Herbal Medicine: Echinacea and Kava Essay

The use of herbal medicine and remedies as opposed to traditional prescription medications is becoming increasingly popular among doctors, therapists, and patients. Many herbs, whether administered in the form of tea, capsules, or simply eaten, have been proven to ease various pains and ailments; and when taken on a daily basis, there are herbs that help maintain overall health and wellbeing (Meuninck, 2008, p. 4). Studies have shown that two herbs in particular, Echinacea and kava, have been effective in treating a series of symptoms including anxiety and depression, headaches, and fibromyalgia (Mindell & Hopkins, 2009, p. 219). The use of these herbs benefits doctors and patients alike, as they offer an alternative treatment to symptoms that many people experience on a regular basis. Echinacea can be commonly found in beauty products, diet supplements, and herbal teas. Due to its ability to balance and maintain the immune system, some people take Echinacea in one form or another every day (Watson & Preedy, 2008, p.  687). This herb, in fact, is among the most popular and widely used dietary supplements in the United States, with people taking Echinacea or a type of derivative from the plant. According to the Southern Medical Journal, Echinacea today is used mostly to treat and prevent upper respiratory tract infection, or URI, which includes the influenza and the common cold—illnesses that account for 40% of the time that Americans lose from work and 30% of the time they call in sick from school (Islam & Carter, 2005, p.  311). It is evident that this particular herb can be used for the treatment of a specific temporary ailment as well as in a preventative manner. As soon as a person feels as if they have a cold coming on, they are advised to begin taking the herb orally in order to combat the spread and onset of the cold or flu virus. Echinacea has scientifically been proven to possess many anti-inflammatory properties, which explains its effectiveness at fighting respiratory problems (Zili et al. , 2007, p. 232). This herb, however, is not only beneficial in terms of warding off common cold symptoms. It has also been able to ease pain and discomfort associated with other diseases as well. First, it is crucial to understand that Echinacea can be an extremely powerful herb that may be used to fight different forms of bacteria, which is why it is used so often when a person has a cold or flu virus. A Canadian study observed six Echinacea extracts that are currently sold commercially, and the effect that those extracts had on 15 human pathogenic bacteria as well as two pathogenic fungi. Five bacteria were especially sensitive to the Echinacea extracts—Streptococcus pyogenes, Legionella pneumophila, Haemophilus influenzae, Propionibacterium acne, and Clostridium difficile—which indicated that the herb did have a significant effect in fighting certain forms of bacteria, such as that which causes strep throat (Sharma et al. , 2008, p. 111). Many factors were taken into consideration, such as the effect of light on the bacteria and fungi, as well as the forms and preparations of the different extracts; and this greatly reduced any assumptions made. This study was quite thorough, although it was limited by the number of extracts, bacteria, and fungi that they were able to test. With the samples they did test, however, they were able to conclude that â€Å"†¦certain preparations of Echinacea†¦ could provide useful protection or symptom alleviation in cases of pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and various cutaneous lesions, including acne vulgaris, [and] wound infections†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sharma et al. , 2008, p. 115). Another study outlined in the Journal of Women’s Health also conducted a survey to determine how many women with fibromyalgia turned to herbal treatment as opposed to other forms of medicine. The assumptions were that women were taking herbs because they worked, and not because they were left with no other alternative—that is, fibromyalgia is quite complicated and there are very few medications that can alleviate the pain. The test subjects therefore could have been turning to herbs like Echinacea as a last resort as opposed to taking the herb because it actually helped with their discomfort. Additionally, the limitations of this study are that the group of subjects was not randomly selected, and the results were entirely self-reported. At the end of the study, it was concluded that women with Fibromyalgia were likely to take herbal supplements and use herbal remedies in order to treat the several symptoms associated with their condition (Shaver et al. , 2009, p. 716). This shows Echinacea’s applicability to a wide range of illnesses and symptoms, and how it can be used by naturopaths and other doctors in the treatment of their patients as opposed to over-the-counter medications. Unlike Echinacea, kava is an herb that has received mixed reviews in terms of the safety of its use. Kava is an anxiolytic drug that has been used for hundreds of years by people in the Pacific Islands, yet it is currently banned in the United Kingdom (Ernst, 2007, p. 415). When used in large quantities, it has been shown to have toxic effect on one’s liver; but when administered in safe doses, there are many people who swear by its healing benefits. The Pacific Islanders have been known to use kava as a sedative, a hypnotic, and aphrodisiac, an antiseptic, and a diuretic. Kava has also been popular in Germany, where people use various kava products for the treatment of anxiety, restlessness, and abdominal discomfort (Richardson & Henderson, 2007, p. 418). One of the greatest benefits of kava use, however, is for the treatment of anxiety and depression—especially since those disorders, while mental, can result in serious physical symptoms. An Australian study sought to determine the mental effects of kava by studying a random group of 28 adults suffering from major depressive disorder and anxiety. Assumptions included the test group not taking additional anti-depressants on the side, and that the small dose of kava would be enough to take effect. This study was also limited by the mix of kava with St. John’s Wort (Sarris et al. , 2009, p. 41). Rather than it being administered in a pure form, it was more of an herbal cocktail. Both, a placebo and a kava supplement were administered for four weeks each. At the end of the study, the majority of those in the study group reported having a reduced feeling of depression after taking the kava rather than the placebo. Although they did not report their quality of life or level of anxiety as being significantly improved, it is clear that their overall state of depression was affected by the kava. Regardless of the fact that some professionals believe kava to be dangerous and toxic, its long history in Pacific Island culture far outweighs its risks (Sarris & Kavanagh, 2009, p. 828). Kava has been one of the ways in which many islanders have been able to maintain mental and emotional balance and fight depression without the use of anti-depressants, which are typically linked to dangerous side effects. Consider some of the physical symptoms of depression and anxiety—migraines, muscle tension, and widespread aches and pains. With kava’s abilities to aid in one’s state of depression, people can benefit from the plant’s positive effects on pain in general. So long as it is administered in proper doses, as they do in the Pacific Islands, kava provides people with another option to treat depression and any other symptoms that may be caused by tension or emotional imbalance. Although herbs alone cannot cure all forms of disease or discomfort, these studies illustrates how Echinacea and kava both possess health benefits that may help with several symptoms and disorders. Herbs such as kava may be disputed for their levels of potential toxicity, but many prescriptions pills can prove to be just as dangerous or even more so. Regardless of whether Echinacea or kava can necessarily cure a certain illness, they provide patients and doctors with another option—a natural approach to relieving pain or sickness, as opposed to over-the-counter medications.

Marketing Management of Freshbins

Marketing Management of Freshbins Executive Summary The aim of this paper is to provide marketing ideas for a new invention, Freshbins Robotic Sanitizer, which is a highly efficient product that will contribute to keeping the Australian cites clean, increasing the hygiene, and lowering the level of diseases caused by airborne germs.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Marketing Management of Freshbins specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It would work as a supplier of the Australian governmental and non-governmental organisations, which maintain cleanliness of the cities and appoints labour to work on field. This product will help such organisations to boost their efficiently by making them able to undertake huge number of bin cleaning programs at very short period of time and reducing the human efforts apart from saving time. This product will also be offered to private individuals and families for carrying out their household activities; therefore, fo r having such a large group of customers, the revenues generated by this single product will be huge, even if the prices are set at a moderate level. In order to provide marketing advices to the marketer of the product, this paper will focus on introducing the background information of the invention, conducting an environmental analysis consisting of the PESTEL analysis and the Porter five forces analysis, assessing the consumer behaviour analysis of the country, and concentrating on the segmentation, targeting, and positioning of the invention. It would also construct appropriate product and pricing plans for the marketer followed by a few concluding remarks. Introduction to the Background Information of the Invention With the consideration of the prospective market demand and the idea of improving the waste disposal system of Australia and accordingly reinforce the efforts to ensure environmental sustainability, the newly invented Freshbins Robotic Sanitizer is chosen for been mar keted at a large extent throughout the country. According to The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2011), Freshbins Robotic Sanitizer is an extremely contemporary bin clearing and disinfecting method invented by Paul Sewell, which uses three-facet visions to assist the mechanical limb to pick up a dustbin that is mechanically rinsed in an ozone-disinfecting process before being returned to the land; amazingly, the entire procedure needs about only 30 seconds.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The product has patented mechanized technology to convey one of the most protected, ecologically sustainable, and competent bin maintenance procedure in the globe; besides, the truck performs the entire task with the driver seated in cabin; most importantly, the truck can process 1000 bins in a day; therefore, the pickup ability of the robotic-arm is among its highly ess ential features. The location of the dustbin is not a problem; it could even lie on land; however, the arm uses sensors to find a dustbin at 68 likely positions, whilst a second sensor identifies any creature or child’s movement around the dustbin; in addition, it saves vast quantities water (whist clearing one domestic-size bin manually requires about 100 litres of water). However, it is important to note that although the product possesses a number of highly significant features, the success of marketing it can be doubtful if appropriate brand building strategies and awareness programs are not properly undertaken. Hoeffler Keller (2002) stated that brand awareness programs are necessary for marketing all sorts of products through different marketing campaigns; on the other hand, Hoyer Brown (1990) pointed that in order to ensure repeat purchases of a product, constructing relevant marketing strategies are crucial in order to sustain for long run. Environmental Analysis of Freshbins PESTEL Analysis Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson (2001) has noted that it is necessary for marketers to conduct PESTEL analysis before considering to launch any product in the market as a thorough environmental analysis assists to better understand the present conditions of the industry. Moreover, Pearce Robinson (2006) argued that without a proper environmental analysis, businesses might fail to apprehend actual circumstances of the industry and subsequently undertake poorly researched strategies leading to breakdown of sales and revenues. The PESTEL framework for Freshbins is illustrated below: Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Marketing Management of Freshbins specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 1: PESTEL Analysis Source: Self generated from Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson (2001) Political Factor The current political circumstance of Australia is fairly unwavering with the government of the country trying to provide the best possible corporate responsive impression to each its national markets with an intention to boost the gross national product and per capita income. More decisively, the government constantly promotes and aids the enlargement of the neighbouring companies by dictating the governmental financial institutions to provide sufficient loans to start up businesses after assessing their prospects, which makes it easier for Freshbins to enter. Economic Factor According to Index mundi (2011) in spite of the harsh situations arising from the global economic turmoil, the economy of Australia has recovered quite quickly and is still recovering to revive its industries and job sectors. The following figure shows the real GDP growth rate comparison for recent years, outlining that the GDP has recovered after the 2009 slump: Figure 2: The real GDP growth rateAdvertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Source: Index mundi (2011) The graph below illustrates that the purchasing power parity of the Australian consumers is increasing, providing an optimistic outlook for Freshbins: Figure 3: The purchasing power parity Source: Index mundi (2011) Socio-cultural Factor The social and cultural aspects of Australia are highly diverse with the presence of people from many ethnic backgrounds; however, it is notable that Freshbins would stay beside the neighbouring communities and contribute to the societies by helping to better uphold a clean image to the world. Technological Factor Although the country has a booming technological sector, the industry competition is quite lower in terms of the market of Freshbins Robotic Sanitizer, as this is a pioneering innovation with highly equipped mechanics containing unique features not accessible in other similar products of Australia. Environmental Factor A number of environmental laws are present in Australia, which prevent the businesses of the c ountry to perform activities associated with massive pollutions. However, it is notable that the marketer of Freshbins will be socially responsible to reduce adverse affects in the environment by introducing more and more eco-friendly technology to eliminate germs from bins. Legal Factor For every start up business in Australia, a few numbers of problems arise due to lawful barriers such as environmental and labour legislations associated with the formation of the business and related advertisements of the products. Porter five forces of the Invention Porter (2004) has noted that environmental analysis of the industry helps the marketers to sort out the dilemma associated with the anticipation of the level of competition and the position of the particular business in the industry. However, the competitive position of Freshbins in accordance with Porter’s five forces is presented below Figure 4: Porter’s five forces for Freshbins Source: Self generated from Porter (2 004) Threat of New Entrants The threats of new entrants are quite low in the industry, because Freshbins has unique technology, which is also patent protected and so no new comers can quickly copy it and raise the level of competition. Bargaining power of buyer Bargaining power of buyers are low because there are no such services presently available in the Australian market where they can switch on. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining powers of suppliers are moderate because the supplies of the raw material needed to produce Freshbins come from much specialised producers who are lower in number, so the switching costs of the marketer of Freshbins are higher. Rivalry among competitors A low rivalry exist in the market owing to the individuality of the product and due to the fact that it is newly invented; moreover, even when slightly similar items are available, those are not as competent as Freshbins in terms of time saving, cost efficiency, and technology. Threats of subst itute product No substitutes are currently available and it is not possible to bring one because of the patent protection provided. Consumer Behaviour Analysis According to Bowden (2009), in order to influence consumer behaviour, the process of customer engagement needs to be enough dynamic in terms of strategic implementations put forward. Oliver (1999) noted that the marketer should not only endow focus to influence consumer behaviour, but also ensure that the respective policies are affirming consumer loyalty. Prus Randall (1995), Recklies (2006), Percy Rossiter (1992), and Cavero Cebollada (1997) stated that understanding behaviour and acting accordingly by overseeing customer awareness could lead to successful branding for any product. Conversely, successful branding reinforced by proper advertising will lead to repeat purchases of that item (Chi, Yeh, Yang, 2009; Deighton, Henderson, Neslin, 1994; and Macdonald ï ¼â€  Sharp, 2000). Because of all these reasons, customer behavioural analysis is essential; Sands Ferraro (2010) identified that Australian customers have turned more intrusive, pessimistic, demanding, and impulsive, expending cautiously and seeking console in dependable and trustworthy brands; moreover, about fifty percent of Australians started to search internet before purchasing in-store, whereas, 89 percent expend about three hours researching the product’s features. On the other hand, Sands Ferraro (2010) added that seventy-nine percent Australian customers now try to purchase online, so it is necessary for the marketer of Freshbins to build a website and sell over internet, as it is expected that further eighty-three percent people will buy online by the next year, whereas the sales will reach $23.4bn by 2014. Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning Segmentation Johnson, Seholes, Whittington (2006) stated that before marketing any product, a properly conducted customer segmentation and configuration of people of the targ eted country would enable the marketer to obtain an idea about the probable clients and undertake marketing policies that would suit that market. For example, through the age configuration of people, it would be easy to understand the numbers of adults in the economy, providing a rough idea about people requiring a household bin-cleaning machine. Moreover, a rising growth rate of the economy would illustrate the future opportunity of having a further expanded customer base; so according to Kotler Armstrong (2006), market segmentation is crucial; the customer segmentation by gender and age configuration of people of the country are outlined below: Customer segmentation by gender and age configuration of people Total number of people 21,766,711 in 2011 estimation * Zero to fourteen year olds 18.3 percent (men 2,040,848 women 1,937,544) * Fifteen to sixty-four year olds 67.7 percent (men 7,469,092 women 7,266,143) * Sixty-five year olds and above 14 percent (men 1 ,398,576 women 1,654,508) * Total average age of population 37.7 yrs * Men: average age 37 yrs * Women: average age 38.4 yrs * Inhabitants development rate 1.148 percent in 2011 projection * Birth- rate 12.33 births per thousand population * Death- rate 6.88 deaths per thousand population * Ethnic origins in the country White ninety two percent, Asian seven percent, native other one percent * Below fifteen years 1.05 man per woman * Fifteen to sixty-four years 1.03 man per woman * Sixty-five years and above 0.84 man per woman * Literacy 99 percent men and 99 percent women * Table 1: Customer segmentation Source: Self generated from Index mundi (2011) Targeting The targeted customers of the Freshbins Robotic Sanitizer are the governmental and non- governmental organisations of the country, which act together with the vision of upholding hygiene in the national communities. This product will be supplied to such businesses in bulk, makin g high profit margins and keeping contribution over the socially responsible behaviours. Another target group are the private individuals and families that suffer great troubles for carrying out their household activities because of the busy lifestyle of people. This would help working men and women to finish tasks that are highly time consuming and require touching dirt by hand. Besides, rather than busy or working people, retired or unemployed people will also be the targeted group as most of them are old and frail and require help from technology to do it rapidly without any need for hard work. Positioning The following figure shows the market positioning of Freshbins; it shows that the product will be of high quality, and pricing will be higher because of uniqueness: Figure 5: Market positioning of Freshbins Source: Self-generated from Kotler Armstrong (2006) Product and Pricing Plans The product has a number of distinctive features, for example, using ozone as a disinfectant, it reprocesses water and remarkably uses merely 63ml per dustbin, whereas manually it requires about 100 litres; moreover, no chemicals are required for the purpose; therefore, there is no chemical remains either creating risk to the operator or atmosphere. In addition, no microbes will enter the atmosphere as the ozone even neutralises the toxicants in the waste; so, the wastes sent to the landfill is entirely germ-free; conversely, the operator has CCTV pictures of the entire activity and he manages them from a touch screen within the truck cabin. All such features indicate that the pricing needs to be quite higher for this invention; Brealey Myers (2002) noted that the more the uniqueness of the product, the more viable it is to set the price at high level, as no other substitute-items are available for consumers. However, Malhotra (2009) identified that a proper marketing research is essential before setting the prices, which should include quantitative or qualitative question naires intended for surveying the prospective customers in order to assess the amount they are likely to spend over such an item. Nevertheless, it can be argued that as this invention is completely new and the product is patent protected, it is not likely for any other businesses to bring out items with the same technology and offer those at lower prices gaining competitive advantage over Freshbins; as a result, there will be almost market domination by the Freshbins. Therefore, it will be feasible for the marketer of Freshbins to focus on premium pricing at the initial stage; however, considering the performance of the product for a substantial time, the pricing strategy can be reconsidered by evaluating demand and production costs. Conclusion It is important to state that although Freshbins Robotic Sanitizer has great opportunities after penetrating the market, it is necessary to conduct a market survey to identify the consumer confidence of Australia and the extent to which they are able to spend over the item. This is because although the economy has recovered from the recessionary impact, the current condition of the Euro zone crisis can get severe and spread over the Australian financial institutions, it which case, it would be tough for the marketer to collect the finance that is needed to enter the market, which includes costs such as outlays of advertising campaigns. Reference List Bowden, J. L (2009) The Process of Customer Engagement: A Conceptual Framework. Journal of Marketing Theory Practice, 17(1): 63-74. Brealey, A. R. Myers, S. (2002) Principles of Corporate Finance. 7th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Cavero, S., Cebollada, J. (1997) Brand choice and marketing strategy: An application to the market of laundry detergent for delicate clothes in Spain. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 10(1): 57-71. Chi, H. K., Yeh, H. R., Yang, Y. T. (2009) The Impact of Brand Awareness on Consumer Purchase Intention: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Quality and Brand Loyalty. The Journal of International Management Studies, 4(1): 135-144. Deighton, J., Henderson, C. M., Neslin, S. A. (1994) The effects of advertising on brand switching and repeat purchasing. Journal of Marketing Research, 16(1): 28-43. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E. (2001) Strategic Management. 4th ed. South-Western Thomson Learning. Hoeffler, S., Keller, K. L. (2002) Building brand equity through corporate societal marketing. Journal of Public Policy Marketing, 21(1): 78-89. Hoyer, W. D. Brown, S. P. (1990) Effects of Brand Awareness on Choice for a Common, Repeat-Purchase Product. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(2): 141-148. Index mundi (2011). Australia Demographics Profile 2011. [Online] Available from: indexmundi.com/australia/demographics_profile.html Index mundi (2011) Australia GDP (purchasing power parity). [Online] Available from: indexmundi.com/australia/gdp_(purchasing_power_parity).html Index mundi (2011) GDP real growth ra te (%). [Online] Available from: indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=asv=66 Johnson, G. Seholes, K. Whittington, R. (2006) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text Cases. 8th ed. London: FT Prentrice Hall. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (2006) Principles of Marketing. 11th ed. Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited. Macdonald, E. K., ï ¼â€  Sharp, B. M. (2000) Brand awareness effects on consumer decision making for a common, repeat purchase product: A replication. Journal of Business Research, 48(5). Malhotra, N. K. (2009) Marketing Research- An Applied Orientation. 5th ed. Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited. Oliver, R. L. (1999) Whence Consumer Loyalty? Journal of Marketing, 63(1): 33-44. Pearce, J. A. Robinson, R. B. (2006) Strategic Management. 8th ed. London: McGraw-Hill. Percy, L., Rossiter, J. R. (1992) A model of brand awareness and brand attitude advertising strategies. Journal of Psychology Marketing, 9(1): 263-274. Porter, M. E. (2004) Competitive Strategy. Export Edition. New York : The Free Press. Prus, A., Randall, B. D. (1995) Understanding your customers. Journal of Marketing Tools, 2(1): 10-14. Sands, S. Ferraro, C. (2010) 2010 Consumer Trends Report Australia. [pdf] Available from: salmat.com.au/content/documents/news-insights/2010-consumer-trends-report.pdf The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2011) Freshbins: Invented by Paul Sewell. [Online] Available from: abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/inventions/2011.htm

Pulmonary fibrosis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pulmonary fibrosis - Research Paper Example Pulmonary fibrosis is a factor that categorizes various forms of acute and chronic interstitial lung disease. The American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society classify Interstitial Pulmonary Diseases into seven distinct categories of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), â€Å"idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), acute interstitial pneumonitis (AIP), respiratory bronchiolitis-associated ILD, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) and lymphocyte interstitial pneumonia† (Lovgren, 2007). The history of pulmonary fibrosis is deeply linked with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). IPF is a subset of ILD. IPD is a form of chronic pulmonary fibrosis where the etiology of the disease is unknown. IPF was first described by Hamman and Rich in 1935 at the John Hopkins Hospital. Later this was found to be a case of acute interstitial pneumonia. The Liebow classifications in 1960 marked a new era f or interstitial lung diseases. It was not until 1980 that the importance of growth factors was taken into consideration. This led to understanding of ILD through abnormal wound healing rather than inflammation. Anatomy of the systems involved The foremost system involved and affected by pulmonary fibrosis is the respiratory system. ... The alveoli are sac like structures that are present at the terminal end of the bronchioles. Alveoli are highly vascularized and are responsible for gaseous exchange. The alveolar wall is about 0.5 µm in thickness. It consist of four layers of cells which are the squamous cells of alveoli, basement membrane of alveoli, basement membrane of the capillaries and squamous cells of capillaries. The intersitium is the space between the alveolar epithelium and capillary endothelium. It is found to be thin on one side of the capillary, where it consists of basement membranes of the capillary and alveoli. The mechanical strength of the thin side of the blood gas barrier comes from the type IV collagen present in the interstitium. The opposite side of the capillary has an interstitium that is wider and consists of type I collagen with fibroblasts and pericytes. Pulmonary fibrosis affects the intersitium of the alveoli. The disease involves thickening of this interstitium through collagen. In the initial stages, an increased number of lymphocytes and plasma cells are found within the area. These cells are later accompanied by fibroblasts that lay down thick collagen bundles. The functioning of the heart is closely related to respiratory system. The affects of pulmonary fibrosis are evident on the working of the cardiovascular system. Since the tissue is scarred, the heart muscle works harder to pump the same volume of blood through the lungs. As fibrosis continues the risks of heart failure increase. Causes for the disease Pulmonary fibrosis may be caused by a number of factors, the foremost of which are inhalation of environmental agents and results of auto immune disorders. The more common reasons

Diversities in Health and Healing Beliefs and Its Implication to Research Paper

Diversities in Health and Healing Beliefs and Its Implication to Health Care Delivery - Research Paper Example Holistic care has been the new paradigm of healing hospitals as the world faces the challenge of diversity in each nation. This poses a challenge to institutions to render a loving service rather than mere customer service. It is utilized in understanding that patients, as human beings, are composed of mind, body, and soul and its interconnectedness must be dealt with simultaneously. The final part of this paper examines the health care provider’s attitude and management for patients with different health belief from their own. Diversities in Health and Healing Beliefs and Its Implication to Health Care Delivery Migration is a common phenomenon that transpires throughout the world in this era of globalization and capitalism. Today, each nation has diverse nationalities residing within their territories for purposes of education, business, work, or leisure. This trend posts a challenge to health care professionals, particularly nurses, in delivery of health care services and un derstanding their total well being. Through time, the hospital has shifted its paradigm from being a place where illness is treated to a place aimed to render wellness and holistic services. Practitioners now embrace this holistic approach recognizing the interconnectedness of the body, mind, and soul and treating each aspect in respect of one another rather than the traditional approach of medicine which is focused only with the bodily manifestations (Moodly and West, 2005, p.257). The concept of holistic healing transformed social institutions such as hospitals toward a more just and loving health and healing practices. As the bible says, â€Å"The Lord will strengthen him in his bed of illness, you will sustain him in his sick bed (Psalm 41:3),† Christian institutions and practitioners acknowledge the value of psycho-spiritual assistance to both the ill and well patients. The usual challenged faced by holistic hospitals is marking delineation between the Christian concept of loving service and the capitalist’s value for customer service. While most administrators aim is to increase patient satisfaction, the caregivers and patients seek for a more humanitarian and loving approach when acquiring services from institutions. Health care systems must go beyond the superficial approach of customer service and dig deeper to a more genuine loving service and care (Chapman, 2005). Holistic approach and loving service are two valuable principles that must be carried out by health caregivers. This encompasses the need for better understanding of the patient’s health beliefs, healing preferences, and religion. Respect is the key point of success in this avenue of care (Chapman, 2005), therefore, diversities among these beliefs and preferences must be fully understood by nurses and health practitioners. Christian, Native American, and Buddhist’s Healing Beliefs The Christians focus on God as the Great Physician who heals all forms of illness and this healing could be attained through prayers. They recognize Jesus as the Christ, son of God, who healed thousand of sinners and ill people though prayer and faith during his stay on earth as narrated in the New Testament of the Bible. Christians believe in the power of the Holy Spirit as a current that flows and promotes healing of the mind, body, and soul (Plante and Sherman, 2001). The bible dictated that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit

History Lectures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History Lectures - Essay Example Islamic Beginnings In its initial years, Islam has been considered a nomadic culture until it found a home in the Arab territories. Islam’s most famous prophet is someone you most likely have heard of--Muhammad or Mohammed. Muhammad was known to have united the Muslim religion and culture. He is considered their prophet because it is said that the teachings of Allah were revealed to him by an angel. These teachings are now present in the Muslim bible called the Qur’an (Khanbagi, 2006). When Muhammad, Islam’s holy man, passed away, various problems of succession arose. The succeeding years of the Muslim civilization brought on more conquered lands. One after another, we have seen other cultures and territories fall to the Muslims, including the Byzantines, Syria, Persia, Egypt, North Africa, and Spain. But, as the Muslims were conquering these territories, the fighting within their group got worse. Many of us have heard about Islam through the latest media coverag e; and if so, you may have heard of the two infamous groups, the Sunis and the Shiites. These two groups were borne out of the infighting Muslims, due to differing ideas on governance. The Shiites followed Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, and the Sunis followed the Ummayads, who were the first Muslim dynasty to rule the Arab Kingdom (Jelen & Wilcox, 2002). Islam’s Golden Years Of course, during the older rule of Islam, it was not all about fighting. There was a golden period; a time when the Arabic, Byzantine, Persian, and Indian cultures were integrated with one another. They refer to it as a golden age because learning reached its peak through Muslim associations with the Greeks and the Byzantines. The interplay became more than what one would expect—a predatory or conqueror-slave type of interaction. The relationship became as simple as a teacher and a student (Kreis, 2006). As the conquered groups learned about Islam, Islam learned from the conquered. Knowledge b ecame alive and in the process, science and philosophy was also preserved. Allah taught these Muslims to seek out knowledge and truth and to protect it (Kreis, 2006). And, this is what they did as they allowed knowledge to become a major part of their life and their daily activities. African Beginnings Most of the southern part of the African continent has been occupied by tribes known as Khoisan (Hupston, 2009). The Khoisan language is characterized by clicking sounds, very similar to that of the Bushman. From the Khoisan tribes, more divisions are later seen: the San (Bushmen) and the KhoiKhoi or Hottentots (History World, n.d). The Pygmies, which includes the Bambuti, Batwa, Bayaka and Bagyelil divisions are scattered over a huge area in central and western Africa, to include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo (Brazzaville), Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda (The Africa Guide, 1996). The Pygmies were known to occupy the tropical fore sts of central Africa, but it was the Negroes which dominated sub-Saharan Africa. Primeval Tribes The Negroes, were an African tribe who found their home in the so-called Negro systems, in western and central Sudan, Upper Guinea, and the Upper Nile regions. They spoke the Bantu language, a language which dominated much of Africa in later years. It is composed of about 500

Bathsheba and Fanny Essay Example for Free

Bathsheba and Fanny Essay She later married him after he had ordered the killing of her husband. We can relate this story back to the character of Bathsheba Everdene by saying that she was willing to marry someone who she did not love, but for security, like what happened to her with Boldwood and Troy. Not surprisingly though, being so independent she does not rate marriage very highly, I should not mind being a bride at a wedding if I could be without having a husband. This shows us that she is not very keen on the love and marriage scene. Her surname Everdene can also be linked into how she saw herself a fair product of nature and as the meaning of her surname suggests just this, by its meaning: Timeless qualities of nature. This may also have relevant as to where she felt most comfortable, where she did not have to act or have to impress anyone. I think her surname shares a link to the real Bathsheba, the hardworking, independent, country girl, this is why she was so successful in the managing of her uncles farm. It gave her a chance to unwind and clear her mind from all the turmoil that surrounded her constantly. Hardy is not the only person who tells us about Bathsheba. Other characters also make statements about her, she is so good looking and an excellent scholar, we are told this by her aunt, she says this to try and stop Gabriel from proposing marriage to Bathsheba early in the book. Troy also tells us about Bathsheba as well, I said you were beautiful and Ill say so still, by so you are. Troy says this to flatter her and to seduce her; unfortunately Bathsheba is weak in this sense and is easily flattered, so she falls for Troy. Although, in saying this, by the end of the novel she reveals an inner strength which is demonstrated by her being able to endure troy and Fanny being buried together and by her keeping Fannys lock of hair as a momenta of the poor girl. It is this inner strength which illuminates her need and love for Gabriel, who has remained true and loyal to her throughout her progress. On the other end of the social scale we are told of Fanny Robin, she is a direct contrast to Bathsheba: she is blonde and fragile while Bathsheba is dark and lively. She is portrayed as a shadowy figure adding mystery to the plot. We first meet Fanny in chapter seven, in Weatherbury churchyard where she will finally be buried. We are told that When abreast of a trunk, which appeared to be the oldest of the old, he became aware that a figure was standing behind it. This quote shows us that Fanny was a shy girl and that she did not want to be noticed by anyone if she could help it. Hardy evokes sympathy for Fanny when she and Gabriel meet for the first time, as Gabriel notices that she is rather weak and vulnerable. I am rather poor and I dont want people to know anything about me, Then she was silent and shivered. Fanny clearly wants to go unnoticed and she appears to be cold and undernourished which would lead us to believe that she was probably unemployed and very poor. Gabriel feeling sorry for Fanny offers her a shilling Yes, I will take it. Fanny accepts the shilling like a child would a sweet. Like Bathsheba, Fanny can also act unconventionally, for example when she runs off to marry Troy although she is depicted as a vulnerable girl in a hostile landscape. This is effective in that it draws the readers sympathy for Fanny because of her weak stature and the harsh surroundings that she had to cope with each day. Ironically though her letter rejoicing in her forthcoming marriage is somewhat naive and premature. Through this Hardy again evokes sympathy and pity for Fanny when she muddles the churches and faces Troys fury, but this is what Troy needed; a chance to abandon Fanny and marry his rich and beautiful mistress, but unknown to Troy, Fanny is pregnant and destitute. Fanny is a victim of circumstance, a shadowy presence who reveals Troys fickleness when he flirts with Bathsheba. Fanny would now be frowned upon due to the fact that she was pregnant and was giving birth to an illegitimate child, although this was not her fault she would still have faced prejudice. This, also draws sympathy from the readers for Fanny because it is a problem that faces women in even our modern world today. So, Fanny conceals her pregnancy and supports herself as a seamstress until she goes to Casterbridge workhouse to have her baby. I personally feel sympathy for Fanny in this situation because she could have gone to Troy and demanded that he take care of her and the unborn baby, but she didnt, and in doing so showed that she had respected Troys decision to marry Bathsheba. She realised how her social status and upbringing would have affected Troy, and in doing so she left him alone. I think this shows great courage and unselfish behaviour from a woman who had so little, but yet payed the ultimate price. Hardy evokes sympathy by describing in harrowing detail her last journey, especially with the picture of her little arms resting on a large dog. Her death caused by giving birth to an illegitimate child. Fannys fear that she will never see Troy again Perhaps I shall be in my grave is prophetically ironic. Ironically she has more power in death than in life. Her beauty in the coffin reduces Troy to abject shame and reawakens his true love, as he regards Fanny now as his very wife Fanny is then put in a coffin and Gabriel leaves her coffin to rest at Bathshebas house, which is near to where she will be buried. On the coffin though it said Fanny Robin and Child. Gabriel took his handkerchief and carefully rubbed out the two latter words, leaving one inscription Fanny Robin only. Gabriel did this to protect Bathsheba from getting hurt and to maybe protect Troy from the embarrassment, as he was the father of an illegitimate child. Her character is simply drawn from her naive honesty and her forlorn faith in her lover. In many ways, Fanny represents the plight of the Victorian working- class female who strays outside the narrow confines of society rules. In the end Hardy left Fanny on a very sombre and sad note The persistent torrent from the gurgoyles jaws directed all of its vengeance into the grave. The rich tawny mould was stirred into motion, and boiled like chocolate. This is where Hardy has evoked the most sympathy for Fanny, and I am sure other readers of the book would agree with me. Hardy presents these two characters very differently. He portrays Bathsheba as a self- assured, independent, confident woman who was deserted by her husband because he had realised his mistake, leave her to pick up the pieces of what I think was a shattered life and one that was in turmoil, dismay and sadness. This is how Hardy has tried to draw sympathy for Bathsheba, by describing how Troy mistreated her and used her for her wealth; this is the only place in the book that you really feel sympathy for Bathsheba. With the character of Fanny Hardy was able to draw a lot more sympathy from the readers due to the reality of her character and that did happen in those days. Fanny was the total contrast to Bathsheba she was the shy and dark and lonely figure who was never paid any attention to; she was poor and weak. She was never, I think, truly happy with who she was and how people, especially Troy treated her and Troy only realised how special she was until it was too late. The most striking scene in the book was definitely when the gurgoyle was dripping water all over Fannys grave and ruining it. This is when we as readers, we sit back and are made to think of the things in our life that we take for granted each day, just expecting them to always be there, and one day they wont and then we will truly realise how much we had loved them, as Troy found out when Fanny died. Hardy has presented these characters in the most appropriate and effective way in order to draw sympathy from them. I do think now, that this book is not just to be read but it has been written to make you think about the things that you cherish most in life, and dont make the mistake of not appreciating them.

Classification of the human senses

Classification of the human senses Abstract All known human senses are of extreme importance and relevance during employee selection. In this paper, a brief depiction of each sense is presented; the importance, relevance and influence of the sense of sight and hearing in employee recruitment is addressed, specifically in correlation to the screening of cabin crew for a major international airline. Introduction A wide body aircraft flies across the large projector screen followed by images of well known landscapes, happy passengers and smiling crew members. The music is soft but with a contagious upbeat. The room is bright with chairs neatly arranged in auditorium format, ready to receive the entering candidates. Excitement, anticipation and expectation fill the air. Greeting them, two recruiters in their business attire and attitude have already started their task: a recruitment day in about to begin. Everyone, throughout the course of their professional lives, has experienced some type of employee screening or recruitment process. Being an informal one-on-one interview or a highly complex assessment centre; in todays marketplace, selection of candidates and competition for the best positions are everyday occurrences. All of our everyday tasks, from the simplest to the most technically demanding requires using our senses; and translating, analysing the information to attain the desired results. The interpretation of our senses is a detrimental component of our perception (Gerow, 1994). Making sense of the senses Since Aristotles De Anima and his attempted definition of the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste) great developments in research have shed needed light in the functionality and interrelation of our senses (Boernstein, 1955; Gerow, 1997; Orlady Orlady, 1999). Currently, some authors consider the existence of other senses such as kinaesthetic, acceleration, pain and balance within the five senses mentioned above (Gerow, 1997; Orlady Orlady, 1999). In brief words, our senses are: Sight Light rays enter the cornea making its way into the retina where conversion of physical energy into neural impulses occurs. These impulses are then sent to the brain for decoding and analysis. The perception of colour, brightness, form and depth is done by specialized cells (Gerow, 1997). Hearing Vibration creates waves and those waves travel into the ear where they set the tympanic membrane in motion, passing through various inner areas until reaching tiny hair cells where hearing takes place (Gerow, 1997, p.91). Our sense of balance is directly related to our inner ears (Orlady Orlady, 1999). Touch Identifiable as anything that triggers sensation on the skin, mucosa or tongue. One can categorize different sensations such as tingles, tickles, itches as well as differences in pressure, temperature, and the sensation of pain (Gerow, 1997). Smell It is a chemical sense. The odours molecules when in contact with the tiny hairs in our noses cause them to send impulses to our brain that interprets smells. Some studies suggest it to be the closest linked to memory (White Treisman, 1997). Taste A chemical sense that uses a combination of taste receptors capable of identifying four different states: sweet, sour, salt and bitter (Gerow, 1997). Although all senses are somewhat implicated in employee recruitment, perhaps the most intensely involved ones are sight and hearing. Sight and screening When you meet a candidate, sight is the first sense involved, followed by hearing, touch (shaking hands), and even smell (noticeable body odour). In cabin crew recruitment the first analyses done by the recruiters is a visual one. The recruiters visually analyse the candidates suitability according to the pre-established requirements and criterion: candidates are expected to be physically fit to best perform on board of an airliner; candidates must have a certain arm reach, which translates into a minimum height; and why not to mention that their overall displayed behaviour must entail a strong team work capability. In other words, the way that a candidate walks, talks, relates to others, his/her facial expressions and body language (non-verbal communication) are all taken into consideration. During this first visual analysis of the candidates suitability, recruiters must quickly forecast his/her adjustability to the job per say. The cabin crew job requires a combination of physical and mental tasks to be accomplished daily. Physical tasks are directly related to in-flight service and overall wellbeing of passengers and other crew members, in addition to performing optimally should an emergency occur. Cabin crews mental tasks are directly related to their capability of learning across several areas. From service delivery to (most importantly) safety and the use of safety equipment if needed. It is required of them to visually check emergency equipments in the assigned station, and these checks include continuous use of the human senses such as sight, hearing, touch and even smell. In addition, cabin crew must maintain alertness and situational awareness during the entire flight to ensure safety compliance (Helmreich Merritt, 1998). From the candidates perspective, sight is also the first sense used as they come into the venue, meet the recruiters and gather information about the company by printed material and/or video presentation. Their first impressions of the corporate image are created at this moment arousing or diminishing the interest for the position offered. Sound and screening Hearing follows the visual contact. Through hearing is when another crucial part of the recruitment process takes place: the evaluation of the candidates potential in verbal communication, and the interaction with his/her peers during all the presented group or individual exercises and personal interview. The candidates ability to understand speech and coordinate it with proper physical response and verbal communication are imperative for his/her continuance in the recruitment process. Since communication is a key element of aviation safety (Kanki Palmer, 1993), the candidates ability to properly communicate even at this early stage is essential. The evaluation (visual and verbal) of group interaction and aspects of decision making are another decisive aspect to look into during employee selection. In aviation, being in the cockpit or in the passenger cabin, positive group interaction that facilitates the assessment of a given situation followed by proper decision is essential to ensure safety is achieved (Oranasu, 1993). Others senses and screening Present at a much smaller scale are the senses of smell and touch. Physical touch during screening is limited to handshakes. In such brief contact however, recruiters can only guess how affected by the process a candidate is. If candidates display sweaty or trembling hands, it might signal them as nervous and tense (rather normal under the circumstances). The sense of smell is an interesting one; it ranges from identifying the presence or not of a pleasant or unpleasant odour to interpreting and reacting to it. In employee selection, only cases of offensive body odour are of concern as it has been widely suggested that odour can affect performance in the workplace (Kroemer Kroemer, 2001). Perception and screening Perception is broadly defined as the interpretation of the several stimuli that we are exposed by at any given time. Perception in itself is selective and directly linked to the intensity of a given stimuli, and its importance to the receiver of these stimuli (Gerow, 1994). Every recruitment campaign is unique and so must be the perceptive approach of the recruiters to avoid biased decisions. Purkiss, Perrewee, Gillespie, Mayes and Gerrald (2003) suggest that the evaluation of candidates performance as being related to positive or negative stereotyping, cultural misunderstanding or even inadequate application of recruitment techniques. All of these elements are primarily understood and processed as part of ones perception. Further discussing bias in recruitment and its implications is far beyond the scope of this paper. Playing an important role in the recruitment process is the venue in which it occurs. Our senses are stimulated and influenced by the surroundings, and so is our perception or understanding of the messages that our senses send to us (Gerow, 1994). External factors such as noise, temperature, lighting, smell among others; and, internal factors such as fatigue, stress, culture, and mental state (of candidate and recruiters) should be factored in for optimal performance (Orlady Orlady, 1999). Conclusion Although all senses are involved in everyday activities, when it comes to employee recruitment and selection process of any company, mostly sight and hearing are engaged. Sight is the first sense to be used followed closely by hearing. Perception and understanding of all received information during the recruitment process is greatly influenced by internal and external factors such as cultural traits; physical and mental state of the recruiters (stress, fatigue); and personal (or bias) understanding of the given criterion. In addition, perception from the candidates point of view also affects the outcome of any screening. Lastly, recruitment officers do not only rely in their senses or their perception to form a final decision on a candidates application. There are written tests; psychometric and aptitude tests; and even medical tests performed that help create a more accurate picture of every applicant before a final decision is reached. Further investigations into the interplay of senses within human resources, specifically its influence during employee selection are needed to enhance understanding on both sides. References Boernstein, W. (1955). Classification of the human senses. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine 28, pp 208-215. Kanki, B.G. Palmer, M.T. (1993). Communication and crew resource management. In E.L. Wiener, B.G. Kanki, R.L. Helmreich (Eds.), Cockpit Resource Management. San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Helmreich, R, L. Merritt, A. C. (1998). Culture at work in aviation and medicine: National, organisational and professional influences. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate. Kroemer, K.H.E. Kroemer,D . (2001). Office ergonomics. New York, NY: Taylor Francis Inc. Orasanu, J.M. (1993). Decision making in the cockpit. In E.L. Wiener, B.G. Kanki, and R.L. Helmreich (Eds.), Cockpit Resource Management. San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Purkiss, S.L.S., Perrewee, P.L., Gillespie, T.L., Mayes, B.L., Gerrald, R.F. (2003). Implicit sources of bias in employment interview judgments and decisions. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 101 (2006) 152-167. Retrieved on 3rd July 2009, from doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2006.06.005 White, T. Treisman, M. (1997). A comparison of the encoding of content and order in olfactory memory and in memory for visually presented verbal materials. British Journal of Psychology 88, n3 459-469.