Chronic Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors

Chronic Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors Chronic Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors: Alcohol and Nutrition One of the most vital organs in the human body is the liver. The liver is the organ responsible for a variety of essential functions that is necessary for optimal health and well-being of a person. It is tasked with detoxifying your body from all the substances that circulates in the bloodstream coming from foods, medications and by-products of cellular processes. The liver is also responsible for other functions such as creation of bile and red blood cell composition. It can be said that a healthy individual needs to have a healthy functioning liver as well. Due to its numerous functions, the liver is also one of the organs of the body that is most commonly injured as well. Chronic liver disease is a condition wherein the liver is not able to carry out its functions for an extended period of time (i.e., 6 months or more). When your liver is subjected to a lot of stresses and harmful substances, problems with its functioning can occur and render it unable to carry out its vital functions. The most commonly mentioned factors related to the existence of chronic liver problems is poor diet and alcohol abuse. Problems with the functioning of the liver can contribute to the existence of a lot of other conditions that is harmful to your health since the substances that it is supposed to clear from your body are not eliminated. Nutrition and Chronic Liver Problems The food that you take contributes to meet your body’s need for energy to help you with activities of daily living. However, it has been found through numerous researches that the type of diet you take also can contribute to the existence of problems with your liver, injuring it and impairing its functions. Fatty liver is one of the most common causes of chronic liver diseases and is brought about by intake of foods that is high in fat and cholesterol content. These foods are those that are usually found in fast foods and are rich in sodium and sugars as well. Included in this would be foods that are deep fried in animal fat such as French fries and chicken, dairy products that are non-fat and processed and canned meat products. Apart from causing fatty liver, these foods are also pointed out to be the source of obesity, heart conditions. Alcohol Intake and Liver Injury Alcohol is another factor that has been linked to the development of chronic liver disease. This is because alcohol in itself is seen as an oxidizing agent, meaning that alcohol can cause the cells within your liver to dry, and easily get injured. When this happens, inflammation can occur in your liver. Imagine this happening on a long-term basis, and you will see that the liver gets repeatedly injured, resulting in a condition known as cirrhosis. In this case, the liver gets scar tissues in areas repeatedly injured, rendering these areas non-functional. This can result in the liver’s inability to detoxify your body of the substances you take that can harm the cells of your body. So, if you want to have a normal and healthy functioning liver, it is essential that you choose your diet very well and keep your alcohol intake to low or moderate levels if you really can’t avoid it totally. References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2009.03.019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gut.41.6.845 http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-62703-047-2_38 Maintaining Optimal Cognitive Health Through Diet The cognitive abilities of an individual is found to be on a continuous growth and development throughout the lifespan. This finding contrary to the previous notion that your cognitive abilities experience a decline as you age. This is because there are previous studies showing that decline in cognitive functioning occurring with age is mostly due to the existence of problems such as dementia, or other neurological condition like stroke. However, the growth of your cognitive capacities does not happen if conditions that are related to the overall functioning of your body are not conducive for it. It means that when you do not necessarily take care of your cognitive health, a decline may occur unless you take measures to delay or stop it from happening. Over the years, there are a number of researches that have been made in this area and these studies have turned out with findings that one of the ways to maintain and promote optimal levels in cognitive functioning is through managing the foods that you take. Nutrition is essential to overall functioning of your body and even cognitive health. If your diet is high in foods that contains essential fatty acids, nutrients and other vitamins, this can contribute to cognitive health. This not only increase your cognitive health but it can also prevent other chronic health conditions from occurring such as hypertension and strokes. Certain types of diet that are considered to be highly conducive in maintaining and promoting optimal health are the DASH and Mediterranean diets. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a plan that is usually given to people who have hypertension. This is primarily composed of lists of foods that the person with hypertension can take and how much they are allowed to have in order to stop the progression of hypertension if they already have it, or to stop hypertension from occurring if they are at high risk for its development. Since this diet decreases the intake of salt, fat, and refined carbohydrates in the overall intake, it is also used for adoption in other people with other health conditions such as heart diseases, obesity and stroke. In a study conducted in the US, it has been seen that individuals who adopted the DASH diet have been seen to have lower blood pressures. This can be useful in prevention of cognitive decline since an effective blood circulatio n to your brain is also related to your blood pressure. When you have a blood pressure that is within the normal limits, then your blood is able to flow more efficiently, increasing the delivery of essential nutrients and oxygen to your brain and contributing to overall cognitive health. Another diet that has been found to be helpful in maintain and promoting optimal cognitive health is the Mediterranean diet. This diet has been followed by people from the Mediterranean such as the people from Spain, the Greeks and those who are living in the Mediterranean islands. It is rich in foods that are rich in essential fatty acids such as peas and lentils, fish and olive oil that is essential for cognitive health and functioning. Also, this diet is rich in fruits and bread using mostly whole grains and other unrefined sources of carbohydrates that are important in ensuring that the vessels and nerves in the brain remain healthy and disease free. The maintenance and promotion of optimal cognitive health is not essentially hard, if you know the necessary steps to take in its promotion. And, with it, always remember that prevention of any cognitive problems is way so much better than finding a cure for it! References: Gardener H, Wright CB, Gu Y, Demmer RT, Boden-Albala B, Elkind MS, et al. Mediterranean-style diet and risk of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death: the Northern Manhattan Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94:1458–64. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-013-0070-2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nure.12040 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/718338 Bach-Faig A, Berry EM, Lairon D, Reguant J, Trichopoulou A, Dernini S, et al. Mediterranean diet pyramid today. Science and cultural updates. Public Health Nutr. 2011;14:2274–84. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2997798/ Vitamin D and Its Benefits Vitamin D is probably one of those that are underappreciated for all its worth. Over the years, it was only usually related to or referred to its use in helping the absorption of calcium from your bloodstream to be deposited into your bones. This was probably the only function of this vitamin that you know, but it does more than that. Apart from helping calcium in your diet to be absorbed into your bones from your bloodstream, there are numerous other uses that Vitamin D can play in your body. Vitamin D Helps Maintain Immune System Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver has found that maintaining high levels of Vitamin D in your bloodstream can help maintain immune function and help you prevent from contracting infections such as colds and other common infections. Vitamin D Helps Reduce Your Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis Vitamin D is usually found in your blood stream and is activated when you are exposed to sunlight. Therefore, the more you are exposed to healthy levels of sunlight, the more Vitamin D is activated and conversely, more of it is found on your blood stream. Studies have revealed that people who live in tropical areas where they are more exposed to sunlight have lower risks for the development of multiple sclerosis throughout their lifetimes. Vitamin D Is Essential in Maintaining Cognitive Functions A European study involving 3000 males between the ages of 40 and throughout the continent has shown that increasing vitamin D levels in the blood stream has helped the respondents maintain optimal level of functioning in their brains even later on in their lives. This means that having higher levels of this vitamin in your blood stream can help reduce your risk for developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions resulting in the decline of your cognitive functioning. Other Uses of Vitamin D As mentioned in the previous sections, Vitamin D has a lot of uses. Apart from those that were mentioned above, it can also help you maintain a healthier body weight and decrease your risk for obesity. This is seen in a research conducted by the Medical College of Georgia in the United States. It can also help in managing asthma and its symptoms. In a study that was conducted among over 600 children in Costa Rica by the Harvard Medical School, it has been found that those who were found to have high blood levels of Vitamin D have decreased episodes and severity of their asthmatic attacks. Moreover, increased level of Vitamin D is also found to reduce the likelihood of development of rheumatoid arthritis in women who are over the age of 40. Vitamin D has also been found to have a protective function in those who are being treated for cancer via radiation therapy. This is supported by a study conducted by experts in the field of radiology in the New York City Health Department. Vitamin D is also seen to decrease the risk for cancer development when it is maintained on a high level in the blood stream. This is regardless of the individual’s age and nutritional status. Vitamin D is also shown to help individuals with tuberculosis recover faster, decrease the risk of heart attacks and play a vital role in overall muscular health. References: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php Holick MF. Vitamin D: importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):362-71. Vitamins and minerals Vitamin D UK National Health Service. Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention: Strengths and Limits of the Evidence U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. Accessed October 20th 2013. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997213000402?np=y Key to Cardiovascular Health: The Role of Tea and Flavonoids For the longest time, a number of research papers has shown how coffee and other caffeine-containing products has been related to existence of a number of health problems. Caffeine containing products such as coffee, chocolates and tea have been linked to the incidences of heart problems, heart burn and ulcers, and other health conditions. You may probably be one of those who were told by their doctors that they need to lay low on their coffee because of this. It may have even been hard for you because you need coffee or other source of caffeine for your day to start properly. But this will soon come to an end, since there are studies done that can prove this notion otherwise. One of the substances that has been found by research studies to contribute to your health is tea. Both black tea and green tea are found to contain high levels of flavonoids. These flavonoids are believed to improve your vascular health by improving the general health of blood vessels that are responsible for controlling the flow of blood into the other parts of your body. Also, these flavonoids are also suggested to contribute to dilation of blood vessels, further improving blood circulation and oxygen and nutrient supply and delivery to other parts of your body. In studies done, it has been seen that flavonoids are also responsible for decreasing the risk of the development of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition wherein the fat and cholesterol often found in your diet gets deposited along the vessel walls and thickens and hardens in there, causing a disruption in blood flow. The presence of atherosclerosis has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and ev en stroke since it causes blood to flow more slowly, increase chances of clot formation and deprives your cells of the essential oxygen and nutrients needed for its overall functioning. There is also consistent number of data showing that one of the ways in which flavonoids contribute to general cardiovascular health is through certain mechanisms such as the enhancement of the status of the substance nitric oxide in your bloodstream. High levels of nitric oxide in your blood stream is responsible for the improvement of your endothelial functioning. This substance is consisted by both nitrogen and oxygen atoms and is seen to contribute to reducing the risk of inflammation of the blood vessels, improve functioning of the cells and acts to regulate cellular processes. Apart from the known benefits that flavonoids can have in terms of your cardiovascular status, it also has been found to have other health benefits too. The intake of green tea has been seen and is used to control body weight, reduce body fat content and control the risk of obesity. Tea and flavonoids are also seen to reduce cellular damage due to oxidation process that increases your risk for cancer development. It can also help to reduce incidences of inflammation, formation of clots, and reduce the risk for development of diabetes mellitus type 2. Yes, tea and flavonoids can have all these health benefits but it is also wise to keep its intake in moderation because anything taken in excess in never good for you and your body. References: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15678717 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20837049 www.proactivehearthealth.net/Nitric_Oxide.html http://cardiohealthresearch.com/nitric-oxide/ The Benefits of Food to the Brain The human brain is a complex and dynamic organ of the body. Your brain is responsible for all other processes taking place inside your body, whether you are aware of it or not. Your brain is not just responsible for cognitive and psychological processes, it also has something to do with your body’s physiologic processes as well. The healthier your brain is, the healthier functioning it can have and the better general health and well-being you can achieve. Brain health can be achieved through proper diet, exercise and good lifestyle choices. One of the most important aspects of brain health maintenance and development is feeding it with the right vitamins and minerals that it needs to be able to carry out its normal processes. When your brain is being fed with the right nutrients, its physiologic processes are better and more effectively carried out, improving its overall functioning. One of the benefits that you can have because of this is the positive influence it exerts in your brain’s metabolism of the energy coming from the food you take in. Proper metabolism of energy in your brain can help contribute to a more effective neuronal functioning, signal transmission between your neurons, and plasticity in synaptic activities (or the capacity of your brain to cause an increase or decrease in the strength of the synapses in response to time). This can affect how your brain maintains your mental health and your cognitive functioning. Food has a direct influence on the long and short term effects on your brainâ€⠄¢s neuronal plasticity. Food, being a source of both fuel and essential substance that your body needs to maintain and promote optimal cellular process is therefore important for your brain functioning. For the longest time, diet, has been studied in terms of how it affects the manner in which a person’s brain functions. It has been seen to exert an influence in the evolution of the brain and in improving its capacity as well. The manner in which you feed yourself and the choice of food you take is therefore important to consider if you want to maintain and promote optimal brain health and cognitive functioning. Essential fatty acids, specifically DHA which usually found in sources of protein such as meat products, dairy, fish and poultry and its products is helpful in synaptic functioning and in maintenance of cognitive functioning, decreasing the risk for the development of conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and also other mental health problems as well. The use of DHA on your body, however is reversed when you prepare your food in a manner that is high in trans fat such as cooking it in animal fat like deep-frying. Other food sources such as vegetables, lentils and fruits and whole grain are also linked to their positive effect in terms of maintenance of the health of nervous tissues. Staying away from alcohol can also have a positive impact on your brain health and cognitive functioning since alcohol has been found to exert an oxidative effect, accelerating the manner in which the cells and tissues in your brain degenerates and die, therefore affecting your cogni tive health negatively. References: http://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2013/11000/Diet_and_cognition___interplay_between_cell.21.aspx http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/ http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/nutrition/brain-food-nutrition.php

Relationship Between Plankton and Ocean Currents

Relationship Between Plankton and Ocean Currents Gabriel Vallim PLANKTON AND OCEAN CURRENTS Plankton, from Greek it means wandering Plankton can be considered all organisms that come with ocean currents. This does not necessarily mean that all don’t have movement. Many of them have the ability to move, but can’t overcome the chains, and because of that they only has vertical movements and don’t define its horizontal position in the ocean. Plankton can be plants or animals and it has an important role in the fish food chain and other sea life, and also for human beings. The plankton organisms are very important because they are the base of marine food chain, and also because phytoplankton is the largest source of oxygen to the atmosphere, to the photosynthesis. These organisms have different sizes: from 2 microns (protozoa) to a few meters (some species of jellyfish), and are distributed from the surface to deep water. Importance of the Plankton Plankton is very important for life on Earth. Phytoplankton produces much of oxygen that people and other animals need to survive. Plankton is also a big source of food. Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton. Fish and other large animal, feeds the zooplankton. As an example we have the whales, which keep the plankton through their filters, present in their mouths. Plankton doesn’t have the ability to overcome the ocean current. This is why the plankton is a group of extremely vulnerable to marine pollution organisms, since they can’t move to a location with better environmental conditions. Thus, some plankton organisms are important indicators of environmental quality of the marine regions. Types of Plankton 1) Phytoplankton > is Plankton formed from plants. These organisms are often not the size of a cell. A diatom, for example, which is a type of unicellular algae, is a common form of phytoplankton. The plants belonging to the plankton occupy the upper layers of the ocean because of light presence and then perform photosynthesis to produce energy and release oxygen gas. Different from most land plants, phytoplankton does not need roots, stems or leaves, because they can absorb water and nutrients directly from their environment. 2) Zooplankton > is Plankton formed from animal organisms. Some of these organisms are very small, as crustaceans’ miniature and protozoa. Others, such as jellyfish, are larger. Some fish and shellfish, early in his life, are eggs or small larvae. These eggs and larvae are also zooplankton. In the phytoplankton and zooplankton, bacteria and fungi float on the waters of the planet. These bodies can also be considered plankton. Ocean Currents The ocean currents are water flows that occur in the oceans and regulate the climate. Some streams are perennial, or is always flowing in a given direction at a given point. Ocean currents have their origin in the movement of winds at the surface and by the movement of Earths rotation. It starts in the tropics and at high latitudes and circulates oceans and seas carrying large bodies of water and debris, affecting marine life. They are divided into cold and warm currents, and have particular characteristics, such as temperature, salinity, color, density and marine life. The warm currents originate in the Intertropical Zone, leave the tropics toward the Polar Regions, while the cold currents, originate in the Polar Regions, and move in the opposite direction, towards the Equatorial Zones. An example is the Humboldt Current, which reaches the coast of Chile, creating a marked aridity in the region, and interferes with the fishing activity. They carry with them moisture and heat also interfering in marine life and, consequently, having a direct influence on the balance of the oceans and seas. It is considered the most important and enigmatic phenomena of the oceans due to its influence on climate regions and also for holding an important transportation work and spread of plant and animal species. The formation of ocean currents is because of the union of some factors of nature, such as difference density of water, by the difference in temperature and salinity. The currents tend to move the higher density areas to low density areas; action of the winds and movement of the Earths rotation (mainly influences towards some currents). Ocean currents can influence the climate, for example, contribute to the formation of deserts, such as the Humboldt Current with the Atacama Desert and the Benguela current with the desert of Namibia and Kalahari . From a biological point of view, the currents contribute to the spread of animal and plant species by the various areas through which they pass. The Humboldt Current, for example, contributes to the coast of Peru and Chile be one of the richest areas in the world of fish, due to the large amount of marine plankton that it transports. Major Ocean Currents Atlantic Ocean Coast of North America The Labrador Current (cold), the Gulf Stream (hot); Coast of Central America current West Indies or South equatorial current (hot); Coast of South America Falkland or Malvinas Current (cold), Brazil Current (warm). Pacific Ocean Coast of North America: Current California (cold); Coast of Central America: North Equatorial Current (hot); Coast of South America: Current Humboldt or Peru Current (cold). The worlds major ocean currents are the Gulf Stream, which moves in the south to north along the east coast of the USA and then in Europe, the current of Brazil, which moves in the north-south direction along the Brazilian coast, the current Humbolt, which moves by the Pacific Ocean and is related to the events effect El Nià ±o, and the chain of Bengal, which moves in the west to east toward the Indian Ocean. Ocean currents can be classified according to the temperature of where form in: warm currents are formed in the equatorial zones (current of Guinas, the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and the South Equatorial); cold currents that form in the polar regions (current Labrador, Humbolt, the Falklands, Bengal and the Antarctic Circumpolar). Ocean Current influences on climate North America The Labrador Current (cold) influences the temperature of the northeast coast of North America, making the climate of that region presents very low temperatures, causing the freezing of waters in the port of New York. The Gulf Stream (hot) originates in the West Indies; lard much of the east coast of North America, warming the climate in the Gulf of Mexico. By having hot water favors the evaporation contributing to increased rainfall in the Gulf region. South America South America also receives influence of ocean currents as the Humboldt Current (cold), also known as the Peru Current. This ocean current rises near Antarctica therefore carries the cold temperatures of the area where it originates. The low temperature of the Humboldt Current prevents evaporation, leaving the relative humidity of air low, causing the formation of a mass of dry air, contributing to formation of the dry climate of Chiles Atacama Desert to Peru. Ocean Currents and Economy Ocean currents also influence the economy of many countries. Peru is one of the worlds fish producers because of the influence of the Humboldt Current , because when reaching the Peru Coast found warm waters and brings out the nutrients carried by the current, attracting many shoals and directly helping the fishing industry of that country. Humboldt Current has a negative influence on the north coast of Chile and Peru, and is responsible for the formation of the Atacama Desert and transforms large areas in wastelands by water stress present in the area caused by the action of this ocean current. The areas bathed by sea warm currents, such as the Brazilian coast and the Gulf of Mexico, have high rainfall which favors the development of various agricultural crops and other economic activities. Relation between Plankton and Ocean Currents The meaning of Plankton in Greek refers exactly to what it is: a wandering, or specie that don’t have root and move to a place to another one. The Ocean Currents influences this movement transforming regions on rich environment and others on poor environment, as it takes nutrients to one place to another. By this movement it is possible to determine if the water portion is rich in nutrients or not, depending on the plankton find on it. Human activities and preservation As always, humans are requested to rethink their activities and what they are doing to preserve the environment. Sometimes a region is poor in plankton simply because the water doesn’t have quality. In the past, human thinks that nature will last forever, but nowadays they realize that nature is giving its answers†¦ we can see this by nature catastrophes seeing all long the world. We need to preserve the nature for the future generation, and as a Blue Planet, water is our main resource that needed to be conserved.

Overcomming Obstacles in Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathebane :: Kaffir Boy Mark Mathebane

Overcomming Obstacles in Kaffir Boy    In the book Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathebane there are many obstacles that Mark the   protagonist has to overcome. The first of his problems was to get through school in his poor South African ghetto. The second was to achieve his goal and receive a tennis scholarship to an American college.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mark’s father is one of the major antagonist, he was opposed anything to do with Mark getting an education in a school. He was a very traditional man and he didn’t like anything that had to do with the â€Å"white man†. He thought it was nonsense to get a whiteman’s education and he wouldn’t provide the money that was necessary to get Mark through school. Mark was helped through this situation by his Mother who was the person who wanted Mark so desperately to attend school. She decided to go against Mark’s Father and send Mark to school. She then had to get a job which was illegal for her to do so because she didn’t have the required pass from the South African government. With the little money that his mother made and some money that his grandmother gave him he was   able to pay for his schooling or at least some of it. He often was without the required materials like a school uniform and books. This then resulted in Mark being beaten at school. These beatings became so intense and often that Mark thought about dropping out of school. His Mother helped him decide that he should stay in school because she knew that an education was the only way out of their life of poverty. Through the support of Mark’s Mother and grandmother Mark found success in school. He almost always was ranked in the top of his class and received scholarships to continue on in school. At the end of Mark’s schooling he receives a job offering in South Africa for him to work as a   manger of the company, he decides to accept this job for the time being because his family needed the money to send his brothers and sisters to school. Mark end up successfully making it through school and ending up being one of the top in his class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second major conflict in the book was that Mark wanted to get a scholarship to an American college.

Analysis of To His Coy Mistress :: To His Coy Mistress, Andrew Marvell

"To His Coy Mistress" is a very interesting poem. The main plot of the poem is about this guy that tries to pick up a girl for the night. The poem does not tell about the setting. I assumed that it was in a bar, because of the way he talked to her and that is where most guys go to pick up a girl for the evening. We see this poem through the eyes of the guy, by doing this Marvell gives a look into his mind and what he is thinking. This helps to bring the reader into the poem. It allows the reader to get into his mind as the poem goes along. We begin to see the guy develop his words more and more until eventually by the third stanza he is pretty desperate. In the first stanza we see the guy begin to make a move. He begins to tell her all these sweet lines about how he could spend eternity with her. For instance, he says on line 11, "My vegtable love should grow vastar than empires, and more slow;...." In these two lines he is trying to tell her how his love will grow more and more everytime he sees her. He will love her until the end of time. A few lines later he continues to talk about his everlasting love. He begins to divide his love up between her body parts. He promises to her that he will dedicate a hundred years to her eyes. Then he tells her that he would dedicate two hundred to each breasts. That last line about the breasts I thought was pretty funny. Here you begin to see how his mind begins to shift toward sex. He begins to shift his thoughts from her eyes to her body. He is very nonchalant about it. After the comment about her breasts he says and thirty to the rest. I can just see this guy talking to her. He puts a little e mphasis on the breasts comment, and then I picture him mumbling, "oh yea....and thirty thousand to the rest." The guy is only out for one thing, and that is sex. He is trying to be smooth about it, but in the next stanza we begin to see his patience giving out. In the second stanza we begin to see the guy's personality shift.

Jade Stadium Redevelopment (project management) Essay -- Business and

Jade Stadium Redevelopment (project management) Introduction The redevelopment of Jade Stadium, formally Lancaster Park, has been a project in development for a number of years. It is interesting to view the processes and changes in approaches to reach compromises, that have occurred in the lead up to this project especially with the stage the redevelopment is at now, (near completion). The emphasis placed upon planning and funding has had a huge impact to not only the time frame for completion of project but at a more basic stage of whether the redevelopment would even go ahead. The information used for this review dates back only as far as January 99, but even by that stage several years work had gone into pushing and lobbying for an improved, upgraded multi purpose stadium in Christchurch. Articles giving detail to the development process, the stages of development and the politics involved in the redevelopment of Jade Stadium are taken from January 20 1999, until the October 13 2000. The majority of articles are news items taken from Christchurch’s major newspaper, ‘The Christchurch Press’. Not all information present in the articles was relevant to the review topic of, the redevelopment of jade stadium, and so this is the reason for the use of several articles, to gain enough knowledge on the topic area. Temporary and Unique The jade stadium project is one of a temporary nature. Although it may be a long and drawn out process there is definitely a definite start (realisation of a need for a revamped stadium) and finish (completion of construction and closure). With respect to the jade stadium project, those dates have constantly changed. Originally set for an early 2000-start time, that date was changed several times until finally settled for October 2000 and estimated to take 18 months to complete. A deadline that they are currently on track to meet. Like any other project, Jade Stadiums redevelopment was a unique venture, not only in its actual design, ownership and the way in which the revenue to fund the project was produced but also in the actual use of the stadium. Being a rugby and cricket facility with ground breaking technology in the form of the new drop in pitches, an invention first tried by grounds staff two years ago. The stadium revamp unlike the new Wellington stadium will be done on the existi... ...point of view or side of the story, and that in general all articles relating to the redevelopment of jade stadium, held a more positive slant or position towards the development and the development team. The key points contained within the review begin with defining the uniqueness and temporary nature of a project and how jade stadium is a one off major project. The revenue provided to support such an expensive project comes from a wide and varying plane, with the use of a business plan one of the most important tools in the development of Jade Stadium. It can be noted that a great deal of importance was placed upon the planning phase in order to do it once and do it right. And that the project followed the basic project life cycle model. References Currie, S. (1999). The Jade Board. The Press, 20 January, 1996, p 34. McGoldrick, B. (2000). What about a total Jade upgrade? The Press, 26 August, 2000, p 10. Scanlon, G. (2000). $43m plea for Jade Stadium. The Press, 7 April, 2000, p 1. Tutty, K. (1999). Progress on stadium plans. The Press, 6 August, 1999, p 22. Tutty, K. (2000). Jade Stadium access settled for five years. The Press. 14 October, 2000.

Discuss the value of chemistry in society

For some time in the modern world, and especially subsequent to the events of September 11th, there has been a wave of concern regarding chemistry and its potential destructive powers. There are many people who hold a fearful attitude towards the chemical industry and its products. This is because the threat of chemical and bio-chemical weapons is very real and is a negative aspect of the business. Also it is often deemed environmentally unfriendly and unsafe for the nearby public. However it is far wider believed that the pros outweigh the cons massively. To display this I have produced a case study on Glaxo Smith Kline. Read this Practice Test Chem 105 Background Glaxo Smith Kline, based in the UK, is one of the pharmaceutical industry leaders, with an estimated seven per cent of the world's pharmaceutical market and declare a global quest to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. This shows just how people based the company is despite its huge size. GSK is also involved in four major therapeutic areas – anti-infectives, central nervous system (CNS), respiratory and gastro-intestinal/metabolic. In addition, it is a leader in the important area of vaccines and has a growing range of oncology products and treatments. The company also has a Consumer Healthcare section comprising over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, oral care products and nutritional healthcare drinks, all of which are among the market leaders. Employees and Employment GSK GSK has over 100,000 employees worldwide. Of these, over 40,000 are in sales and marketing, the largest sales force in the industry. Over 42,000 employees work at 104 manufacturing sites in 40 countries and over 16,000 are in R;D. R;D is based at 24 sites in seven countries. The company has a leading position in genomics/genetics and new drug discovery technologies. The GSK R;D budget is about à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.4bn. Implications This shows that the industry is a great employer for many job types, including lab technicians, researchers, doctors, I.T. staff, biologists and others. It also employs testers for development of drugs and measure side effects on human patients. This is where much of the development money goes as the patients are only willing to be test subjects for quite large fees due to the potentially harmful side effects. Health and Safety GSK They take health and safety really seriously as GSK. Because a lot of the work that goes on involves highly flammable organic solvents, no heating is done with naked flames (there is only one Bunsen burner in the entire plant, and that is used by the glass blower for shaping pieces of glassware.) In the research labs heating will be done using electric mantles or electrically heated oil baths. However, in the ‘scale-up' plant, where large volumes of soluble materials are used, even electrical heating is not allowed because of the danger of sparks. Instead they heat vessels by passing a pre-heated liquid through an outer jacket around the vessel. No mobile phones or any electrical equipment are allowed inside in case they generated sparks which could ignite any flammable vapours. In the corridors outside the research laboratories there are emergency showers for people to use in the event of a chemical spillage and Hazard warnings are displayed everywhere. All chemicals have hazard-warning labels. Most pieces of equipment have warning labels on them. Details of every experiment were displayed where the experiment was carried out. A full risk assessment is done on any process before it is carried out. If any particularly hazardous materials are being used, a notice is displayed on the outside of the lab and entry is restricted to authorised personnel. In school we sometimes wear gloves when using chemicals. At GSK gloves are used routinely. There are various grades of gloves to chose from, depending on the nature of the chemicals being used. The different grades are colour coded. The researcher has to specify which gloves to use in the risk assessment. Implications These near perfect safety precautions go a long way to proving that the chemical industry is really very safe and does not pose as much danger to the public as is often thought by many people. With the help of modern technology and careful planning the industry, it has become safer than many school science classes! Drug Development GSK GSK spends millions of pounds each year on research and development. It costs something in the region of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½450,000,000 to produce a new medicine. The process of developing a new medicine takes about 10 years. Research usually begins with genetic research, which identifies the proteins involved in the disease. Then thousands of compounds will be tested to see if they react with the protein involved in the disease. This process is highly automated, using compounds stored in the automated chemical store. From this the best compound is identified. This will be the compound, which reacts best with the protein. This will not yet be good enough to be used as a therapeutic drug though. It may be too soluble to stay in the body for long; it may be too insoluble to get into the blood stream. It may be toxic, or have other characteristics that make it unsuitable for use as a drug. The next step is to modify compounds structure so that it has as near perfect properties as possible. For example, to make the compound less water-soluble so that it stays in the body for longer, large organic side groups could be added to the structure. (When penicillin was first discovered it was extremely water-soluble so was very quickly passed out of the body in the urine. Because penicillin was in such short supply it had to be recovered from the urine and recycled!) Once a suitable compound has been found the next problem is to scale up production from milligram's to grams then to kilogram's At this point the drug will need to be tested on living tissue (cells, not usually whole animals) So far this process will have taken 4-5 years. Scaling up production has lots of difficulties associated with it. Reactions that work well on a milligram scale may not work on a 20 kg scale. There may be difficulties associated with weighing, heating, stirring, transferring, cooling and purifying. Ways of solving all these difficulties have to be found. The drug will then enter the clinical trials stage. At first it will only be tested for side effects in a few healthy volunteers. It will then be used in trials in patients with the disease. If successful the drug will then be licensed for use and made generally available. Even after this point the drug must be monitored. Implications There is a massive amount of money being poured into the chemical industry by investors. This is good for the stock market and the global economy, the employees of the company and the public who will need the developed drugs. It is a very safe system and those who are put at risk do so by their own admission. The testers are paid quite large lump sums for testing if the drug has any side effects and are usually young healthy men and women at university or college. Very little testing on animals is being carried out any more. There is testing on animal tissue, but this is done on a very small scale and animals are rarely harmed. This is a great step for the industry, which for some time has been beset by animal rights groups protesting their actions. Also the time taken for the drug to be developed is good for job stability for the researchers and developers who are needed far beyond the initial stages of production. Environmental Issues GSK All solvents are collected in large containers under the benches of each lab. When these are full they are taken away and dealt with in a way appropriate to the particular solvent. All waste from the labs is treated as being contaminated and is incinerated. The ash from this is disposed of in landfill sites. Potentially a very large volume of water would be put into the local sewage system. To avoid overloading the system, GSK have installed a recycling system where the water that passes through condensers is reused in a closed system. This also of course saves water. There are no sinks in any of the labs so that nothing can be poured away like is practiced in schools. They are very environmentally friendly. Implications This is great for the environment as nothing is thrown away. It is all dealt with carefully and the industry is becoming far more eco-friendly than in the past. Conclusion From my case study of Glaxo Smith Kline I have found that the industry is in reform. It is becoming far safer and there are many less ethical issues than ever before. Animal testing is low and the environment is finally being preserved. The industry is good for the economy and employs many people from college and university graduates to product test subjects. The pros of chemistry in society far outweigh the cons and this is illustrated perfectly in Glaxo Smith Kline.

Globalization and Social Inequality

Introduction Social inequality is an issue that is much debated today within the social sciences, as well as other disciplines. Although very few would deny that social inequality exists and has always existed in human societies, it is not always clear through what mechanisms it manifests itself, along what lines it progresses, and how we can make life better for those affected by global inequalities. The question remains whether or not the world that we live in today is more equal than what people have experienced in the past. Although some might argue that Western development brings with it more equal rights, it is doubtful that this is actually the case. In recent years, we have witnessed a phenomenon called globalization which is, in short, a â€Å"widening and deepening of the international flows of trade, capital, technology and information within a single integrated global market (Petras and Veltmeyer 2001, p11).† Globalization has brought with it significant changes in the way peop le and nations relate to one another. In many cases, it has created new patterns of inequality, as well as reinforced old ones. The purpose of this paper is to investigate some of the effects of globalization and critically analyse them. I will argue that currently we do not live in a more equal world and neither are we moving towards greater equality. Rather, I argue that, through globalization, inequalities are exacerbated due to capitalism and the unequal flow of markets. This paper will look at how inequalities have evolved over the last two hundred years, why they have occurred, and how the pattern of inequality looks like today. Kaplinsky (2005, p 28) and Jolly (2005) note that as early as 1776, economists such as Adam Smith became preoccupied with the issue of poverty and its consequences on inequality. During the 18th and the 19th century in England it was well-known that for every handful of rich aristocrats there were hundreds or even thousands of poor people. With the advance of industrialization, poverty only deepened (Jolly 2005). Karl Marx illustrated the problem perfectly by outlining the issue of the bourgeoisie owning the means of production, while workers sell their labour for minimal wages. Petras and Veltmeyer (2001, p 128) also stress that historically, a minority ruling class have used coercion and social institutions to control exploited people. Until the present day, this situation has not changed very much. Moreover, during the past decades, the disparities between the global North and South have become more and more evident, partly due to globalization. The movement of capital and trading agreements have mostly benefitted the developed countries, while the developing ones are forced to create economies that cater to the needs of the West. As Birdsall (2005, p 2) notes, â€Å"global markets are inherently disequalizing, making rising inequality in developing countries more rather than less likely.† This shows that we are not moving towards a more equal world. Moreover, even wealthy countries, such as the U.S. experience growing poverty rates within their own borders (Dillon 2010). Dillon (2010, p 60) stresses that â€Å"economic inequality has in fact grown since the late 1980s, as has the gap between the highest and the lowest income groups,† while Butler and Watt (2007, p 112) even call poverty rates in the U.S. â€Å"extreme.† It is evident from these accounts that unfortunately, unless measures will be taken, inequality will increase and dreams of an equal world are moving farther away. The reality is that we live in an unequal world. There is an abundance of social issues that are caused by widespread inequality. Discrimination today manifests itself through the lines of class, gender, race, age, nationality, and other factors. Due to length limitations, this paper mostly focuses on economic inequalities. These are especially poignant when we look at the way people live in underdeveloped countries. This is a direct consequence of colonialism and the quest of the Western world to expand and develop their economic system. However, the expansion of the markets rewards only those who have more assets, such as financial and human capital (Birdsall 2005, p 3). Also, poor nations cannot attract investment and diversification, without a stable middle class and economic institutions. Consequently, the price of their exports declines and they fail to grow (Birdsall 2005, p 3). This is just an example of how globalization reinforces inequality. If markets are let to operate f reely, as they do today, the world will become more unequal. Underdeveloped countries have not become more equal since interaction with the West has intensified. Beer and Boswell (2002, p 31) also stress that â€Å"disproportionate control over host economies by transnational corporations increases inequality by altering the development patterns of these nations.† Although some might think that international corporations can improve a developing country’s economy, this is not necessarily true. It is evident then, that the path that is nowadays advocated by many here in the Western world, does not serve the purpose of a more equal world. On the contrary, it exacerbates global inequalities. The causes of growing inequality in today’s world are diverse and often not very easy to identify. However, the main cause might be the capitalist system that has spread internationally, oftentimes to the benefit of few and the exploitation of many. Trade between rich and poor nations creates patterns of dependency and unequal exchanges, leading to high income inequalities between the two (Beer and Boswell 2002, p 33). Despite the current emphasis on trade agreements and flows of trade that increasingly deepen, time and time again it has been stressed that this process creates inequalities and is detrimental to developing countries. In addition, the markets often fail. Some notable examples are the financial crises in Mexico, Thailand, Korea, Russian, Brazil and Argentina that took place in the 1990s (Birdsall 2005). Also, when a recession hits, the lower classes are the most affected. In turn, this leads to even greater inequalities between the rich and the poor. There are many mechanisms through which capital and the markets contribute to a less equal world in our present time. Investment often causes disparities between foreign and domestic sectors. Also, international corporations usually do not reinvest profits in the local economies. Governments in developing countries adopt policies that prevent the lower classes from moving upwards, while at the same time they encourage the formation of a â€Å"managerial elite (Beer and Boswell 2002, p 33).† For those concerned about equality, it is alarming that neither foreign investors nor local governments fully understand the consequences of their actions. If this kind of policies will keep being implemented, levels of inequality will certainly increase. As Petras and Veltmeyer (2001) note, the politics of the Western Right are also at fault for the direction towards which we are heading. They say that the Right engages in â€Å"class warfare† through privatization and the concentr ation of power in the hands of few (Petras and Veltmeyer 2001, p 148). Thus, social institutions, as well as economic policies serve the interests of wealthy corporations. The focus of present neoliberal politics is not to decrease income disparities, but to increase the wealth of the few. Staying on the same course guarantees that the world will become less and less equal. I have argued that we do not live and a more equal world. On the contrary, the globalization of markets has had a negative impact on the livelihoods of many. The effects of capitalism had started being seen a long time ago. Income disparities always existed between those who own the means of production (the bourgeoisie) and the workers that work in their factories. The income gap between the lower class and the upper class increased steadily with time. In addition, global exploration and colonization has led to even greater disparities between the West and the colonies. Under the current system, developing countries find it almost impossible to reach the same level of wealth and stability as Western countries. However, even developed countries have growing poverty rates within their own borders. These rates have been increasing over the past years, while the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. The world is becoming a less equal place. The free flow of markets and an unregu lated capitalist system are mainly to blame for income inequalities. Poor nations have become dependent on rich nations and economic crises affect lower classes the most. With both corporations and national governments driven by profit, no one looks at the long-term effects that trade has on inequality. Moreover, the rise of neoliberal politics in the West encourages the maintenance of the same pattern of increased inequality and dependency. Despite the optimism of some, the truth is that globalization, as it is occurring today, is only increasing disparities between classes, between nations, and between the global North and South. The evidence shows that the world is at least as unequal as it was two hundred years ago. Current economic policies will only serve to make it less and less equal. If drastic measures are not taken soon, there is little hope that our world will become a more equitable place. References Butler, T. and Watt, P. 2007. Understanding Social Inequality. London: Sage. Beer, L. and Boswell, T. 2002. The resilience of dependency effects in explaining income inequality in the global economy: a cross national analysis, 1975-1995. Journal of World Systems Research, 8(1), pp.30-61. Birdsall, N. 2006. Rising inequality in the new global economy. International Journal of Development Issues, 5(1), pp.1-9. Dillon, M. 2010. Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, concepts and their applicability to the twenty-first century. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Jolly, R. 2005. Global inequality in historical perspective. WIDER (World Institute for Development Economic Research) Angle, 2. Kaplinski, R. 2005. Globalization, Poverty and Inequality: Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Cambridge: Polity.