithromycin and Ciprofloxacin per oral for uncomplicated cases, while Ceftriazone, Azstereonam, Cefotaxime and Imipenem could be administered intravenously for complicated cases . Patients with uncomplicated disease may be treated on an outpatient basis. They must be advised to use strict hand washing techniques and to avoid preparing food for others during the illness course. Hospitalized patients should be placed in contact isolation during the acute phase of the infection. Feces and urine must be disposed of safely. Surgical care: Surgery is usually indicated in cases of intestinal perforation. Most surgeons prefer simple closure of the perforation with drainage of the peritoneum. Small-bowel resection is indicated for patients with multiple perforations. If antibiotic treatment fails to eradicate the hepatobiliary carriage, the gallbladder should be resected. Cholecystectomy is not always successful in eradicating the carrier state because of persisting hepatic infection. 9. Home treatment of First Aid (where applicable): No home treatment for typhoid fever. 10. Prevention. This involves the following measures: Protect and chlorinatepublic water supplies. Provide safe water supplies and avoid possible back flow connections between sewers and water supplies. Dispose of human faecesin a sanitary manner and maintain fly-proof latrines. Use scrupulouscleanliness in food preparationand handling. Educate the public regarding theimportance of handwashing: this is important for food handlers and attendants involved in the care of patients and/or children. Immunization for typhoid fever is recommended for international travellers to endemic areas, especially if travel will involve exposure to unsafe food and water or close contact in rural areas and with indigenous populations 11. Local names in Nigeria: Akom in Igbo,; Zazabi chiwo nkpanyo in Hausa and iba jeefun jeefun in Yoruba.. 12. Endemic areas Typhoid fever usually occurs in developing nations whose sanitary conditions are poor. Typhoid fever is endemic in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania, but 80% of cases come from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, or Vietnam. Within those countries, typhoid fever is most common in underdeveloped areas. 13. Disease images Rose spots on the chest of a patient with typhoid fever due to the bacteriumSalmonella Lizzie van Zylwas a child inmate in a British-run concentration camp in South Africa who died from typhoid fever during theBoer War(1899–1902) References http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/231135-overview#3 http://www.who.int/topics/typhoid_fever/en/ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001332.htm http://www.infectionlandscapes.org/2011/11/typhoid-fever.html http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/typhoid_fever/ http://textbookofbacteriology.net/salmonella.htm Anthony S. Fauci et al, Harrisons’s Principles of Internal Medicine 17th edition 2008. Gerald L. Mandell et al, Mandell, Douglas and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease 7th edition,2010. [C1]Shows link from Medscape. Article shows several similarities to Medscape article. [C2]Highlight [C3]Highlight