Advertising in Sport Everywhere You Look free essay sample

Advertising in sport everywhere you look Pure and simple. My brother loves the game of hockey. He doesn’t care about all the media and advertising surrounding the game, he just simply loves the sport. Tonight he’s going to a New Jersey Devils hockey game purely for the love of the game. He’s going to wear his Reebok, New Jersey Devils jersey and go to the Prudential Center to see the game. The Prudential Center is located near the new Red Bull Park and not far from the Izod Center, which until recently, was known as Continental Airlines Arena. As usual, he’ll park his car in the Ford Lincoln Mercury Parking Lot and proceed past the Verizon Tower to get to the PNC Bank Tower. He’ll proceed up the elevator past Lincoln Mercury Level 1 and give his Ticketmaster ticket to the attendant. He will then meet his friends near the Bud Light Goal Bar. We will write a custom essay sample on Advertising in Sport Everywhere You Look or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Because he’s not 21 years old yet, he won’t be able to take advantage of the bar experience, but he’s sure to be thinking about the enticement at the entrance which reads â€Å"The red light is on! Time to hit the Bud Light Goal Bar. Occupying an expansive area on the north end of Prudential Center on Lincoln Mercury Suite Level One, the Bud Light Goal Bar offers fans a hip, modern bar atmosphere overlooking the ice. The Bud Light Goal Bar features dozens of flat screen televisions, so while you and your guests enjoy a cold one, you are guaranteed to see all the action. † Next, he will take the elevator up one flight to the Ford Level 2 seating area and buy a program before he gets settled into his seat. If he’s thirsty, he can buy a drink that comes in a Coca Cola cup, even if it’s not Coca Cola. The game will begin soon after the TV advertising time is done. As he waits, he will probably remove his NHL hat and peruse the Devils program to check the team’s statistics and information. Or, he can read about the best investment bank to use, or where to trade stocks for a bargain price. He’ll find out where his favorite team’s apparel can be purchased or what the official mouthwash of the New Jersey Devils is. There are many other events that are coming to the Prudential Arena so maybe he will think about attending one of them. So much to think about before game time arrives. As the game begins, all focus will be on the game itself, if he can manage to not be distracted by the lighted advertisements that continuously change to hock a variety of goods and services. After all, he is only there to watch the game. As to not be confused about who is winning the game, he can look up at the PSEG scoreboard to know who just scored a goal and what the game score is. I’m sure it will be an exciting night for him, because, purely and simply, he just loves hockey. Relationship between Sports and Media â€Å"Sport and mass media share a very symbolic relationship in American society. On one hand, the staggering popularity of sport is due, to no small extent, to the enormous amount of attention provided it by the mass media. On the other hand, the media are able to generate enormous sales in both circulation and advertising based upon their extensive treatment of sport. † The amount of advertising in sport has become very extreme. In almost every aspect of a sport you can find some form of advertising or media being exposed. The players, the coaches, the memorabilia stores, the stadiums, the teams and especially the commercials during televised games, all include media or advertising in some way. Athletes and Advertising As the saying goes, â€Å"If the shoe fits, wear it†, especially if you’re being paid to wear it. Many all star athletes are given opportunities for endorsements. Popular athletes in advertisements can make a product more attractive to sports fans. Although it is effective to use athletes to promote products, sometimes it becomes a little excessive. Instead of advertising for a couple of products, athletes today are spokespeople for numerous companies. Peyton Manning, the star quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts is said to be the NFL’s, â€Å"Most Marketable Player. † He is currently associated with over seven different products including Gatorade, Reebok, Sprint, and DirecTV. By participating in all these advertisements, it makes it visible that he is doing these ads just for the money. In cases like this, an athlete can be involved with too much advertising and become overexposed. Another case of athletes being overly concerned with dollars is that of Michael Jordan. In 1992, Jordan participated in the Olympics as part of the United States Basketball â€Å"Dream Team† and won an Olympic gold medal. When he learned that on the gold-medal stand he would be expected to wear the official red, white and blue United States warm-up suits with the Reebok logo, he threatened not to appear at the ceremony. I dont believe in endorsing my competition, Jordan said. I feel very strongly about loyalty to my own company. In saying this, it seemed as if his loyalty to his country didn’t matter to him as much as his loyalty to his brand. In the end, the United States Olympic Committee came up with a compromise that said basically anyone who has a personal corporate sponsor who objects to the team sponsors name showing on the United States Olympic uniform has the right to obscure what he does not want to show. In this case it was the Reebok logo. Television Adverti sing The Superbowl is known as one of the biggest and most watched events in all of sports. The crowning of the World Champions of football has an enormous audience. In addition to the game, we get to be entertained by the half time show and wait for the cleverly scripted television commercials. The Superbowl is known for its elaborate advertising. Every year, people look forward to seeing the creative new commercials being broadcasted during the football game. For companies to broadcast in a thirty second time block during the event, they must pay nearly two million dollars. In the past, television commercials were a time to leave the room for a quick break from watching the game but now they have evolved into an advertising extravaganza. In the case of the Superbowl, the NFL almost makes more money from advertising then they do for simply broadcasting the game. Advertising on Uniforms The sport with sponsor advertising being the most prevalent on team jerseys is soccer. If you turn on the Fox Soccer Channel to watch the English Premier league you might notice that a large majority of the teams uniforms have a sponsor’s name posted across the front of the jerseys. For example, the 2008 Barclay Premier champions, Manchester United, wore red Nike jerseys with their sponsor’s name (AIG) written across the chest. When soccer fans buy replica jerseys such as Manchester United’s they become part of the advertising scheme. Sponsors believe that the more jerseys sold, the more their name is out for the public to see. Therefore, the sponsor’s goal is to place their logo everywhere possible to expand the popularity of their company. Conclusion In conclusion, to answer the question posed, â€Å"Is sports based media and advertising excessive? †, the answer would have to be â€Å"yes. † Advertising isn’t as simple as the old song, â€Å"Take me out to the ballgame† suggests. When we heard the lyrics, â€Å"Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks† we thought about the experience of being at a ballgame and enjoying the day while munching on some ballpark staples. In today’s advertising environment, we would have to sing the song with some updated lyrics. It won’t be easy to sing â€Å"Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

Free Essays on The Inability To Communicate Between Man And Beast

of a man. A lion cannot understand the stress of tax t... Free Essays on The Inability To Communicate Between Man And Beast Free Essays on The Inability To Communicate Between Man And Beast It’s questionable as to whether most men can possibly communicate with each other, so the idea that a man and a beast can have a sophisticated conversation†¦that is too much to hope for. Wittgenstein said that â€Å"If a lion could speak, we couldn’t understand him.† How true that is. The fact of the matter is that we (humans and lions) differ so much in thought, hopes, dreams, and desires that we could never hope to make sense of each other. It would be like trying to discuss organic chemistry with a five year old. The individual words make sense, but the subject matter may as well be in a different language. Communication is not just language. It is not just a common tongue. It is an understanding between two individuals. It is the ability to clearly convey a thought, a feeling, a dream. It is the act of making an idea understood. If there is no mutual understanding, there is no communication. The experiences and drives of a lion and a man are so drastically different, that communication could not occur. An understanding could not be reached between two organisms that are so vastly different. If what is being discussed cannot be understood by one or both parties, than the language spoken is irrelevant. A lion and a man can never reach an understanding. A man cannot understand how the grass feels on a cat’s back in the Savannah when the sun reaches its zenith. A man cannot understand what it means to wake up to the smell of the kill brought by the lionesses. A man cannot understand the taste of warm blood as it rushes into the mouth when the cat bites into the still live throat of his pray. A man cannot understand the pride of a lion in his prime. A man cannot understand what it means to smell antelope on the wind. A man cannot understand what it is to be Lion. In the same way, a lion would be at a loss in trying to grasp the meaning behind the words of a man. A lion cannot understand the stress of tax t...

Relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Research Paper

Relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction - Research Paper Example Additionally, offering good quality services leads to word of mouth recommendation resulting in the increased popularity of a business. The quality of services becomes a more important factor in the hospitality sector. There are assumptions that customer satisfaction is the most reliable indicator of the quality of services. However, there are disagreements on whether hotels should focus on measuring the service quality or the customer satisfaction when determining the areas to improve on.   Background Literature Related to the Problem There are different perspectives regarding the relationship between quality of services and customer satisfaction. Some people argue that satisfaction is a precursor of the quality of services. Others claim that service quality results in customer satisfaction. Different methods have been used to examine how service quality relates to customer satisfaction. ...The level of satisfaction towards a service or good is determined by the perceptions of the consumers or customers. Moreover, satisfaction is crucial in the hotel business since it determines the capability of a hotel to attract new clients or retain the existing ones. Some hotels such as Taj have created ways of getting feedback from their clients to enable them to measure the customer satisfaction towards certain services. This is crucial since the hotels are able to identify areas that require improvement and work on them. Improved service delivery results in the improvement of the overall image of the hotel. Additionally, the quality of services in a hotel can be measured through determining the perception of the customers towards the tangibles such as food. Most customers will determine the quality of a product by considering the price. This enables them to determine if a product is worth a given price or not. According to Nagadevara (2008), the hospitality industry greatly relies on word of mouth communication in getting new customers as well as retaining the existi ng ones. If a customer’s checks into a hotel and is satisfied by the services offered, they are likely to share the experience with their friends who might visit the hotel to enjoy a similar experience. On the other hand, a non-satisfied customer is also likely to share the experience with friends, which will result in the development of distaste towards the hotel. One factor behind the success of Taj hotels is the customer satisfaction. There are different factors contributing to customer satisfaction. One such factor is the beautiful architecture of the hotels that have made them be considered iconic.

Drug and Diseases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drug and Diseases - Essay Example This saves resources and time for the FDA, making money available for other regulatory issues and increasing speed for other approvals. This method has no difference with current FDA drug approval regulations as reviewing justifications are low cost and effective at screening for possible candidates. For a generic drug, if bioequivalence with a non-generic drug is proven, than the two drugs have the same, or similar enough to be considered as same, function and effects. In this case, it is needless to conduct the many experiments on the drug’s pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics to show its function and effects. By proving only its bioequivalence, resources can be diverted to other uses. This method would be making the drug approval process more efficient. Thus, the FDA only need to make sure the generic drug is bioequivalent to its corresponding non-generic drug. As with innovative biologics, the company seeking approval is showing the drug’s bioequivalence to the FDA, while the FDA review the reports to save government resources 2. If the justifications are successful, then the FDA needs to duplicate only important experiments, and only if the results are the same or similar enough to be considered to be the same then can the proposal can continue. One of the main differences with the current approval process for generic drugs is the FDA needs to duplicate important experiments only. This is so that the FDA can make sure that important values are valid, as the peer-review process does not always ensure validity of experimental values. Since people would be consuming the drugs, it is important that these values are correct. There are many areas for drug firms to provide false data. Individuals must take full account of human errors that often occurs in non-academic research settings. Also, the peer-review process does

Microboilogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microboilogy - Essay Example 5. a.) Melted agar should be cooled to 45-47 degree Celsius before pouring to the agar plate since pouring it in a higher temperature might kill the organisms and thus falsely decrease the microbial count. c.) Aseptic technique should always be employed in order to prevent other microorganism from contaminating the set-up. Any contamination would lead to difficulty, if not, production of erroneous microbial count. 6.) Used media may contain harmful and infectious organisms; moreover it should always be treated as biologically hazardous waste. Required waste disposal can be costly; nevertheless used media can never be disposed directly into the waste basket. To date, autoclaving serves as a cheap but effective way to sterilized waste materials in microbiology laboratory. The fact that most microorganisms can not withstand autoclaving, this simple technique would conveniently address the issue on the proper disposal of used media. An autoclave must be available for the laboratory and must be operated by properly trained personnel. On a regular basis, biological indicators or spore strips should be included in autoclave loads as to verify its functionality and efficiency of sterilization. Temperature-sensitive tape, thermograph, or other biological indicators should also be used to monitor each autoclave. Scientist have investivated microbial behavior in area such as Clostridium botulinum in modified atmospheric processing, Escherichia coli in apple processing, Salmonella and E. coli in vegetable seed sprouting etc. Some studies shows that bacteria converts food

Treating Alzheimers Disease with Vitamin A, C E (ACE)

Treating Alzheimers Disease with Vitamin A, C E (ACE) ACE Alzheimers: An adjuvant strategy of treating Alzheimers disease with Vitamin A, C E (ACE) ABSTRACT Alzheimers disease (AD) is a chronic and slowly progressing neurodegenerative disorder which has become a major concern with regards to health, worldwide. This disorder is characterised by progressive dementia and cognitive decline. Pathologically, AD is characterised by the presence of AÃŽÂ ² plaques and tau neurofibrils. However, literature has shown that oxidative stress is one of the most important risk factor behind the cause of AD. Oxidative stress often leads to production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which further increases structural and functional abnormalities in neurons of the brain, which subsequently, presents as dementia and cognitive decline. In order, to curb the oxidative stress, antioxidants can be of great help. There have been many evidences that supports the use of antioxidants in the treatment for AD. Vitamins A, C and E are an example of antioxidants that can be used as adjuvants in the treatment of AD. This article will focus on current literature and will present forward the evidence based advantages of using Vitamin A, C and E as an adjuvant treatment for AD. Keywords: Antioxidants, ACE, Adjuvant therapy. INTRODUCTION A clinical psychiatrist and neuroanatomist, Alois Alzheimer, reported A peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex to the 37th Meeting of South-West German Psychiatrists in Tubingen, thus marking the discovery of one of the most interesting pathologies in medicine Alzheimers disease. His invention was based on the observations in one his patient named Auguste D, suffering from profound memory loss, unfounded suspicions about her family, and additional worsening psychological changes. Her post mortem findings further revealed dramatic shrinkage of the brain and abnormal deposits in and encircling the nerve cells [1]. AD has proven to be a significant public health issue, as it consumes a major amount of heath budget in developed as well as developing countries. AD has become one of the leading causes of dementia in patients less than 65 years, other causes being Lewy body dementia (LBD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), vascular dementia (VaD) and alcohol associated dementia [2]. United States alone has documented a $200 billion annual expenditure on patients affected by AD. Moreover, one person develops Alzheimers dementia every 68 seconds emphasizing the incidence of the disease [3]. Dementia can be defined as a chronic progressive disorder marked by memory deficits, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. Results from population-based studies have shown a significant relationship between the certain risk factors and development of AD. Increased risk was shown with an increase in age, fewer years of education, and head trauma. Genetic factors do contribute to the early development of AD increased risk with mutations on chromosome 21 (cases of downs syndrome) as it carries the amyloid precursor protein, the presence of apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele and the presenilin 1 and 2 genes. The strongest factor identified till date are the apolipoprotein E genes located on chromosome 19 which exists in three forms ÃŽÂ µ2, ÃŽÂ µ3, and ÃŽÂ µ4. ÃŽÂ µ2 has been found to reduce the risk, ÃŽÂ µ3 is found to be neutral whereas ÃŽÂ µ4 has been associated with a tremendous increase in risk as well as early development of symptoms (Figure 1) [4]. Chromosome Genes 21 AMYLOID PRECURSOR PROTEIN 19 APOLIPOPROTEIN E 14 PRESENILIN 1 1 PRESENILIN 2 Figure 1. Genetic factors causing a risk to develop Alzheimers Ad is difficult to differentiate from other causes of dementia like LBD, FTD and Vad [5]. It may present with dysfunction of various fields such as vision, touch voluntary movements, personality deficits and judgemental disorders depending upon the area of the brain affected [6].The National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimers disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS/ADRDA) has proposed a diagnostic criteria for differentiating between AD and other known causes of dementia. In compliance with NINCDS/ADRDA , AD is diagnosed if: (I) Cognitive functions decline progressively over a period of time including/ not including memory impairment or (Ia) Inability to understand language and verbal commands (aphasia); (Ib) Loss of ability to accomplish tasks due to incoordination of muscles (apraxia); (Ic) Failure to recognise previously known objects and loss of ability to use them(agnosia); (Id) Unable to plan, organise and execute dail y chores; (II) All above mentioned under I do get progressively deteriorated with time; (III) Other known causes of dementia as well as cognitive deterioration must be eliminated [6,7]. Neurofibrillatory tangles and extracellular amyloid plaques have been the initial histopathological findings associated with AD. Recently several other features have been recognised which include degeneration of neuronal synapses, aneuploidy and loss of neurons in the hippocampus. Despite the recent inventions, presence of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular NFT have been taken into account as the main histopathological criteria for establishment of AD [8]. Among all the different hypothesis, AÃŽÂ ² cascade has been the most accepted. Previously, a mutation in beta-Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), which contributes to the normal function of neurons and cerebral development, was thought to be the sole culprit since the accumulation of AÃŽÂ ² proteins had lead to the pathogenesis of AD [9]. Eventually, mutated presenilin genes (both 1 and 2) have been discovered to play a role in the formation of AÃŽÂ ² pools [10]. But the exact mechanism underlying how AÃŽÂ ² a ggregation contributes to the pathophysiology of AD largely remains unclear. Formerly, toxicity of neurons was believed to be caused by intracellular plaques. But recent data has suggested the role of intracellular AÃŽÂ ² proteins, which do not become sequestered into the extracellular plaques, as the toxic triggers stimulating the progression of AD [11]. Recently, it has also been shown that intracellular accumulation of AÃŽÂ ² proteins precedes the formation of extracellular AÃŽÂ ² protein plaques and NFT formation [12]. The role of intracellular AÃŽÂ ² protein in the progression of AD has also been demonstrated in recent experiments on transgenic mice. Results of these experiments indicate that increased deposits of AÃŽÂ ² proteins within the cells are associated with accelerated cell death [13]. Other important causative factors in the development of AD include oxidative stress and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) [14]. Susceptibility to oxidative damage is due to several factors which include relatively lower levels of antioxidants, significantly higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, (these fatty acids rapidly fall prey to ROS), the presence of metallic ions and high oxygen utilisation [15]. Oxidation have been prove to be fatal for several constituents of the cells including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, RNA and DNA [16]. Indirect mechanisms do play a vital role in the damaging process. Oxidation has been proven to accelerate the expression of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) and accentuate the activity of neuronal NOS (nNOS). This leads to increased production of nitric oxide (NO). NO is known to interact with super oxide anions thus forming a highly reactive peroxynitrite anion. These transient molecules exerts their effects mainly on sulfhydryl groups of cells. [17 ]. The entire process has been depicted in figure 2. Figure 2. Nitric Oxide Pathogenesis In addition to the indirect mechanisms, oxidative stress alters the protein structure. Impaired proteins are known to accelerate oxidative damage, thus proven to be interrelated. ROS causes the protein to be oxidised leading to a modified structure and causing them to be dimerized and aggregated [18]. Thus the oxidised protein which is both structurally and functionally abnormal gather as inclusions within the cytoplasm of the neurons, seen in the form of NFT (tau aggregates) and AÃŽÂ ² plaques [19]. Alternatively, AÃŽÂ ² plaques can also lead to the increased production of ROS. The entire process has been depicted in figure 3. OXIDATION ALTERED PROTEIN STRUCTURE CYTOPLASMIC INCLUSIONS DIMERISATION AGGREGATION Figure 3.Displaying Correlation between Oxidation and Protein Dimerization, thus forming a Vicious Cycle AÃŽÂ ² (1-42) is an abundant species of AÃŽÂ ² proteins seen in AD [20]. AÃŽÂ ² (1-42) peptides is known for its toxicity which can be attributed to a residue of methionine at position 35 [21]. Oxidation of methionine contributes to the formation of methionine sulfoxide, which generally leads to irreversible oxidation and subsequently, forming methionine sulfone [22]. Methionine sulfoxide reductase (MSR) can even help the reduction of methionine sulfoxide into methionine [23]. However, the activity of MSR is also observed to be impaired in AD [24]. Methionine peroxide plays an important role in oxidative stress and toxicity caused by AÃŽÂ ² (1-42) peptides. The lone-pair of electrons present on the S atom of methionine undergoes oxidation of one atom and as a result, sulfuranyl radicals (MetS.+) are generated [21,25]. Sulfuranyl radicals are known to trigger the generation of other ROS like sulfoxides and superoxides by interacting with molecular oxygen [26]. The reason behind this intense oxidative damage could be attributed to the relative absence or decreased function of different antioxidant mechanisms of the body. Glutathione is one of the major antioxidant which can protect the brain tissues by causing detoxification of damaging ROS [27]. One of the main reasons of increase in oxidative stress in AD is the decreased glutathione levels in the brain [28]. The other members of the cellular antioxidant mechanism which plays a pivotal role includes Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT). SOD is an antioxidant which is responsible for converting toxic superoxide ions into far less toxic hydrogen peroxide [29]. CAT evolves this reaction in to one step further and turns hydrogen peroxide into water [30]. Investigations have revealed that the levels of SOD and CAT decline in patients with AD [31]. Glutathione reductase (GR) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) represent the other crucial parts of the cellular defence mechanism which acts against oxidative stress. GPx is responsible for the metabolism of hydrogen peroxide and lipid hydroperoxides [32] and GR accelerates the reaction which helps in the regeneration of Glutathione (GSH) [33]. In total, the combination of an oxidative stress with above mentioned cellular defence mechanism against ROS, leads to the pathogenesis of AD. The pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease is mentioned in Figure 4. Figure 4. Pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease (MG : Microglia ; AS: Astrocyte; AP: Amyloid protein beta; NFT: Neurofibrillary tangles) ACE ALZEIHMERS: VITAMIN A, C E (ACE) THERAPY   Ã‚   ROLE OF VITAMIN A Vitamin A and beta carotene have been shown to have multiple benefits for people suffering from AD. Various studies have found that patients suffering from AD have significantly lower levels of Vitamin A level and beta carotene in their CSF as well as blood [34]. The development of neurodegenerative disorders has shown to be influenced by Vitamin A and beta-carotene. Vitamin A plays an active role in neuronal development both in early life and in the adult nervous system. It protects and assists in the regeneration of neurons during recovery from neurodegeneration [35]. Inhibition of formation and destabilization of AÃŽÂ ² fibrils is an additional effect of Vitamin A and beta-carotene [35]. Since oligomerization of AÃŽÂ ² fibrils is an important mechanism contributing to neuronal toxicity in AD, Vitamin A supplementation has been shown to decrease the aggregation and oligomerization of AÃŽÂ ²40 and AÃŽÂ ²42 fibrils [36]. It has also been shown that Vitamin A and beta carotene decrease the decline of cognitive function in AD. Moreover, higher levels of these vitamins have been associated with better memory performance and spatial learning in these patients [3436]. ROLE OF VITAMIN C Various studies both in vivo and in vitro have shown to have significant effect in the brain due to decreased levels of vitamin C. Decreased plasma levels despite adequate intake in patients further confirmed the belief of protective effects of vitamin C in the spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases [37]. Hence, it can be proved that oxidative stress induces damage in AD and protection against this stress is offered to a certain degree by antioxidant vitamins. The progression of AD is altered by Vitamin C by interfering with various different aspects of pathology. Numerous studies, both in-vivo and in vitro, have shown that Vitamin C can decrease oxidative stress. The structural progression of AD is prevented by Vitamin C by hindering the oligomerization of AÃŽÂ ² peptides [38]. Brain injury induces oxidative stress and reduces the level of antioxidants like vitamin C and SOD. Vitamin C supplementation improves the level of SOD, which consecutively helps to decrease oxidative stress and subsequent brain injury [39]. It has been suggested that even without additional supplementation, a normal intake of Vitamin C can have a neuroprotective effect in patients with AD. Cognitive decline in AD patients has shown to decrease is patients taking adequate Vitamin C [40]. In addition, results from a prospective observational study (n=4740) over a period of 3 years have shown that additional supplementation with antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C and E may be associated with both decreased incidence and prevalence of AD [41]. ROLE OF VITAMIN E Vitamin E represents a cluster of 8 antioxidants composed of 4 tocotrienols and 4 tocopherols. It has been reported that there is a greater risk of neurodegenerative disorders like AD and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) with lower plasma levels of vitamin E. Additionally, the level of vitamin E metabolic products (5-nitro-ÃŽÂ ³-tocopherol etc.) is shown to increase significantly in AD and MCI [42]. Deficiency of Vitamin E can lead to the damage and destruction of neurons and has been implicated in cases of cerebellar atrophy [43]. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant which can delay the progression of AD at several levels. Increased oxidative stress induced by AÃŽÂ ² plaques is known to be a risk factor for neuronal death and ensuing brain injury in AD. Vitamin E behaves like a scavenger for these free radicals and therefore, is neuroprotective. [44]. Vitamin E also provides protection against AD via various other methods. For example, the 12-lipoxygenase pathway leads to glutamate-induced neuronal cell death by inflammation. Vitamin E can reduce this inflammation induced neuronal death [45]. Furthermore, consumption of vitamin E has been linked with the regeneration of SOD, levels of which are shown to decline in AD [39]. Among the different forms of vitamin E, the greatest degree of protection against AD is provided by ÃŽÂ ±-tocopherols and ÃŽÂ ³-tocopherols [46]. A population-based cohort study of 5395 individuals was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplementation of antioxidants to provide protection against AD. Among all the antioxidants used, results showed that the most significant degree of protection (p=0.02) against dementia and AD was provided by Vitamin E [47]. Moreover, supplementation of 30 International Units of alpha-tocopherols can act as a valuable adjuvant in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, including AD [48]. Conclusion Alzheimers disease represents one of the most significant age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidative stress is one of the most important mechanisms involved in the development and progression of this condition. In order, to curb the oxidative stress, antioxidants can be of great help. The use of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E as adjuvant therapy for AD has always been given consideration. Thus, further clinical research is necessary to study the potential of these vitamins such that it can be integrated into clinical treatment to accelerate the recovery of patients afflicted by this disorder. REFERENCES Alzheimer A, Uber eine eigenartige Erkrankung der Hirnrinde Allgemeine Zeits Psychiat Psychisch Gerichtlich Med 1907 64:146-48. Harvey RJ, Skelton-Robinson M, Rossor MN, The prevalence and causes of dementia in people under the age of 65 years J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2003 74:1206-09. Alzheimers Association2012 Alzheimers disease facts and figures Alzheimers Dement 2012 8:131-68. 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Butterfield DA, Reed T, Newman SF, Sultana R, Roles of amyloid ÃŽÂ ²-peptide-associated oxidative stress and brain protein modifications in the pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease and mild cognitive impairment Free Radic Biol Med 2007 43:658-77. Koppenol WH, Moreno JJ, Pryor WA, Ischiropoulos H, Beckman JS, Peroxynitrite, a cloaked oxidant formed by nitric oxide and superoxide Chem Res Toxicol 1992 5:834-42. Hensley K, Hall N, Subramaniam R, Cole P, Harris M, Aksenov M, Brain regional correspondence between Alzheimers disease histopathology and biomarkers of protein oxidation J Neurochem 1995 65:2146-56. Butterfield DA, Kanski J, Brain protein oxidation in age-related neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with aggregated proteins Mech Ageing Dev 2001 122:945-62. Selkoe DJ, Alzheimers disease: genes, proteins, and therapy Physiol Rev 2001 81:741-66. Butterfield DA, Boyd-Kimball D, The critical role of methionine 35 in Alzheimers amyloid beta-peptide (1-42)-induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity Biochim Biophys Acta 2005 1703:149-56. Moskovitz J, Berlett BS, Poston JM, Stadtman ER, Methionine sulfoxidereductase in antioxidant defence Methods Enzymol 1999 300:239-44. Maher P, Redox control of neural function: background, mechanisms, and significance Antioxid Redox Signal 2006 8:1941-70. Gabbita SP, Aksenov MY, Lovell MA, Markesbery WR, Decrease in peptide methionine sulfoxidereductase in Alzheimers disease brain J Neurochem 1999 73:1660-66. Pogocki D, Schoneich C, Redox properties of Met(35) in neurotoxic beta-amyloid peptide. A molecular modeling study Chem Res Toxicol 2002 15:408-18. Milller B, Williams T, Schoneich C, Mechanism of sulfoxide formation through reaction of sulfur radical cation complexes with superoxide of hydroxide ion in oxygenated aqueous solution J Am Chem Soc 1996 118:11014-25. Dringen R, Gutterer JM, Hirrlinger J, Glutathione metabolism in brain: metabolic interaction between astrocytes and neurons in the defence against reactive oxygen species Eur J Biochem 2000 267:4912-16. Saharan S, Mandal PK, The emerging role of glutathione in Alzheimers disease J Alzheimers Dis 2014 40:519-29. Zelko IN, Mariani TJ, Folz RJ, Superoxide dismutase multigene family: a comparison of the CuZn-SOD (SOD1), Mn-SOD (SOD2), and EC-SOD (SOD3) gene structures, evolution, and expression Free Radical Biol and Medi 2002 33:337-49. Chelikani P, Fita I, Loewen PC, Diversity of structures and properties among catalases Cell Mol Life Sci 2004 61:192-208. Marcus DL, Thomas C, Rodriguez C, Simberkoff K, Tsai JS, Strafaci JA, Increased peroxidation and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity in Alzheimers disease Exp Neurol 1998 150:40-44. Arthur JR, The glutathione peroxidases Cell Mol Life Sci 2000 57:1825-35. Shigeoka S, Onishi T, Nakano Y, Kitaoka S, Characterisation and physiological function of glutathione reductase in Euglena gracilis z Biochem J 1987 242:511-15. Bourdel-Marchasson I, Delmas-Beauviex M-C, Peuchant E, Richard-Harston S, Decamps A, Reignier B, Antioxidant defences and oxidative stress markers in erythrocytes and plasma from normally nourished elderly Alzheimer patients Age and Ageing 2001 30:235-41. Ono K, Yamada M, Vitamin A and Alzheimers disease Geriatrics Gerontol Intl 2012 12:180-88. Takasaki J, Ono K, Yoshiike Y, Ikeda T, Morinaga A, Takashima A, Vitamin A has anti-oligomerization effects on amyloid-ÃŽÂ ² in vitro J Alzheimers Dis 2011 27:271-80. Rivià ¨re S, Birlouez-Aragon I, Nourhashà ©mi F, Vellas B, Low plasma vitamin C in Alzheimer patients despite an adequate diet Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1998 13:749-54. Montilla-Là ³pez P, Muoz-à gueda MC, Feijà ³oLà ³pez M, Muà ±oz-Castaà ±eda JR, Bujalance-Arenas I, Tà ºnez-Fià ±ana I, Comparison of melatonin versus vitamin C on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity in Alzheimers disease induced by okadaic acid in neuroblastoma cells Eur J of Pharmacol 2002 451:237-43. Ishaq GM, Saidu Y, Bilbis LS, Muhammad SA, Jinjir N, Shehu BB, Effects of ÃŽÂ ±-tocopherol and ascorbic acid in the severity and management of traumatic brain injury in albino rats J Neurosci Rural Pract 2013 4:292-97. Harrison FH, A critical review of Vitamin C for the prevention of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimers disease J Alzheimers Dis 2012 29:711-26. Zandi PP, Anthony JC, Khachaturian AS, Stone SV, Gustafson D, Tschanz JT, Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County Study Arch Neurol 2004 61:82-88. Mangialasche F, Xu W, Kivipelto M, Costanzi E, Ercolani S, Pigliautile M, Tocopherols and tocotrienols plasma levels are associated with cognitive impairment Neurobiol Aging 2012 33:2282-90. Aoki K, Washimi Y, Fujimori N, Maruyama K, Maruyama K, Yanagisawa N, Familial idiopathic vitamin E deficiency associated with cerebellar atrophy Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1990 30:966-71. Yatin SM, Varadarajan S, Butterfield DA, Vitamin E prevents Alzheimers amyloid ÃŽÂ ²-peptide (1-42)-induced neuronal protein oxidation and reactive oxygen species production J Alzheimers Dis 2000 2:123-31. Khanna S, Parinandi NL, Kotha SR, Roy S, Rick C, Bibus D, Nanomolar vitamin E ÃŽÂ ±-tocotrienol inhibits glutamate-induced activation of phospholipase A2 and causes neuroprotection J Neurochem 2010 112:1249-60. Morris MC, Evans DA, Tangney CC, Bienias JL, Wilson RS, Aggarwal NT, Relation of the tocopherol forms to incident Alzheimer disease and to cognitive change Am J Clin Nutr 2005 81:508-14. Devore EE, Grodstein F, van Rooij FJ, Hofman A, Stampfer MJ, Witteman JC, Dietary antioxidants and long-term risk of dementia Arch Neurol 2010 67:819-25. Pham DQ, Plakogiannis R, Vitamin E supplementation in Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, tardive dyskinesia, and cataract: Part 2 Ann Pharmaco ther 2005 39:2065-72.

Marijuana as a Subculture Essay -- expository essay

A subculture is a group of people who share a distinctive set of cultural beliefs and behaviors that differ in some significant way from that of larger society. Marijuana smokers can be considered a subculture for many reasons. Marijuana is used by millions of people around the world, either for recreational, spiritual, or therapeutic reasons. Some call themselves the cannabis connoisseurs; people who respect cannabis and use it responsibly. Few drugs have been so politicized recently as marijuana has. It is frequently praised by one side and condemned by the other, on the basis of emotional issues rather than an objective view of research. It was 1920 when smoking began to catch on in the United States. Its recreational use was restricted to jazz musicians and people in show business. â€Å"Reefer songs† became the rage of the jazz world. Marijuana clubs, called tea pads, appeared in every major city across the country. Authorities tolerated these establishments because it was not illegal or considered a social threat. In the early 1930’s marijuana became stereotyped as a violent drug, and by 1936 was illegal in all states. Marijuana research was at a stand still and the thought of it being a violent drug faded and the idea that it was a gateway drug emerged in the late 1940’s early 1950’s. In the 1960’s marijuana became very popular among the young college crowd. This was looked at as a challenge to authority and the government. The effects of marijuana are minimal. The high has a feeling of euphoria, peacefulness and well-being. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active chemical in marijuana. It’s estimated that a person would have to ingest a dose 20,000 to 40,000 times the average dose before death would occur. In the early 1990’s sophisticated research on marijuana began. The scientists discovered THC stimulates special receptors in the brain. Researchers have now isolated a natural substance that appears to produce the same effects as THC in the brain. Recently the medical uses of marijuana are being more and more accepted, and many marijuana smokers wonder how it can be harmful if it helps/treats patients. Marijuana smokers are a subculture because they share sets of beliefs, values, language, and other things that are different from the views of the larger society. They look at things another way because they are pro marijuana, which differs from t... ... believes this to be very true. But the smokers do not want to be associated with the â€Å"pothead† stereotype. They want very much to destroy the connection of marijuana with the tie-dyed, hippy era. Society just assumes smokers are useless, lazy, uneducated bums; which is very inaccurate. There are many hard working people out there that smoke marijuana recreationally to relieve stress. First, this cannot be true because there are an inestimable amount of marijuana smokers that successfully keep their habit a secret. These people are able to blend with society, allowing them to make friends/acquaintances that don’t agree with smoking marijuana. People who use marijuana do not look negatively upon the rest of society. They relate and form bonds with the whole culture as normal people would. Marijuana smokers are a subculture for the reasons previously described above. They share a different set of values, beliefs, and etc. from the rest of society. For example, they have their own terms that describe their practices. They don’t mind society but part of society minds them, maybe one day marijuana use won’t be as frowned upon. All of these things make marijuana smokers a subculture. Marijuana as a Subculture Essay -- expository essay A subculture is a group of people who share a distinctive set of cultural beliefs and behaviors that differ in some significant way from that of larger society. Marijuana smokers can be considered a subculture for many reasons. Marijuana is used by millions of people around the world, either for recreational, spiritual, or therapeutic reasons. Some call themselves the cannabis connoisseurs; people who respect cannabis and use it responsibly. Few drugs have been so politicized recently as marijuana has. It is frequently praised by one side and condemned by the other, on the basis of emotional issues rather than an objective view of research. It was 1920 when smoking began to catch on in the United States. Its recreational use was restricted to jazz musicians and people in show business. â€Å"Reefer songs† became the rage of the jazz world. Marijuana clubs, called tea pads, appeared in every major city across the country. Authorities tolerated these establishments because it was not illegal or considered a social threat. In the early 1930’s marijuana became stereotyped as a violent drug, and by 1936 was illegal in all states. Marijuana research was at a stand still and the thought of it being a violent drug faded and the idea that it was a gateway drug emerged in the late 1940’s early 1950’s. In the 1960’s marijuana became very popular among the young college crowd. This was looked at as a challenge to authority and the government. The effects of marijuana are minimal. The high has a feeling of euphoria, peacefulness and well-being. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active chemical in marijuana. It’s estimated that a person would have to ingest a dose 20,000 to 40,000 times the average dose before death would occur. In the early 1990’s sophisticated research on marijuana began. The scientists discovered THC stimulates special receptors in the brain. Researchers have now isolated a natural substance that appears to produce the same effects as THC in the brain. Recently the medical uses of marijuana are being more and more accepted, and many marijuana smokers wonder how it can be harmful if it helps/treats patients. Marijuana smokers are a subculture because they share sets of beliefs, values, language, and other things that are different from the views of the larger society. They look at things another way because they are pro marijuana, which differs from t... ... believes this to be very true. But the smokers do not want to be associated with the â€Å"pothead† stereotype. They want very much to destroy the connection of marijuana with the tie-dyed, hippy era. Society just assumes smokers are useless, lazy, uneducated bums; which is very inaccurate. There are many hard working people out there that smoke marijuana recreationally to relieve stress. First, this cannot be true because there are an inestimable amount of marijuana smokers that successfully keep their habit a secret. These people are able to blend with society, allowing them to make friends/acquaintances that don’t agree with smoking marijuana. People who use marijuana do not look negatively upon the rest of society. They relate and form bonds with the whole culture as normal people would. Marijuana smokers are a subculture for the reasons previously described above. They share a different set of values, beliefs, and etc. from the rest of society. For example, they have their own terms that describe their practices. They don’t mind society but part of society minds them, maybe one day marijuana use won’t be as frowned upon. All of these things make marijuana smokers a subculture.

Unemployment and Zara

Value Creation in the Global Apparel Industry Case Analysis #3 By Deborah Bennett Julie Bryan Wynette Gayle Vivian Pankey Neisha Vitello Executive Summary Zara is the flagship fashion retail company under the parent corporation Inditex. First opened in Spain, Zara currently has a network of 1,292 stores spread across 72 countries. The infrastructure Zara has built is a core competency. Their innovations to bring new fashion designs to market faster than competitors differentiates Zara from their rivals.Managers believe the allure of Zara is the freshness of its offerings, the creation of a sense of exclusiveness, an attractive in-store ambience, and positive word of mouth (Daniels, Radenbaugh, Sullivan, 2011). The strategic innovations in design, production, logistics, distribution, and retailing activities have made Zara a global leader that is now moving into the United States. This paper will examine five of the external influences that will shape the response and ultimately the s uccess Zara will have adapting to the physical, social and competitive factors in the United States clothing retail industry.The external influences examined will be; competitive dynamics, economic conditions, technology standards and trends, cultural orientation, and customer expectations. Zara continues expansion in the Untied States, currently with 49 stores coast to coast. Their differentiation strategy has been successful (Maiellaro, 2010). Zara’s strategy and business design leave rivals with less time to figure out how to better configure and coordinate operations. As U. S. competitors attempt to follow Zara’s lead, Zara continues to set the pace and increase the distance between them and the competition.Issue Identification Zara came to the United States, first in New York City in 1989. With more than ten years in the states and 49 locations Zara is making their mark in the fashion industry. With the external influences impacting Zara’s management vision , strategy, value creation and firm performance, how does Zara continue to create value with their differentiation strategy in the U. S. fashion market? External Influence #1: Competitive Dynamics Zara has taken the industry standard of a six-month time frame to create and produce new clothing lines to only two weeks (Daniels, et al 2011).Breaking the industry standard in getting fashion to the public is the competitive advantage Zara is best known for. Zara’s other strength’s include logistics, marketing, store operations and firm infrastructure. Zara spends less than 1 percent of its revenue on advertising (Daniels, et al 2011). Zara is dependent on word of mouth advertising from its shoppers who tend to be loyal to the brand. Marketing is another key advantage Zara has over the competition, which can spend up to 3 to 4 percent of their revenue on advertising.External Influence #2: Economic Conditions Current Economic Conditions in the U. S. appear to show that it is in a â€Å"disappointingly sluggish† (June 2010) recovery. While the U. S. does not appear to be in the downward trend that everyone was concerned with in, growth will remain stagnant or slow. Consumer confidence appears to be at the highest level in two years (Dennis, 2010), but the unemployment rate does not fall below 9 percent (Isidore, 2010) for the next year, and it is unknown if we will ever see the unemployment rate low of 4. percent in 2007 (Isidore, 2010). The good news is that inflation does not appear to be an issue, as it remains steady for the next three years (Isidore, 2010). The economic conditions in the United States for Zara’s do not appear to be at the best point for rapid growth, although with Zara’s unique way of doing business growth is possible. The economic slowdown, high unemployment, and other economic factors pointing in the wrong direction, Zara’s growth in the U. S. Market will need to be carefully monitored. External Influe nce #3: Technology Standards and TrendsA cultural aspect of the American Shopper is her expectation of value or reasonableness. This direction is in line with Zara’s aim to democratize fashion by offering the latest fashion in medium quality at affordable prices. In the USA, the GAP has already been identified as tapping into this market. One of the ways that Zara? s business model is differentiated from that of its competitors is the turnaround time and the store as a source of information. The store acts not only as a point of sale but also influences the design and speed of production. It is the end and starting point of the business system. Zara? managers get feedback from the customers at the point of sales and in turn these managers report the demands of customers and the sales trends to the headquarters on a daily basis. This business model augurs well in America today with the technological advancements of the Hi-tech age with computer and cell phones, 24-7 news circu s and talk show now becoming the new norm. External Influence #4: Cultural Orientations Zara’s secret, according to CEO Jose Castellano, is its reliance on communication, and the way it uses existing technology to take control of almost every aspect of design, production and distribution. This ‘fast fashion’ system depends on a constant exchange of information throughout every part of Zara's supply chain—from customers to store managers, from store managers to market specialists and designers, from designers to production staff, from buyers to subcontractors, from warehouse managers to distributors, and so on. † Zara has made enormous efforts to ensure that operational procedures, performance measures, and even store and office layouts are designed to make information transfer easy.It can therefore be concluded that information management is one of core activities for Zara to leverage its ‘fast fashion’ system. This model is in direct re lations to the cultural orientation of the American Shopper who likes to be fashionable and that right after the red carpet event. External Influence #5: Customer Expectations Americans have many choices in fashion styles and price range, from boutique to large chain to discount fashion warehouses. Zara meets customer expectations with fashions superior to or different from alternatives that are available from rivals.With their grassroots marketing research performed by agents on the store floors, Zara has perfected technology to be able to incorporate customer comments into designs through wireless, handheld organizers carried around the store (Daniels et al. , 2011). On the Zara website is the following: ‘What do you think of the collection? Are these looks that you would like to recreate? I love to hear your opinions every week – and I always take suggestions into consideration! If you have any looks you’d like recreated here, let me know!Be sure to leave a co mment’ (Rachel, 2010). This channel of customer/company interaction ensures Zara continues to deliver what customers want in fashion. The Internet feedback will especially serve the U. S. market as Americans are very accustomed to writing product reviews on retail web sites. Zara instills a sense of urgency in the shoppers’ mind because the style they see in the store today may not be there next week. This dynamic plays well in the urban Americans shopping style that has ready access to the store front windows in malls or the city’s fashion districts.The average Zara customer visits the chain seventeen times per year versus three to four visits per year at competitors. Anyone with the shopping style of â€Å"let me look around first and then come back†, will lose out on the Zara design. Exposure to current fashion trends are in every medium in the U. S. Zara’s ability to deliver almost immediately on what is hot will bode well in meeting customer e xpectations in the U. S. market. Recommendations and Conclusion Zara has taken advantage of its core competencies: competitive advantage, economic condition, technology standards and trends, cultural orientation, and customer expectation.This well organized firm uses logistical design in all areas of its operations. Getting high fashion clothing to the public much quicker than the competition and at a reasonable price has led the organization to the top. While this â€Å"fast track† clothing idea is new and still in vogue, Zara needs to constantly be looking at ways to improve their product line and business model as the competition moves in on their competitive advantage. Staying ahead of other retailers by continuing to evaluate their design, sourcing, production, logistics, marketing, store operations, and firm infrastructure is key.While Zara is spreading worldwide, they may need to adjust their distribution centers a bit, in order to keep their speed maintain their pace, particularly in the US market. As they get larger the firm grows , they may not be able to keep up with demand unless they adjust their logistics chain accordingly.References 2010, November 22. http://www. modernights. com/shop/zaraclothing/zara_stores_usa/ Daniels, Radebaugh, ; Sullivan. (2011). International Business, Environments ; Operations 13th Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, Pearson Education, Inc. Dutta, Devangshu. (2002). retail @ the speed of fashion. Retrieved from http://www. 3isite. com/articles/ImagesFashion_Zara_Part_I. pdf Galaugher, John, Information Systems, A Zara Case Study: Fast Fashion from Savvy Systems, accessed November 24, 2010, http://www. flatworldknowledge. com/node/41223 Gattorna, Dr. John. (2009, Jan. /Feb. ) Supply Chain Organisation Design-The Secret Sauce of Peak Performance. Retrieved from http://www. slideshare. net/ The Supply chainniche/supply-chain-organisation-design-the-secret-sauce-of-peak Jacobe, Dennis, November 2010, U. S. Econo mic Confidence Improves to Match 2010 High,, Gallup, accessed November 24, 2010, http://www. gallup. com/poll/144344/economic-confidence-improves-match-2010-high. aspx June 2010, Current Economic Conditions, Econbrowser, Accessed November 24, 2010 http://www. econbrowser. com/archives/2010/06/current_economi_4. html Lopez, Carmen, Fan, Ying, Internationalisation of Spanish Fashion Brand Zara , Brunel Business School Brunel University Uxbridge UB8 3PH England Maiellaro, Bridget. (2010, January 5). Zara Opens Two Chicago Stores. Retrieved from http://www. chicagomag. om/Radar/Sales-Check/January-2010/Zara-Opens-Two-Chicago-Stores/ Rachel-Northeastern. (2010, May 10). Runway for Under $25: Zara Spring 2010. Retrieved from http://www. collegefashion. net/fashion-tips/runway-for-under-25-zara-may-2010/ Towers, Steve. (2010). Zen and the Art of Process Management. http://www. towers associates. com/Towers_Associates_Zen_And_the_Art_of_Process_Management. Html â€Å"Zara’s Business Model, Information and Communication Technologies, and Competitive Analysis. † 123HelpMe. com. 26 Nov 2010 http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=97642

The Negative Effects of Technology on Children’s Social Development Essays

The Negative Effects of Technology on Children’s Social Development Essays The Negative Effects of Technology on Children’s Social Development Paper The Negative Effects of Technology on Children’s Social Development Paper Children are being exposed to technology at a younger age every generation. The average age that a child received a cell phone in 2006 was thirteen (Carter). In 2009 that age dropped down to eight, according to Tribune Business Journal. The use of technology by children negatively affects interpersonal communication skills because it limits social interactions and development and this is important because it affects future jobs, relationships and health. Cognitive development is the construction of thought process, including remembering, problem solving and decision making from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. † (Lloyd 15) If, during â€Å"critical periods of development† (Cole 13), the child misses an important developmental skill, the ball is set rolling, and the child will be behind his or her peers. One critical period is around when a child is about eight years old. Here, they begin to learn how to communicate their needs effectively and polish their thought process. These specific thought process skills include assimilation, accommodation, and adaptation. According to Piaget, assimilation is the process by which various experiences are mentally taken in and incorporated into existing schemas. Accommodation is taking what is experienced and applying it to new and old information and adaptation is taking the information processed and changing their behavior based on the experience. This is the very core of the human thought process. If this stage of mental development is missed, the foundation for future developmental skills is fragile. How a child at eight years old might miss this stage is by replacing face to face conversations with adults, with texting or fragmented phone call conversations with peers. The evidence of the effects of technology on children’s social skills is most notable in school, where they do the most socializing. However, when observing students in school today, versus ten years ago, there are drastic differences. At first glance in an average high school, the hallways are buzzing with the sounds of chatter and laughter, but when you look closely many of the students are at their lockers texting. Most schools prohibit the use of cell phones in class; hence the time that the students spend together in the halls is also spent attached to their phones texting each other instead of socializing face to face. On the bus rides to and from school, most students choose to listen to their MP3 players and play handheld gaming systems instead of attempting to make conversations. By making conversations, not only do they expand their network of friends, but their vocabulary and socializing skills. After school, students ride the silent bus home, to go straight to their rooms and computers. Here they isolate themselves from friends in their neighborhood, playing in online virtual worlds they create. These online â€Å"selves† can project identities that are not their own, morphing them into what they want to be seen as, instead of who they really are. This creates a self image conflict and children continue to isolate themselves to preserve their virtual â€Å"image† or become the person they are pretending to be. Even social networks is a virtual community where children are opting to socialize instead of going over to a friend’s house. Less face to face conversation also inhibits emotional exchange. Texting and typing responses on a computer, hardly make up for the social interactions children once had ten years ago. Academically, technology has adverse affects on students who overuse it. Within class, students who are less socially developed are less likely to partake in group activities. Over time, this forces teachers to change their teaching styles to accommodate those students. Group projects in school is more than just being able to assign larger more in depth projects. This is where students learn how to problem solve, give and receive constructive criticism, work together, and learn leadership skills. However, these group projects are more painful than helpful because students lack the foundation of interpersonal communication skills. Teachers resort to teaching verbally and rely on the students capabilities in auditory processing. School is becoming boring to students to overuse technology. They are so used to being constantly stimulated and needing to multitask every moment, that school is no longer stimulating enough. Since their attention spans are so limited, their auditory processing is also limited. Because of the heavy use of abbreviations used while texting, students grades are being negatively impacted because they are using the slang and abbreviations in assignments and formal papers. Most of the problems children are having today can be prevented by parents and school systems. As research is continuing to be done, schools are trying to adapt. Even though some schools have banned cell phones, that does not mean the students keep them at home. They resort to secretly texting during class, which means they are not focusing on their lessons. They are able to multitask but their attention spans are shortened. : Carter, O. K. Students are Facing New Addiction: Cellphones. McClatchy Tribune Business News (2006): 1. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. Cole, Michael, Sheila R. Cole, and Cynthia Lightfoot. The Development of Children. New York: Worth, 2001. 13-15. Print Collis, Betty. Children and Computers in School. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates, 1996. Print. Johnson, Teddi Dineley. Excessive texting, social networking linked to health risks for teenagers. Nations Health 40. 10 (2011): 11. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Lloyd, Peter, and Charles Fernyhough. Lev Vygotsky: Critical Assessments. Vol. 1. London: Routledge, 1999. Print Plester, Beverly, Clare Wood, and Victoria Bell. Txt msg n school literacy: does texting and knowledge of text abbreviations adversely affect childrens literacy attainment?. Literacy 42. 3 (2008): 137-144. 139 Charts Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. Tomei, Lawrence A. Challenges of Teaching with Technology across the Curriculum: Issues and Solutions. Hershey, Pa: Information Science, 2003. Print.

Paulo Freires Concept of Education

Paulo Freires Concept of Education Free Online Research Papers Paulo Freire has a very interesting point of view in education. He explains his points of view throughout his short story â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† and throughout his book named Pedagogy of the Oppressed. He argues about the role of the teacher in a banking system. One of the flaws in the banking system would be the authority of the teacher. Another flaw would be the system of rewards. One of the arguments Freire presents against the banking system is that the role of the teacher is to â€Å"fill the students by making deposits of information which he considers to constitute true knowledge. And since men receive the world as passive entities, education should make them more passive still, and adapt them to the world† (63). This is true in the fact that the teacher’s job is to fill the students with information, and this is often accomplished in a way that makes learning passive. What Freire fails to recognize is that these â€Å"lifeless and petrified† words form a solid and practical base of common knowledge. Obviously, you have to know how to count before you can add. You have to know the basic facts before you can think about challenging them. With the average fifth grader, it means very little to tell them that the Revolutionary War occurred in 1776. Most would not prefer to learn this if given the choice. Without the banking system , how would we teach children about a history that is vital to their understanding of the present and the future? You cannot, realistically sit down with a bunch of ten year-olds and expect them to come up with conclusions and opinions about a war that they know nothing about. If they know that war occurred in 1776 and that thousands of people died, at least one will be able to conclude that ‘war is bad’. Another may conclude that ‘war is good because our country was freed’. Here you have the beginnings of a dialogue among students, one that would not have been possible without the banking system. Conversation is not possible without a fair amount of factual knowledge. Facts are good, but the way that facts are taught is not always good. Memorization without meaning is trivial and uninteresting. Students often forget the information when the test is over. This is a serious, fatal flaw in the banking system, as Freire notes. However, this problem cannot be solved by the problem-posing method. Often, a fact is a fact and is not open to debate. It would be interesting to convince people that the sky is green, but it’s not. It’s not open for debate. You cannot plausibly change the color of the sky or the fact that two and two are four. Topics that are open for debate, such as the existence of God, should be thought about and debated. It will be worthwhile to hear different opinions and maybe change your own opinion. So the question remains. How should we teach? By saying that â€Å"this is true, accept it†? No, not always. Nor should we say, â€Å" let’s discuss the possibility that two and two are three†, which is pointless, not worthwhile, and leads nowhere but to a map of confusion about a basic, trivial concept. If Tommy, with his grand thoughts and conclusions, wants to think that two and two are three, the teacher would be wrong to let him. He should not be allowed to finish school stuck on this grand, but pointless idea. To do so would be harmful to Tommy and school would lose its meaning. The authority of the teacher, as Freire notes, is another flaw in the banking system: â€Å"The teacher presents himself to his students as their necessary opposite; by considering their ignorance absolute, he justifies his own existence† (58-59). True, the teacher is seen as an authority, both in action and in knowledge, and this doesn’t leave much room for inquiry. In an example that I recall from fifth grade, my class was learning about government when a student asked the teacher (a White man), â€Å"Can the President ever be a woman?† The teacher hesitated and said, â€Å"Yes, a woman can be President.† Another student asked, â€Å"Can the President ever be Black?† He answered, â€Å"Yes, but it is unlikely.† The same student asked, â€Å"Can anybody be the President?† â€Å"Not anybody†, he replied. â€Å"Who can’t?† The teacher cleared his throat and said, â€Å"The President has always been an old er White man. We should keep it like that.† The conversation ended. Even though most of the students were girls and all were Black, no one challenged him further. This is an extremely unfortunate characteristic of the banking system, one that should be given serious thought. It is regrettable that we had to hear such a thing from a trusted individual, but having an adult in a classroom with children will inevitably lead to this. Adults are generally looked upon as knowledgeable authorities, in just about any situation. At home, parents are the experts that the children look to for guidance. The parents, in return, give children guidance and fix their scrapes until they learn how to fix their own. Whenever there is an adult in the presence of children, this will happen inevitably. The teacher, the â€Å"Great Oppressor†, isn’t forcing the children to be submissive. Rather they expect knowledge and guidance from an adult. The problem-posing method will not change this. You can call a teacher by his first name, decrease he distance, but an adult in the class will not be seen as an equal to the students. Removing the teache r from the classroom will not help either. Another flaw Freire presents is the system of rewards in the banking system. He notes, â€Å"The more completely he fills the receptacles, the better a teacher he is. The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are† (58). Sadly, this is true at all levels of education. The entire system of letter and number grades and standardized testing enforces this. We usually don’t like to admit this, (there have been numerous times that I have been reminded that standardized tests don’t measure your true knowledge), but we have them anyway and consider the results significant. Realistically speaking, this system of rewards extends far beyond education. It is extremely evident in the professional and social fields, among others. In American culture, numbers and output are what matter. This may not be ideal and it may be unfair and narrow, but it is true. This has been so deeply ingrained into American culture that we don’t know of any other way to do comparison. Student A never does any work, never puts forth effort, and has failed every exam, but he’s an excellent thinker. Whether or not to give him a passing grade is debatable. Student B does all the work, puts forth effort, and has passed every exam, so he must be thinking. We do not hesitate to give him a passing grade. We do not know of anything else to do. Arguably, being a receptacle does take a great deal of effort and sacrifice for most students. And in this society it is the latter student who is most valued and is perceived as most prepared. It is only fair to prepare s tudents for the type of society that they will enter. Until society is dramatically changed and we develop a new way of comparison, it is an injustice to dramatically change the system of rewards in the educational system. Yes, I believe that the banking system has its flaws, but in all honesty, I believe it is a necessary element of education. Education itself is far too complicated to consist of one method of teaching and learning. Students need versatility. They should not solely be told facts or solely allowed to challenge and question. Perhaps being part receptacle and part challenger is the best, or perhaps it is some different combination altogether. But certainly, one cannot depend on the flawed banking system or the unrealistic problem-posing method alone. Work Cited Freire, â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education† A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers; Seventh Edition. New York: Bedford/St.Martins 2006 Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 1982. Research Papers on Paulo Freire’s Concept of EducationStandardized TestingBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenTrailblazing by Eric AndersonRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andResearch Process Part OneBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

Workplace violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workplace violence - Essay Example   In the US, Federal and state work safety laws compel employers to take rational and reasonable efforts to make sure that workplace is safe including the duty of reducing violence. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and few other state agencies have in recent years issued guidelines for night retail establishments, health care operations and employees in a normal work setting. OSHA General Duty Clause compels that employers in a worksite provide a healthful and safe workplace for all employees covered by the Act. In accordance with laws, by effectively controlling and preventing workplace violence hazards and related threats; employers are better placed to protect employee and avoid worksite incidents. In addition, both state and Federal job discrimination laws require employers to implement various harassment policies and guidelines including taking speedy action this harassment happens. Sexual, racial, and other kinds of harassment at worksite may l ead to liability for compensatory as well as punitive damages. To start with, one of the preeminent protections the boss can offer to employees is to institute a zero-tolerance policy and attitude toward workplace violence. Such a policy should cover all workers and anybody else who may come in contact with organization personnel. Closely related to this the fact that the employer can provide various safety education for workers related to workplace violence such as informing victims their legal right to prosecute perpetrators.   

Definition of the Word Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Definition of the Word Family - Essay Example The paper tells that family means a number of different things to different individuals- family may cross a number of generations, change, as a result, of certain changes in life events such as remarriage, divorce and children relocating from their parental homes, and might even span several households. In most cases, people find it easier to define a family by not how it looks or how it is structured but by its roles and functions- supporting, loving, caring and protecting those in a family. In defining a family, it is essential to realize that children and marriage are not prerequisites for the formation of a family. In the past few years, there has been a development to a boost in the amount of childless couples and smaller families, as well as, lone- person families or households. It is also critical to remember that extended families might cross or span more than one household, and that individuals living by themselves are not necessarily living without families. More and more i ndividuals are forming more than one family across their lifetime, because of the greater rates of re- partnering and separation. A number of types of families, and families at certain points in the family life- cycle, may have different needs, strength and vulnerabilities. Some of these include one- parent families, jobless families, indigenous families, families from different, diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, families with responsibilities in caring, and families in remote and rural societies. It is clear from the points noted here that family is a complex unit that has no one specific definition (Forbes 2-34). The purpose of this article, consequently, is to draw attention to the different kinds of definitions of the family unit in regards to its functions, what it is, what it is not and according to how authorities define it. In addition to this, the paper will benefit exceedingly from examples derived from the book Journey by Sonia Nazario, which is a story about a certain family that will serve as an excellent example of what a family is and of different kinds of families. Family can be defined as the most fundamental unit. It represents individuals living together by ties of blood, marriage or adaption, therefore, representing a single household. According to sociology, the family unit as a key role of reproducing and expanding the society, both socially and biologically. There are numerous different structure of families based on the associations that exist between parents and children. There are different kinds of families present which are determined by who makes up the family. There are those families that only consist of the father and children; others are consisted of the mother and children. Other families consist of a mother, her children and other people who are in most cases derived from the mother’s family. Other families consists one or more mothers living together with their children, with other people and their spouses (Fine 65- 79). In this case, an example is the family described in the book the Journey, which at first was composed of the mother and her two children and member’s of Lourdes’ family. Relationships that exist between a family, and those that determine the type of the family, are those mainly between parents and children and they are different from culture to culture. One of the most common family types is the nuclear family. This family type is composed of the marital couple living with their children separate from other individuals. The joint family usually is the extension of the nuclear family, and exists when children of one sex stay at their parental home. In such a case, the children bring along their spouses to live with them in their parental home even after marriage (Fine 65- 79). These are only handful cases of the numerous types of families. Other kinds of families include only child families, large families, single parent families, blended families, gay an d lesbian parent