Saturday, August 31, 2019

Pinay Ako

Pinay Ako â€Å"MANILA, Philippines- The inability of the Philippine economy to produce high-paying  jobs especially for women has pushed Filipinos to marry foreigners as a way to provide for their families, the study Country Gender Assessment by regional lender Asian Development Bank said. † 1 The research that was conducted last 2009 showed an estimate of 300,000 Filipinos of whom 92% are women, are married to foreigners mainly from United States, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea.Pinay ako (translated as I am a Filipina) and I dislike the fact that we are well-known to the world to be gold-diggers –yes, that is how they call us. I never planned nor wanted to be one of them. I remember going to a church that does not support the trending 18-year-old-pinay-marrying-80-year-old-kano2. Unexpectedly, I met Jaimee, 20. My parents and relatives were against us. It is because aside from being too young, Jaimee is a foreigner from Kansas, USA.We have been th rough a lot of troubles and we have prayed and cried so many times to fight for the love. I guess it is true that things that are meant to be will always be. The more they pulled us away from each other, the more we got closer. He became my husband after a year. I am going to be different among typical Filipinas. I have always been ambitious and I think I will always be. Jaimee told me that this is one of the traits that he liked the most in me. If truth to be told, before I met him I never wished for marriage.I wanted to be independent and free. When I was still at university my primary goal was a booming career. I am more of a career woman. I love business. I love office. I actually worked in our family’s small factory and did college at the same time. When I married Jaimee I got new goals in life. First is my promise to be the best wife to him and the best mother to our future children. Second is to make a difference. I am going to be different among typical Filipinas. I a m going to take a stand and become a model and inspiration.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Positive Effect of Capital Punishment in Modern America

Ronnie Kuester Dr. Borgmeyer Eng. Comp. II 30 Sept. 2010 The Positive Effect of Capital Punishment in Modern America â€Å"I don’t think you should support the death penalty to seek revenge. I don’t think that’s right. I think the reason to support the death penalty is because it saves other people’s lives† (Bush). Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics in the American society and is also one of the topics most people feel very emotional about. Everyone feels that their views are correct because there are many pros and cons to either side.Although some people believe the risk of executing the innocent is too great, the use of capital punishment has greatly impacted our society in a positive way because of its deterring effect, economic benefits, and the prevailing of justice. The deterrent effect is definitely one of the biggest benefits to having capital punishment. When people have the knowledge that they could be executed for killing someone else it often turns them away from committing the murder. Tanner from Fort-Worth Star Telegram thinks that the deterrent effect has shown to prevent between three and eighteen murders(Wood 601).Most people in modern America have heard of the death penalty, yet they still commit the crimes that are punishable by death. Since people know about it and still do it, they are basically accepting the sentence, unless they are mentally ill and in which cause do not get sentenced to death. Naci Mocan’s study, from the University of Colorado, suggest that, â€Å"Statistical studies like his are among a dozen papers since 2001 that show capital punishment has deterrent effects†(Wood 602). Abolitionists argue that the deterrent effect is only estimates and are not actually proven to deter murders.However, knowing, through many studies, that three to eighteen innocent people could be saved by executing each convicted killer greatly outweighs the benefits to letting the murderer off the hook. Although, the deterrent effect is the greatest benefit to having capital punishment, the economic problem is also very important. A suggested alternative to the death penalty is life in prison without parole. This upsets many of the taxpayers, as it should. An article in The Economist states, â€Å"the idea of spending public money to feed and clothe murderers for the rest of their lives seemed outrageous†(Economist 605).Is there a difference to sentencing life in prison or executing someone? In the end they die a captive man. It is delaying the inevitable, but not many people see that. It is not very fair giving man his freedoms after he has taken the lives of others. He himself has not respected the life and liberty that all people should have. Once you take away someone’s life yours should be taken in return. That is, only if it is murder in the first degree and the murder was committed intentionally. After being sentenced to life without parole their court dates are not done.Money keeps getting wasted in the courts after the sentencing. Most convicts are still trying to get a reduced sentence or get parole. Convicts going through trials for the death penalty and life in prison often have to wait a very long time, which in the process is spending a lot of the tax payers’ money. Either way, life in prison or the death penalty on average they wait a decade before a decision is made or the execution is carried out. Other than deterring crime and being economically beneficial, capital punishment also allows justice to prevail.Justice seems to always prevail, but in some instances, this is not the case. However, no innocent human has been executed through the use of DNA testing. Only the convicts who commit the worst, most heinous of crimes are even put on death row. Abolitionists see that the government is just killing someone. However, like the quote at the beginning, the government does not have the death penalt y just to seek revenge. That is not what the death penalty is about. It is about justice being served and letting people know that murdering will not be acceptable.The government does not execute people to flaunt its power, Foucault agrees when he states, â€Å"It is ugly to be punishable, there is no glory in punishing†(Foucault 10). It is because of this that America, along with many other nations, has done away with torturing as well. The government does respect points of the abolitionists saying it is not right torturing the convicts or causing extreme pain. They have changed their ways making the execution more humane. In our modern society we do not torture death row inmates anymore.Foucault states that, â€Å"today we are rather inclined to ignore it; perhaps, in its time, it gave rise to too much inflated rhetoric; perhaps it has been attributed too readily and too emphatically to a process of ‘humanization’, thus dispensing with the need for further ana lysis†(Foucault 7). It was thought that torture was a corrective procedure that if they were tortured they would not commit the crime again. However, it is viewed as inhumane to inflict pain on an individual to teach them discipline, especially if they are being put to death anyway. So now we use more humane ways to put people to death that involve little to no pain.Lethal injection is the most modern and safe way to put someone to death. It was first used in 1977 in Oklahoma but took five years before it was used on someone. All of the states except one that have the death penalty use lethal injection. The inmate being executed is bound down and has his heart being monitored. Then, they insert two needles into the veins injecting the inmate with Sodium Thiopental. This is an anesthetic which renders the inmate unconscious. â€Å"Next flows pavulon or Pancuronium Bromide, which paralyzes the entire muscle system and stops the inmate’s preathing. Finally, the flow of po tassium chloride stops the heart.Death results from anesthetic overdoes and respiratory and cardiac arrest while the condemned person is unconscious† (Methods). This technique used does not hurt the inmate, which is one of the reasons abolitionists are upset about the death penalty. As for any other method, they get pretty painful and or messy. Death by electrocution, hanging, and gas chamber are all extremely painful and do not kill the inmate right away. Not only does justice prevail through the government when someone is executed but also people get a religious satisfaction. The Bible specifically states that the death penalty is alright. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man†(Genesis 9:6). The reason why it is believed people should be executed for killing another human being is because we were made in God’s image and destroying or killing that is major offense to God. The Bible also informs its readers that none shall take ransom or money in exchange for the murderer’s life. This is where the justice comes into play. God does not want the government taking money in exchange for someone’s life. In modern day terms it would be equivalent to posting bail or just receiving a fine.That would be unrealistic to do in the case of a murderer being put to death. Abolitionists believe that we should not play God and only those who have not sinned be the ones to judge and â€Å"cast the first stone† so to speak. What most do not realize is that, according to the Bible, God thinks that these murderers should be killed. God is not going to just smite them down. Humans figured out and have interpreted the Bible and it’s meanings when saying these things about the death penalty. Most abolitionists greatest problem with the death penalty is executing the innocent. Executing the innocent is extremely rare.Hundreds of people have been released from death row due to DNA t esting proving their innocence. This does not mean that they were executed. It is excellent that these people were not wrongly executed and it is because of modern technology that it can be appreciated. However, executing those who have been, without a doubt guilty of committing murder in the first degree should be executed. Throughout the use of DNA testing to possibly help the case of either side, there have been zero cases where and innocent human has been executed. Abolitionists keep seeing that the death penalty is still used despite the way they feel.So they begin to say things like, â€Å"Killing a murderer does not bring his victim back to life. It achieves nothing but the death of still another person†(Robinson). As stated at the beginning of this paper, by having the death penalty be legal it deters certain crime, has economic benefits, and it allows justice to be served. No matter what abolitionists are doing, most of their ideas keep getting shot down. There is a reason the majority has always sided with the death penalty, because it just helps out our modern American society.Works Cited Bush, George W. â€Å"Presidential Debate† Washington University Athletic Complex. University of St. Louis. 17 Oct. 2000. Speech. â€Å"Descriptions of Execution Methods. † Deathpenaltyinfor. org. Death Penalty Information Center. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. . Foucault, Michel. â€Å"Chapter 1. † 1979. Discipline and Punishment. Trans. Alan Sheridan. 3-18. Print. King James Version Bible. Genesis 9:6. 2004. Robinson, Bruce A. â€Å"Capital Punishment – the Death Penalty. † ReligiousTolerance. org by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 04 Aug. 2007. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. . Wood, Nancy V. Perspectives on Argument. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2009. Print. (601-613).

Employment and Falsification Job Candidates

ETHICAL ISSUES FACING EMPLOYERS AND JOB APPLICANTS Ruth Carter October 1, 2012 Some job applicants â€Å"pad† their application with false information, such as phony salaries and nonexistent jobs. Even some well-known political figures have been guilty of listing a job on their resume during a period of time in which such a job never existed. When applicants are eager or even desperate to find a job, such ethical dilemmas will rise to the forefront. FALSIFICATION What is falsification?Certainly, adding information that is not true would seem to indicate a clear intent on the part of the applicant to falsify information. But how do you judge whether or not leaving out pertinent information or information that would cast you in a bad light qualifies as intentional falsification? These are gray areas that are not always easy to define. Honors and Grades. Let’s take a look at a more specific example. What if your grade point average at graduation had been just slightly high er to qualify you for a degree designation of cum laude, magna cum laude, or even summa cum laude?Clearly, it would be falsification to claim one of these designations when that designation was not earned. However, there is an ethical way to place yourself in the best light without falsifying information. If you earned an outstanding grade point average in the courses for your given major, it is certainly acceptable to state your correct grade point average and specify that the average reflects grades only for courses related to your declared college major or minor. School Activities.Many applicants are willing to exaggerate or totally falsify their participation in school activities. In order to prove leadership ability, an applicant might be willing to say that he or she was president of a nonexistent club or perhaps organized some type of fictional fund-raising activity. Such deception is clearly falsification. Job Titles. Another area rampant with deception is the list of previo us job titles. In order to make a former job sound more impressive, a job contender might add a word or two to the title or perhaps rename the title altogether.REASONS FOR FALSIFICATION Job candidates lie for any number of reasons. Some of them see getting a job as some sort of game in which the rules really don’t matter. Others equate lying with cheating on an exam and rationalize the deception in some way. Many applicants have families to support and are willing to do anything to get the job. CONCLUSION It is clear that falsification is at hand more than ever, and it is equally clear that the value of ethics has been lost on some applicants.It is therefore up to the employer to figure out how best to test a potential employee’s integrity, to investigate an applicant’s history, and then to decide whether or not to hire this individual. The importance of ethical intentions in a future employee should never be underestimated. There is an old saying that honesty i s the best policy. Honesty is expected and required in the workplace, and great dividends await those who make an exemplary work ethic a top priority.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Career Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Career Development - Assignment Example Self-efficacy refers to one’s belief in his own abilities. Extensive research has been conducted in order to evaluate the impact of predominant belief in academic performance and overall personality of a person. A usually observation indicates that those students who believe that they would not be able to perform better on tests, often times fail in doing so. However, those having potent belief over their skills and abilities usually outperform others. The reason is because self-efficacy is deeply linked with cognitive development of a person (Bandura, 1977). A large number of researches have proven that there is a substantial positive relationship between the academic performance and self-efficacy beliefs of students. Self-efficacy impacts the activities that students perform, as well as their persistence and extent of efforts. Persistence and putting more effort is difficult task or difficult times are what sets the successful students apart (Bryon, 2011). Therefore, the aim of this paper is to improve own self-efficacy skills. In order to do so, certain strategies and activities have been designed. Results must be evaluated after a period of time so as to compare the past and the current performance. According to Bandura, and Adams, (1977) people possessing low self-esteem tend to shun tasks whereas those who have high self-efficacy not just attempt the task but also remain persistence and competent towards that task (Bandura and Adams, 1977). Figure 1 mentioned above is an example of personal development plan that has been prepared in order to develop and furnish own self-efficacy skills. It must be borne in mind that self-efficacy primarily constitutes of three major areas that include self-confidence, academic performance, and employability skills. However, a lot of effort is required in the beginning. For improving in each area, certain activities are needed to be performed. For example,

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Business and Management Research (Leadership topic) Coursework

Business and Management Research (Leadership topic) - Coursework Example According to several eminent authors around the world, leadership activity plays critical roles in initiating the actions of the organization, motivating the workforce, providing guidance to the team followers, building a proper working environment and also coordinating with the upper management in order to ensure smother work flow (Duke, 2009; Mackay, 2007; Harrell, 2008). This segment of the study will undertake a critical review of the article, â€Å"Combinative aspects of leadership style and the interaction between leadership behaviours† by Gian Casimir and Yong Ngee Keith Ng. This journal article was published in the year 2010 in Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 31 No. 6, and can be found in pages 501-517. The authors carried out this study for the principal purpose of testing an alternative standpoint of interaction, which is purely based on the technique or way leaders amalgamates various leadership behaviours (Casimir and Ng, 2009). The two principa l leadership behaviours considered by the authors are socio-emotional leadership and task oriented leadership. The subsequent section of the study will enumerate brief summary and review the findings of the paper. In addition, this paper will also critically review the study by Gian Casimir and Yong Ngee Keith Ng in the context of its weaknesses and strengths. Review and Summary of the Paper The study by Gian Casimir and Yong Ngee Keith Ng was about examining the interaction between socio-emotional leadership and task-oriented leadership. According to the authors, there were two major underlying principles for which the subject of study was opted. The first and most important reason was that these two leadership styles have always been the centre of attention when it came to test of interaction in the field of leadership literature. The second reason was that the authors identified that a number of day-to-day organizational leadership involve attitudes and behaviour that can be arti culated as task oriented behaviour or socio emotional behaviour (Luthans, Hodgetts and Rosenkrantz, 1988; Judge, Piccollo and Ilies 2004; Komaki, 1986). Lastly the topic of interaction is also considered to be significant (Blalock, 1965; Cronbach, 1987). In the meantime, it is also necessary to define the two leadership style being discussed here in the study. A proper definition will help in better understanding of the subject and will also help in reviewing and summarising the paper. Task oriented leadership is often deemed as multifaceted and encompass wide range of behavioural traits (Glass, 2010; B. Bass and R, Bass, 2009; Northouse, 2011). Some of the typical function of task oriented leadership is allocation of resources, assigning the particular job to the followers, emphasizing on the deadlines, to cross check whether the followers are actually following the rules and regulation and maintaining the decorum of the organization and pressurizing the followers to work hard towa rds the achievement of the goals (Delamater, 2006; Heinemann and Zeiss, 2002; Lussier and Achua, 2009). Therefore, from the perception of the authors, it is evident that one of the most vital features of a task oriented leader is pressurizing the followers to accomplish the task in timely manner by delegating the tasks as per the capabilities of the followers (Misumi, 1985). On the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Fallacy Spotting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fallacy Spotting - Essay Example An appeal to pity or fear also known as the Galileo argument, means a professional has been suffering that he/she might lose loss his/her house due to some dysfunction. Under different situations human being evoke to the appeal to pity or fear emotion. Fear of God and fear of terrorism generates appeal to pity or fear in the human mind. At the time of appeal to pity or fear, different kinds of reasoning come to the mind of the arguer along with opposing party. Emotions have been affecting human behavior in a very inappropriate manner, which is also harmful for the future (Rainbolt and Dwyer 1-446). Therefore, appealing to the emotions like pity or fear is unidentified force created by the arguer, it negatively affect the opponents without knowing the actual reason, whether he/she will surrender to the arguer (Walton 1-55). Pity or fear is a very strong as well as forceful emotion, which made the opponent helpless and at a point of time opponent is forced to give up the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Functional Block Diagram Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Functional Block Diagram - Essay Example The control signals and measures are by dashed lines. These latter concepts seemed to be very vague to an individual at this point. With careful consideration of the process flow diagram described in Figure 1–2, where process 1 effluent fluid is to the surge tank where the effluent are directed to process 2.several constraints exist such as the height in this reservoir. In the event the tank overflows, it may pose a serious environmental risk and hazards that may result in negative economic influence (Levin & Ted, pp. 124-178). Below is the stepwise analyzes of the system in a procedural manner. Control Objective: here, the goal is to maintain the height of the tank within certain bounds since too high height will lead to overflow while too little height problems may arise due to the flow of process 2. Typically, specific height will be selected. This desired height is as the set point. In this section the effluent from process 1and, it is channeled through to process 2. It is that an outlet flow rate is considered an input to this kind of set up (Levin & Ted, pp. 167-189). In most cases, the problem is always to identify and the manipulated input and the disturbance input. Output variables: the most considered out variable is the liquid level with assumption t in the measured quantity. These are the actual number of constraints while solving this process. The liquid levels allowed up to a certain maximum level; upon which when exceeded, the tank overflows. There are limitations on the flow rates via the inlet and outlet valves. Since this is a continuous process, that is, there is an inflow via inlet and out flow via outlet of the tank. Safety, economic considerations and environmental factors: This aspect majorly depends on the futures of the fluid. If it is a lethal chemical, then there exist tremendous environmental

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Ethical leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical leadership - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that ethical leadership is more respected and leaders who implement ethical practices in their actions are known to be established as role models by the followers. But this definition has certain constraints because it looks at leadership from a relativist point of view. Other scholars argue that ethical leadership is a theoretical concept that is difficult to be implemented in the practical world. Some authors also indicate that ethical leadership is much dependant on the individual leader and his social and cultural background. Brown, Mitchel, and Trevino conceptualizes ethical leadership as a part of their social learning theory. The social learning theory establishes that the ethical leaders can influence the employees to display ethical behavior by implementing ethical practices in their own activities. Ethical behavior of the leaders helps to establish the visible and powerful position for the leaders in the organization and helps them to get the attention and interest of the employees. An ethical leadership involves different formal and personal instances. Though there are different views regarding ethical leadership, the most common consensus goes to the fact that ethical leadership is critical in improving the effectiveness of organizations in the current business environment. Ethical leadership is emerging as an important concept in the retail industry. The ethical leadership practices in a leading multinational retailer, Tesco Plc. can be sued as a suitable example to demonstrate the importance of ethical leadership in the current business world. The former CEO of Tesco, Tarry Leahy focused on building the business based on morally right values so as to attract conscious and morally like-minded employees and customers. Tarry Leahy demonstrated ethical leadership in his tenure as the CEO of Tesco Plc.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Encounter of the East and West Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Encounter of the East and West - Essay Example The three years spent by the French team in Egypt had great influence on the west and specifically Europe at that time. The invasion of the outsiders to Egypt has formed a benchmark onto which the east and west convened and exchanged different aspects. The western culture diversified because of the Egyptian influence. The Egyptian ancient society fade away with time as the encounter between east and west persisted over time. Ancient Egypt civilization as described by the napoleon team was rich in artefacts that triggered great interest to the west. These included the famous Egyptian pyramids, temples, and representations of pharaohs and gods. The sphinx of Giza is one of the statues that have amazed the world because of its age and meaning. The sphinx is a monument that bears the head of a human and the body of a lion. The great monument standing on the Egyptian desert is currently in ruins because of the persistent wind, sand of the desert and rainfall. The sphinx lies amidst Egypti an pyramids in Giza and the meaning that Egyptians have attached to the monument over time is perplexing. Time has redefined the meaning and representation repeatedly. The sphinx stands as a clear illustration of the dynasties existing in the previous civilizations before European intervention. Speculations from the old times indicate that the human face was in honour of one of the pharaohs. The sculpture probably dates back to the fourth dynasty and the face represented belonged to pharaoh Khafre. The monument dimensions are 238 feet in length and 65 feet in height. The origins of the bedrock making the sculpture re not very clear. The lion body depicts the royalty awarded to the dynasty by the people. Ancient Egypt was rich in style and this is the reason why the pyramids of the old times have persisted in world history. The ancient Egyptian civilization greatly influenced the succeeding new kingdom of the modern history. The great sphinx receives respect and honour from the peopl e. For some people, it represented the pharaoh who instructed its building. Others believe that the pharaoh Khafre’s father instructed its building (Bayly, 2004:75). The monument has both political and religious value for some people. While some regard the essence of the sphinx as an important aspect reflecting the fourth dynasty, others associate it with the Egyptian gods. ‘The dream stela’ in the middle of the paws of the sphinx that has inscriptions on it tells the story of prince Thutmosis who slept in the middle of the paws and had a dream in which the gods spoke to him. After this, some Egyptologists claim that the monument had transformed from a king icon to a god icon. The sphinx holds a lot of mystery concerning origin, purpose and disproportion of the monument. Question two Mehmet Ali is a name familiar in Egyptian history because he established a new Egypt after the French troop led by Napoleon left (Darwin, 2007:66). Egypt was an agricultural country during napoleon’s rule. Mehmet was formally a member of the ottoman army and was an Albanian. He moved to Egypt after the departure of napoleon and was ready to transform the empire. He moved to Egypt under the instruction of his uncle the governor. Having grown up in the uncle’s family, he had received responsibilities that presented him with an opportunity to develop great leadership and political skills. In 1801, his mission in Egypt was

Friday, August 23, 2019

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Leadership - Essay Example Employee two can be suggested to hold some degree of coercive power. Since employee 2 is the only person who has the knowledge and expertise in drafting financial statements, he is in a position to exert some form of coercive influence. This is because such attributes are highly important for the company. It can be witnessed from the scenario that he has negotiated more leniency from his managers to work a much compressed week than others. Reward Power – this power base rests on the idea of getting rewarded for work performed. Employee 1 seems to be completely in the influence of reward power. He seems really dedicated in his work, comes in on weekends and sits late having the impression that in doing so he will be awarded bonuses and his long deserving holidays. Reward power is completely opposite of coercive power and is persuading an individual to fulfill the wishes of his superiors to get rewarded in return. Legitimate Power – This is a much broader term used in the context of power. Legitimacy of power is dependent on an individual’s structural position in an organization. Again in relation to the scenario, such power does not rest with any of the three employees. Such power can only be recognized with individuals holding positions such as CEO or President of a Bank or a Captain in Army. In context of the scenario none of the 3 concerned employees seem to command a legitimate power. In case of employee 2 and 3, legitimacy of power does not exists at all. Because neither have any position in the company which would create their legitimate power over others. Employee 1 has over 12 years of working experience, but has not reached a structural position to create his own legitimate power base. Apart from the three employees discussed above, there are two departmental managers mentioned in the case, who might be able to implement some sort of

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Superfund Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Superfund - Research Paper Example The result is the superfund, specifically which is placing funding and aid to stop the toxins and chemicals from being dumped into various regions. The approach is one which is furthered by the pressured cleanups by corporations throughout the different regions. This paper will examine the approach which is being taken by the EPA and how this is linking to the superfund. Background of the Superfund The superfund was established in New York City in 1980. It consists of a program that is based on offering monetary support and initiatives to clean up toxic waste and chemicals that are hazardous around the area. The project began after it was noted that over 22,000 tons of toxic waste were dumped by Niagara Falls, New York, in the known Love Canal. The Love Canal was completed and purchased for the use of different environmental needs. However, corporations began to pile toxic waste and chemicals into the canal. After the inability to move the toxins, the corporations covered the canal a nd sold this to the city of New York for $1. After a certain period of time, an explosion resulted from the large amount of chemicals and toxins in the area. The Love Canal continues to be hazardous for the environmental area it surrounds and directly affects the land which one is in. The superfund was established to force companies to clean up these areas and to tax those who were not complying with the law. Today, over 1,000 sites have been cleaned with billions of dollars being spent. Over 70% of the funds are going to corporations that began to the toxic waste and chemical buildup. The money is combined with government initiatives and companies which are linked to the polluted sites (New York Times, 2011). The initiatives which began with the funds and the need to clean up various areas has continued with specific policies and procedures offered by the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill was originally introduced by a bipartisan leadership group of senators and passed by t he Senate with limiting measures for the cleanup. The House amended this and approved the final alternatives in 1980 through S.1341. However, it was also noted that the final bill and law was sidetracked and moved into different departments because of the other proposals taken earlier. In the Carter Administration, a similar bill was being passed, specifically which was based on toxic waste and oil spill cleanup. This bill had been bypassed during the time because of other political objectives which would not provide the right cleanup. The problem which arose then created Congress to approve the bill with limited measures from the past history, specifically to take care of the problem with the Love Canal without considering the overall task of the Superfund and the extra requirements and provisions from the final bill and law which would be passed. This has led to a variety of amendments as well as questions of responsibility, taxation and corporate responsibility linked to the main bill (Grad, 1982). The approach which was taken in 1980 and the outcomes have resulted in political economics that have become a part of the Superfund and initiatives which have been taken. The approach which is now being taken is to develop the activities as a space for the contaminated sites that are continuing to have waste, as opposed to being active in the continuous dumping of the

The Impact Of The French Revolution Upon English Poets Essay Example for Free

The Impact Of The French Revolution Upon English Poets Essay The impact of the French Revolution upon English poets, and especially Wordsworth, is well known. Wordsworth’s Prelude , which was begun in 1798 appeared only after Wordsworth’s death, is an account not only of a poet’s coming of age, but also of his disillusionment with the radical political causes that propelled the unexpected violence following from the first revolutionary acts that culminated in the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Writing The Prelude in 1798, Wordsworth expresses the ecstasy he and his contemporaries felt When Reason seemed the most to assert her rights / A prime enchanter to assist the work / Which then was going forward in her name . These hopes were dashed, when, as Wordsworth writes, revolutionaries now, become oppressors in their turn, / Frenchmen had changed a war of self-defense / For one of conquest, losing sight of all / Which they had struggled for. A year after Wordsworth began to write The Prelude, notes Simon Bainbridge: Coleridge [wrote] to his friend and fellow poet Wordsworth identifying the Revolution as the theme for the era’s definitive poem, writing . . . that I wish you would write a poem, in blank verse, addressed to those who, in consequence of the complete failure of the French Revolution, have thrown up all hopes of the amelioration of mankind. . . . It would do great good. It was, Bainbridge further notes, Coleridge’s urgings that informed Wordsworth’s examination of the Revolution’s impact in The Prelude and The Excursion . . . but poems on the events in France had begun to appear very quickly. The early period of the Revolution appeared to the English poets as the realization of a poetic ideal. When reflecting  in The Prelude on his visit to France in 1790, Wordsworth famously writes that the period was a time when Europe was rejoiced, / France standing on top of golden hours, / An d human nature seeming born again. It was in such millennial terms, writes Bainbridge, that many poets responded to events in the early years of the decade, understanding these events through biblical [eyes] . . . as the second coming of Christ, bringing about the end to the old world and the creation of a new one. Referencing M. H. Abrams influential essay, English Romanticism: The Spirit of the Age (1984), Bainbridge acknowledges that the increasingly violent disasters overtaking the revolutionary movement caused poets such as Coleridge, Southey, and Wordsworth to recast the notion of revolution, not as a political project to be enacted in reality, but as a personally transformative endeavor undertaken within the individual imagination . For the English poets writing at the turn of the century, Abrams states, hope is shifted from the history of mankind to the mind of a single individual, from militant external action to an imaginative act. Wordsworth actually lived in France during some of the most stirring scene of the new order .he became a convinced revolutionist and was eager to join the Girondists. (Sampson, 1975, p.476) William Wordsworth’s attitudes to the French Revolution underwent significant changes during his two visits to France. His differing views of the Revolution were motivated by the fact that that he visited revolutionary France in slightly different periods. Wordsworth visited France for the first time in 1790. At that time France celebrated the first anniversary of the fall of Bastille. During his first visit Wordsworth did not experience any significant political event of the period. On the other hand, during his second visit in 1791-92, the situation in France was quite different. Politics in France became quite complicated as several political fractions were fighting for power and influence. Revolutionary France was also in danger of invasion of Austrians and Prussians. Wordsworth was also still present in France during the first revolutionary massacres when the Jacobin Terror began. During the first visit to France in 1790, Wordsworth’s views of the Revolution were m ostly optimistic. Wordsworth’s predominantly  optimistic views of the Revolution were motivated by several factors. The basic motivation for visiting France was not to examine or observe political processes of the period. Wordsworth intended to experience the sublimity of the Alps. Wordsworth was then rather accidental observer of the situation in France and he did not examine political processes of the country very deeply. Wordsworth and his companion Robert Jones visited France in 1790, one year after the beginning of the Revolution, when the prospects for a successful issue of the Revolution were very bright. Wordsworth also visited mostly small towns and rural areas. He was not a witness to turbulent political meetings of the period, he did not experience revolutionary atmosphere in bigger towns. Wordsworth entered France at the first anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution. At that time the whole France celebrated the glorious beginning of the Revolution. Wordsworth was impressed by these festivities and the overall optimistic atmosphere. He praised the brotherly spirit of the French united during these festivities. As the basic motivation for the visit of France was to see the Alps, Wordsworth did not focus on the description of political situation and he mostly describes the scenery. Wordsworth also visited Switzerland, where he praised liberty of the people and the republican regime. During his visit to Switzerland he describes the country as a model to follow. In fact he projects his enthusiastic hopes about the Revolution in France into the Alpine republic. Wordsworth uses the political status of Switzerland to envisage his hopes for rebirth of the human race signaled by the French revolution. In Wordsworth’s description of Switzerland the description of the scenery often mingles with his revolutionary ideals. Wordsworth projects the freshness and purity of the Alpine landscape with freshness of revolutionary ideals. Wordsworth creates with his descriptions in The Prelude almost â€Å"pastoral† impression, when he associates the pure, untamed landscape with pure revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity that cannot be â€Å"tamed† as well. During his first visit, Wordsworth saw France â€Å"standing on the top of golden hours†, as a symbol of a new era for mankind. It cannot be said that Wordsworth examined the situation in France very deeply. In the descriptions in The Prelude Wordsworth focused on the newly achieved liberty and equality of the French. He contrasts the new situation with that of the old regime which he associates with oppression  and inequality. He does not focus very much on contemporary political situation in France. In his descriptions he predominantly focuses on revolutionary festivities and brotherhood of the people. He is charmed by the basis ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity. It can be said that Wordsworth does not see the Rev olution as a political phenomenon, or he does not interpret it politically. On the contrary, he interprets it in a more abstract and idealistic way. The Revolution is a phenomenon when human nature, bound by inequality and oppression, is born again. He praises freedom and equality, but he does not speak about their practical use. Unlike during his second visit, he does not mention practical aspects of the Revolution. He does not speak about people’s participation on power ,he does not really have clear political vision of the Revolution. He is optimistic about the future of revolutionary France, on the other hand he speaks about the future on abstract level, his liberty and equality are not really political, but rather idealistic ,abstract concepts. He observes liberty and equality via the lens of revolutionary festivities. He does not speak about liberty in practice, in real life or in politics. Wordsworth in his descriptions focuses on liberty and equality as abstract concepts that unite the whole nation. During the second visit to France in 1791-1792, Wordsworth’s attitudes to the Revolution become more complicat ed, on the other hand it cannot be said that he became really disillusioned with the Revolution. One his motivations for the visit was to become more fluent in French, on the other hand he was also attracted by the spirit of the Revolution which he had experienced during his first visit. During the second visit to France Wordsworth had more opportunities to examine the situation in France more deeply. He observes that his new â€Å"urban† experience is different from the â€Å"rural† one of his first visit. He observes the situation in Paris and he finds out that the political scene in France is fragmented into numerous rival parties. As he experiences every-day life of the French and not revolutionary festivities of his first visit, he reveals that huge numbers of the French are not loyal to the Revolution at all. One can observe certain confusion in his views of the Revolution. On the one hand he remains loyal to the ideals of the Revolution, on the other hand he observes that political situation in France is no longer really optimistic or enthusiastic and the Revolution is not only liberty and  equality as abstract concepts, but it is predominantly real political struggle. During the second visit to France he fell in love with a young French lady A nnette Vallon. She gave birth to their child in 1792. Wordsworth had not chance to see his daughter or Annette since 1792 to 1802 because of the war between Britain and France. Wordsworth visited France briefly in 1802 when the war between the two countries was interrupted. It can be said that Wordsworth’s concern about his daughter in turbulent revolutionary France during the war in many respects affected his views of France and revolution. Wordsworth, being separated from his daughter, was concerned about her fate what made him belief in bright prospects of the Revolution. Wordsworth believed in an optimistic future of France and the Revolution and this belief or hope conditioned his enthusiastic support to the principles of the Revolution. In the years 1791-1792 Wordsworth also experienced his first disillusionment with the Revolution. Wordsworth mentions French soldiers’ unwillingness to fight and their anti-revolutionary, non-patriotic thinking. During the second visit to France Wordsworth also experiences that the situation in France might be even dangerous. Wordsworth fears possible invasion of Austrians to France, he is not sure that p atriots and supporters of the Revolution will be that numerous to oppose the invading forces. He is afraid of the fact that anti-revolutionary powers might join invading armies what would cause a terrible bloodshed. At this moment Wordsworth raises the question whether the revolutionary powers will not be overthrown. Wordsworth’s deep belief in the Revolution receives a serious blows and he observes that support to the Revolution is not as strong as he thought. Another important moment when Wordsworth experiences disillusionment with the Revolution, is the time of so called September Massacres, when furious mob killed numerous people in French towns. Wordsworth is frightened by these occasions and he realizes that Revolution is not only a â€Å"fight† for liberty and equality, but a real life-or-death struggle. It can be postulated that Wordsworth’s complicated attitudes to the Revolution during his second visit were conditioned by growing radicalization and violence in France. On the other hand it cannot be said that these episodes made Wordsworth hesita te about revolutionary ideas. Wordsworth left France in 1792 as an enthusiastic supporter of revolutionary ideas although he knew that the actual political situation in  France was not ideal. He observed that influence and power was being usurped by the radical political groups, such as radical left-wing party Jacobin Party and left-wing politician Maximilien Robespierre. Wordsworth believed that this usurpation of power and influence was in conflict with original revolutionary ideals. It can be said that during the second visit to France Wordsworth’s attitudes to the Revolution become more complex. Wordsworth do not focus on abstract notions of liberty and equality, on the other hand, it can be said that Wordsworth’s revolutionary thinking has now a clearly defined vision. He met a French soldier, Captain Michel Beaupuy who deeply influenced Wordsworth in his thinking. Under Beaupuy’s guidance Wordsworth realized that Revolution was not only a fight for abstract ideals, but also real political and social program. Wordsworth now encounters the idea of peoples’ participation on power, he believes that people should have to right to create their own laws. On the other hand, Wordsworth is not blind to facts, he observes that huge masses of people are blind to the great ideals of the Revolution and he knows that â€Å"some men are set apart for rule and honour by their virtues and knowledge† (Harper 163). In Wordsworth thinking appears a strong aspect of democracy as he stresses the fact that individuals who lead the country should be chosen for their virtues and knowledge and not for their noble origin. In Wordsworth’s thinking also appears a strong social aspect. He finds out that revolutionary ideas can be only empty abstract concepts when majority of people live in starvation and poverty. Revolution and its outcomes have clearly defined shape in Wordsworth’s thinking. In Wordsworth’s view, the Revolution is a great chance to improve peoples’ lives. Sampson, George. The Concise Cambridge History of English Literature,(London:Cambidge University Press, 1975).

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Internationalisation Of Business And Global Marketing Issues Marketing Essay

Internationalisation Of Business And Global Marketing Issues Marketing Essay International networks of customers, technology, researchers, suppliers and distributors have emerged over the years. Internationalization is traditionally viewed as a process through which a firm moves from operating solely in its domestic marketplace to international markets. Recently, we have noticed the obvious evidence of internationalization. This report looks at the Uppsala research which suggests that firms internationalize gradually as their perceived risk of foreign market decreases. The Internationalization is presumed to be more steady and gradual. This theory believes that firms enter markets that are psychically close to home market first and then gradually expand into other markets that have a higher psychic distance from the home market. The world trade and foreign direct investments are continuously growing making all the countries to have become more close knit and interdependent. In many context European companies have to be dependent on the US laws. Thus this theo ry doesnt fit in the new rage of activities in which the psychic distances are already decreased; the knowledge and the local and international data are easily available from agencies or firms. This development has helped the new businesses to enter directly into large markets. This report further reviews the European and US markets to understand the macro environmental activities of various companies which are interdependent. As internationalization progresses we understand multinationals have a more extensive global production base and longer experience at managing that base than the other firms, thus potentially creating a source of competitive advantage. 1.0 Aims and Objective The aim of this paper is to analyze and discuss the internationalization of business and global marketing issues. The report further aims to critically analyze the global marketing environment and its influence on the marketing activities of the firm. 1.1 METHODOLOGY This report has entirely relied on secondary data collected through various resources such as books, journals, news, and internet websites. 2.0 INTRODUCTION Multinational marketing, global marketing, or international marketing are only the terms mostly used to describe the international marketing activities. But there are vast differences between global marketing and international marketing. Over the past decades there has been global emergence of the economies. An increasing number of firms face immense pressures to compete on a global basis. Many firms attempt to expand their sales into foreign markets and international expansion provides new and potentially more profitable markets. In order to perform on the international scale successfully a company needs to know how to manage, integrate and create new marketing strategies which will enhance the opportunities for economies of scale and competitiveness. Thus this report is an effort to discuses in detail the process of internationalization and the theoretical approach of the Uppsala model giving the exact picture of international marketing. This report further analyses the macro facto rs of internationalization by considering the European and US companies which are interdependent and contribute towards the global economy. 3.0 INTERNATIONALIZATION The dynamic view of internationalization has been investigated since the 1970s by many scholars. The exact definition of internationalization is very difficult to obtain as it is a continuous process of activities. This section will discuss various learnings by some of the scholars. According to Johanson and Vahlne (1977) internationalization is a process where a company gradually increases its international involvement. Luostarinen (1979) further views internationalization where he states that a company becomes international by establishing its first contact abroad. Thus they identified a sequential process of international development. Another quite similar definition is the one by Welch and Luostarinen (1988), They see internationalization is a process that leads to the increasing involvement in international operations across borders. Some others are mentioned accordingly, Internationalization is defined as the process of adapting firms operations (strategy, structure, resource, etc.) to international environments. (Jonathan L. Calof and Paul W. Beamish 1995) Internationalization theory has been developed with the concentration on the process by which companies develop their international operations. Internationalization focus is to understand and to explain the reasons leading companies to internationalization and how this is carried out. (Welch Welch, 1996) One of the interesting definition is by Moberg(1990) He also states that internationalization can be seen as a process or a chain of development, and a company under internationalization goes through a learning process. This process will gradually increase a companys market and establishment knowledge. This report would like to futher clarify the Moberg(1990) definition for the further understandings. The factors driving a company towards international markets can be a single event or the result of the combination of internal and external forces. Internationalization generally occurs when the firm expands its RD, production selling and other business activities into international markets. Internationalization may occur in a relatively continuous fashion, where the firm undertakes incremental steps over the period of time (freeman, 2002). When practicing the process of internationalization a company goes beyond exporting and becomes much more directly involved in the local marketing environment of a given market. (Global marketing strategies. jeannet/Hennessey, sixth edition) Different levels of uncertainty and unfamiliar problems are encountered in these markets, such as legal restraints, government controls, weather, fickle consumers, and the other uncontrollable elements. of the. It is very important to understand these uncertainties and also have the knowledge of the different social, cultural, economical and political aspects of the market.. The internationalization process is describe as when the company amends their marketing strategy with the understanding of all the above factors including how they sell, advertise and distribute to fit new market demands and becomes more experienced in operating in various foreign markets. The marketing principles and concepts are universally applicable then why International marketing is considered complex and diverse. International marketing is defined as the performance of business activities designed to plan, price, promote, and direct the flow of a companys goods and services to consumers or users in more than one nation for a profit. This means that the international marketing activities take place in more than one country. The apparent, in more than one country, accounts for the complexity and diversity found in international marketing operations. The environment within which the marketer must implement marketing plans can change dramatically from country to country or region to region. The difficulties create by different environments are the international marketers primary concern. 3.1 UPPSALA MODEL Internationalization has different theoretical approaches but this report will focus on the Uppsala school approach. The Uppsala internationalization model was introduced by two Swedish professors, Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, from the University of Uppsala in 1975. This theory was derived from the study of Internationalization of four Swedish companies. It explains how companies gradually strengthen their activities in foreign markets and how their learning affects their investment behavior. (Johanson and Vahlne 1977, 1990). According to this theory internationalization evolves stepwise at a relatively slow pace because of the market regulations and organizational learnings. This model is based on the four core concepts which are Market knowledge, market commitment, commitment decisions and current activities. On the basis of these four concepts, the model predicts the basic pattern of firms internationalizing. The Uppsala model is supported by many studies which have shown both small and large enterprises passing through distinct and gradual stages during the development of their international affairs (Johanson and Vahlne, 1990; Oviatt and Phillips-McDougall, 1994). These different stages and their characters give companies different experiences and knowledge about an international market. (Johanson Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975). At every stage a company sustains previous knowledge and acquires new. According to Johanson et al (2002), it is the aggregated knowledge that is the base for further movement into a newer and more mature stage in the model. In the first stage organizations acquire experience from the domestic markets then they aspire to move for the foreign markets. In the specific country investments are then carried out sequentially, concurrently and cautiously. Firms start their functioning from geographically and culturally closer countries with the learning of the firms people operating in that market and move gradually to more distant countries. In the third stage companies start their foreign operations by the traditional exports. This model proposes that the sales begin with sporadic export orders, which are then followed by conventional export orders. This transformation helps the firms to focus and progressively move ahead on more concentrated and challenging operational modes such as sales subsidiaries. And then in the final stage, the firm acquires increasing levels of empirical knowledge only if they obligate to the higher levels of resources in the market. As this model is almost 30years old there is a need to criticize and acclaim. Over the years the world has become more homogeneous that consequents in decreasing the psychic distances. As an effect of continuous growth in world trade and foreign direct investments the number of people with experience of doing business abroad has increased. Over the last 20years the international consulting firms and agencies have experienced tremendous growth making it possible to buy knowledge. One can easily get the local and international data such as market potential, local buying standards, possible entry modes, competitors, market potential, distribution system etc. from these agencies or firms. This development has helped the new businesses to enter directly into large markets. 3.2 Advantages of Uppsala. The new entrants in certain industries have recently become more spectacular. The pace of the internationalization process seems to have speeded up as Firms seemed prone to leapfrog stages in terms of psychic distance at an early stage. This model has gained strong support in studies of a wide spectrum in countries and situations. The research confirms the important factors about the export behavior and the relevance of cultural distance. 3.3 Disadvantages of Uppsala. The model is to deterministic (Reid, 1983; Turnbull,1987) The model does not take into account interdependencies between different country markets(Johnason and Mattson, 1986) Studies have shown that the internationalization process model is not valid for the service industries. The model is not valid in situations of highly internationalized firms and industries. 4.0 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS (PESTLE) Investment and job creation by European companies in the United States are very substantial, having created thousands of jobs in the USA. Companies operating internationally with the sale subsidiary are referred to as multinational corporations (MNCs). Companies like Nestle, McDonalds, Volkswagen, ABB, Zurich Insurance, Allianz, Electrolux, Daimler, BMW, Novartis, General Motors, Sony, and General Electric, Siemens etc are some examples.  We will consider some companies to understand their political, economical, social, technological, legal factors. 4.1 POLITICAL FACTORS Political decisions can impact on many vital areas of business. Different markets focus on different areas of concern like health, worker protection, and environment. These elements are seen in the government control of the licensing of the restaurants in the respective states. There are certain groups in Europe and the United States that cacophony state actions pertaining to the health implications of eating fast food. They have indicated that harmful elements like cholesterol and adverse effects like obesity are attributable to consuming fast food products. The international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies and regulations enforced by each government. There are impending legal dispute in the McDonalds franchise in India where certain infringement of rights and violation of religious laws pertaining to the contents of the food. There are also other studies those points to the infringement of McDonalds Stores with reference to the existing employment laws in the target market. Like any business venture, these McDonalds stores have to contend with the issues of employment procedures as well as their tax obligations so as to succeed in the foreign market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ECONOMICAL FACTORS Financial markets worldwide have been significantly disrupted in the wake of the global financial crisis. A number of financial investors have been facing difficulties providing capital to the markets due to their deteriorating financial conditions. These economical factors have a major impact on a firms behavior. If Toyota is unable to raise the necessary capital under appropriate conditions on a timely basis, its financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. Economical risks faced by Toyota are subject to currency and exchange rate fluctuations. Toyota is sensitive to these fluctuations and is principally exposed to fluctuation value of Japanese yen, the U.S. dollar, and the euro. Its consolidated financial statements are presented in Japanese yen. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect Toyotas pricing of products sold and materials purchased in foreign currencies. High prices of raw materials and strong pressure on Toyotas suppliers could negatively impact Toyotas profitability. http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir/library/annual/pdf/2009/p32_33.pdf 4.3 SOCIAL FACTORS The Coca-Cola Company claims that there beverage is sold in more than 200 (www.virtualvender.coca-cola.com). The Company is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States. Coca Cola is known as COKE or in the European and American countries as cola or pop (www.trademarkia.com/coke-71468708.htm l). Many U.S. citizens are practicing healthier lifestyles. Consumers from different age groups are increasingly concerned with nutrition. On this occasion the company has introduced other cola drinks such as Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special editions with lemon, lime or coffee. In response to consumer insistence on a more natural product, the company has stated that it plans to remove E211 or sodium benzoate, the controversial additive used in its products, including Sprite and Oasis as soon as a satisfactory alternative is found. This additive is related to DNA damage in yeast cells and hyperactivity in children. (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1021820/Diet-Coke-drop-additive-DNA-damage-fear) 4.4 TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS New technologies create new products and new processes. MP3 players, computer games, online gambling and high definition TVs, Television shows are all new markets created by technological advances. Jetix Europe, formerly Fox Kids Europe, is one of the leading pan-European integrated childrens entertainment companies with localized television channels, program distribution and consumer products businesses. They have the ownership of one of the largest libraries of childrens programming in the world. there library includes major global programming franchises such as Power Rangers, Spiderman, X-men, inspector gadget and Goosebumps etc. It includes diverse genres of programming like live action animation, education etc. Fox kids Europe had presence in 57countries in Europe and the Middle East, broadcasting in 17 different languages, and reached 32million households. The Walt Disney acquired more than 99% of the shares in Jetix Europe. The animation channel refers to the process of produc ing high-quality animated films, which regularly use detailed and the latest digital technology. Fully animated films can be done in a variety of styles many of the Disney animated features are examples of full animation. Jetix has been able to capture so much of market share on the basis of the technology. 4.5 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS The Body Shop International plc the global manufacturer and retailer of naturally inspired, ethically produced beauty and cosmetics products. The brand is recognised and respected both internationally and domestically for its approach. They have over 2,400 stores in 61 countries, with a range of over 1,200 products. The Body Shop has consistently produced quality products that appeal to its consumers. It is the first international cosmetics brand to be recognised under the Humane Cosmetics Standard for there Against Animal Testing Policy. It is distinguished for quality products as every product is animal cruelty free and vegetarian which is produced in an ecologically sustainable approach.Along with the environmental concerns research and development organisation of The Body Shop is one of the company strength, which has the ability to make innovative new products.   (www.thebodyshop.co.uk/_en/_gb/services/aboutus_company.aspx) 6 LEGAL FACTORS For a successful business operation it is important that the businesses consider the legal issues involved in a particular situation and should have the capability to anticipate ways in which changes in laws will affect the way they must behave. During the 1990s, Nike faced criticism for use of child labor in Cambodia and Pakistan in factories it contracted to manufacture soccer balls. Although Nike took action to curb or at least reduce the practice of child labor, they continue to contract their production to companies that operate in areas where inadequate regulation and monitoring make it hard to ensure that child labor is not being used. CONCLUSION Internationalization has viewed by many scholars and understood that is a process through which a firm moves from operating solely in its domestic marketplace to international markets. This report looks at the Uppsala research which suggests that firms internationalize gradually as their perceived risk of foreign market decreases. Internationalization is more steady and gradual. In the todays world where countries are interdependent on each others the knowledge and the local and international data are easily available from agencies or firms. This development has helped the new businesses to enter directly into large markets. The report has also undertaken considerations of the European and US markets to understand the macro environmental activities of various companies this gives a fair idea of how internationalization countries are .This analysis has helped to get a clear understanding about multinationals extensive global production base and longer experience at managing that base are the important factors contributing towards internationalization and globalization.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Types of Poisonous Snakes and Snake Venom

Types of Poisonous Snakes and Snake Venom In the fourth century BC, India was invaded by Alexander the Greats army, which was accompanied by a number of Macedonian physicians and observers. They were impressed by the achievements of the local Ayurvedic practitioners, particularly in the treatment of snake bite (1). Unfortunately, the legacy of ancient skills, experience and wisdom may have held back rather than encouraged the application of modern scientific research methods to manage this continuing scourge of rural life in India (2).In India, snake envenomation is a huge public health problem, but unfortunately it hasnt got its due attention. There is scant information on epidemiology and minimal research on anti venom. Most of the quoted figures on snake bite are hospital based though most bites occur in villages and among poor population, who rely largely on traditional treatment. Recent Global Snake Bite Initiative of the International Society on Toxicology and by the World Health Organisation, is expected to throw more light on epidemiology and treatment of snake bites (3). Of the 3,000 or so snake species that exist in the world, only about 15% are venomous. Venomous snakes exist on every continent except Antarctica. In India the Big Four (Cobra, Krait, Saw scaled and Russels viper) are the key poisonous snakes(4).Though the hospital records show only 1,300 annual deaths but a recent Nationally Representative Mortality Survey puts this figure to approx. 45,900 deaths a year. Snakebite remains an underestimated cause of accidental death in modern India. Community education, appropriate training of medical staff and better distribution of antivenom, especially in the states with the high prevalence, could reduce snakebite deaths in India(5). Historical Background: Since time immemorial snake has been an object of worship in many countries. According to Hindu mythology this world is resting on a many-headed cobra. Lord Vishnu lies on Sheshnag. The Cobra coils around Lord Shiva. Old Egyptian nobility are pictured with cobra hood on their forehead. Some cultures held snakes in high esteem as powerful religious symbols. Quetzalcoati, the mythical plumed serpent was worshipped as the master of life by ancient Aztecs of Central America. Some African cultures worshipped rock pythons and considered the killing of one to be a serious crime. In Australia, the Aborigines associated a giant rainbow serpent with the creation of life. In Jewish texts, in the old Maya civilization, in Kundalini yoga, theosophy and in many medieval society emblems the world over, snakes form an essential symbol. This shows how intimate has been the historical, social and mythological association of snakes with the mankind and no wonder the cobra is wors hipped in India on Naga Panchami day. Ayurvedic texts written by Vagbhata and Sushruta, have given in fair detail the classification of snakes according to their symptoms and their poisoning. There are many stories about constrictors, particularly anacondas in the Amazon and pythons in the east, which are said to have strangled adult humans, these need to be treated with great deal of skepticism (6,7,10). In practice it is only the poisonous snakes that are of interest. Poisoning from snake bite is an important medical emergency in Africa, South America, India, Pakistan and greater part of south East Asia. Epidemiology As snake bite is not a notifiable illness, there is little reliable information on incidence of snakebite in many parts of the world. Snake bite is an important occupational injury affecting farmers, plantation workers, herders, and fishermen. Open-style habitation and the practice of sleeping on the floor also expose people to bites from nocturnal snakes. Bites are more frequent in young men, and generally occur on lower limbs. The incidence of snake bites is higher during the rainy season and during periods of intense agricultural activity (6). Available data shows 30,000-40,000 deaths from snakebites every year but this figure probably is an underestimate (8), because of incomplete reporting. Recent global estimates suggest 2.5 million bites and 85000 annual deaths. In India recent published literature suggests yearly 45,900 deaths due to poisonous snakebites and 5.6-12.6 deaths per 100,000 population in some states appears to be realistic(4,5). Upto 80% of snake bite patients in developing countries, first contact traditional practitioners, before visiting a medical center (6,7,9). Owing to the delay in reaching hospital many patients die enroute. Going by the fact that around 85-90 % snakes are non-poisonous and even 50% of bites by poisonous snakes are dry runs, number of snakebites in India are enormous(4). Myanmar probably has highest mortality figure in Asia, where over 70% bites are by Russells viper. In India, Maharashtra records the highest number of snakebites, followed by West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. In Maharashtra alone, 70 bites per 100,000 population occur yearly with 2.4 per 100,000 mortality. Rajasthan and Jammu region of JK also report large number of viper bites (up to 95% of all bites (10). During rains and floods number of cases shows a steep rise. Most bites occur between 0400 hours to midnight and mere observation that majority of bites are on lower extremity suggest that snake is inadvertently trodden upon. In India 2/3rd of bites are due to saw scaled viper, about 1/4th due to Russells and a smaller proportion due to cobra and Krait. In neighboring Sri Lanka Daboiarussellii accounts for 40% and in Myanmar 70% of snake bites (11,12). For correct epidemiological studies one requires enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to identify antigen and antibody. This permits reliable identification and sensitive quantification of venom antigens and antibody. Natural antibody is detectable in serum by one week of bite, which rises to peak by one year and falls to low levels by 3 years, though may be detectable for up to 40 years after bite. Anti snake venom reduces but doesnt abolish the generation of antibodies. In some countries e.g. Australia, ELISA is routinely used for identification of poison (13). Anatomy and Habits Snakes belong to order Ophidia of the Reptilia general class. Over 3000 species are encountered in the world of which less than 15% are poisonous. Most of these are found in tropical and subtropical regions, Australia and throughout USA except in Alaska, Maine and Hawaii. In India 216 species from 9 families are reported of which 52 species from 3 families are poisonous. Most snakes are non-venomous, have no fangs and belong to colubrid family; a few colubrids are technically poisonous having a venom gland connected to a solid fang at the back of mouth. Bites from back fanged colubrids are generally harmless to man but with some species like African boomslang, Dispholidustypus, serious and even fatal poisoning has been reported in the snake handlers(13). The three families of front fanged poisonous snakes are elapids, vipers and sea snakes. Elapids are land snakes with non-mobile 3-5 mm long fangs in adults. Vipers have 10-30 mm long fangs which are easy to see when erected, but diff icult to see when folded against upper gum. Vipers are divided into crotalids or pit vipers who have heat sensing pit between eye and nose and viperidae which dont have the pit. Sea snakes have very short immobile fangs and flat rudder like tails. There are mainly 4 poisonous snakes encountered in India i.e. Cobra, Krait, Saw scaled and Russells viper. New addition to Big Four is Hump-nosed Pit viper (Hypnale hypnale), recently being reported from India though existent for more than 100 years(16). This has been mistaken for Saw Scaled Viper by most. It is identified by larger, triangular head ending in a snout with large scales on the head in contrast to the small scales of saw scaled viper. The envenomation is manifested by coagulopathy and renal failure. It is reported as one of the most poisonous snakes in India but specific anti venom against this is not available (12). Common poisonous snakes found in India are as below; Viperidae * Saw scaled viper (Echis carinatus) * Russells viper (Vipera russelli) Elapidae * Indian Cobra (Naja naja) * Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus) Crotalidae * Pit Viper Hydrophidae * Sea snakes Cobra is 1.2-2.1 meters long while King Cobra may be as long as 5.5 meters. Cobra is usually slate gray to brown. The back of hood may or may not have a pattern. They raise their hood when aroused or threatened. They try to avoid mankind unless they are too close or are trodden upon. The distance a cobra can strike in forward direction is the height its hood rises above the ground. Some cobras however can spit venom upto a distance of 3 meters. This can cause redness, corneal abrasions/ulcers etc. King cobra is uniformly olive, brown or green with ringlike cross bands of black. Although it is the largest venomous snake in the world but it avoids attacking another venomous snake for fear of being bitten, therefore it feeds only on harmless species. Females build a nest and then deposit the eggs. Lying close by, she guards the nest and is highly aggressive towards anything which approaches the nest.The king cobra is found in the forests or their vicinity in the Himalayas, Bengal, Assam and South India. The common Indian cobra is found in jungles but also in open country with or without vegetation; in gardens, drains, cultivated fields, and populated areas in mans proximity; in stacks of wood and under rubbish, in loose masonry, crevices of walls and building ruins; in old cemeteries, in temples or mosques.It is often seen in dark corners of bathrooms, stables and servant quarters of old bungalows. It may be found in old hole of a tree, in ant-hill or a rat burrow. It can climb trees and swim well. It feeds on rats, mice, frog; less frequently on birds or their eggs; and sometimes on chickens, squirrels, lizards and other snakes. It is usually diurnal in habit but in populated areas it is more nocturnal(14,15). Krait is black or bluish black with white narrow crossbands and a narrow head. Its average length is 90cm 150 cm. It is found only in Asia. It is active during night and passive during the day. It is found in plains, cultivated fields and human habitations. It has tendency to seek shelter in sleeping bags, boots and tents.Kraits are mostly found in Eastern India, Assam, Bengal and parts of South India and patches all over the country. There are two varieties, banded and non-banded. Although it has most potent venom of all land snakes, it is rather shy and bites human beings least commonly (13,15). Vipers are so called because they are viviparous. There are 110 kinds of vipers and all are poisonous. Vipers have broad plates extending right across the belly and small scales on the head similar to those on the body. Body is light brown and their back is usually covered with black blotches of inverted V shaped markings. Some of the pit vipers have large shield on the head. Russells viper or Daboia is a big stumpy snake  ½-2 meters long with short tail and characteristic marking as described above. It is irritable. When threatened it coils tightly, hisses and strikes with a lightning speed, that victim has no chance of escaping. Indian pit vipers are generally found in hilly areas of Western Ghats and Sunderbans in West Bengal.Russells viper prefers open country, cultivated fields and bushy or grassy fallow lands. It is nocturnal in habit. It is commonly found in plains of Punjab, Bombay, Madras area and Brahamputravalley(4,6,20). Saw scaled viper (Echiscarinatus) is found all over India but particularly in Western India, Punjab, and around Tiruchirapalli. It prefers open dry rocky country or arid deserts.Saw Scaled Viper (Phoorsa) is responsible for maximum bites and deaths all over the world than any other snake. This small stumpy snake measures 25-60cmand camouflages well with the surroundings. Colour is light buff with shades of brown, dull red or gray. Its sides have a white or light coloured pattern. Its head usually has dark stripes that start behind the eye and extend to the rear. It gets its name from the fact it rubs its own body from sides and produces rasping sound. This ill- tempered snake attacks any intruder. It is common in rural settlements, cultivated fields and regions, barns, and rock walls(4,14). Sea snakes resemble cobra and its allies in structure of their fangs and most other characters. Most of them are 3-4 ft. long, and a few may attain a length of 8 feet. Their tails are laterally flattened and are sculled in paddle -like fashion during swimming. Most sea snakes are covered with small round scales and lack the enlarged ventral scales found in terrestrial species. The nostrils are valvularand hey can be closed when snake submerges- and may be displaced towards the top of the head. Excess salt from the sea water and diet is excreted through special glands in the snakes mouth. Venomous sea snakes mostly inhabit the waters of Australia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia and India. Of the more than 50 species some are many times more poisonous than land snakes, with venom 10-40 times more potent than that of cobra. Except for a single species found in creeks and river estuaries sea snakes are all poisonous. They however have a narrow gape and rarely bite effectively.Their bite is re latively painless and, amazingly very low percentage of patients suffer significant envenomation during the attack. In a census in Malay Peninsula less than 25% developed features of poisoning and a small percentage became critically ill (4,12,14). Snakes have a good sensory perception with primitive ears. Their vision is limited to few meters only, with better acuity for moving objects. Lower jaw is a pair of bones joined together centrally by an elastic ligament which doesnt articulate with maxilla thus enabling the snake to swallow its prey as a whole. Fangs are modified teeth on pre maxilla. Venom is secreted from parotid glands and is meant to immoblise the small creatures like rat. Man is an innocent coincident victim. Bite is a well coordinated act involving movement of head and body. It involves coordinated positioning of head, opening of mouth, attack by forward thrust of body and head, piercing the skin by fangs and injecting the venom while the wound is deepened by contraction of temporalis muscle. Vipers have holes at the tip of fangs while elapids have gutters in the fangs(14,15). Identification of Poisonous Snakes Most of the bites are by non-poisonous snakes, but the intense fear of snake bites may cause acute panic reaction or feeling of impending death. If the patient has brought snake to the attending doctor, proper identification can help institute early and appropriate treatment to the victim and also alleviate undue emotional disturbance. Some of the important differentiating features of poisonous from non-poisonous snake are appended below(13,18). (a) Fangs: The most distinctive feature of poisonous snakes is the fangs. These are modified teeth in the upper jaw, generally two in number, one on either side. They communicate with salivary glands and are hollow or grooved. In elapidae and sea snakes they are located in front, are short and immobile while they are large, curved and have wide range of movement in vipers. (b) Scales on Belly: In poisonous snakes the belly scales are large and extend all across the belly. In non-poisonous snakes belly scales are small and generally dont extend across the belly. (c) Head: Vipers have heavier triangular head with small scales all over. In case of pit vipers a pit is located between the nostril and the eye. Cobra and Krait have large head scales. In cobra upper third labial is largest and touches the eye and nasal shield. In Kraits upper third labial does not touch the eye and nose, but the fourth lower labial scale on the under surface of mouth is the largest. All the poisonous sea snakes have large scales on the head and valved nostrils. (d) Pupil: Poisonous snake have generally elliptical or vertical slit. However pupils are round in elapidae (cobra) and most non-poisonous snakes. (e) Body design: Krait has central row of large scales on dorsal side, which are almost hexagonal. It has paired white or black stripes across the body in the banded Krait. Some cobras have spectacle-like mark on their hood. (f) Fang marks: In non-poisonous snakes since all teeth are at same level so bite is stretched and bite marks are along a curved line i.e. row of bites,as in human bite. Bite site can be easily made out. In poisonous snakes since poisonous teeth are generally two (fang marks) and other teeth areat lower level, so only two,1-2 cm spaced puncture marks are seen. A distance of less than 10 mm signifies a small snake while a distance of over 15 mm is suggestive of a large snake. Sometimes one requires hand lens to identify these marks especially in cases of cobra or Krait bite. It is noteworthy that the size of the venom fangs has no relation to the virulence of the venom. The comparatively innocent Indo-MalayLachesis  have enormous fangs, whilst the smallest fangs arefound in the  Hydrophids  which possess very potent venom. (g) Sound: Most venomous snakes produce characteristic sounds, which may also help in recognition of snake. Russells viper produces Hissing, saw scaled viper Rasping and King Cobra Growling sounds. Easy identification of different snakes is as follows: Cobra: Hood while alive, large scales on head. Pupil is round and 3rd upper labial touches the eye and nostril. Large belly scales extend acrossthe width. Krait : The fourth lower labial scale on the under surface of the mouth isthe largest. Hexagonal large scales in the central row on dorsal side. Body may be banded. Belly scales extend across the width. Viper : Triangular heavy head with small scales all over. Large belly scales extend across the width. Snake Venom Snake venoms are the most complex of all natural venoms and poisons. The venom of any species might contain more than 100 different toxic and non-toxic proteins and peptides, and also non-protein toxins, carbohydrates, lipids, amines, and other small molecules. The toxins of most importance in human envenoming include those that affect the nervous, cardiovascular, and haemostatic systems, and cause tissue necrosis (21). Snake venom is primarily meant to paralyse the prey, man is only accidental victim to whom snake strikes if threatened. Proteins constitute 90-95% of venoms dry weight and they are responsible for almost all of its biological effects. Venom is made up of toxins, nontoxic proteins (which also have pharmacological properties), and many enzymes especially hydrolytic ones.  Enzymes (molecular weight  13-150 KDa) make-up 80-90% of viperid and 25-70% of elapid venoms: digestive hydrolases, L-amino acid oxidase, phospholipases, thrombin-likepro-coagulant,andkallikrein-like serine proteasesand  metalloproteinases  (hemorrhagins), which damage vascular endothelium. Polypeptide  toxins (mol weight 5-10 KDa) include  cytotoxins,  cardiotoxins, and postsynaptic neurotoxins (suchas  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±-bungarotoxin  and  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±-Cobratoxin). Compounds with low molecular weight (up to 1.5 KDa) include metals, peptides, lipids, nucleosides, carbohydrates, amines, and oligopeptides, which inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and potentiate bradykinin (BPP).  Phosphodiesterases  interfere with the preys cardiac system, mainly to lower the  blood pressure.  Phospholipase A2  causes  hemolysis  by lysing the  phospholipid  cell membranes  of  red blood cells.  Amino acid  oxidasesand  proteases  are used for digestion. Amino acid oxidase also triggers some other enzymes and is responsible for the yellow colour of the venom of some species.  Hyaluronidase  increases tissue permeability to accelerate absorption of other enzymes into tissues. Some snake venoms carry fasciculins, like the  mambas  (Dendroaspis), which inhibit  cholinesterase  to make the prey lose muscle control (22,23). The most lethal venoms are those of elapids and sea snakes. These toxins are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream thereby causing rapid systemic effects. Large molecular weight viper toxins are absorbed slowly through lymphatics thereby staying longer at local site, hence more local effects. Pathophysiology of ophitoxemia is basically dependent on disruption of normal cellular functions. Some enzymes like hyaluronidase disseminate venom by breaking down tissue barriers. Ophitoxemia can lead to increase in vascular permeability thereby causing loss of blood and plasma volume in extravascular space. Collection of this fluid is responsible for edema and fluid loss, if significant it can lead to shock. Venom also has cytolytic effect leading to necrosis and secondary infection. Neurotoxic effect may lead to paralysis, cardiotoxic effect can cause cardiac arrest and likewise myotoxic or nephrotoxic effect can lead to rhabdomyolysis and renal failure. Ophitoxaemia also can lead to coagul ation disturbances. Among the various species, the lethal dose of venom, for cobra is 120 mg, Krait 60 mg and for Russells viper and saw scaled viper is 150 mg respectively. But clinical features and outcomes are not predictable as every bite does not cause complete envenomation. Pathological effects of venom may not be noticed until about six hours (varying between 1.5-72 hours), and it may remain functionally active causing persistent coagulopathy even after three weeks of bite. Hence duration of antigenemia is an important determinant for the extent of pathological effect. It has been unequivocally proved by studying the venom levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), that effects due to envenomation depend on venom hours (i.e. Blood venom level x time elapsed between bite and institution of treatment) rather than blood levels alone. Hence with the same level of venom, features due to envenomation may become progressively severe with passage of time (14,20). There are four distinct types of venom effects: Proteolytic  venom  dismantles the molecular structure of the area surrounding and including the bite. Hemotoxic  venoms  act on the heart and cardiovascular system. Neurotoxic  venom  acts on the nervous system and brain. Cytotoxic  venom  has a localized action at the site of the bite. Pathophysiology of various biological effects of snake envenomation The following few paragraphs shall describe the biological effects of venom. (a) Local Swelling: Most viper bites cause local swelling at the site of bite, which starts within minutes of bite and massive swelling of the limb may develop within 48-72 hours. This is usually the result of hemorragins in the venom. This opens the endothelial pores resulting in leakage of plasma or whole blood. At times leakage may be so much that patient develops hypovolemic shock. This swelling is not due to any venous occlusion or infection. If the exudation is of whole blood, then later discoloration of the limb may develop. In contrast to Echis, in European adder V berus bites, spontaneous bleeding is rare but discolouration is common. Sometimes local swelling is delayed and compartment syndrome may result(10,13,17). (b) Local Necrosis: In viper bites local necrosis appears late if at all and if it occurs, it is due to ischemia, mimicking dry gangrene. On the other hand in Cobra bite local necrosis appears early. Local swelling may develop after 2-3 hours but necrosis develops rapidly after that. It is due to cytolytic factors present in the venom and is a wet gangrene. As this dead tissue provides ideal setting for anaerobes, hence the putrid smell. An early excision is warranted (13). (c) Non-specific early symptoms: With bites of some vipers e.g. V berus, V xanthina, Australian elapids, some rattle snakes etca few symptoms are common. Vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, explosive diarrhea and collapse can occur. These features resolve in 30-60 minutes, suggesting activation of kinin system followed by inhibition of bradykinin (13,17). (d) Shock: It can develop due to extensive volume leak from vessels in cases of viper bite. It can result even before a limb gets swollen. Pulmonary intra vascular clotting, pulmonary edema and cardiac effects can be contributory factors for shock. (e) Spontaneous haemorrhage: Haemorrhages can develop in patients with viper bites even days after the bite. These at times may be life threatening especially if they occur in brain. Local blisters at bite site appear to be depot of venom, which dont get targeted by anti snake venom. Therefore one must keep in mind the delayed absorption from bite site in patients who present with late bleeding manifestations despite having been given anti-snake venom a few days back. (f) Effect on Circulation: Some viper venoms contain procoagulant activity which activates prothrombin to thrombin; which in turn converts fibrinogen to fibrin while in others procoagulant venom may directly affect fibrinogen. This fibrin formed is susceptible to lysis unlike natural fibrin thus resulting in poorly clottable or non-clottable blood because of absent or very low levels of fibrinogen. It should be remembered that bleeding manifestations during envenomation are not generally due to coagulation disturbances but rather due to haemorrhagin. Platelet count may also be low though usually it is normal. Low platelet count is due to consumption of platelets in the repair of endothelial damage. Polymorphonuclearleucocytosis is common in all forms of envenomation especially severe envenomation. Both viper and elapidae bite may have hemolytic activity in vitro but abnormal hemolysis is rarely of clinical importance except probably in renal failure (13,17). (g) Renal Failure: Renal failure is a common manifestation of viperine envenomation especially where treatment has been delayed. On renal biopsy acute tubular necrosis is the commonest underlying lesion in 50-70% of cases and acute cortical necrosis (patchy / diffuse) has been found in 20-25% of cases. Hypovolemia and shock are the usual underlying mechanism. Other contributory factors are hemo/ myoglobinuria, hemolysis, associated sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (24). Glomerular lesions have also been described in snake bite cases. Merchant et al(25) have reported mesangial proliferation, splitting of basement membrane, swelling of endothelial cells and ballooning of glomerular capillaries, but the significance of these lesions in causing renal failure is not clear and is debatable. Seedat et al(26) reported two cases due to puff adder who developed oliguric renal failure and biopsy showed crescenticglomerulunephritis. Authors suspected hypersensitivity of venom as the cause. Occasional casesof severe glomerulonephritis related renal failure have been reported in the literature. Experimental studies carried out on the effect of Habu snake venom (found in Japan) has given some insight into understanding of the glomerular lesion. This venom contains hemorrhagin, like the venom of Echiscarinatus. Within 24 hours of injection of this venom destruction of mesangium occurs resulting in ballooning of capillaries which become packed with red cells and fibrin giving an appearance of blood cysts. This is followed by proliferation of mesangial cells giving appearance of segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis. Rarely crescents are observed. These studies provide evidence that these glomerular changes are due to vasculotoxic effects of hemorrhagin. However about tubular necrosis or cortical necrosis, the commonest lesion encountered in snake envenomation, there is no consensus that venom has any direct toxic effect in producing these lesions (27,28). (h) Neurotoxic effects: Elapidae venom and sea snake venom cause neurotoxic effects due to neuromuscular blockade. Commonly affected muscles in elapidae bite are those of eye, tongue, throat and chest (leading to respiratory paralysis in severe envenomation). Neurotoxins are small molecular weight positively charged molecules with less antigenecity. Neuro- muscular blockade is produced by one of the following mechanisms. (a) Post synaptic block (Cobra) cobratoxin and alpha-bungarotoxins act similar to d-tubocurarine on the post synaptic membrane. There is no decrease in acetyl choline. Response to neostigmine is satisfactory. (b) Pre-synaptic blockade (Krait)beta- bungarotoxin acts like botulism toxin pre synaptically to block the neuro-muscular junction. Post junctional membrane remains sensitive to acetyl choline. The time required for neuromuscular block varies with impulse traffic, therefore intense physical activity shortens the interval between envenomation and neuromuscular bl ock. Response to neostigmine is less satisfactory. It is important to note that these neurotoxins dont cross the blood brain barrier and therefore do not cause alteration in consciousness. Hence in case of altered sensorium an alternative cause should be found (23,29). (i) Cardiotoxic Effects: Cardiotoxin (Cobra) acts on cell membrane of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle to produce paralysis and cardiac asystole. Cobramine B and cytoxin cause irreversible depolarization of cell membrane and systolic cardiac arrest. Hyperkalemia following massive hemolysis or rhabdomyolysis also depresses cardiac function. (j) Myotoxic Effects: Although sea snake venom appears to be neurotoxic in animal experiments, the effects in man are primarily myotoxic. There is diffuse effect on all muscles though local effects at the site of bite are minimal. In humans bitten by sea snakes the findings are typical of generalized myopathic lesions in skeletal muscle. Damage to muscles- rhabdomyolysis and hyperkalemia resulting from it may be life threatening. Snake envenomation has so diverse effects that every system of the body is affected directly or indirectly (20,29). CONCLUSION Since ancient times snakes have been worshiped, feared or loathed in India. It is a common and frequently devastating environmental and occupational disease, especially in rural areas of our country. India has the highest number of death to snake bite in the world. One of the major gaps in the battle against snakebite in India is the lack of qualitative work. Most Herpetology text books give snake identification data that is overtly complex and of little use to doctors. Snakes are misidentified by doctors in most cases where snake is brought to the hospital. Without the snake, identification based on symptomatology is clearly fraught with problems. The doctors should be aware of discovery of a new poisonous snake, the Hump-nosed Pitviper (Hypnale Hypnale) which has no available antivenom at present. Community education, appropriate training of medical staff and better distribution of anti venom, especially in the states with the high prevalence, could reduce snakebite deaths in India .

Monday, August 19, 2019

Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days Essay -- Around World 80 Da

Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days Jules Verne’s 19th century novel about the travels of the â€Å"eclectic† Phileas Fogg at first seems a quick read, an adventurous tale written in a light-hearted vernacular. Yet a close reading of passages, such as the paragraph at the beginning of chapter two, reveals more complex, latent themes amidst the pages of such â€Å"mass† fiction. An analysis of one passage in particular1 [1] suggests that this classic novel has little to do with travel, adventure and love, but rather that it makes a statement about the human condition. Fogg’s famous eighty-day challenge seems only a vessel, a means of transportation, to mask and guide his own inward journey. Verne’s earliest portrayals of Fogg reveal some of his peculiarities: an unnatural fixation on following routing and being on time, as well as meticulous attention for detail.2 [2] Yet Fogg’s apparent obsession with exactitude denies him any hint of individuality. According to Verne, Fogg is â€Å"so exact that he [is] never in a hurry†, â€Å"[makes] no superfluous gestures†, and â€Å"[is] never seen to be moved or agitated†.3 [3] He meticulously reads two papers each day without comment, avoids both confrontation and agreement, and is at once mysterious and predictable. Phileas Fogg seems, therefore, to exist in such a state of mediocrity and liminality, lacking defining or distinctive characteristics, that prior to accepting the challenge, he would fade from the reader’s view. Verne’s poetic prose further highlight Fogg’s early banality: â€Å"Phileas Fogg was indeed exactitude personified, and this was betrayed even in the expression of his very hands and feet†¦ the limbs themselves are expressive of the passions.† (Verne 14) .. ...ons do not match on a word-for-word basis. This is the passage as it appears in my versions: â€Å"Phileas Fogg was indeed exactitude personified, and this was betrayed even in the expression of his very hands and feet; for in men, as well as in animals, the limbs themselves are expression of the passions. He was so exact that he was never in a hurry, was always ready, and was economical in both steps and his motions. He never took one step too many, and always went to his destination by the shortest way; he made no superfluous gestures, and was never seen to be moved or agitated. He was the most deliberate person in the world, yet always arrived on time. He lived alone, and so to speak, outside of every social relation; and as he knew that in this world there must be friction, and since friction slows things down, he never rubbed against anybody.† (Verne 14-15)