4 short questions Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

4 short questions - Movie Review Example The play was a major success because of the great measure of its development and the subsequent production offered by the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. As a result the play was made into a film based on the audience reaction (Letts, 12). The poet T.S. Eliot is quoted and referenced in the play due to the fact that the main concept put across is that of life. Letts uses quotes from one of his poems ‘The Hollow men’ which is a poem that talks more about broken souls. The reason for this is because the play focuses on a dysfunctional family that is in a crisis and is broken. The theme of broken souls based on the poem is followed throughout the play as the drama unfolds. ‘Life is very Long’, this is a quote that is referenced by Beverly when she expounds about life and poetry to Johnna (Lett, 14). Based on the interview conducted on Letts, I do not agree with the blogger’s statement. This is because most of the people in Oklahoma are of the Native American background and thus for Letts to include this character there was strong thematic resonance involved. There was also need to connect with most of the audience that were within that background. Johnna character purpose was to be that of a carer to the family and thus her roles were aimed at providing care and support service especially to Violet who was an addict of prescriptions medicine. Her presence does not affect me as a reader as her character represents a real life situation in Oklahoma (Letts, 16). The character that I identified with is that of Barbara, the eldest daughter. This is due to the fact that she portrayed the role of being a devoted daughter despite the crisis that was in the family and the fact that her mother was an addict. For instance, during a family dinner in act two she stood up in front of everyone and declared that she was going to run things from then henceforth. This scene shows that she

Leadership and Ethics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership and Ethics - Coursework Example The integrated model provides numerous benefits to major organizations. The transformational model applies in departments that have a high level of communication. In this model, the leaders encourage their employees to enhance their productivity as well as their efficiency in production through communication of tasks to be performed and thereafter providing rewards when they accomplish the set goals. The rewards take the form of bonuses, salary increments. Alternatively, when employees fail to meet their goals they are given lenient punishments (Starratt, 2004). The leadership style often requires full participation of all levels of management to ensure success. The top management is in charge of decision-making and policy formation. The middle and lower level management are in charge of providing necessary recommendations to top management to facilitate decision-making. Moreover, they are in charge of training employees, evaluating employee performance and correcting any production problems. In most cases, the low level management delegates authority to employees as well as group employees into production teams to evaluate their group performance (Walter, 2009). Ultimately, the leadership style focuses on organizational goals and delegation of small tasks employee group leaders to accomplish them. Successful organizations have therefore integrated sustainable excellence in their business strategies. Most successful leadership policies have implemented the V model in developing internal sytsems. In this regard, the organization focuses on p roduct/project life cycle where results are obtained during the product development. This involves integrating the project definition and project testing and implementation within limited time. Project definition involves conception of operations, identification of project requirements and

Case Scenario Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Scenario - Assignment Example ssed  that  it  was  his  first  offense  and  pleaded  guilty  of having taken off the roses, the court would be brought to a plea bargain and would not proceed to the trials. These  reflect  a  crime  control  model  where  the  court  has  concentrated  on  the  victims’  rights  after  he  pleaded  guilty  and  needed  no  more  investigations because Michael’s video camera had all the required evidence. A  warrant  of  arrest  will be  issued  to  the  police  to  arrest  Mary since  the  jury  has  confirmed  that  she  has  committed  burglary.  Due  process  model  prevails,  where  the  court  is  concentrating  on  the  rights  of  the  defendant  and  victimizing  the  victim  while  following  rules,after  she  entered  the  house  without  permission  and  stole  some  property.  Also,  the  court  shouldnot  expected  to  concentrate  on  the  facts  approved  by  the  jury  but  will  conduct  legal  procedures  to  declare  her  guilty (Brody, Acker & Logan, 2000). Laura  case  in  the  Uniform Crime Report  falls  under  part  1(index  crimes) of the subdivision  of  property  crimes  because  mark  had  planned  to  steal  a plasma TV,  some  cash, among  other  things.  This  form  of  burglary  is not  clear  if  mark  tried  it  by  force  or  not,  and  so, maybe  classified  as  forcible  entry  or  the  unlawful  type  respectively.   The  idea  that  Laura  killed  mark  while  trying  to  defend  herself is  also  a  crime  and  will  fall  in  part  one under  violent  crimes (McWhirter, 2006).In  case  N I B R S  method  of  reporting  is to be  used,  the  court  would be on category A and be forced  to  conduct  extensive  legal  procedures.  These  would be  so  because; NIBR does not involve  any  forms  of  summary,  while  the  findings  submitted  in ASCII  text  files  electronically (Siegel, 2010).   Herman  committed  forced  rape  and  his  action  should be  reported  in  part  1 of the  violent  crimes, in which

European law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

European law - Essay Example The moot question that arises in William case’s is whether the requirements spelt out by the Italian Government for import of his cheese into Italy could constitute a violation of Article 28 and therefore a restriction on imports? Their first requirement is (a) an inspection test to determine the listeria content of the cheese (b) a requirement that William change the label on his product. The meaning of quantitative restrictions was clearly stated in the case of Riseria Luigi Geddo v Ente Nazionale Risi1 in which it was stated that â€Å"any measure which amounts to a total or partial restraint on imports, exports or goods in transit constitutes a quantitative restriction.† For example, a quota system was held to be a restriction of trade in the case of Salgoil SpA v Italian Minister for Foreign Trade.2 Directive 70/50 must also be taken into consideration because it lists out all measures which are equivalent to quantitative restrictions, however in William’s case, there are certain existing EU Directives which member States are expected to comply with, which will also be relevant. The EU Directives which will apply in the case of William is Directive 92/46/EEC, which has held that listeria must be absent in 1 gm of hard cheese, however in soft cheese it must be absent in 25g samples taken from the product3. Also, the Directive 93/43/EEC is intended to ensure that all food products sold within the EU meet certain minimum health standards. Therefore, under this Directive, it may be noted that any requirements of the Italian Government on the inspections for listeria in the cheese will be only indistinctly applicable4, because it applies to cheeses produced within Italy and outside the country. Since manufacturers within Italy are also expected to comply with this requirement of inspection at their own cost, it is unlikely that that this will qualify as a measure that infringes Article

Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations Essay Even though Pip has become snobbish by the end of Book One, Dickens still manages to make the reader like him. Show how and why Pip has become something of a snob and what makes us retain our sympathy for him Tom Beach In Great Expectations Dickens depicts Pip as having an increasingly snobbish character throughout Book One. He shows Pip to have an exaggerated respect for his social position and his growing hatred for the common life that he lives. The reader sees that Pips snobbishness is due to his desire to become a gentleman and his aspiration to be liked by Estella, from whom he adopts some of his snobbish attitudes. Even though it is clear to the reader that Pip has become somewhat of a snob, Dickens encourages the reader to still like Pip. He puts across that Pip is an orphan and that these snobbish feelings we see are just outward feelings. We learn that he was not proud of the snobbish character that he had become from the way he looks back on his life as an adult. These events make the reader feel sympathy for Pip, leading the reader to retain their criticism of him. In Book One of Great Expectations we see Dickens show Pips progressively snobbish character in many ways. After Pips first visit to Satis house and after falling for Estella we see Pips ambition to become a gentleman. We see that Pip blames Joe for being common, and for Joe not bringing him up as Pip thinks he should: I wish Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too. We see Pips snobbish character developing as he blames Joe for being common; he is ashamed of the dear good fellow and disappointed in him for being so ignorant and common. Pip is patronising towards Joe for something Joe has no control over. Pip feels he is able to comment on Joes social status because he does not belong to [his] higher society and would be an embarrassment in front of Estella. This sudden change of attitude in Pip that wants to dismiss his family comes as a great shock to the reader. We see this to be a case of him being a snob. In Book One, one of the main points of Pips character that shows Pip to be something of a snob is his patronising attitude towards Mrs Joe. When Pip is going to see Miss Havisham with Joe and accompanied with Mrs Joe Pip feels embarrassed because they are trying to dress up to much: I am not quite clear whether these articles were carried penitentially or ostentatiously. Pip feels that his sister, Mrs Joe is very much overdressed, trying to look more ladylike that she really is. He is very patronising to her, as seen in the above quotation for simply being overdressed. Pip feels he is above her. Pip shows his growing snobbishness due to the fact that he is so willingly able to dismiss who he is and what he should become: I had believed in the forge as the glowing road to manhood and independence. Within a single year, all this was changed. Now, it was all coarse and common. We see Pip has lost faith in his normal life in the forge, dismissing the fact that that a life in the forge is what he is meant for. Pip will never like Joes trade and is sad when he is made apprentice to him: And what could I possibly do then, but say I was enjoying myself when I wasnt. Pip feels that the apprenticeship will tie him away from his ambition. He feels the forge is so coarse and common that it will prevent him from becoming a gentleman. Pip feels that he is too good for the community that he lives in; he wants to get away from it: It would be very disagreeable to be stared at by all the people here. We see Pip deciding not to go into town in his new suit. He again feels that he is above all the people in the village, that they would make such a business of it such a coarse and common business that [he] couldnt bear [himself]. This fact that he looks down on everybody in the village depicts him as a vain snob; he is not going to be a rustic man anymore. In the closing stages of Book One we see Pip being very snobbish and capricious towards Biddy, a girl who looks after the house and has fallen in love with Pip: Biddy I returned with some resentment, you are so exceedingly quick that its difficult to keep up with you.

Leadership: Impact On A Healthcare Organization

Leadership: Impact On A Healthcare Organization The field of health-care is labor intensive and based on powerful know-how (Kanste, 2008). In contemporary medicine both therapeutic as well as nursing tasks are performed by a team, rather than an individual, being it a doctor or a nurse, respectively. No team work can be effective without a leader; this is also true for good nursing in which the leadership is very crucial and vital. All the results of good nursing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦may be spoiled or utterly negative by one defect, viz: in petty management (Florence Nightingale as cited in McEachen Keogh, 2007, pg.01). The health care environment becomes more competitive every day. There are few professions in which the complications of poor performance are as serious as in nursing and there are few professionals who feel the pressure of responsibility more keenly than nurses (Kenmore, 2008). This paper presents discourses on the contemporary leadership styles and highlights the characteristics and development of an effective leader a nd discusses the impact of effective leader on organisations potential to succeed. Leadership styles The continued search for good leaders resulted in the development of many leadership theories. Although leadership is not a new concept, and its fundamental function is well documented, there is no theoretical agreement or a universal definition of leadership (Farag, Mc Guinness Anthony, 2009; Mahoney, 2004 and Murphy, 2005). However, some scholars believe that certain leadership characteristics or personality traits are innate in effective leaders (Murphy, 2005). Thus the perspectives of Great man or trait theories which dominated until 1950s, states that leader are born and not made (Murphy, 2005). In the 1950s, behavioural and social scientists began to analyse leadership behaviour. The behavioural theory says that leaders are not born to lead, but learn leadership behaviour (McEachen Keogh, 2007). The efforts of these researchers were fundamental in isolation of three common leadership styles: autocratic, democratic and lassiez-faire (Murphy, 2005). The Contingency theory by Fi edler was further expanded by Herset, Blanchard and Johnson as the Situational theory (Murphy, 2005). Later, some contemporary leadership theories such as the charismatic, transactional, transformational and shared leadership theory gave rise to the contemporary leadership styles (Murphy, 2005). The contemporary leadership styles include quantum, charismatic, transactional, transformational, relational, shared and servant leadership (Murphy, 2005).Though there are many leadership styles identified in the literature, laissez-faire, transactional and transformational leadership styles are the primary leadership styles identified in the nursing and management studies (Farag et al., 2009). Laissez-faire leadership indicates the absence of leadership (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). This leadership style is ineffective in promoting purposeful interaction and it contributes to organizational demise (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). Transactional leaders view the leader-follower relationship as a process of exchange (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). On the other hand, transformational leadership is a process that motivates followers by appealing to higher ideals and moral values (Trofino, 2005). The transactional leader sets goals, gives directions and tends to gain compliance by offering rewards for performance (McEachen Keogh, 2007). Whereas, by inspiring a shared vision through clear roles, effective teamwork and providing feedback on individual or team performance transformational leaders enables the staff to explore their professional practice (Halm, 2010). The three elements of transactional leadership are: contingent reward, where the leader provides reward that is dependent on the performance; passive management by exception, where the leader takes corrective action when problems arise and active management by exception, where the leader takes corrective action in anticipation of problem (Chen, Beck Amos, 200 5; McGuire Kennerly, 2006; Rukmani, Ramesh Jayakrishnan, 2010). Similarly, the four elements of transformational leadership are idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration (McGuire Kennerly, 2006; Halm, 2010). The expected outcome of transactional leadership is enhanced role clarity, job satisfaction and improved performance (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). On the contrary, the ultimate outcome of transformational leadership is to change the mental model of employees, to link desired outcome to values held by employees and to build strong employee identification within the group or organization (McGuire Kennerly, 2006; Halm, 2010). There are also some pitfalls and limitations of transactional leadership. Transactional leadership might not yield the same results across culture; such as, most North American culture which emphasize individualism, whereas many Asian culture emphasize collectivism (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). Hence, transactional leaders need to understand at which level to establish their reward system- individual or collective reward (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). Transactional leaders cannot provide leadership over task areas in which they have no expert knowledge (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). Likewise, there are some limitations to transformational leadership. Transformational leaders need to be updated in their knowledge and skills (McGuire Kennerly, 2006; Halm, 2010). There is a growing demand for evidence-based decision making, where, to show leadership, a transformational leader need to cite hard and factual evidence, as transformational leaders have nothing worth saying without strong evidence. Fin ally, the transformational leaders will be needed to inspire flexible, multi skilled work forces to bridge the barriers established by rigid job description and functional departments (Trofinio, 2004). Transformational leadership is not an alternative to transactional leadership, but it augments transactional leadership (Spinelli, 2006). Therefore, an effective leader achieves a balance between transformational and transactional behavior, thus creating a leadership style which matches the needs of followers (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). The current shortage of nurses at the bedside magnifies the importance of having a strong, clear, and supportive and inspiration leadership across health care organization (McGuire Kennerly, 2006). Characteristics and development of effective leader While there is disparity amongst the theorist definitions of leadership, there is consensus pertaining to qualities necessary to realize effective leader (Murphy, 2005). There are various traits of an effective leader mentioned throughout the literature. Having a vision is a key feature of effective leadership and it is the clarity of vision evolved by the leader about the future of the organization that distinguish them as effective (Joyce, 2009). An effective leader has a vision for the future, which helps him to set objectives, aims, goals and standards and to achieve the set goals; the leader has a plan to implement (Fletner, Mitchell, Norris Wolfe, 2008). Tomey (2009) mentions some of the essential leadership traits which also empower people. These include accessible, collaborative, communicative, flexible, good listener, honest, influential, knowledgeable, positive, supportive and visible (Tomey, 2009). An effective leader should also posses job knowledge, positive attitude, d elegation skills, positive partnership and should be a role model, dependable, motivating, and compassionate (Fletner et al., 2008; Cook Leathard, 2004). An effective leader must recognize the individual strength and weakness of each person involved, shifting focus as necessary in an effort to elevate each persons level of effectiveness as an individual and as a part of a team (Fletner et al., 2008). As Joyce, 2008, rightly quotes that effective leaders walk the talk. Consequently, there is consistency between their values, vision, standards and behavior (Fletner et al., 2008; Joyce, 2008). A good leader should ideally possess all of the identified characteristics, or at least a majority of them (Fletner et al., 2008). Fletner et al. (2008) also reveal that any characteristics can be a leaders strength or weakness depending on the situational needs and persons involved in the given scenario. Neither there is just one characteristic that defines a leader, nor should, the entire identified characteristic be required when determining whether an individual would be an effective leader (Fletner et al., 2008). Likewise, to say one character istic is more important than the other is to fragment the idea of leadership (Fletner et al., 2008). A leader with insufficient leadership training might become exhausted in trying to achieve the organizational goals and thus, in turn, a leader might burnout and dissatisfaction among subordinates might increase (Chen, Beck Amos, 2005). One of the greatest challenges we face in nursing profession is to develop future nurse leaders (Jumaa, 2008; Kleinman, 2004; Mahoney, 2004; Murray DiCroce, 2003). Hence, training effective leaders has been proposed as a key to increase professionalism in nursing (Chen, Beck and Amos, 2005). Although it remains unclear, how to best prepare effective leaders, evidence suggest that graduate education may be an important precursor to the development of effective leadership style (Kleinman, 2004; Mahoney, 2004). Developing a relationship with specific academic provider of registered nurse to Bachelor of Science in nursing programs and graduate education in nursing administration may facilitate nurse managers returning for advanced education (Klienman, 2 004). Onsite and distance education programs may offset obstacles of scheduling and geography (Kleinman, 2004). The feasibility of mandating graduate education requirements for all practicing nurse managers is limited; therefore, continuing education strategies must focus on nurse manager leadership training (Kleinman, 2004; Mahoney, 2004; Wilson, 2005). An effective continuing educational program should consider providing monetary incentive and an organizational commitment that allows sufficient time to be spent on course work, in addition to management responsibilities (Kleinman, 2004). Conley, Branowicki and Hanley (2007), recommend a three component orientation for nursing leaders including nurse manger competencies, precepting by supervisor and written and classroom resources. Learning about the history of nursing, and especially about people who greatly influenced the development of nursing, has a fundamental meaning in fulfilling the vocation for nursing (Kosinska Niebroj, 2 004). In this context, the statement saying that history is a teacher of life seems to be true and of paramount importance for creating leaders (Kosinska Niebroj, 2004). The Leading Empowered Organizations(LEO) program, shared between United Kingdom and United State of America, is constructed around a model that identifies consensus decision making, interdependence, positive discipline, responsibility, authority and accountability as key areas of effective leading (Cook Leathard, 2004). Recognizing the need to invest in nurse managers to reduce turnover, the Pacific Northwest Nursing Leadership Institute was created in Washington State, in 2002, to support the development and preparation of nursing leaders (Wilson, 2005). Thus, there are various programs, education and institutions, to encourage the development of leadership skills among nurses; which highlights the impact that an effective leader can have on the organization. Impact of effective leadership on organization The inability of hospital to retain staff nurses threatens the adequacy of health care delivery and increases personnel and patient care costs (Kleinman, 2004). Many factors have led to rising health care costs, which have increased faster than the general inflation over the past three decades (Spinelli, 2006). Performance standards for effective leaders require them to be accountable for transactional processes such as budgets, productivity and quality monitoring; while at the same time displaying transformational characteristics by acting as a coach, mentor and a leader (Kleinman, 2004; Spinelli, 2006). A creative work climate has a strong relationship to job satisfaction and the nurse manager is an important link in creating such a climate (Sellgren, Ekvall, Tomson, 2006; DeCasterle, Willemse, Verschueren Milisen, 2008). Job satisfaction has been described as the most important predictor for nurses intention to remain employed (Sellgren et al., 2006; Carney, 2008). The perception of staff nurses towards the leadership behavior of their manager was significantly related to their job satisfaction (Sellgren et al., 2006; Klienman, 2004). Staff that perceives job satisfaction is essential for the ability to give high quality and safe care (Sellgren et al., 2006). Job dissatisfaction leads to absenteeism, problems of grievances, low morale and high turnover (Wong Cummings, 2007). On the contrary, poor leadership was found to be one of the main reasons for dissatisfaction and intention to leave (Neilsen, Yarker, Brenner, Randall and Borg, 2008 and Sellgren et al., 2006). Altered perfo rmance, affecting patient outcome, which in turn results in higher employment cost is also found to be associated with decreased job satisfaction (Wong Cummings, 2007). The findings of the study done by Wong and Cummings (2007) and Kenmore, (2008), suggest that there is a relationship between leadership and patient satisfaction, patient mortality and patient safety outcomes, adverse events and complications. Positive leadership behavior increased patient satisfaction, and decreased incidences of patient mortality, adverse events and complication (Wong Cummings, 2007). Effective nursing leadership is essential to the creation of practice environments with appropriate staffing level, that support nurses in preventing unnecessary death, adverse events and complications (Wong Cummings, 2007). A recent study done in mental health service organizations show that, both organizational culture and organizational climate impact work attitude and subsequently staff turnover (Wong Cummings, 2007). Effective leaders can also help in the recruitment process by recruiting staff as per the job description and thus help in the organizational development (Neilsen et al., 2008 and Sellgren et al., 2006). The study done by Wong and Cummings (2007), in Singapore, to determine the effect of leadership behavior on employee outcome, shows that in times of stress and chaos, leadership styles that transform, create meaning in the midst of turmoil and produce desirable employee outcome are more beneficial for organizations existence and performance. Conclusion In conclusion, it is apparent that nurses can lead the health care industry as they comprise the major component of all health care employees; being on the front line and having the most frequent direct contact with the patients and their families. The increasing emphasis on fiscal accountability in global recessionary times places even greater emphasis on measuring organizational effectiveness (Joyce, 2009). The need to move a health care organization forward in an era of declining profit margin, diminishing capacity, manpower shortages and technological expansion cannot be overstated. The call for the nurses to become recognized leaders of health care industry; possessing the knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant for effective leadership and the necessity to use the technology of the 21st century to aim for an essentially global community are the key perspective significant to nursing leadership and management(Jumaa, 2008). Effective leadership behavior is the key to productive and happily satisfied nurses with great organizational commitment. Nevertheless, it is how the leader leads in the context of the setting which is paramount. To sum up, positive or effective leadership is critical towards achieving and driving organizational effectiveness. Lymphatic Filariasis Disease: Causes and Treatments Lymphatic Filariasis Disease: Causes and Treatments Abstract Lymphatic Filariasis is a disease that is on the World Health Organizations (WHO) top ten list of diseases to eliminate by 2020. Left untreated and undetected, it can lead to a condition called Elephantiasis. The name comes from the severe swelling of the limbs that occurs during the chronic state of the disease. It is transmitted via mosquitoes to humans in tropical and sub-tropical climates and it is endemic in a large number of countries around the world. Prevention is possible via some very basic methods and early detection and treatment can prevent long-term consequences associated with the disease. Lymphatic Filariasis is a little known disease in the United States but it is on the World Health Organizations top ten list of diseases to eliminate along with Malaria and leprosy (Narain, J.P., Dash, A.P., Parnell, B., Bhattacharya, S.K., Barua, S., Bhatia, R. et al., 2010). A large portion of the population of the planet is at risk of contracting this often debilitating disease. Common Names Lymphatic Filariasis is also referred to as Bancrofts Filariasis and Elephantiasis when the disease it has progressed to its chronic state. (Elephantiasis, 2010). Causative Organisms The main causative organism is a microscopic parasitic roundworm. There are three different types of this worm: Wuchereria bancrofti (most common and makes up 90% of all cases), Brugia malay and Brugia timori (Longe, 2006). Wuchereria bancrofit lives in warm regions on every continent except North America (Callahan, 2002). Brugia malayi is primarily found in India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia (Callahan, 2002). Brugia timori is found to a very limited extent in Timor. Symptoms The disease has two stages, acute and chronic. When the disease is in the acute phase, the symptoms usually include a recurring fever and infections of the lymph vessels or nodes in the arms, legs or genitals which can lead to severe and permanent swelling of the lymph vessels and secondary infections (Elephantiasis, 2010). In the chronic stage, the worms block the lymphatic areas of the limbs which cause overgrowth of the limb or body part because the lymphatic system is not able to perform its function of draining fluid out of the area (Callahan, 2002). Males may also have swelling in the scrotum. This is how the disease gets the name of Elephantiasis because the limbs enlarge to the point where they resemble elephant limbs and the skin takes on a rough texture like elephant skin (Ferrara, 2010). Incubation Period The precise mechanism that causes the pathology of the disease is not known and some people who are infected may not show any signs or symptoms for many months and sometimes even years (Rajan, 2003). The parasite apparently only infects humans and has never been found to affect animals. The parasite migrates to the lymphatic vessels and takes up residence. It then matures into the worm over the course of a few months to one year and begin producing the microfilariae which is suspected of causing the initial fevers and chills that are the first symptoms of the disease (Rajan, 2003). Also, if a person is infected once, they may never actually develop any symptoms even though the worm is living in their lymphatic system and the microfilarasia are circulating in their blood. It is repeated exposure with multiple worms along with the worms excretions and blockage of the lymphatic system that seems to cause the disease to progress to its most severe form especially since the worm will norm ally die sometime after seven year (Rajan, 2003). Duration of Disease The duration of Lymphatic Filariasis varies depending on the number of re-infections suffered by a host. A person with Elephantiasis can live with the disease and usually dies from complications and secondary infections from the worms both living and dead (Wallace Kohatsu, 2008). The disease can last a lifetime and can worsen over time if left untreated. The disfiguring growth of the limbs or genitalia is another side effect as well as permanent damage to the lymphatic system, kidneys and secondary infections. There is also a social stigma to the deformities that accompany the chronic stages of the disease. Those who suffer from the disease are often ostracized. The adult worm normally lives from three to five years and the microfilariae will die after twelve months if not taken up by a mosquito to begin the next phase of the lifecycle (Longe, 2006). Transmission A person contracts the disease by being bitten by an infected mosquito of the genera Culex, Aedes or Anopheles. The mosquitoes are the intermediate hosts and when they bite someone, they inject the third-stage larvae into the blood of the host (Elephantiasis, 2010). Once injected into a human host, the larvae mature into worms which move to the lymphatic system and after about one year, produce embryo called microfilariae (Callahan, 2002). Adult worms live for about seven years (Ferrara, 2010). It is the buildup of adult worms in the lymphatic system over time that causes lymph fluid to collect which leads to severe swelling of the limbs and groin area (Ferrara, 2010). The microfilariae circulate in the blood stream waiting to be taken up by a mosquito. Interestingly, the microfilariae are at their most active in the blood at night when mosquitoes are also most active (Wallace Kohatsu, 2008). This increases the chance of being taken up by a mosquito and continuing the lifecycle. Whe n a mosquito bites and infected host, they take up the microfilariae along with the blood. The larvae mature to the second state in the mosquitoes. Repeated exposure and repeated transmission of larvae that can mature into adult worms is usually what brings on the symptoms (Ferrara, 2010). A person who is bitten once and infected may never actually experience any symptoms. Prevention and Treatment The disease is being attacked from many angles by the WHO. Those who have an active parasite are normally treated with the drug Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) which will both limit the number of microfilariae in the blood stream and gradually kill the parasite (Lammie, Milner Houston, 2006). The drug will cause some nausea and vomiting and sometimes fever depending on the level of microfilariae in the blood (Elephantiasis, 2010). However, because the treatment lasts for over one year, it is sometimes difficult to get the needed medical supplies to the areas with the highest incidence in a cost effective manner. Since the drug DEC seems to act as a deterrent as well as a cure, there is a proposal to add DEC to salt for distribution in the affected areas of the world in much the same manner that iodine was added to salt (Lammie, Milner Houston, 2006). Trials with DEC fortified salt have been carried out in China, Brazil, Haiti, India and Tanzania with great success since DEC laced salt acts as a protective measure as well as providing benefits for those already infected (Lammie, Milner Houston, 2006). Other drugs used in treatment include ivermectin and albendazole and more recently doxycycline (Wallace Kohatsu, 2008). Albendazole will kill the worms but does not have any effect on the microfilaria in the blood so the transmission cycle will continue unless the intermediate host is also reduced or eliminated (Wallace Kohatsu, 2008). In addition to drug therapies, movement of the affected limbs is encouraged along with antibiotics for any secondary infections caused by damage to the lymphatic system (Ferrara, 2010). There is little that can be done once the lymphatic swelling has set in other than attempting to force the lymph out via compression bandages (Elephantiasis, 2010). The other alternative is surgery to correct the affected limbs but this is sometimes not cost effective. Because the causative agent spends a portion of its lifecycle in the mosquito, the preventative measures that are being undertaken include the use of insect repellent and protective clothes in affected areas as well as water treatment to reduce the insect population that transmits the disease to humans (Wallace Kohatsu, 2008). Other measures include the use of mosquito netting, screens on windows and staying inside after dark when mosquitoes are the most likely to be active (Ferrara, 2010). In addition, while the mosquitoes are being dealt with, the population near the affected area can be given DEC as a preventative treatment so that the cycle of transmission is broken (Elephantiasis, 2010). Antibiotics have also been shown to be effective in the past but because antibiotics should not have any impact on a nematode, the effect of antibiotics was dropped until recently. There has also been some investigation into the possibility that a certain population of the worms themselves have a bacterial symbiont which is susceptible to the antibiotics (Rajan, 2003). The suspicion is that the two species have become dependent and if the symbiont dies, the host dies as well. If this is proven true, then antibiotics may also be used at some point in the future to treat lymphatic Filariasis in some cases. It is also suspected that some of the inflammation and other secondary infections might actually be caused by the symbiont rather than the nematode. Incidence: World, USA and Colorado Approximately eighty to one-hundred million people in 75 countries around the world are at risk of contracting Lymphatic Filariasis and forty million are in the chronic stages of the disease and suffer from the disfiguring disability known as Elephantiasis (Lammie, Milner, Houston, 2006). Lymphatic Filariasis occurs primarily in tropical and subtropical countries mostly in coastal areas with high humidity although it also occurs in Japan and China and come European countries (Elephantiasis, 2010). The area with the highest risk is south-East Asia. Lymphatic Filariasis at one point appeared in Charleston, South Carolina until about 1920 but then dies out before World War II (Elephantiasis, 2010). The reason for the disappearance in the United States is due to mosquito control and water sanitation (Elephantiasis, 2010). It occurs in the United States primarily where it has been contracted elsewhere and brought back to the United States (Elephantiasis, 2010). There does not seem to be any incidence of the disease in Colorado primarily because the climate and altitude and mosquito population do not generally offer a good climate for the life cycle. Mortality Rate: World, USA and Colorado Lymphatic Filariasis although impacting millions does not have a high mortality rate. The chief issue with the disease is the ongoing illnesses and secondary infections along with lost productivity and economic hardship suffered by those affected. According the World Health Organization, Lymphatic Filariasis is a targeted disease for elimination due to the large number of people at risk (Weekly epidemiological record, 2009). Those who contract the disease can live with it for all or most of their lives and it is the repeated infections via mosquito bites that eventually lead to the progression to the chronic state of the disease and eventual death ((Narain, J.P., Dash, A.P., Parnell, B., Bhattacharya, S.K., Barua, S., Bhatia, R. et al., 2010) Isolation Technique The disease is difficult to detect because the initial infection may not present any symptoms as the worm moves to the lymphatic system and matures. It can also take some time for the Microfilaria to show in the blood in sufficient quantity. The isolation technique will either focus on detecting the adult worm or the microfilariae. Blood samples can be taken and the sheathed microfilaria can be detected in a Giemsa stain which is a stain specifically used for detecting the presence of microfilaria in the blood (Wallace, Kohatsu, 2008). A methylene azure B. stain is used on the blood sample and if there is microfilaria in the blood, they will appear blue or purple. It is important that this blood be taken in the evening when the microfilaria is most active. The microfilaria can move out of the blood during the day so blood samples taken in daylight hours can sometimes result in false negatives (Longe, 2006). Also, it is possible that an infected person will not have any microfilaria in the blood. The worm itself is very hard to detect because it is buried in the lymphatic system. Another technique used is to look for what is called the filarial dance sign in the scrotum (Wallace Kohatsu, 2008). This is a visible detection of the worms movements via ultrasound. Conclusion Lymphatic Filariasis is a preventable disease that strikes poor countries in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Its debilitating effects have made it a target for elimination in the countries affected. Prevention methods are basic and include proactively spraying for the mosquitoes and treating the population with DEC laced salt or administration of DEC in tablet forms in order to break the cycle of infection. In addition, common precautions against mosquitoes can also be used such as protective clothing, netting and sprays.

Communication Theory Has Emerged Media Essay

Communication Theory Has Emerged Media Essay Different schools of thought have defined communication in many ways. Renowned scholar, G.G. Brown defines communication as: transfer of information from one person to another, whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information transferred must be understandable to the receiver. On the other hand, Fred G. Meyer defines communication as: the intercourse by words, letters or messages. Nonetheless, the central theme in all these definitions is the exchange and flow of information between two or more parties. This may result to the use of both verbal and non-verbal cues. Evidently, communication affects human livelihood and its behaviour and there is need to demonstrate how it affects individual actions. Thus, an introspection of how communication theory has emerged from the pre-christian era to modern times responds to the need of explaining individual actions. The history of communication dates back to time immemorial, with significant variation in communication technologies evolving in tandem with shifts in socio-political and economic systems. Various modes of communication have subsequently emerged with the passage of time and technological advancements. On the other hand, we are still able to trace the history of communication to oral and written speech. An insight into how communication theory came into being is demonstrated in the Holy Bible. In the Old Testament book of Genesis chapter one, verse three, it reads: And God said, Let there be light, and there was light This expression of communication serves to show that communication existed since time immemorial. God was able to undertake creation through His speech. Again, further credence to the foundation of communication theory presents itself in the New Testament through the book of John chapter one, verses one to two; In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Once God created man, He was able to connect with him by words. This is revealed through the stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Noah, Moses and many others in the bible. Further, God communicated with prophets, and his people through visions, dreams, words, signs and symbols. Notably, the Old Testament portrays the usage of communication through figures of speech, especially through metaphors. Metaphors were widely used to intimate deeper meaning in speech and writing. This attribute is well observed in the books of Proverbs and Psalms. As such, the pre-christian era was well founded in communication through language use and its mastery. The same applies to the Christian era as well which derives much of its communication foundation from language mastery. This is well exemplified through Jesus parables. Aside from the religious views of communication theory, there is also the philosophical basis for communication theory. The proponents of this school of thought are mainly Greek philosophers and historians ranging from Aristotle, Isocrates, Socrates and Plato. From their insights emerged the theory of rhetoric. Despite both Isocrates and Sophists maintaining that rhetorics objective is persuasion, Isocrates promoted its use for human improvement while Sophists held the view that rhetorics purpose was for self-praise and thrift. Given the divergent views on the purpose of rhetoric, Plato also weighed in on the matter showing favour to dialectic than to the manner of oral presentation. As such, he favoured the use of reason and rationality in arguments. On the other hand, Aristotle sought to chart a defining measure to communication theory as the mode by which a person interacts with his/her audience. Due to the insights of the aforementioned philosophers, rhetorical theory has developed to become a solid basis by which communication is defined in many sectors. Persuasion of individuals by communication extends beyond politics, media, journalism and even religion. This is achieved through the use of Aristotles Rhetoric principles which include invention, arrangement, style, persuasion and memory. Despite there being many classes of communication theories, including the seven traditions (classical rhetoric, semiotics, phenomenological, cybernetic, social psychology, sociocultural communication, and critical traditions), thee major classifications can be adopted by mode of influence; Rhetoric theory as a result of the influence of oratory speech; social communication theories resulting from socio-political changes; and theories of mass communication as a result of journalism spread. In its modern form today, rhetoric theory is interrelated with traditional forms of communication theory, e.g. semiotics. Through the propagation of text in print media or images in visual media, which are both sign elements, the mass audience is able to be persuaded along cultural lines. As such, signs and symbols are continually employed in oratory speech to move masses and influence their perception of issues. On the socio-political scope, theories such as Authoritarian, Free press, Commmunist and Social responsibility are notable. These theories help explain communication theory evolution in the wake of various social-political changes in the society. Significantly, these theories focussed on the beginning of information dissemination to large population groups and the accompanying influence on the political class e.g. the governments. Again, they pronounce some of the social plights and classification within society attributed to information access. As authoritarian leadership was the norm before the widespread prevalence of print media, governments took it upon themselves to restrict flow of information to the common people, and as such, freedom of expression was strictly guarded. Consequently, the elite class would deprive the common people the right to information and access through controlling media sources. As a result therefore, print media was in low circulation and only accessibl e to the few due its then high price. Nevertheless, with the clamour for free will in the 17th century, Libertarianism/Free press took over. This was significantly influenced by the emergence of print media which in time became affordable to the common populace and reflective of their views which were previously gagged under authoritarian leadership. On the other hand, as free press offered an avenue for expression of free will, it was noted to be devoid of social responsibility. This necessitated the need for checks and balances, especially with the development of other communication media such as radio, television and film. Social responsibility therefore advocated for accountability through government and self regulation in order to promote social welfare and equity. Free press was further limited by the communist theory which promoted media control in the guise of effective press freedom. Consequently, the medias role was to educate but not to inform the general populace. In addition, the population was expected to post opinion on issues covered by the media so as to foster the so-called greater press freedom and institute greater audience participation. In effect therefore, the Communist theory was associated as a counter to capitalism trend where the media was in the control of a few media elites and only serving their inte rests. However, the 20th century marked a dramatic shift in communication theory evolution. This was brought about by advancement in communication technology to spur the spread of journalism. Notable events that defined this spread included the occurrence of the World Wars which depicted the strength of information pre-, during, and post war. Information was a tool in itself during the warring period and as such, theories were formulated once validated. This was articulated through stimulus response theory, propaganda and many more theories. Stimulus response theory took note that mass media has a significant effect on individuals perception of issues and in response, people would normally subject themselves to viewership that conforms to their beliefs and attitudes. Propaganda theory on the other hand was used to great effect to spreading rumours and falsehoods either in favour or disfavour of a certain person or group of persons. Evidently, it was during the World Wars and in the politica l sphere that propaganda is commonly used. Derived from rhetoric theory, propagandas main objective is persuasion in order to influence peoples perception of issues at hand. Nonetheless, in the modern day setting, propaganda is also employed in advertising, marketing and socio-economic conflicts. Again, technological advancement brought with it new media of communication e.g. television, computer, mobile phones, radio and other forms such as internet and social networking. These media served to spread journalism through provision of information of news and information for public consumption. A number of theories were hence formulated to describe this phenomenon, viz: Agenda setting theory, two-step flow theory, diffusion of innovation theory and uses and gratification theory. Agenda setting theory explains a very highly effective impact of the media the ability to inform the population about essential issues. Agenda setting hypothesizes that communication consists of information and awareness. Therefore in community discussion, media interaction has an influence on community understanding of various issues. These may range from state policies, economic system, and other community issues. As a result, a classification of agenda-setting emerges; Policy-agenda setting, Media-agenda setting and public agenda-setting. Under public-agenda-setting, the publics viewpoint shows the key issues of concern; Media agenda setting shows the significance and depth of news items being covered in relation to their coverage in various media stations; Policy agenda-setting points to the influence that a reported issue has on policy makers. In effect therefore, Agenda setting has led to the prominence of the CNN Effect whereby 24-hour news channels set the international news agenda. In fact, locals in the developing nations view their news items captured in these channels as being of very prime importance. Nonetheless, Agenda setting is based on thinking that media does not necessarily indicate reality; they narrow it down and shape it; media focus on a few problems and topics bring the community to understand those problems as more essential than other problems. For this reason, agenda-setting helps individuals comprehend the role of the media in shaping news items and issues for public consumption. This is well exemplified by how media stations, publishers and news anchors set the news agenda and consequently, viewers affix much significance to the amount of broadcasted information and its position in the broadcast. The two-step theory theorizes how casual relationships play a part in changing the way in which individuals take up relevant information from media campaigns. Consequently, the primary source of information for the public is normally the newspaper and radio segments, whose information bits is adopted by opinion leaders who further relay the information to the less active segment of the society. In effect therefore, informal social groupings have some influence on society information uptake and dictate which information is worth sharing. Diffusions of Innovations theory explains the mode by which a new concept or exercise is conveyed to individuals through certain communication programs over time. Consequently, the selected mode of transfer assists in explaining the aspects that impact individuals ideas and activities. Therefore, the media selected as well as cultural interaction provide information that impacts common or well-known viewpoints. The diffusions process is therefore the procedure by which technological advancement is conveyed through certain media over a certain period among individuals in a social system. An illustration of how diffusions of innovation theory is prominent is through social media e.g. the youth accessing information and news in the internet mode via facebook. Another notable viewpoint of journalism spread mass communication in the modern times is the Uses and Gratification theory. This concept describes the uses and features of the press for diverse user groups ranging from the people, and the community in general. In order to describe how people use mass journalism to please their needs, the theory: seeks what people do with the medial; identifies their intentions for particular media use; and examines the individual effect of a particular media use. The main underlying factor of the theory is the supposition that individuals constantly seek a media channel to fulfil personal needs. Consequently, a medium is frequently used when the current purposes to use the medium results in more gratification. In light of the evolution of communication theory from pre-christian era to the modern times, it is definite that communication has evolved over time. Its mystery is captured in Gods creation act and its complexity has been researched by various scholars. The Greek philosophers made wise attempts in its definition which apparently form the cornerstone of todays knowledge. On the other hand, global socio-political events and transformation have further shaped communication theory development. And yet, as technology continues to advance, further definitions of communication shall continue to be formulated to track its changes with time.