Google Swot Analysis

GOOGLE Google has market leadership for search related advertising with 65 percent of all online searches in 2008. Google has a strong brand name. The company has developed a reputation for providing the best search results as an online search engine. Google is very easy to use or user friendly, anyone with minimal computer knowledge can easily maneuver its way through Goggles website and search for whatever information they would like. The simplicity of the website makes it so that users become familiar with Google very fast. Google is able to provide search results at a very high speed. Someone can type a keyword in the search box regarding any kind of topics and search results will be displayed in seconds. Another strength of Google is its ability to adapt and innovate its products with changes in demand. Google shows strong financial position with positive cash flow and low debt. Some weaknesses of Google include manipulation of Google ranking technology by spammers. Google cost per click advertising charging and ranking policy confuse marketers in the sense that they cannot predict where their ad would be positioned and how much it would cost. Another weakness of Google is that it does not provide highly personalized search or expert search. Also Google does not have sticky like yahoo and MSN which can attract users. Although Google is the market leader among search engine websites, only 50 percent to 60 percent of search queries are answered appropriately. As far as opportunities, Google can add sticky like chat rooms and email systems to attract more users. Google can also add more personalized or expert searching. The company can add more services such as private database, print media and multimedia. Google can merge with established mass market companies to gain more users and advertisers. As far as threats, Google is facing strong competition from rivals such as Yahoo, Msn and face book. Also Google depends partially on some companies or portals like AOL and getting those contracts terminated, Google would loose large amount of revenues. There is no real entry barrier in this kind of online business. This means more competitors can emerge in the future and by providing the same services with improve interface, they can steal Google’s market. Google confusing cost per click and ranking can detract many potential advertisers. Companies like yahoo provide more services and solutions with conventional search than Google. Google might loose its users to companies with more services. As far as recommendations for strategy, Google should adapt a product development strategy where its focus will be on improving its currents services to attract new users. Google can focus on making its search engine more accurate, relevant and dependable than it is now. Google should also use a diversification strategy where they can add new services to attract new users. Services such as print, multimedia, instant messaging will drive new customers to Google. Google Swot Analysis GOOGLE Google has market leadership for search related advertising with 65 percent of all online searches in 2008. Google has a strong brand name. The company has developed a reputation for providing the best search results as an online search engine. Google is very easy to use or user friendly, anyone with minimal computer knowledge can easily maneuver its way through Goggles website and search for whatever information they would like. The simplicity of the website makes it so that users become familiar with Google very fast. Google is able to provide search results at a very high speed. Someone can type a keyword in the search box regarding any kind of topics and search results will be displayed in seconds. Another strength of Google is its ability to adapt and innovate its products with changes in demand. Google shows strong financial position with positive cash flow and low debt. Some weaknesses of Google include manipulation of Google ranking technology by spammers. Google cost per click advertising charging and ranking policy confuse marketers in the sense that they cannot predict where their ad would be positioned and how much it would cost. Another weakness of Google is that it does not provide highly personalized search or expert search. Also Google does not have sticky like yahoo and MSN which can attract users. Although Google is the market leader among search engine websites, only 50 percent to 60 percent of search queries are answered appropriately. As far as opportunities, Google can add sticky like chat rooms and email systems to attract more users. Google can also add more personalized or expert searching. The company can add more services such as private database, print media and multimedia. Google can merge with established mass market companies to gain more users and advertisers. As far as threats, Google is facing strong competition from rivals such as Yahoo, Msn and face book. Also Google depends partially on some companies or portals like AOL and getting those contracts terminated, Google would loose large amount of revenues. There is no real entry barrier in this kind of online business. This means more competitors can emerge in the future and by providing the same services with improve interface, they can steal Google’s market. Google confusing cost per click and ranking can detract many potential advertisers. Companies like yahoo provide more services and solutions with conventional search than Google. Google might loose its users to companies with more services. As far as recommendations for strategy, Google should adapt a product development strategy where its focus will be on improving its currents services to attract new users. Google can focus on making its search engine more accurate, relevant and dependable than it is now. Google should also use a diversification strategy where they can add new services to attract new users. Services such as print, multimedia, instant messaging will drive new customers to Google.

Project Shakti Essay

Hindustan Unilever Limited is the biggest player in the market share of FMCG sector of the country. The FMCG sector of the country is the fourth largest sector of the economy with a size 13.1 billion USD. It is being positioned in the market as brand adding â€Å"Vitality to Life†. It sought for market leadership in a wide range of product categories and also across a broad spectrum of price points in each category. In 2004, HLL responded to high competition by further lowering the price across categories. It started the concept of â€Å"power brands†, initiated a channel-based system, supply chain efficiencies were captured and innovations were launched. It was the company with the a better rural penetration than any other company Its schemes like providing low-unit-packs tells us the how the company wants to penetrate deeper into the market. Q2) What was the motivation for the Shakti initiative? Was it a CSR initiative? The Shakti project by HUL can be termed as a Social Business Initiative rather than a completely Corporate Social Responsibility. It is a highly socialized business taking CSR elements into its operational strategy. It has two aspects 1. Social aspect – It includes supporting the independence women. 2. Business aspect – it includes developing sales area into untapped rural depths. ‘Shakti’ means strength and empowerment. The main motivation was to empower the women in rural areas along with business expansion. HLL realized the importance of rural markets and realized that it was the key source of growth and thus initiated project Shakti as a competitive advantage as it will be a big differentiator among FMCG companies. It also found this as a way to develop its brands through local influencers. Apart from the business motives Unilever created this project as a social initiative to provide sustainable livelihood for underprivileged women in rural areas. It also creates a win-win partnership between HUL and rural consumers for mutual benefit and growth. HUL found it difficult to set up a distribution channel in rural parts of India. So project Shakti was an initiative to create a distribution system through a network of women micro-entrepreneurs to distribute the product directly to consumers. This also ensures tapping the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid Q3) How will Project Shakti influence distribution in rural markets? Ans: The business objective was to extend the direct reach in rural markets and to build brands through local influencers i.e. build a distribution system through a network of women micro-entrepreneurs to get the product directly to consumers. Shakti utilizes women’s self-help groups (SHG) for entrepreneur development training to operate as a rural direct-to-home sales force, educating consumers on the health and hygiene benefits of HLL brands and in turn building brand loyalty among customers. Local entrepreneur’s knows their village’s needs and therefore able to influence the buying decisions of the villagers and can easily convince the villagers. The Shakti entrepreneurs are also brand ambassadors for all HUL brands in rural India. Their relationship with consumers is formed by their home-to-home contacts and hence building a brand loyalty. A member from a SHG was selected as a Shakti entrepreneur, commonly referred as ‘Shakti Amma’. She received stocks from rural distributor. After being trained by the company, the Shakti entrepreneur then sold those goods directly to consumers and retailers in the village. Q4)If Shakti cannot become profitable, should HUL continue the program? Why? If Shakti cannot become profitable, HUL should continue the program because of the following reasons: 1. Growing Rural Market * The rural market is makes up 72.74% of the overall Indian population. The untappedpotential of this market can be made viable only with deeper penetration. The marketing techniques which suit to the urban population of the country cannot suffice for this new expanding market due to social causes like bad connectivity, lesser means of media communication and illiteracy. Project Shakti has been developed in such a way that it can market the product beyond these restrictions by one-to-one endorsement. Due to the social mind-set in most of the rural areas, it is easier to influence them by local people whom they find more credible. 2. Stagnant Urban Market * The urban market is slowing on growth since the previous three years. It can be expected that it will reach a saturation point sometime in the future. Also there will be more competition in the market reducing the growth trajectory. There is a high need for creating new markets and leverage the first mover advantage. 3. Deeper Social Impact * The Project Shakti is popular for the deeper social Impact it is creating in the minds of the people. With initiatives like â€Å"Shakti Vani† and â€Å"iShakti† HLL can reach the rural population with the message of social development on all fronts. While the project â€Å"Shakti† in itself has a widespread message of women empowerment, these other initiatives focus on the betterment of the rural life on health and internet connectivity fronts. 4. Brand building * The Project Shakti does not only provide for creating market but on a broader horizon it creates a brand value for the rural customers who can be difficult to lure by other entertaining advertisement campaigns. The Project Shakti will not be just a source of awareness for this market but the way it has been progressing, it can be imbibed as a part of consumer’s life itself. In such a case the value which the HLL brand will connote will be beyond regular supply of quality products at lower prices. This value will be hard to earn for any other customer and will position the brand as harbinger of development in such rural areas. 5. Communication Channel * The rural market has poor connectivity in terms of supply chain. Project Shakti can be an efficient way to overcome this barrier to rural market. In terms of communicating the brand value, Project Shakti goes beyond the barriers of illiteracy and lack of media. There can be no better way than one-to-one endorsement which can be the key influencer and can impact category, brand awareness as well as usage. With the Project Shakti, HLL will not only be able to enjoy the first mover advantage in a market which has a huge potential, but also create greater brand value which the competitors who might enter this market later will find tough to compete. Thus, Project Shakti in short works efficiently on the rural market on the aspects of affordability, awareness, availability and acceptability for the rural consumers. But some changes can be made to make it more profitable by reducing costs. Better entrepreneurs can be selected for the procedure and

Negative Economic Impacts of Tourism Essay

There are many hidden costs to tourism, which can have unfavorable economic effects on the host community. Often rich countries are better able to profit from tourism than poor ones. Whereas the least developed countries have the most urgent need for income, employment and general rise of the standard of living by means of tourism, they are least able to realize these benefits. Among the reasons for this are large-scale transfer of tourism revenues out of the host country and exclusion of local businesses and products. Leakage The direct income for an area is the amount of tourist expenditure that remains locally after taxes, profits, and wages are paid outside the area and after imports are purchased; these subtracted amounts are called leakage. In most all-inclusive package tours, about 80% of travelers’ expenditures go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies (who often have their headquarters in the travelers’ home countries), and not to local businesses or workers. In addition, significant amounts of income actually retained at destination level can leave again through leakage. A study of tourism ‘leakage’ in Thailand estimated that 70% of all money spent by tourists ended up leaving Thailand (via foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc.). Estimates for other Third World countries range from 80% in the Caribbean to 40% in India. Source: Sustainable Living There are two main ways that leakage occurs: Import leakage This commonly occurs when tourists demand standards of equipment, food, and other products that the host country cannot supply. Especially in less-developed countries, food and drinks must often be imported, since local products are not up to the hotel’s (i.e. tourist’s) standards or the country simply doesn’t have a supplying industry. Much of the income from  tourism expenditures leaves the country again to pay for these imports. The average import-related leakage for most developing countries today is between 40% and 50% of gross tourism earnings for small economies and between 10% and 20% for most advanced and diversified economies, according to UNCTAD. Even in developed regions, local producers are often unable to supply the tourism industry appropriately even if good will is present: the 64-room hotel â€Å"Kaiser im Tirol† in Austria, an award-winning leader in sustainable practices, cannot find organic food suppliers in the local farming networks in the appropriate quantity, quality and reliability, as production cycles and processes are not compatible with its needs. Source: Austrian Preparatory Conference for the International Year of Ecotourism, September 2001 Export leakage Multinational corporations and large foreign businesses have a substantial share in the import leakage. Often, especially in poor developing destinations, they are the only ones that possess the necessary capital to invest in the construction of tourism infrastructure and facilities. As a consequence of this, an export leakage arises when overseas investors who finance the resorts and hotels take their profits back to their country of origin. A 1996 UN report evaluating the contribution of tourism to national income, gross levels of incomes or gross foreign exchange, found that net earnings of tourism, after deductions were made for all necessary foreign exchange expenditures, were much more significant for the industry. This report found significant leakage associated with: (a) imports of materials and equipment for construction; (b) imports of consumer goods, particularly food and drinks; (c) repatriation of profits earned by foreign investors; (d) overseas promotional expenditures and (e) amortization of external debt incurred in the development of hotels and resorts. The impact of the leakage varied greatly across countries, depending on the structure of the economy  and the tourism industry. From the data presented in this study on the Caribbean, St. Lucia had a foreign exchange leakage rate of 56% from its gross tourism receipts, Aruba had 41%, Antigua and Barbuda 25% and Jamaica 40%. Source: Caribbean Voice Enclave tourism Local businesses often see their chances to earn income from tourists severely reduced by the creation of â€Å"all-inclusive† vacation packages. When tourists remain for their entire stay at the same cruise ship or resort, which provides everything they need and where they will make all their expenditures, not much opportunity is left for local people to profit from tourism. The Organization of American States (OAS) carried out a survey of Jamaica’s tourist industry that looked at the role of the all-inclusives compared to other types of accommodation. It found that ‘All-inclusive hotels generate the largest amount of revenue but their impact on the economy is smaller per dollar of revenue than other accommodation subsectors.’ It also concluded that all-inclusives imported more, and employed fewer people per dollar of revenue than other hotels. This information confirms the concern of those who have argued that all-inclusives have a smaller trickle-down effect on local economies. (Source: Tourism Concern) The cruise ship industry provides another example of economic enclave tourism. Non-river cruises carried some 8.7 million international passengers in 1999. On many ships, especially in the Caribbean (the world’s most popular cruise destination with 44.5% of cruise passengers), guests are encouraged to spend most of their time and money on board, and opportunities to spend in some ports are closely managed and restricted. Other negative impacts Infrastructure cost Tourism development can cost the local government and local taxpayers a great deal of money. Developers may want the government to improve the airport,  roads and other infrastructure, and possibly to provide tax breaks and other financial advantages, which are costly activities for the government. Public resources spent on subsidized infrastructure or tax breaks may reduce government investment in other critical areas such as education and health. Increase in prices Increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists will often cause price hikes that negatively affect local residents whose income does not increase proportionately. A San Francisco State University study of Belize found that, as a consequence of tourism development, the prices for locals increased by 8%. Tourism development and the related rise in real estate demand may dramatically increase building costs and land values. Not only does this make it more difficult for local people, especially in developing countries, to meet their basic daily needs, it can also result in a dominance by outsiders in land markets and in-migration that erodes economic opportunities for the locals, eventually disempowering residents. In Costa Rica, close to 65% of the hotels belong to foreigners. Long-term tourists living in second homes, and the so-called amenity migrants (wealthy or retired people and liberal professionals moving to attractive destinations in order to enjoy the atmosphere and peaceful rhythms of life) cause price hikes in their new homes if their numbers attain a certain critical mass. Economic dependence of the local community on tourism Diversification in an economy is a sign of health, however if a country or region becomes dependent for its economic survival upon one industry, it can put major stress upon this industry as well as the people involved to perform well. Many countries, especially developing countries with little ability to explore other resources, have embraced tourism as a way to boost the economy. In The Gambia, for instance, 30% of the workforce depends directly or indirectly on tourism. In small island developing states, percentages can range from 83% in the Maldives to 21% in the Seychelles and 34% in Jamaica,  according to the WTO. Over-reliance on tourism, especially mass tourism, carries significant risks to tourism-dependent economies. Economic recession and the impacts of natural disasters such as tropical storms and cyclones as well as changing tourism patterns can have a devastating effect on the local tourism sector. Malta has only 380,000 residents, but received 1.2 million tourists in 1999. As 25% of GDP (and indirectly 40% ), tourism generated more than $650 million in foreign exchange earnings. Malta’s high dependence on tourism and a limited number of export products makes its trade performance vulnerable to shifts in international demand. Source: Washington Times Seasonal character of jobs The seasonal character of the tourism industry creates economic problems for destinations that are heavily dependent on it. Problems that seasonal workers face include job (and therefore income) insecurity, usually with no guarantee of employment from one season to the next, difficulties in getting training, employment-related medical benefits, and recognition of their experience, and unsatisfactory housing and working conditions.

Innovative Culture and Innovative Competencies Assignment

Innovative Culture and Innovative Competencies - Assignment Example Alliances are, thus, useful avenues of not only gaining access to the skills and capabilities of partners, but also serve to strengthen the core competencies within organizations. Indeed with the globalized competition, it is no longer possible to compete in the traditional sense of self-sufficiency, which, in a sense, is untenable as markets increasingly become highly volatile, rapidly rendering techniques and products obsolete almost as fast as they are invented. Though innovation has been pushed to the center of production dynamics, the hurdles to its realization have more than doubled, complicating its management and making it even more elusive. As such, firms committed to breaking new grounds begin from the very foundation of harnessing the requisite competencies, with speed given precedence both in terms of resources and organizational support (Prahalad & Hamel, 1990). It is more of a common knowledge that entrepreneurship is but an adventure that carries with it several unknow ns that demands creativity to achieve the preset objectives. Noteworthy, the link between innovation and growth has long been a subject of theoretical research right from the days of Adam Smith (1776). In his â€Å"Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations,† Smith (1776) articulates gains in productivity as a factor of specialization, division of labor as well as the technological advances in capital equipments and processes employed. Besides the role of Research and Development being a key determinant of competitive advantage, Smith also recognizes Technological Transfer via a web of network that incorporates suppliers and product end-users in that very analysis: â€Å"All the improvements in machinery, however, have by no means been the inventions of those who had occasion to use the machines. Many improvements have been made by the ingenuity of the makers of the machines, when to make them became the business of a peculiar trade; and some by that of thos e who are called philosophers or men of speculation, whose trade it is not to do anything, but to observe everything; and who, upon that account, are often capable of combining together the powers of the most distant and dissimilar objects. In the progress of society, philosophy or speculation becomes, like every other employment, the principal or sole trade and occupation of a particular class of citizens†¦ and the quantity of science is considerably increased by it † (Smith, 1776). Buoyed by the assumption that there is no heterogeneous formula of acquiring innovation capability, structured theories have been proposed to explain the differences between the nearly excellent and the poor innovators. The Resource-Based Approach (RBA), for instance, explains the differences as a reflection of the capacity [resources and capabilities] within a given organization to confront challenges; resources and capabilities which are somehow unique and very difficult to reproduce and/or substitute by other players in the market (Hamel & Prahalad, 1994). Teece & Pisano’s (1994) dynamic capabilities theory deviates from the RBA, explaining

Social Psychology (Milgram's studies of obedience) Essay

Social Psychology (Milgram's studies of obedience) - Essay Example 205). This statement become fuel to the controversy over personal dispositions and social factors, and in more fundamental way, over nature versus nurture. In this paper, I will be presenting a summary of different opinions on the Milgram experiment as gathered from various academic writers in scholarly journals. To date, the Milgram experiment continues to be influential in the study of social psychology, and it has various implications in the conduct of research, as well as the research directions that social psychologists have taken. In conclusion, I will be discussing how Milgram’s experiment influenced the understanding of obedience in psychology. I will be drawing primarily from the articles that will be highlighted in this paper. Blass (1991) outlines five distinctive features of Milgram’s experiment which has gained its significant place in social psychology, and its lasting contributions. First, is the significance of the results which was far from the predicted outcome when Milgram ran a separate experiment to get the prediction rates of Yale seniors and a group of psychiatrists. Second, is the fact that Milgram conducted a series of experiments on the topic designing a more comprehensive picture of the phenomenon. Third stems from the controversies that the research has initiated. â€Å"More than any other research in social psychology, the obedience experiments have been embroiled from the beginning in a number of controversies in which they have played a central and enriching role†(Blass, 1991, p. 398). Fourth, is the far-reaching impact of the obedience research in other fields of discipline such as education, political science, communication research and philosophy. Fifth is how the res earch has accounted for discrepancies between the situational and dispositional determinants of behaviour. Although debate is continuing, Milgram’s research has paved the way for inquiry into which accounts for specific behaviours, and to

David Mas Masumoto's Wisdom of the Last Farmer Essay

David Mas Masumoto's Wisdom of the Last Farmer - Essay Example When his father was attacked by stroke, Masumoto, had no other option but to go back home and stay with his father, despite the fact that he was a sociology graduate, which could have earned him a different job (Heidmann, 116). Initially, his father used to teach him many lessons about farming and about life. However, after suffering from stroke, his speech is lost and his ability to work with the right hand also affected. The only way out, is for Masumoto to try and teach his father, how he can operate the farm machinery in his present condition. The attachment of the family to farming is more than just as a source of livelihood. It is more about the relationship with the life of the farm, and that of the consumers. Farming is not a mere way of earning a living for Masumoto and his family, but a pathway for supporting life. Therefore, there are more lessons that Masumoto learns from his father throughout his tenure on the farm, other than just farming skills. The first valuable less on that Masumoto learns is that; the growth cycle of the farm plants represents the stages of human life. The moment the seeds are sown on the fields, they emerge as new plants which need to be taken care of, since at that stage, the plants are still tender and the failure to take adequate care of them might mean their failure to grow to full harvest (Masumoto, 29). The same happens with the life of humans. Once a child is born, there is a lot of input applied by the parents to bring the child up, always taking good care of the baby and providing for the baby with all its necessities, since the baby cannot fend on its own. However, as the child grows, he/she turns out to be youthful and independent, capable of doing many things without much assistance, but still remains inexperienced in life (Masumoto, 37). It is at this stage that the young adult requires much lessons regarding life, since at this stage, there are chances that good advice will shape the youth for a better future, a nd the contrary lead to the young adult being a baggage to the society. Thus, as the plants in the farm are taken care of differently during their different stages of growth, human beings need to be treated the same. After the plant matures, it bears fruits that are ready for harvest by the farm owner, who then sells the farm produce to earn a living. Therefore, the usefulness of the farm plant is enjoyed when its fruits are transferred to the consumer. The same happens for the human beings, where the old people have to transfer their wisdom to the young adults, which helps them to shape their future, and make it fruitful even to others. This is exactly what happened with Masumoto, since he learnt a lot of wisdom from his father, which informs his life thereafter (Masumoto, 154). The other invaluable lesson learnt by Masumoto is the value of patience and persistence in life (Masumoto, 54). Whenever the farmers are planting their crops, they have hope that they will obtain bumper har vest from the fields. However, all it takes is patience and persistence, as the farmers sow, till and take care of the crops against all odds, such as pests and diseases. There are seasons when there is sun, and others when it is cold, yet the farmers have to be continuously working on the farm. There are seasons when the harvest will be bumper, and there are other seasons when the farmer barely gets any harvest. Yet in all these seasons, the

VERY FORMAL letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

VERY FORMAL letter - Essay Example His majesty also attended various public events including the banquet at the Imperial Palace. As a result of his presence there, the Japan-Cambodia relationship became more solid. Japan has consistently delivered a commitment to peace, rehabilitation, domestic stability, and nation-building in Cambodia. As such, the country has been our alliance partner in Southeast Asia since the late 1980’s. More specifically, Japan has extended economic assistance with and without compensation for Cambodia to (1) realize sustainable economic growth and maintain a stable society; (2) aid the socially vulnerable; (3) cope with global issues; and (4) redress disparities among ASEAN countries. Above all, the Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Cambodia for the Liberalization, Promotion, and Protection of Investment intensified the relationship between our two countries. You may recall that your Excellency signed this Agreement while visiting Japan as a state guest in 2007. As a result, direct Japanese investments for motorbike assembling plants and galvanized iron plants in Cambodia are ever-increasing. In terms of a cultural aspect, we have made an effort on the conservation and restoration of the historic site of Angkor through the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor since the Inter-governmental Conference on the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor, which was held in Tokyo in 1993. There is an expression in Japanese that translates to English as â€Å"Have the form but not the spirit.† We strongly believe that the â€Å"spirit† in a country-to-country relationship is a cordial human exchange at the private level, as well as investment activities. It just so happens that your country is currently in the middle of national promotion of agricultural sector enhancement, infrastructure rehabilitation and construction, private sector development, employment generation, and human resource

The Significance and the Necessity of Ethics and Law in the Field of Research Paper

The Significance and the Necessity of Ethics and Law in the Field of Business - Research Paper Example The presence of the different forms of laws helps in establishing the minimum adequate and satisfactory norms relating to the conduct of behavior. The laws would help in ascertaining that the business organizations are operating in agreement with the laid down specifications so that the interests and the well being of the employees, the society, the environment, the country and the organization on the whole remain protected. This also gives rise to the need of comprehension of the subject matter of business ethics. It aids in making a distinction amid the right as well as the incorrect act. The law could be stated to be fundamentally a codification or rather an institutionalization of the ethical aspects into particular social regulations, legal guidelines and prohibitions. Therefore, the thesis statement for the paper is that legal issues in the present day business context certainly raise ethical concerns which in turn create a derogatory impact upon an organization’s sustai nability in the long run. Analysis of a Legal Issue in the Business World The collapse of the company Enron and the downfall of its auditor Arthur Andersen could be cited as an instance with regard to the violation of legal issues along with unethical practices in the business world. ... The auditor of the company Arthur Andersen was found to be involved with such illegal practices. The revelation of the corruption and the deliberate fraud proved fatal for both the company Enron as well as for Arthur Andersen. The company was compelled to announce itself to be a bankrupt and the subsistence of the ace auditing firm came to an end with the exposure of this scandal. The particular scandal was observed and analyzed to entail both unethical as well as illegal conducts (Healy & Palepu, 2003). The chief problem that arose for the company, Enron was to predict the market worth of its contracts, few of which were for a time period of as long as 20 years. The revenue was predicted or calculated on the base of the current worth of the net cash flows in the coming years. The other significant issue associated with these kinds of predictions was the practicability of the contracts and costs relevant to them. All these issues along with other accounting problems were faced by the company. These gave rise to accounting abnormalities and business malfunctions and ultimately led to the final breakdown of the company (Healy & Palepu, 2003). The Issue The business model of Enron was stated to be quite complicated as it involved a broad range of products from trading functions, physical assets as well as going beyond the national borders. All these factors extended the boundaries of accounting. Enron took the opportunity of exploiting these accounting boundaries to the maximum in controlling its revenues along with its balance sheet so as to depict a favorable performance scenario (Gupta, 2004). However, in this case two matters emerged out to be extremely problematic for the company. The company’s transactions related to trading engaged

Use the knowledge gleaned from this course to write an opinion piece( Assignment

Use the knowledge gleaned from this course to write an opinion piece( using microeconomic insights) on any topic of your choice - Assignment Example These units include separate households, microbusinesses, or persons (Morath). Education, health, infrastructure are all sectors that employ aggressively and so need the minimum wage for the overall peaceful and fair management of remuneration standards. The concept of minimum wage bears innumerable progressive and adverse impacts on industries, kinfolks, and individual employees. In the business world, it presents far reaching effects on the management and success of commercial entities. Organizations that employ a big number of employees who tend to be unskilled are normally greatly affected. The reason is that these companies occasionally face tremendous increases in their budget for wage coverage as a result of actualization of the minimum wage. A significant factor is that companies get no capability to negotiate what they feel is commensurate to pay their low cadre employees. Consequently, industries that employ untrained labor experience significant deterioration in their profit limits (Morath). On the other hand, their operating expenditure surges. A challenge to their inclusive economic growth becomes visible. A new dimension is then introduced to their economic methodology of crafting strategies and policies. On homegrown employment, several companies view the minimum wage as an extraordinary financial commitment to the untrained staff. Mitigating the aspect requires that the companies resort to introducing unfavorable conditions in the approaches they employ in hiring people. In some cases, the companies make a choice to cease employing unskilled labor totally. The resultant implication of this move to the overall performance of the economy is obvious. The employment opportunities that require the use of the minimum wage suit the young adults who probably are just leaving school. However, every increase of the minimum wage normally automatically leads to a lesser youth being absorbed

What Were the Effects of the Contact Between Europeans and North Americans Essay Example for Free

What Were the Effects of the Contact Between Europeans and North Americans Essay Ever since 1485, Christopher Columbus, an explorer from Italy, began to vigorously look for sponsor for his voyage. He presented his idea of sailing to the Atlantic and into mysterious Asia to John II, King of Portugal. Yet, he was interested in his plan. John II and the royalties thought the plan was unfavorable and unrealistic. When Columbus was about to give up, the queen of Spain, Queen Isabella, offered her assistance. Columbus and Queen Isabella later signed a treaty called Capitulations of Santa Fe, stating that the new lands Columbus could claim for Spain would belong to him. In return, he should bring back gold, pearls, and spice. In 1492,Christopher Columbus and his three ships- the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, arrived on the shores of San Salvador in the Caribbean. Lacking knowledge of geography, he believed that he had reached India but which was actually North America. (Livingston, 2010) However, after Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, the animal, plant, people, and bacterial life of these two worlds began to mix up. The arrival of Columbus brought wars, slavary and forced labor, the spreading of diseases caused at least 5 million deaths even worse. The contact between Europeans and North Americans brought Natives catastrophes and devastation that Europeans could never make up. Most importantly, the hidden disease brought by the Europeans caused massive amount of Natives to die. As the Spain, French, and English explorers came to America, diseases like small pox, malaria, chicken pox, influenza, measles, and yellow fever, the diseases that once killers that killed a great deal of Europeans, were brought to the new lands too. Walbert)Which were later called as â€Å" The gift from Old to New Worlds†. (Kincheloe, 2007) As time passed, the Europeans were used to these diseases and gained immunity against them. However, the natives had never confront of these disease before, therefore they had no resistance to these illness, and their traditional cures didn’t work. These diseases killed as much as 90 percent of the native population, which means that only one in ten natives survived. Diseases like malaria and yellow fever were passed down from person to person from mosquitoes. When a particular region was affected, the disease would usually spread out rapidly. Also, natives could easily get the diseases when traded with one another. Other diseases could be transmitted throught the livestocks brought by the Europeans. For example, cattle passes measles and small pox; pigs pass influenza; chicken pass malaria. Native hunters and gatherers could get the diseases when they were in touch with the animals. Thomas Harriot, an English explorer, witnessed the natives suffered from the diseases and wrote the following paragraph in his jornal, â€Å"Within a few days after our departure from every such [Indian] town, the people began to die very fast, and many in short space; in some towns about twenty, in some forty, in some sixty, in one six score [6 x 20 = 120], which in truth was very many in respect of their numbers. . . . The disease was also so strange that they neither knew what it was nor how to cure it. † (Kincheloe, 2007) Harriot’s paragraph clearly stated that the natives died in large amount everyday. Lostln Revery said in her article: The transmission of the diseases caused more devastation in the New World than the Black Death had done in Europe. In addition, the coming of European also brought up a new kind of trade-the slave trade, which cost hundreds and thousands of native men and women forced to be taken away. (Walbert)Dr. Calvin Lawrence Jr. wrote the following paragraph in Coloumbus Day 2012: Hero, Villain, or Both?. â€Å" Columbus is an obvious target of scorn and resentment for Native Americans whose fortunes declined precipitously in the aftermath of his journey to the New World. He and his men also brutalized people of the West Indies and enslaved others. † He interpeted how Columbus and his crew treated the native slaves. According to the passage, the settlers treated the native slaves ruthlessly and unfairly. As the number of settlers increased, more and more buildings like housings were needed. Settlers needed workers to do chores such as building the houses and working of planation. Settlers later found out that they could sell tools, firearms, metal knives, axes, ammunition, alchohol, furs and cloths to the natives. Kincheloe, 2007) In return, they would bring them other natives they captured in tribal wars. Those warslaves were sold to the settlers as slavery. The idea of slavery had already occur before Europeans arrived. The natives adopted the idea of holding slaves as chattel property. Those slaves were usually enslaved war captives and were used for small- scale labor or rutual sacrifices. Little records stated that the slave holders viewed the slavess racially inferior from other tribes. However, most slaves would slowly equalized into the tribes to replace dead warriors. After European marched in, it caused a change in Native American slavery, as they created a new market. At first, the settlers only bought slaves from other tribes and used them as workers. As time passed, the demand increased, colonists in the South began to capture natives. The natives were used as labors to cultivate tobacco, rice, or indigo, which is a type of dye. Therefore, the population of natives decreased swiftly due to forced labor. Settlers even encouraged natives to go against each other to triggered them into war, their objectives were to weaken the warring tribes and increase the number of slaves. Furthermore, the misunderstood and conflict between Europeans and Native Americans usaully lead to war that led to massacres of native villages. For example, the conflict between settlers and the Pequot tribe that was centered along the Pequot River, called The Pequot War. (Pequot War) The natives believed that the land were sacred and they were closely linked with the lands. The idea of â€Å"owning† land did not exit among the Native Americans. They lived on the land, but didn’t consider that they owned it. When European immigrated in their lands, the Native Americans welcomed them and were willing to share the lands with them. Nonetheless, the Europeans took advantages of the natives and started to take over their land. The points of anxiety included unfair trading, the sale of alcohol, and the destruction of Pequot crops. Eventually, it led to the first war between natives and Europeans on the continent. In 1636, European trader called John Oldham was killed by the Pequot. The incident triggered the leader of settlers, John Endicott, to seek retaliations. The Europeans then cooperated with the Narragansett, the rival of the Pequot. In May 1637, more than 500 Pequot people were burned down or hunted down, and the chief was the executed. The village was massacred. Historians considered this as a shameful period of history. The other example was the conflict between the Southern Tuscaroas tribe and the settlers in 1715. The war was later called The Tuscarora War. The European Setllers that lived in North Carolina had lived in peace with the natives for over 50 years. The chief of the Southern Tuscarora, Chief Hancock, later found his villages often assaulted and his people frequently kidnapped and sold as slaves. Chief Hancock felt that there were no alternative but to go against the settlers. Chief Hancock teamed up with other tribes and attakced the planters on the Roanoke River. Hundreds of settlers were killed. Governor force then attacked the Southern Tuscarora and other tribes in return. Hundrerd and thousands of Tuscarora were killed or made prisoners. As the result, the majority of Southern Tuscarora began migrating to New York to escape the setttlers. Due to the natives were mostly lack of armed force and resources, also weaken by diseases, they were nearly always unsucessful in wars. In conclusion, the contact between European and American caused the population of natives to reduce fastly. The Europeans thought they were the superior culture that brought civilization to the inferior culture. Since they were armed with better weapon, natives were in an inferior postion. Although the settlers did make progress for the natives, they still caused a great deal of native’s death. European imperialism of America changed the culture and lives of natives permanently and resulted in genocide of natives. The most deadly reason of native’s death is the disease they brought from the old world. The settlers brought in a number of kinds diseases that were fetal and took away a great deal of native’s life. As the settlers increased, more and more laborers were needed. Natives were captured and sold as slaves to work for the settlers. However,the settlers didn’t treat the natives well and overworked the natives. Lastly, the war between natives and settlers was also one of the reason that natives deceaded. Settlers from European countries armed with better weapons that natives couldn’t compete. As the result, the natives were mostly defeated in battles. To sum up, the contact between Europeans and Native Americans ked to a demographic disaster of unprecedented proportions. Some natives population became extinct in less than 100 years.

The Use Of Enzymes In Textile Industry Biology Essay

The Use Of Enzymes In Textile Industry Biology Essay Enzymes are bio-catalysts and are used in several industrial processes since nineteenth century. Its use in textile industry is an example of industrial or white revolution. Enzymes, due to their non-toxic and eco-friendly characteristics, have gained wide applications in textile industry. Not only they are highly specific, efficient and work under mild conditions but also they help reduce process times, save energy and water, improve quality of product and reduce pollution. As a result they are rapidly gaining global recognition as important requirement for textile industry. Commercially enzymes can be obtained from three primary sources, animal tissues, plants and microbes. However, these naturally occurring enzymes are not produced in sufficient quantities to be readily used in industrial applications. Hence, microbial strains producing the desired enzyme are cultured and optimised i.e. fermentation, to obtain enzymes in sufficient quantities for their commercial use in textile industry. The enzymes used in the textile industry are amylases, cellulases, pectinases, lipases, catalases, proteases, xylanases etc. and are mainly used for processing of the textiles i.e. preparatory and finishing of the goods. Some of the applications include removing of starch, bleaching, degrading lignin, fading of denim and non-denim, removal of peroxidises, finishing of wool, decolouration of dyestuff, bio-scouring, bio-polishing, wool finishing, etc. (Shenai, 1990; Nalankilli, 1998; Barrett et al., 2003;Cavaco and Gubitz, 2003; Chelikani et al., 2004). CLASSIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF ENZYMES USED IN TEXTILE INDUSTRY Enzymes are very specific toward catalysing the substrate. Hence these are classified on the basis of their catalytic functions in six broad categories: EC1 Oxidoreductases: catalyze oxidation and or reduction reactions EC2 Transferases: catalyze transfer of a functional group EC3 Hydrolases: catalyze the hydrolysis of various bonds EC4 Lyases: catalyse cleavage of various bonds by means other than hydrolysis and oxidation EC5 isomerases: catalyse isomerisation changes within a single molecule EC6 Ligases: joining of two molecules with formation of covalent bonds Properties of enzymes exploited for use in industrial application: Acceleration of the reaction rates by lowering the activation energy of the reaction. Operating optimally under milder conditions of temperature, pH and atmospheric pressure. Alternative for polluting, toxic and carcinogenic chemicals High specificity towards substrate makes easy to control their activity Biodegradable and do not produce toxic wastes. Due to their high efficiency, specificity, property of working under milder conditions and biodegradability enzymes are well suited for various industrial applications. ROLE FO ENZYMES IN TEXTILE INDUSTRY Use of enzymes in various textile processing processes has greatly benefited textile industry with respect to both environmental impact and quality of product. There are 7000 known enzymes, but only 75 are commercially used in textile industry (Quandt and Kuhl, 2001) and most of them belong to hydolases and oxidoreductases families. The hydrolases family includes amylases, cellulases, pectinases, proteases, catalases and lipases/estarases and oxidoreductase family include laccase, peroxidises. AMYLASES Amylases actson starch molecules and hydrolyses to give dextrin and small polymers of glucose units (Windish and Mhatre, 1965). These are classified according to the sugars they produced i.e. ÃŽ ±-amylases and ÃŽ ²-amylases. ÃŽ ±-Amylases being produced from filamentous fungi and bacteria are mostly used in industries (Pandey et al., 2000). This enzymes are stable over wide range of pH from 4-11 and optimal activity is related to the growth conditions of the source microorganisms (Vihinen and Mantsala, 1989). In general, ÃŽ ±-Amylases shows high specificity towards starch followed by amylase, amylopectine, cyclodextrin, glycogen and maltotriose (Vihinen and Mantsala, 1989). 1.1 Textile Desizing Size is an adhesive substance used to coat the wrapping threads used in weaving of the fabrics made from cotton or blend. Starch and its derivatives are broadly used to size fabrics due to their easy availability, relative low cost and excellent film forming capacity (Feitkenhauer et al., 2003). Amylases are used to remove this sizing material and prepare the fabric ready for dyeing and finishing (Cavaco-Paulo et al., 2008). Earlier to the discovery of amylases, desizing was done by chemical treatment of fabric with acid, alkali or oxidising agents at high temperature. But, this technique was inefficient in removing the starch which resulted in imperfections in dyeing and also degradation of cotton fibre. Amylases are commercially used for desizing fabric due to its efficiency and specificity and its effectiveness in completely removing the size without affecting the fabric (Cegarra, 1996; Etters and Annis, 1998). Starch is removed during washing in the form of water soluble dextrin and thus reduces the discharge of chemical waste into the environment. 2.0 CELLULASES Cellulases are the hydrolytic enzymes that catalyses the breakdown of cellulose to smaller oligosaccharides and finally to glucose. These enzymes are commonly produced by soil-dwelling fungi and bacteria such as Penicillium, Trichoderma and Fusarium (Verma et al., 2007) and shows optimal activity in temperature range from 30C-60C. The applicationof cellulases in the textile industry begin in late nineteenth century with denim finishing. It alone accounts for 14% of the worlds industrial enzyme market (Nierstrasz and Warmoeskerken, 2003). 2.1 DENIM FINISHING Denim is high grade cotton and its washing is done in order to give a worn look e.g. stonewashing of denim jeans, in which the denim fabric id faded using sodium hypochlorite or potassium permanganate are used as pumice stones (Pedersen and Schneider, 1998) it resulted in damage to the fabric and machine. Introduction of cellulases have increased the productivity without affecting garment or the machine. Cellulases hydrolyses the exposed surface of dyed (indigo) fabric leaving the interiors intact, partial hydrolyses of the surface results in removal of dye and leaves a light area. Most of the cellulases are produced from fungi, but cellulases from bacterial and actinomycetes origin are now studied with regard to its use in bio-stoning of denim. Cellulases used for washing of the denim can be further classified on the basis of optimal pH required for its maximum efficiency; as neutral cellulases operating at pH 6-8 and acidic cellulases acting at pH 4.5-6. 2.2 BIO-FINISHING Washing of cotton and other natural and man-made cellulosic fabrics, besides denim, such as linen, hemp, rayon and viscose by enzymatic activity of cellulases to improve final appearance is done by bio-finishing or bio-polishing processes (Videbaek and Andersen, 1993). The process helps in preventing the formation of ball of fuzz called pill on the surface of the garment, this formation usually results in unattractive, knotty fabric appearance. Cellulases, hydrolyses the microfibrils protruding from the surface of the fabric which tends to break off leaving a smoother surface. Bio-finishing may be an optional step for upgrading cotton fibrics, but is very important step in prevention of pilling or fibrillation during finishing of lyocell fabrics (Cavaco-paulo et al., 2008). Similarly, Carrillo et al. (2003) stated that cellulases can be used for viscose type regenerated celloloses like viscose and modal. Yachmenev et al. (2002) showed the use of ultrasound as an efficient way to improve the enzymatic activity in bioprocessing of cotton.

Beta Thalassemia: Causes and Treatments

Beta Thalassemia: Causes and Treatments Thalassemia is an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease that affects the bodys ability to produce haemoglobin, the protein that red blood cells use to carry oxygen. It reduces the rate of production of globin chains that make up haemoglobin, which are either alpha (ÃŽÂ ±) chain or beta(ÃŽÂ ²) chain. Beta-Thalassemia Major disorder occurs when both the beta globin chain are affected by mutation or deletion, resulting in the abnormalities in the formation, size and shape of red blood cell. Patients suffering from beta-thalassemia have to endure the pain from severe anemia, fatigue, enlarged spleen, and also bone problems besides jaundice. Thalassemia is found in almost every country worldwide, however it is more commonly found in Mediterranean and Asians. The data from the National Thalassemia Registry shows that currently there are 4,768 thalassemia patients registered in Malaysia. Based on the screening conducted by Ministry of Health, the carrier rate averages at about 5 %, which means about one in 20 Malaysians carry the thalassemia gene. The diagram attached in the next page shows an overview of the pathogenesis of ÃŽÂ ² thalassemia. Thalassemia can be treated and prevented by many different screening test and treatments. However, thalassemia is not curable yet. So, what are the current available treatments to help relieve the disorder symptoms? A POSSIBLE SOLUTION The treatment for thalassemia depends on the severity of the conditions. For example, people who are carriers or have a mild ÃŽÂ ± or ÃŽÂ ² thalassemia trait which usually does not have any symptoms, need little or no treatment. People with moderate and severe condition of thalassemia need treatments as soon as possible or else they are under dangerous situation that can cause fatal. BLOOD TRANSFUSION As the red blood cells of thalassemic patients are little and not healthy, it couldnt carry out its normal function of carrying oxygen efficiently which may cause the patient to have difficulties in breathing and other related problems. Therefore, the most effective treatment for these patients is blood transfusion therapy. Blood transfusion therapy is the main treatment for thalassemic patient. It is given through a needle into the vein, which gives healthy red blood cells with normal haemoglobin. Since the lifespan of the red blood cell for thalassemic patient is less than 120 days, the patient requires a regular blood transfusion. A person with moderate thalassemia needs blood transfusion when the body is under stress such as during infections. However, people with major thalassemia, Cooleys anemia, need more regular blood transfusion which is every 2 to 4 weeks.9 Basically, there are reasons why thalassemic patients need regular red blood cells transfusion. First of all, it is to correct anemia and make sure that tissues get normal amount of oxygen and carry out body functions. It is proven by research done by the scientists and doctors, where a thalassemic patient who receives a regular transfusion could live up to 50years compared to the one not receiving any treatment whom could survive only unti l childhood. Regular transfusion also helps to keep the haemoglobin level near normal and the production of ineffective haemoglobin could be stopped.7,12 This treatment helps to improve childs growth and well-being and usually prevents heart failure. 1 The blood transfusion in thalassemic patients is not the same as normal blood transfusion. As we know, blood contains different types of components and this component has its advantage that the components are in small volumes with higher concentrations of a particular product for specific indications. Therefore, thalassemic patients are given packed red blood cells instead of whole blood to improve the oxygen carrying capacity.13 However, regular blood transfusion leads to another medical problem known as iron overload. Regular blood transfusion creates an excess of iron in the body because the haemoglobin in red blood cell is an iron rich protein. As there is no natural way of eliminating it from the body, it is stored primarily in spleen, liver, endocrine organs, and heart, and becomes toxic in tissues and organ. Iron overload can cause these organs to malfunction and damages it if untreated.14,15,16 In order to remove the iron overload, a therapy known as iron chelation is done. A test called serum ferritin test is carried out to determine the amount of iron in the body as it is an important iron-storage protein. Injections of Desferrioxamine (Desferal) is given to the patient 5-7 nights per week with 8-12 hours supply which is done during sleeping time. It is injected under the skin from a small pump. Desferal works by carrying out excess iron through urine.22 Thus, iron level in the body can be reduced. So, in conclusion, the main treatment for thalassemic patients is regular blood transfusion and iron chelation therapy as blood transfusion makes the iron stored in the body overloaded. However, one sad thing about what thalassemic patients undergoes is that they started doing this since they are infant and continues this painful treatment for the rest of their lives and endure the side effects of both treatment. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS People suffering from thalassemia seem to have some emotional and psychological problems that disturb their routine lives. As we know, the people suffering from thalassemia have certain physical symptoms such as enlarged spleen which makes the stomach looks big and the head of the patient would be slightly in oval shape as the diploetic fibres in skull extend from the internal lamina. This makes them feel awkward and shy to meet people and other people also might look at them in different way. Based on the experience of Noor Hafiza Noor Hamdan, 33 a thalassemic patient interviewed for The Star newspaper, she said that : Before this, I was shy and solemn, and I did not like to smileà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. When people smile at me, I would ask myself, why? Maybe its because I have a sickness this lines are quoted from what she said in the interview. This shows that thalassemic patients lack of confidence and ashamed of themselves being in that condition, so they interact less with the public. This makes them feel lonely and leads to depression, another psychological disorder. Some people outside even discriminate them. Many thalassemic patients suffer in getting jobs besides being neglected by the parents and also the public. According to Pn. Noor Hafiza, she was not lucky with several other employers before working in a fast food outlet as she was not given the job opportunity after she showed her medical check-up which states that she has thalassemia.17 Some patients even tend to commit suicide as they couldnt cope with the pain and treatments that gives them more pain. Patients who couldnt cope with the treatment which requires not only money but also almost half of their hours in a day makes them think that its better to die rather than suffer and being a burden to the family. Besides that, they feel embarrassed by their limited ability to do things by their own. 4,19 On the other hand, economic implications also give a big impact to the patients life. Beta- thalassemia major patients require a regular blood transfusion of every 2 weeks, which cost them a lot of money. Not only transfusion, patients have to undergo many blood test and to be forgotten, the iron chelation therapy. Desferal is a controlled medicine that is very expensive medicine. This is one of the reasons why thalassemic patient couldnt continue their treatment. 1997 1998 (as from February) Thalassaemia association RM138.90 RM153.00 Goverment purchase (via Remedi) RM157.20 RM157.20 Pharmacy/clinic RM190.00 RM209.00 HUKM non-formulary purchase RM194.00 Customer purchase RM211.00 RM261.00 This research done by Prof. Elizabeth George shows the Desferals price increase from year 1997 to 1998, by 2009, the price had increased in the range of from RM500 to over RM1000 which is definitely not affordable for low class and middle class families. Thus, it becomes a financial burden to the family. As the patient gets older, the blood requirement increases as well as the Desferal. This directly increases the cost of living for a thalassemic patient. 20 There is no other way for the patients besides taking Desferal as without it, they have an average lifespan of only 20years only.5 WORD COUNT: 1463words BENEFITS AND RISK Benefits of blood transfusion are that it helps the body to have new and healthy red blood cell with normal haemoglobin. As we knew, thalassemic patients suffer from abnormal red blood cells with mutated or deleted haemoglobin, hence their red blood cells couldnt carry out its function and creates health problems such as the most severe ones is anemia. With this blood transfusion, a person could live longer to an average lifespan of 50years besides growing normally. Blood transfusion also helps the patients bones to form normally. As blood is given externally, the bone marrow does not have to work hard to produce red blood cell so it can concentrate on the formation of proper and normal bones. On the other hand, iron chelation helps to remove iron and prevents the organs like endocrine organs and liver from being damaged. 21 However, there are risks in both treatments. The most common risk of blood transfusion is infections and rejection. The patient has to get the same blood group in order to avoid rejection. There are chances of infection during transfusion either due to the blood itself or improper handling of the needle and syringe. Although a person receives regular Desferal, over time, the iron will be deposited in the spleen and liver and causes it to be damaged. Besides that, the patient has to cope with the side effects of both blood transfusion and Desferal which includes nausea, dizziness, and problems in hearing.22 ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION SPLENECTOMY Splenectomy is a surgical way of removing spleen. Old and damaged red blood cells are removed in the spleen. Since the red blood cells in a thalassemic patient are weakened, it is destroyed when passed through spleen. This makes the body to have fewer red blood cells. Removing spleen can help to lower the number of red blood cells that are lost, besides being removed due to the enlargement which causes pain to the patient. Splenectomy is done to patient above 11years old and after the removal, patient might need antibiotics to prevent infections as without spleen a person is more prone to infections. Patients can also get pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax) before the surgery to prevent infections.2 BONE MARROW STEM CELLTRANSPLANT Bone marrow transplant is another possible solution for thalassemia patient. The first successful transplant was performed in 1981 to a six-month baby from Italy.23 Bone marrow transplant involves the replacement of healthy stem cells as the patients stem cells are not producing healthy blood cells. The transplant procedure is similar to blood transfusion where it is infused through central nervous catheter. The stem cells migrate to the bones from the blood stream to stimulate the production of new bone marrow that migrates to the large cavities of bones and produce new blood cells.24 The most commonly used stem cell is the embryonic stem cell because it is easier to extract and have more advantage compared to adult stem cell as it is totipotent and not yet undergo differentiation and determination. 25 However, there are risks in getting stem cell transplant. First of all, risk of getting a suitable stem cell that matches the body to prevent rejections. Besides that, risk of infection is another problem during the process. According to Dr. Revathy Raj, Consultant Paediatric Haemato Oncologist, Apollo Speciality Hospital, Chennai, as the immune system will be lowered by immunosuppressant drug to reduce the risk of rejection, the body is now more prone to other infections.6,26 EVALUATION http://www.penthal.org/thalassaemia.htm is the website from a non-profit organization that aimed to give information about thalassemia not only to the patients but also to those who wants to know about it. In my opinion, this website is trustable and reliable as the information is factual and valid. This organization is an active group and always updated with latest new. Besides that, they are reviewed by some doctors and also origins from Penang, which means the information is more specific to Malaysians. It is also trustable as the basic informations on thalassemia given are the same as other resources used in this report such as http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/Thalassemia.htm , http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=1571.0 Information are also obtained from a paper cut : The Star Online, My blood is Different which is based on the personal experience of Noor Hafiza Noor Hamdan and some information from Ministry of Healths Thalassemia website, www.mytalasemia.net.my. The experience shared by the patient gives a lot of reliable information on treatments and their risks. The Ministry of Healths website is also very helpful in providing all kind of information by using videos and slides shows which makes it more clear and understandable. However, it gives only a brief and limited input regarding thalassemia as its main purpose is to provide brief information about this disease. It is hard to find any specific book related to thalassemia as the disease is still considered as new and unpopular in Malaysia. Most of the book sources that I referred are books related to genetics and pathology as thalassemia is related to both. However, the book, Robbins Basic Pathology, 7th Edition by Vinay Kumar and others as stated in bibliography is the most reliable and useful among all. The diagram taken from the book is very useful in explaining the pathogenesis of ÃŽÂ ²-thalassemia as it couldnt be found in any website I explored. Besides that, the explanations given in the book are also simple, clear and understandable. For example this sentence that describes about ÃŽÂ ² thalassemia: Î’-thalassemia, associated with total absence of ÃŽÂ ²-globin chain, and characterized by reduced synthesis of the chain in homozygous state. Genes obtained from thalassemic patients has revealed more than 100 different mutations responsible for it. Controlling Operative and Postoperative Pain | Literature Controlling Operative and Postoperative Pain | Literature Review of literature is a key step in research process. The literature review is to discover what has previously been done about the problem to be studied what remains to be done, what methods have been employed in other research and how the result of other research in the area can be combined to develop knowledge. It is essential step; it can be done before and after selecting the problem. It can help to determine what is already known about the topic (A.P.Jai, 2005). This chapter attempts to present a review of studies done methodology adopted and conclusion attained by earlier investigators which helps in this study. The sources are internet search, textbook, published journal, editorials published and unpublished thesis. In this chapter, the researcher presents the review of the literature under the following headings, Section-I: Studies related to importance of postoperative pain management. Section-II: Studies related to Using Numeric Rating Scale for pain Assessment. Section-III: Studies related to effectiveness of music therapy among General Surgical Patients. Section-IV: Studies related to Effectiveness of Music Therapy among Post Caesarean Mothers. Section-V: Studies related to Gate Control Theory of Pain (Melzack and Wall (1965). Section-VI: Conceptual Framework Based on Gate Control Theory of Pain (Melzack and Wall (1965). SECTION-I: STUDIES RELATED TO IMPORTANCE OF POSTOPERATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT. Kolawole and Fawole, (2003) conducted a study on Postoperative pain management following caesarean section in University of llorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).llorin, Nigeria. Prospective descriptive design was used to assess the effectiveness of various common methods of analgesia used in hospital following caesarean section. This study was conducted over a period of 18 months. Pain assessment was carried out by 4-point Verbal Rating Scale of None, Mild, Moderate, and severe. The first 24hrs postoperatively was particularly painful for the patient with 79.6% and 54.6% reporting moderate to severe pain in the recovery room and day 1 respectively. They concluded that the pain remains a significant problem following surgical operation in our environment. (PMID.15008293) Seers and Carroll, (1998) conducted a study on Relaxation techniques for acute pain management. They were used a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and seven studies involving 362 patients were included. Three of the seven studies demonstrated significantly less pain sensation or pain distress in those who had relaxation, four studies did not detect any difference. It was concluded that the well designed and executed randomized controlled trials are needed before the clinical use of relaxation in acute pain management can be firmly underpinned by good quality research evidence. So we can recommend that the relaxation in acute pain settings is carefully evaluated and not used as the main treatment for the pain management. SECTION-II: STUDIES RELATED TO USING NUMERIC RATING SCALE FOR PAIN ASSESSMENT. Yaakov Beilin, Jabera Hossain, and Carol, (2009) conducted a study on Numeric Rating Scale and Labor Epidural Analgesia, in this study a Numeric Rating Scale(NRS) used to evaluate pain in research studies, they define desire for additional analgesic medication as a clinically relevant outcome in research studies about pain and compare it with the results of the NRS. A post hoc analysis of three studies that conducted previously in concerning labor epidural analgesia was performed. In all three studies, score was obtained before and 15 min after analgesia. They found that the very few patients (2%) with a score of 0-1 wanted more medication. When the score was 2 or 3, 51% of the patients wanted more medication, and score was >3, almost all patients (93%) wanted more medication. Grouping the final NRS scores into 3 categories (0 or 1, 2 or 3, and >3) is more useful to the clinician than using individual NRS scores. Cinzia Brunelli, (2009) did a study on Comparison of Numerical and Verbal Rating Scales to measure pain exacerbations in patients with chronic Cancer pain. Crosses sectional multicentre study conducted on a sample of 240 advanced cancer patients with pain, background pain and BP were measured by 6-point VRS and 11 point NRS. In order to evaluate the reproducibility of the two scales, a subsample of 60 patients was randomly selected and the questionnaire was administered for a second time three to four hours later. The proportion of inconsistent evaluations was calculated to compare the two scales capability in discriminating between background and peak pain intensity and Cohens K was calculated to compare their reproducibility. It concludes that NRS revealed higher discriminatory capability than VRS in distinguishing between background and peak pain intensity with a lower proportion of patients giving inconsistent evaluations (14% vs. 25%) (Cohens K of 0.86 for NRS vs 0.53 for VRS) while the reproducibility of the two scales in evaluating background pain was similar (Cohens K of 0.80 vs. 0.77). Nathalie Dieudonne, Alexandra Gomola, Philippe Bonnichon, and Yves M.Ozier, (2008) conducted a study on Prevention of postoperative pain after thyroid surgery. In this study double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial used to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of bilateral superficial cervical plexus blocks performed at the end of surgery. Ninety patients were randomized to receive 20 mL isotonic sodium chloride or 20 mL bupivacaine 0.25% with 1:200,000 epinephrines. Postoperative pain was assessed every 4 h using an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS-11). All patients received acetaminophen every 6 h. In addition, morphine was administered following a standardized protocol if the NRS-11 score was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥4. The main outcome variables were pain scores (NRS-11), the proportion of patients given morphine at any time during the 24-h period, and the amount of morphine administered. The Bupivacaine group had a smaller proportion of patients given morphine (66.0% vs 90.0%; P = 0.016), and lower initial median pain scores (P = 0.002). SECTION-III: STUDIES RELATED TO EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC THERAPY AMONG GENERAL SURGICAL PATIENTS. Sigma Theta Tau International, (2009) conducted a study to assess and compare the effect of music therapy on postoperative pain of patient undergone elective abdominal surgery. A quasi-experimental design was used and convenient samples of 30 (15 in each expcontrol group). Pain was measured by Verbal Rating Scale. Music therapy was given as per patients wish to experimental group and intensity of pain was monitored before and immediately after recovery from anesthesia, during the 1st and 2nd postoperative day for both the groups. Results revealed that those patients who listened to self selected music tapes had significant differences (p Tse MM.Chan Me. Benzie, (2005) conducted a study to find the effectiveness of music therapy on postoperative pain and analgesic use following nasal surgery. Sample size was 57 patients (24females33 males) who were matched for age and sex and then non-selectively assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Music was played intermittently to members of the experimental group during the first 24hrs postoperative period and pain intensity was measured by Verbal Rating Scales. It shows the significant decrease in pain intensity over time were found in the experimental group compared to the control group (p Nilsson, Unosson and Rawal, (2005) conducted a study on Stress reduction and analgesia in patients exposed to calming music postoperatively. The randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy. Seventy-five patients undergoing hernia repair in day care surgery were allocated to three groups: intraoperative music, postoperative music and silence (control group). Patients postoperative pain, anxiety, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation were studied. The postoperative music group had less anxiety and pain and required less morphine after 1hr compared with the control group. The result concluded that intraoperative music may decrease postoperative pain, and that postoperative music therapy may reduce anxiety, pain and morphine consumption. SECTION- IV: STUDIES RELATED TO EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC THERAPY AMONG POST CAESAREAN MOTHERS. Arastirma TAF pre Med Bull, (2009) conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy on postoperative pain after Caesarean section. The sample size was 100 and randomly allocated into two groups (50 in each group).Group 1, patients listened to music through a headphone for 1hour immediately before surgery where as in group-2, not listen to any music during the same period. In the postanaesthesia care unit patients were connected to I.V. PCA device when they were able to respond to commands. The patients level of satisfaction with perioperative care was assessed by a 10cm Visual Analogue Scale and the severity of postoperative pain was assessed by VAS. The results shows that the postoperative tramadol consumption, total amount of tramadol consumption, additional analgesic use and all VAS values were lower in group-1(p Amin Ebneshahidi, and Masood Mohseni, (2008) conducted a study to evaluate the effect of patient selected music on early postoperative pain, anxiety and Hemodynamic profile in Caesarean section. The sample size was 80 who were undergoing elective C.S.surgery enrolled randomly to listen 30 minutes of music or silence by head phones postoperatively. Pain and Anxiety were measured with visual Analogue Scale. Results says that the pain score and postoperative cumulative opioid consumption were significantly lower among patients in the music group (p SECTION-V: STUDIES RELATED TO GATE CONTROL THEORY OF PAIN Marial, (2007) did a study to assess the effectiveness of back massage on pain during first stage of labour among mothers in selected maternity centre at tirupur. 60 samples were selected by using convenient sampling method for the study (experimental group-30 and control group-30). Experimental group received massage were as the control group did not. She used Melzack pain gate control theory for conceptual frame work. Data was collected using behavioral intensity and visual analogue scale. The statistical calculation done was frequency mean, SD, chi-square andt test. The result of the study shows that massage is a cost effective nursing intervention that can decreases the pain perception during labour. Jacintha, (1995) did a study on the effect of back massage during the first stage of labour. She divided the samples in to two groups of 30 each. The experimental group received back massage for 10 minutes per hour. She used non participatory observation technique to observe the maternal behavioral every hour. She used Melzack pain gate control theory for conceptual frame work. The experimental group was interviewed regarding their experience and feelings of back massage before shifting them to the post natal ward. 100% of mothers remembered massage given to them during labour, with feeling of comfortable in 76.66% and relaxed in 43.33%. All the mothers were of the opinion that all mothers in labour should be given back massage. Locsin, (1981) did a study to assess the effectiveness of music on the pain of selected postoperative patients during first 48 hrs. The 24 female gynecology and/ obstetric patients were assign to two groups (control and experimental). The measurement of the experimental variable was done by an Overt Pain Reduction Rating Scale (OPRRS) which is devised by the writer. Significant differences were found between the groups of postoperative patients in their muscular-skeletal and verbal reactions during the first 58hr at the 0.05 level. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the concept of distraction following the Gate Control Theory of Pain by Melzack Wall (1965). The finding says that the music can be used as a nursing measure for postoperative patients. SECTION-VI: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK BASED ON GATECONTROL THEORY OF PAIN (MELZACK AND WALL (1965) The conceptual frame work for the present study was derived from Gate Control Theory of Pain (Melzack and Wall, 1995) Application of Gate Control Theory of Pain Polit and Hungler, (1965) state that a conceptual framework is inter related concept on abstraction that is assembled together in some rational scheme by virtue of their relevance to a common scheme. It is a device that helps to stimulate research and the extension of knowledge by providing both direction and impetus. The present study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of music therapy on intensity of post operative pain among primipara mothers who had Caesarean Section. The conceptual frame work of this study was derived from gate control theory of pain. Gate Control Theory of Pain: Many theories of pain have been presented in the literature. These include specificity, pattern, affect and psychological/behavioral theory (Mander 1998). The most widely used and accepted theory is that of Melzack Wall (1965). These researchers have established that gentle stimulation actually inhibits the sensation of pain. Their gate control theory states that a neural or spinal gating mechanism occurs in the substantiate gelatinosa of the dorsal horns of the spinal cord. The nerve impulses received by nociceptors, the receptors for pain in the skin and tissue of the body, are affected by the gating mechanism. It is the position of the gate that determines whether or not the nerve impulses travel freely to the medulla and the thalamus, thereby transmitting the sensory impulse or message, to the sensory cortex. The pain impulses will be carried out by the small diameter slow conducting A-delta and C fibers. Impulses traveled through small diameter fibers will open the pain gate and the person feels pain. Pain gate is also receiving impulses produced by stimulation of thermo receptors or mechanoreceptors transmitted via large diameter; myellindated A-delta fibers inhibit superimpose the small diameter impulses. (Myles -2003) If the gate is closed, there is little or no conduction, for example distraction, counseling and massage techniques are ways to release endorphins, which close the gate. This prevents or reduces the clients perception of pain (Freeman and Lawlis, 2001) If the gate is open, the impulses and messages pass and are transmitted freely. Therefore, when the gate is open, pain and sensation is experienced. (Potter and Perry, 2009) Many non pharmacological procedures such as hydrotherapy, music therapy (distraction), application of heat or ice, massage, vibration, TENS and movement stimulate the nerve endings connected with large diameter fibres which can produce a reduction of pain by closing the pain gate. Based on the principle of gate control theory, the following conceptual framework was developed. Method used to reduce intensity of postoperative pain is instrumental music which is composed by violin among Primipara mothers who had Caesarean Section. Stimulation of Pain Receptors: Surgical trauma of the uterus due to Caesarean Section stimulates pain receptors in lower abdomen and lumbar area of the back. In the control group there was more stimulation of pain receptors in these areas due to the close contact between the contracting uterus and abdominal and lower back structures. In case of experimental group(Music therapy), there was less stimulation of free nerve ending in the lower abdomen and lumbar area of back compared to the control group due to the distraction caused by music therapy. Travelling of Pain Impulses: Normally pain impulses are traveling through small short conducting A-delta and C fibres. Impulses from stimulation will be distracted by instrumental music and decrease in pain perception produce a reduction of pain by closing the pain gate in experimental group. Gating Mechanism: Pain impulses after the Caesarean Section are transmitted through the spinal nerve segment of T11-12 and accessory lower thoracic and upper lower sympathetic nerves, which are traveled through (A-delta and C) small diameter and slow conducting amyelinated fibres and reach the pain gate and open the gate thus the mother perceives pain in the lower abdomen and lower back. Impulses reduced by music due to decreased in pain perception to travel through fast conducting myelinated A-delta fibres which impose small fibres and close the pain gate. SUMMARY This chapter dealt with the studies related to importance of postoperative pain management, application of music therapy and conceptual frame work based on gate control theory of pain.

Why I Should Win The University Philosophy Club Essay Contest :: Writing Jacksonville University Essays

Why I Should Win The 1997 Jacksonville University Philosophy Club Essay Contest The Jacksonville University Philosophy Club is sponsoring its eighth annual undergraduate essay contest. The best argumentative essay, from any discipline, will receive the first place prize. I will demonstrate here why you will be compelled to award that prize to the essay that you are currently undertaking. We start this argument with the following premise, known as the Conservation of Energy. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. This is a basis of physics, and no evidence is brought against it that refutes its certainty. If we accept it, it follows that the energy in the cosmos must be finite. If we posited an infinite amount of energy, we could not speak of conserving it. Additionally, the stuff of the cosmos cannot be infinite or w e would face the contradiction that new energy would be coming into existence from nothing; ex nihilo. From this examination we must accept the entailed premise that the amount of energy must be finite. The second premise of the argument is that all becoming is of necessity. Perhaps, it is easier to frame this idea within a format of cause and effect. For the event, represented by the placeholder; Z, to be any different than it is, its cause (or causes), symbolized; Y must have necessarily been different in some manner. It follows logically that for Y to be different, then X must differ. This, like the energy in the cosmos, can not amount to an infinite set of possibilities. The possible outcomes of a pair of rolled standard die are a finite number of outcomes (six to the second power). The number of possible outcomes of any finite set of probabilities must be finite (albeit perhaps incomprehensibly large). If we extrapolate the number of outcomes from the huge number of finite possibilities we do not ever, arrive at an infinite amount. Although, one odd possibility does remain. We may come upon the case where (for the sake of simplicity) Z causes A. The chain of causes resumes wher e it once before began. Subsequently, time is infinite. It extends forever toward the past and forever into the future. We have now only to piece these premises together. Energy is a fixed quantum within the cosmos. Time proceeds through an unending series of becoming from necessity (with acknowledged shortcomings, I may interchange the terms; cause and effect).

Deforestation and Biodiversity Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Pa

Deforestation and Biodiversity While the loss of forests is clearly visible, a decline in biodiversity has a less apparent effect. The subtle loss of biodiversity fails to indicate the significance that fewer species in the ecosystem increases the fragility of life for all species. Despite the negative effects of deforestation and the consequential decline of biodiversity, trees are cut down for an economic and consumer benefit. Members of society need to determine how much economic cost they are willing to spend in order to preserve plant and animal species. To reduce the degree of deforestation, tree harvesters may use selective logging, which involves only the removal of trees that are the most economically beneficial. Trees with lower economic value are left standing. This method still has problems intrinsic with any kind of deforestation and selective logging also introduces new environmental problems. Tree harvesters need to build roads into the forests to remove the timber (Vandermeer and Perfecto, 1995). The road construction means that a greater surface of land will be covered by asphalt, which increases the amount of rainwater runoff that is not filtered by the soil before entering a stream. These streams are polluted by sediment carried by the rainwater. Vandermeer and Perfecto also say that selective logging introduces secondary damage when non-targeted trees are knocked down in the process of removing the desirable trees. In addition, selective logging over a long period of time leads to deterioration of the stand, which reduces the overall value of the forest when the loss of more valuable trees leaves lower grade timber behind (Vandermeer and Perfecto, 1995). Another change related to the effect of sel... ...eforestation/deforestation_3.html>. Sanchez-Azofeifa, G., Rivard, B., Calvo, J., Moorthy, I. (2002). â€Å"Dynamics of Tropical Deforestation Around National Parks: Remote Sensing of Forest Change on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.† Retrieved April 16, 2003, from BioOne . Southwick, C. H. (1996). Global Ecology in Human Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press. State Department. (2003). â€Å"Study Says Smaller Households threaten Worldwide Biodiversity,† January 15. Retrieved April 16, 2003, from United States Consulate Mumbai-India . Vandermeer, J. and Perfecto, I. (1995). Breakfast of Biodiversity: The Truth about Rain Forest Destruction. Oakland, California: The Institute for Food and Development Policy.

Emotion and Thu Interdependence

Sociology: Marriages and Families Final Term Paper Due: April 28, 2011 THU Interdependence and Relationships Chapter Five When you look back at your relationships in the past and when you look at the way you were when you were in those relationships, were you the same? Or did you see yourself change? When someone is in a relationship, I believe, they become different than who they really are. Being in love has such a strong influence on the people, sometimes they get lost. I believe that the strength that an individual has, to not lose sight of himself or herself while in love, describes the interdependence of those partners. Interdependence has a lot of connection with relationships. Therapist John Crosby (text pg 112), talks about the different styles of relationships and how the individuals’ interdependence connects with that style. He distinguished three different types of relationships. First, the A-frame relationship is described as a relationship where the partners have very little independence but a strong identity through the relationship. The individuals in this type of relationship have too much interdependence, and if one grows out the other one will end up falling. The second style is the H-frame relationship. This is when the partners have little or no interdependence. The partners in this type of relationship aren’t emotionally connected with each other and can stand by themselves. Lastly, the M-frame relationship. Crosby describes this relationship style as having the best interdependency. The partners both have individuality yet they bring that support and influence to the other partner. Lehmiller also talks about interdependence and relationships. His article Secret Romantic Relationships talked about his research on how secrecy of a relationship can be harmful and how that affects the interdependency of that individual. Lehmiller states that secrecy of a relationship shows the individual’s low self-esteem and it promotes health risks. I believe a secret relationship has the interdependency like the A-frame relationship that Crosby had talked about. The partners keep the relationship a secret however they can’t seem to let go of the relationship even though secrecy is a harmful health risk. I believe this happens because they rely on each other so much that they lose themselves individually so all they can do is keep that relationship. Another author, Adams, the author of Characteristics of closeness in adolescent romantic relationships, talks about his investigation and what he discovered was that interdependence was linked to the closeness of romantic relationships. He states that no matter what gender you are, the interdependency of an individual is linked to their relationships. Although these three authors talk about interdependence and how it connects with relationships, their views are slightly different as well. Lehmiller describes that interdependency has a lot to do with the certain situation that the partners are in, such as secrecy. Adams talks about how interdependence is influenced by age, the individuals’ social lives, and many more. Lastly, Crosby focuses on how the interdependency influences the different styles of relationships. After reading and comparing the articles, it made me think about how I am influenced and how much I influence my partner when in a relationship. Personally, I liked reading how secrecy of a relationship can be harmful because it was something new. I have never imagined myself having to hide a relationship yet still be together with that partner. It made me think about how relationships really affect people’s emotions and minds. I realized, after reading these articles, that I should be more independent and stronger for myself before I start having a relationship. I don’t want to see myself depending on a relationship and losing my identity. Love is so strong, that you can lose your individuality, yet people always want to be in love or be loved.

Language and Imagery in Wuthering Heights Essay

In Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte uses Language and imagery to create a very stark contrast between Heathcliff, and Edgar Linton. This contrast is not only illustrated in how these characters act, but also in their appearance, usual setting and the language that is used to describe them. Emily Bronte first uses the raw basics of the characters Heathcliff and Edgar Linton to right away let us know that these characters are polar opposites. She does this with the imagery of both characters. In chapter 7, Heathcliff describes Edgar as having light skin and fair hair, whereas in the same chapter it is mentioned that Heathcliff has dark hair and dark skin. This use of binary opposites suggests to the reader already, that Heathcliff and Edgar are complete opposites, right down to their core. This use of Binary opposites and imagery is also applied to where Heathcliff and Edgar live, Edgar living in Thrushcross Grange, the light, large house, and Heathcliff living in the dark, gloomy and sinister house of Wuthering Heights. This imagery of the two houses reflects the characters of the two men. Language is also used effectively and in abundance by Bronte to illustrate the two characters differences. Bronte uses contrasting Lexical fields pertaining to heaven and hell to not only show the contrast in character between Heathcliff and Edgar, but to suggest that one is good and one is evil. For instance Heathcliff is constantly being described as or being referred to with the use of words which relate to hell. His eyes are described as ‘devils spies’ and ‘ dark fiends’ by Nelly, and coupled with his appearance of being dark skinned and haired, he is closely associated with the devil, who represents evil. Edgar on the other hand, is described with a lexical field of a more heavenly nature. His eyes are referred to as being little Angels and his features are continuously called angelic and soft, which suggests he is similar to an angel, which is of course good. By using contrasting lexical fields for each character, Bronte uses selective language to suggest that these two are not only opposites, but they are Good and Evil. Heathcliff is, when being talked of, surrounded by sinister sounding words which aren’t necessarily talking about his character explicitly, but they help to create a dark and sinister atmosphere around his character. An example of this is in chapter seven where Nelly is talking about Heathcliff she uses words such as ‘lurk’ and ‘vicious’ and this is what creates this dark atmosphere. Bronte does the same with Edgar, as when he is talking or being talked about, words such as ‘gently’ and ‘beautiful’ are used and this helps to project a calm and soft atmosphere around Edgar, which is completely different to the atmosphere Heathcliff carries with him, and thus increases the contrast that the reader sees between Heathcliff and Edgar. Catherine brings our attention to the contrast between the two in chapter 9 where she says ‘(Heathcliff’s soul) and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire’ This use of binary opposites again suggests with the use of the words fire and lightning that Heathcliff is violent and harmful and burns, which again associates him with hell, and the use of Frost and moonbeam to describe Edgars soul to suggest he is soft, light, cool and calm reinforces the already stark contrast between the two and again suggests them not only to be different, but to be complete opposites. The fact that to most readers it would be obvious as to which out of either Heathcliff and Edgar is the fire and lightning shows how Bronte has been slotting words into the text as well as the individual characters, to make the reader associate Heathcliff with hell, and Edgar with Heaven. In conclusion, Bronte uses particular lexical fields which are binary opposites to each other and applies them to Heathcliff and Linton to exacerbate the contrast seen between the two. Bronte also uses imagery of their physical appearance and living place, paired with continuous subtle language choices to make the reader associate Heathcliff with Hell, and Edgar with Heaven, and this makes us not only see the two as contrasting characters, but bad and good, and at the completely different ends of the spectrum.