Research paper Critique for Nursing medication administration and work

Critique for Nursing medication administration and work flow using computerized pysician order entry - Research Paper Example This paper describes the research of the impact of CPOE on medication errors. The target populations in this research were the nurses. The research tries to get the impact of CPOE systems on the nurse’s workflow. The nurses who were available for this study were those in pediatrics unit and emergency unit. The criteria for including nurses in the study are the essence of their past having to do increased work plus the medication errors committed by the nurses. The Institute of Medicine had filed an earlier report showing that nearly 7000 patients every year die due to medication errors. In minimizing medication errors and time wasted by nurses in the course of administering medications. In the study conducted by Dana, the author agrees to the fact that their exists advantages and disadvantages of the CPOE system on the nurses after its introduction to help reduce the nurses work flow. Research questions in this research are the impacts of CPOE system on the nurses’ workflow and the disadvantages of using Computerized Physician Order Entry system to the nurses. The author’s hypotheses this case is justifiable after realizing that the introduction of CPOE systems in hospitals led to minimal interaction between nurses and physicians. In terms of the literature review, the hypotheses were not related since the literature review entirely talked of the problems nurses experience before CPOE system the introduction while the theoretical rationale speaks of the impact the system had on the nurses.

Manliness, Hostility, Aggression Essay Example for Free

Manliness, Hostility, Aggression Essay How are these ideas connected? A View from the Bridge was written in 1955 and is set in the 1940s in Red Hook Brooklyn, a poor suburb of New York populated by a large Italo-American Community. There are lots of illegal immigrants living in this community, all pursuing the American Dream. Arthur Miller had spent time living there with the longshoremen and working for a short time on the docks with them. This gave him an insight into the difficult conditions of their lives, the way they lived and how poor their lives were. He had also been to Sicily and was shocked by the poverty and amazed by the strict and violent code of honour which the people there were suspected to abide by. The plot of his play originated from a story he heard about in America where someone informed the authorities about illegal immigrants because he was of jealousy of them. This man had then been disowned by the community because of it he had lost his name. Poverty, jealousy, codes of conduct and ideas of what it is to be manly all combine to create the dramatic tension in this play and contribute to its effect. Eddie Carbone is the main character in the play. It is around him, his ideas about what it means to be manly and also his attraction to his niece Catherine that the action centres. We follow him as the certainties of his world are challenged and he reacts in the only way he knows how by defending what he sees as the most important thing for a man, his good name. It is a violent place that they live in and one where betrayal of family to the authorities is seen as just about the worst thing that you can do. Eddie and Beatrice tell a story at the beginning of the play which illustrates this. A boy who had informed on some illegal immigrants had been disowned by his family and thrown out of the community. He had been thrown downstairs and his head was bouncin like a coconut. Eddie makes it clear that, even though its a sad situation for a 14 year old boy to be beaten up and thrown out, it was inevitable once hed lost his honour and good name, Youll never see him no more, a guy do a thing like that? Hows he gonna show his face? The problem for Eddie is that he needs to be seen as a real man with a good name who is respected but because of his attraction to his niece, Catherine, he allows himself to feel jealous of her lover, Rodolfo, and is ready to risk everything to stop them being together. Eddie has a clear and simple vision of what it means to be a man and he reacts with hostility and aggression to any other character in the play that either challenges him and his ideas or who does not show any signs of what he considers to be manly. Eddie considers a man to be someone who looks after and is the leader of the family. At the very beginning of the play we get an idea of the position of the three members of the family and the relationships between them. The women stay at home and Eddie goes out to work. When he comes home from work the women are waiting for him. Beatrice, for example, is in the kitchen preparing food and Catherine almost straightaway goes to get him a beer. He likes to see himself as the head of the house and whatever he says goes. He tells Beatrice off when she tries to stand up to him when they are talking about Catherines new job, You lived in a house all your life, what do you know about it. You never worked in your life. It is important to Eddie that he sees himself as the protector of the family. For example, he is very proud of the way he has brought up Catherine when her mother died. Even though he disapproves of Rodolfo and is jealous of him he defends him against Mike and Louies jokes because he has taken him into his house and his protection, Hes a kid yet, yknow? Hes just a kid thats all. Later in the play when Beatrice is complaining that they dont sleep together anymore Eddie tells her, I do what I feel like doin or what I dont feel like doin'. He even uses his idea of how a family should be when he is trying to make out that he didnt inform on Marco and Eddie. When Beatrice does not believe what he is saying about why the immigration men came he says to her, a wifes supposed to believe her husband. All of these quotes by Eddie show that he is constantly trying to reinforce his role as the dominant figure in the family. In spite of Eddie wanting to be the head of the house and the man of the family, it gets more and more obvious during the play that things are not quite right. Early on in the play Beatrice, his wife, looks at him, into his eyes and says, Im just worried about you, thats all Im worried. Later on she asks him, When am I goin to be a wife again, Eddie? He is not fulfilling his obligations as a man and husband to Beatrice. The reason she is worried is that he seems to be more interested in Catherine than in her. He comments on everything Catherine does and wants to control it. He wants to tell her what to wear and even how to walk. He hates to think that she might be attractive to other men.

Quantitative Research Essay -- Scientific Research Science Essays

Quantitative Research Quantitative research is based on statements such as "anything that exists exists in a certain quantity and can be measured." "While Thorndike’s statement from 1904 appears to be fairly innocent and direct, it staked an important philosophical position that has persisted in social science research throughout most to this century." (Custer, 1996, p. 3). In 1927, William F. Ogburn successfully lobbied to have Lord Kelvin’s motto: "When you cannot measure, your knowledge is meager and unsatisfactory" prominently and permanently carved onto the face of the University of Chicago’s social science research building." In this decade, however, the competing paradigms of quantitative and qualitative research have become almost working partners in educational research. Many researchers today advocate a "paradigm of choices that seeks methodological appropriateness as the primary criterion for judging methodological quality. This will allow for situational responsiveness tha t strict adherence to one paradigm or another will not" (Patton, 1990, p. 30). The ideals of quantitative research call for procedures that are public, that use precise definitions, that use objectivity-seeking methods for data collection and analysis, that are replicable so that findings can be confirmed or disconfirmed, and that are systematic and cumulative—all resulting in knowledge useful for explaining, predicting, and controlling the effects of teaching on student outcomes (Gage, 1994, p. 372). This is the basic definition of quantitative research that will be discussed in this paper. For purposes of comparison, qualitative analysis will be frequently mentioned along with quantitative analysis. The Two Paradigms "A quantitativ... ...litative Research Methodologies." Journal of Industrial Teacher Education 34(2): 3-6. Gage, N. L. (1994). "The Scientific Status of Research on Teaching." Educational Researcher 44(4): 371-383. Hathaway, R. S. (1995). "Assumptions Underlying Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Implications for Institutional Research." Research in Higher Education 36(5): 535-562. Hoepfl, M. C. (1997). "Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers." Journal of Technology 9(1): 12-39. Howe, K. R. (1985). "Two Dogmas of Educational Research." Educational Researcher 14(8): 10-18. Liebscher, P. (1998). "Quantity with Quality? Teaching Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in an LIS Master's Program." Library Trends 46(4): 668-680. Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. Newbury Park, CA, Sage Publications, Inc.

Essay on “Pike” by Ted Hughes

The poem â€Å"Pike† describes the fish of the same name and the poet's feelings about them, fishing and the brutality of some little ones he had as pets, which later grew out of control, â€Å"indeed they spare nobody†. The poem seems to be about nature, â€Å"ponds† and â€Å"lily pads†, but this is not a truly pastoral poem as it is not only about the beauty and innocence of nature; the tone is dark, â€Å"deep as England† and even terrifying, â€Å"the hair frozen on my head for what might move†. The structure of the poem seems regular; each verse has four lines.However, the line length, though at first it looks regular, is in fact irregular, ranging from five syllables to thirteen syllables. This difference adds to the uneasy tone of the poem, creating an aural sensation of something hiding within the longer lines, mirroring the way in which the â€Å"pike† lurks under the water ´s surface, â€Å"logged on last year ´s black leaves, watching upwards. The first two stanzas finish with a full stop, which creates the sensation of control control.This suggests that the poet has control of the dangerous fish, â€Å"killers from the egg†, at this stage, when the â€Å"pike† he describes are â€Å"three inches long, perfect†. However, by the fifth stanza, when the poet retells his anecdote about the â€Å"pike† â€Å"we kept behind glass†, at first there are â€Å"three†, then â€Å"suddenly there were two† and â€Å"finally one†, (as it has eaten the others), and this ruthless, cannibal fish, unlike any traditional pet, moves directly into the next stanza, â€Å"with a sag belly and the grin it was born with†.In this next stanza, the sixth, the poet warns the reader that the â€Å"pike† â€Å"spare nobody†. The fish ´s brutality is echoed by the poem ´s form at this point – the vicious â€Å"pike† has dominated the fish tank and now dominates the poem, refusing to follow the previous, neat form and escapes from one stanza to the next.Later in the poem the stanzas continue to run seamlessly into each other with enjambement, â€Å"dead in the willow-herb- one jammed past its gills down the other ´s gullet†, implying that the poet is losing control of the carnivorous fish and its â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†. This is a rather long poem, with eleven stanzas, and the poet uses the extended description that runs throughout the whole poem, to emphasise the size of the â€Å"pike† â€Å"six pounds each, over two feet long† and their â€Å"old† age, thereby evoking his sense of being in awe of the fish ´s â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†.This poem focuses on the â€Å"pike†, describing them in close detail, â€Å"green tigering the gold†, and only in the fifth person does the poet introduce the first person, â€Å"we†, (and in the eighth stanza, â€Å"I†). However, from the start, the poet ´s choice of language makes clear his feelings about the fish; he shows awe through the use of positive language such as â€Å"perfect†, and â€Å"gold† and â€Å"emerald†, which have connotations of precious wealth.He describes â€Å"pike† as â€Å"stunned by their own grandeur†, implying that he thinks the fish are self-aware and even arrogant, his use of the verb â€Å"stunned† here is almost personification, as if the poet thinks the fish can have the same self-awareness as a human. On the other hand, positive language such as â€Å"dance† and â€Å"grandeur† is juxtaposed against an underlying mood of darkness and evil, which enters the poem in its third line when the fish are presented as â€Å"killers from the egg† and â€Å"malevolent†.Therefore in the first three stanzas, the poet ´s attitude is contrasting, seeing both â€Å"d elicacy and horror† in the â€Å"pike†. However, in the fourth stanza the poet admits that â€Å"the jaws ´ hooked clamp and fangs† are â€Å"not to be changed at this date† and this marks a turning point in the poem, with the mood changing to wholly negative, and finally, fearful, with the simile â€Å"as a vice locks† and talking of â€Å"iron† â€Å"instrument† and, explicitly, â€Å"death†.By the ninth stanza the poet says directly that he is afraid, â€Å"I dared not cast†. He describes also â€Å"the hair frozen on my head† and the sensation of something â€Å"that rose slowly toward me, watching†, he presents this as a â€Å"dream†, but the experience conveyed to the reader is more of a nightmare. The poet ´s feeling of fear is highlighted by his description of â€Å"the dark pond† coupled with the repetition of â€Å"darkness†. Essay on â€Å"Pike† by Ted Hughes The poem â€Å"Pike† describes the fish of the same name and the poet's feelings about them, fishing and the brutality of some little ones he had as pets, which later grew out of control, â€Å"indeed they spare nobody†. The poem seems to be about nature, â€Å"ponds† and â€Å"lily pads†, but this is not a truly pastoral poem as it is not only about the beauty and innocence of nature; the tone is dark, â€Å"deep as England† and even terrifying, â€Å"the hair frozen on my head for what might move†. The structure of the poem seems regular; each verse has four lines.However, the line length, though at first it looks regular, is in fact irregular, ranging from five syllables to thirteen syllables. This difference adds to the uneasy tone of the poem, creating an aural sensation of something hiding within the longer lines, mirroring the way in which the â€Å"pike† lurks under the water?s surface, â€Å"logged on last year?s black leaves , watching upwards. The first two stanzas finish with a full stop, which creates the sensation of control control.This suggests that the poet has control of the dangerous fish, â€Å"killers from the egg†, at this stage, when the â€Å"pike† he describes are â€Å"three inches long, perfect†. However, by the fifth stanza, when the poet retells his anecdote about the â€Å"pike† â€Å"we kept behind glass†, at first there are â€Å"three†, then â€Å"suddenly there were two† and â€Å"finally one†, (as it has eaten the others), and this ruthless, cannibal fish, unlike any traditional pet, moves directly into the next stanza, â€Å"with a sag belly and the grin it was born with†.In this next stanza, the sixth, the poet warns the reader that the â€Å"pike† â€Å"spare nobody†. The fish?s brutality is echoed by the poem?s form at this point – the vicious â€Å"pike† has dominated the fish tank an d now dominates the poem, refusing to follow the previous, neat form and escapes from one stanza to the next.Later in the poem the stanzas continue to run seamlessly into each other with enjambement, â€Å"dead in the willow-herb- one jammed past its gills down the other?s gullet†, implying that the poet is losing control of the carnivorous fish and its â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†. This is a rather long poem, with eleven stanzas, and the poet uses the extended description that runs throughout the whole poem, to emphasise the size of the â€Å"pike† â€Å"six pounds each, over two feet long† and their â€Å"old† age, thereby evoking his sense of being in awe of the fish?s â€Å"submarine delicacy and horror†.This poem focuses on the â€Å"pike†, describing them in close detail, â€Å"green tigering the gold†, and only in the fifth person does the poet introduce the first person, â€Å"we†, (and in the eighth stan za, â€Å"I†). However, from the start, the poet?s choice of language makes clear his feelings about the fish; he shows awe through the use of positive language such as â€Å"perfect†, and â€Å"gold† and â€Å"emerald†, which have connotations of precious wealth.He describes â€Å"pike† as â€Å"stunned by their own grandeur†, implying that he thinks the fish are self-aware and even arrogant, his use of the verb â€Å"stunned† here is almost personification, as if the poet thinks the fish can have the same self-awareness as a human. On the other hand, positive language such as â€Å"dance† and â€Å"grandeur† is juxtaposed against an underlying mood of darkness and evil, which enters the poem in its third line when the fish are presented as â€Å"killers from the egg† and â€Å"malevolent†.Therefore in the first three stanzas, the poet?s attitude is contrasting, seeing both â€Å"delicacy and horror† in the â€Å"pike†. However, in the fourth stanza the poet admits that â€Å"the jaws? hooked clamp and fangs† are â€Å"not to be changed at this date† and this marks a turning point in the poem, with the mood changing to wholly negative, and finally, fearful, with the simile â€Å"as a vice locks† and talking of â€Å"iron† â€Å"instrument† and, explicitly, â€Å"death†.By the ninth stanza the poet says directly that he is afraid, â€Å"I dared not cast†. He describes also â€Å"the hair frozen on my head† and the sensation of something â€Å"that rose slowly toward me, watching†, he presents this as a â€Å"dream†, but the experience conveyed to the reader is more of a nightmare. The poet?s feeling of fear is highlighted by his description of â€Å"the dark pond† coupled with the repetition of â€Å"darkness†.

Admissions paper

I have come to a point in life that many people have not.   I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams.   While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck.Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone.   After serious investigation and reflection I am convinced my educational goals will be far better achieved at this prestigious University.It is not an easy decision for me, as I struggle to perform many various tasks and jobs at this point in my life.   I feel, however, that there is no substitute for a proper education and I feel that this course will be very beneficial to my future.One of the many wonderful concepts I have learned from my parents is to strive for academic excellence while balancing life with other activities and contributions.   I am proud of my previous academic recor d at (insert undergraduate school) as well as my extracurricular involvement in campus activities, part-time employment and community service.   Yet I feel that in order to reach my full potential I need to be in an environment that best caters to my interests and goals.The world is fast becoming a borderless place.   Cultures, races, beliefs and ideologies are blend together and interact because of the growing advances in communications.   In order to succeed in this world, one needs to be able to adapt to the various cultural differences as well as be able to maintain a certain sense of individual identity.My former school did not have the same diversity that I see environment where cultural diversity is promoted.     This is why I believe that this educational environment is the perfect place for me.   Not only does this University exceed my expectations but it is also enjoys a global reputation.I have learned from my parents two â€Å"laws†: the law of learnin g and the law of giving. I believe the more you learn the more open you become for learning. I am convinced this University is a great fit for â€Å"the law of learning.†Ã‚   That is why I believe that this move is a crucial step for me.   My success and my accomplishments here will herald the beginning of the fulfillment of my personal and professional goals.It is said that the one thing that nobody can ever take away from you is your education and that is the one thing that I plan to not only gain for myself but for others as well.   I have learned from my parents the critical importance of the law of giving, and I am both attracted and committed to this model of community service, particularly that â€Å"students apply skills to effect social change.†I bring to this campus a variety of assets and commitments. I have benefited from a multi-cultural mentoring program in high school.   As an open-minded student, I believe I am able to contribute to not only the c ultural diversity, but also the global views of the learning community.   My experience and perspective will greatly benefit those that I will be able to interact with on campus.   I look forward to the rich academic and cultural experience that this fine University has to offer.I have also always been committed to community service and campus government, and plan on continuing these important activities.   I will bring to the campus what others have considered in me an infectious â€Å"joy of learning, excitement for the future, and need for world contribution.† That is in essence my philosophy and I believe it will be able to contribute to the campus community if given the opportunity to do so.While I personally believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as a free lunch† and that everything a person has in life must come from hard work and perseverance, I also believe in charity.   I believe in helping others who do not have much in life.   I believe in help ing people regardless of their nation, race or creed.   I believe in being a better person so I can best help myself and others around me.I believe that this academic environment is the best place for me to turn these beliefs into realities.   I am fully aware of the significance of being considered for acceptance, and I am sincerely grateful for your time and consideration of my application.

Free Online Public Schools for Tennessee Students

Free Online Public Schools for Tennessee Students Tennessee offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free; indeed they can get their entire education via the internet. Below is a list of no-cost virtual schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Tennessee. To qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to Tennessee residents, and they must be funded by the government. Tennessee Virtual Academy The Tennessee Virtual Academy is for students who are in kindergarten through eighth grade. The tuition-free school offers courses in six core subjects and is specifically geared toward students with minds that might wander when traditional classes are too slow as well as minds that get lost in the shuffle, (and) minds that need a little more time, according to the academys website. Additionally, the school notes that its program features: State-certified teachers, who are available online and by phoneIndividualized curriculum, which covers both the core subject areas and electivesOnline planning and assessment tools, resources, and hands-on materials ranging from textbooks to microscopes, from rocks and dirt to illustrated classic children’s stories.A supportive school community, which organizes fun and informative monthly activities where parents, students, and staff share their successes, difficulties, and helpful hints K12 K12, which as the name implies is for kindergarten through 12-grade students, is in many ways like a brick-and-mortar school, in that it: Does not charge tuitionUses state-certified or -licensed teachersFollows Tennessee state education requirements for standards and assessmentsResults in a high school diploma upon completion But, K12 notes that it differs from traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms in that: Students receive individualized education and personalized one-to-one support.Classes do not take place in a building but rather at home, on the road, or wherever an internet connection can be found.Parents and students communicate with their teacher via online classrooms, email, and phone, (but also sometimes in person). K12 is a full-time program that follows the traditional school-year calendar. You can expect that your child will spend 5 to 6 hours per day on coursework and homework, the virtual program says on its website. But students are not always in front of a computer- they also work on offline activities, worksheets, and projects as part of the school day. Tennessee Online Public School (TOPS) Founded in 2012, Tennessee Online Public School is part of the Bristol, Tennessee City Schools system and is a statewide public virtual school serving Tennessee students in grades nine to 12. TOPS notes that it is accredited by AdvancED and uses Google Apps for Education to provide students with cloud-based services and email as well as Canvas, an open-access learning website that offers courses in a variety of areas. Families do not pay tuition for a student to attend an online public school, TOPS notes, but adds: Common household items and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided. Other Options The Tennessee Department of Education promotes online schooling and notes that parents can enroll their children in online virtual schools that are not based in Tennessee. However, parents need to ensure that the school has a legitimate accreditation status and provide evidence to the local school district that their child is enrolled in an accredited online school. The school must be accredited by one of the following regional accrediting agencies: AdvancEDSACS CASI – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School ImprovementNCA CASI – North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.NWAC – Northwest Accreditation CommissionMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA)MSCES – Middle States Commission on Elementary SchoolsMSCSS – Middle States Commission on Secondary SchoolsNew England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and affiliates (e.g., SAIS)National Council of Private School Accreditation (NCPSA) Note that many online schools do charge hefty fees, but there are just as many virtual schools that are free to public school students. If you find a virtual out-of-state school that sparks your interest, be sure to check for potential costs by typing tuition and fees in the school websites search bar. Then, fire up your PC or Mac and start learning online- for free.

Tips for Learning Students Names and Remembering Them

Tips for Learning Students' Names and Remembering Them Learning your students names is essential if you want to create a good rapport and establish a comfortable atmosphere in the classroom. Teachers who learn students names quickly, help reduce feelings of anxiety and nervousness that most students experience during the first few weeks back to school. Here are a variety of tips and tricks to help you remember names and ease those first week jitters. Seating Chart Use a seating chart for the first few weeks of school until you can put names and faces together. Greet Students by Name Everyday greet your students by name. When they enter the classroom make sure to use their name in a short comment. Pair Students in Groups Create a quick questionnaire about what the likes and dislikes of your students are. Then group them together according to their choices. The point of this activity is to help you remember students by associating them with their preferences. Wear Name Tags For the first week or so have students wear name tags. For the younger children, place the name tag on their back so they wont feel the urge to rip it off. Name Cards Place a name card at each students desk. This is not only a great way for you to remember their names, but it will help the classmates remember as well. Memorize by Number Beginning the first day of school, strive to memorize a set number of students each day. You can memorize by number, color, name etc. Use a Mnemonic Device Associate each student with something physical. Relate the students name, such as George, with the Gorge. (Quinn with a pin) Associate Related Names A great memory trick is to associate a name with a person you know that has the same name. For example, if you have a student named Jimmy who has short brown hair, then imagine your brother Jimmys long hair on little Jimmys head. This visual link will help you remember little Jimmys name in no time. Create a Rhyme Create a silly rhyme to help you remember students names. Jim is slim, Kim likes to swim, Jake likes snakes, Jill can juggle, etc. Rhymes are a fun way to help you learn and remember quickly. Use Photographs Have students bring in a photo of their-self on the first day, or take a picture of each student yourself. Place their photo next to their name on your attendance or seating chart. This will help you correlate and remember names with faces. Create Photo Flashcards To help you remember students names quickly, take photos of each child and create photo flashcards. Photo Memory Game Take photos of each student and then create a photo memory game with them. This is a great activity for the students to learn their classmates faces, as well as give you a chance to learn them too! Play Im Going on a Trip Game Have students sit in a circle on the carpet and play the Im going on a trip game. The game begins like this, My name is Janelle, and I am taking sunglasses with me. The next student says, Her name is Janelle, and she is taking sunglasses with her and my name is Brady and I am taking a toothbrush with me. Go around the circle until all students have gone and you are the last to go. With you being the last person to recite all the students names, you will be surprised how many you remember. Being able to identify a student by name make a take a few weeks but with these tips and tricks you will learn them in no time. Just like all the other back to school procedures and routines, it takes time and patience, but it will come.

Beringian Standstill Hypothesis of the First Americans

Beringian Standstill Hypothesis of the First Americans The Beringian Standstill Hypothesis, also known as the Beringian Incubation Model (BIM), proposes that the people who would eventually colonize the Americas spent between ten to twenty thousand years stranded on the Bering Land Bridge (BLB), the now-submerged plain beneath the Bering Sea called Beringia. The BIM argues that during the turbulent times of the Last Glacial Maximum about 30,000 years ago, people from what is today Siberia in northeastern Asia arrived in Beringia. Because of local climate changes, they became trapped there, cut off from Siberia by glaciers in the Verkhoyansk Range in Siberia and in the Mackenzie River valley in Alaska. There they remained in the tundra environment of Beringia until retreating glaciers and rising sea levels allowedand eventually forcedtheir migration into the remainder of the Americas about 15,000 years ago. If true, the BIM explains the long-recognized, deeply puzzling discrepancy of the late dates for the colonization of the Americas (Preclovis sites such as Upward Sun River Mouth in Alaska) and the similarly stubbornly early dates of the antecedent Siberian sites (the Yana Rhinoceros Horn site in Siberia; for some of this discussion, see ORourke and Raff). The BIM also disputes the notions of three waves of migration. Up until recently, scholars explained a perceived variation in mitochondrial DNA among modern (indigenous) Americans by postulating multiple waves of migration from Siberia, or even, for a while, Europe. But, recent macro-studies of mtDNA identified a series of pan-American genome profiles, shared by modern Americans from both continents, decreasing the perception of widely varying DNA. Scholars still think that there was a post-glacial migration from northeast Asia of the ancestors of the Aleut and Inuitbut that side-issue is not addressed here, see Adachi and colleagues, Long and colleagues, and Schurr and colleagues in the bibliography. Evolution of the Beringian Standstill Hypothesis The environmental aspects of the BIM were proposed by Eric Hultà ©n in the 1930s, who argued that the now-submerged plain beneath the Bering Strait was a refuge for people, animals and plants during the coldest parts of the Last Glacial Maximum, between 28,000 and 18,000 calendar years ago (cal BP). Dated pollen studies from the floor of the Bering Sea and from adjacent lands to the east and west support Hultà ©ns hypothesis, indicating that the region was a mesic tundra habitat, similar to that of tundra in the foothills of the Alaska range today. Several tree species, including spruce, birch and alder, were present in the region, providing fuel for fires. Mitochondrial DNA is the strongest support for the BIM hypothesis. That was published in 2007 by Tamm and colleagues, who identified evidence for the genetic isolation of ancestral Native Americans from Asia. Tamm and colleagues identified a set of genetic haplogroups common to most living Native American groups (A2, B2, C1b, C1c, C1d*, C1d1, D1, and D4h3a), haplogroups that had to have arisen after their ancestors left Asia, but before they dispersed into the Americas. In a 2012 study, Auerbach reports that although there is variation among the five (admittedly a very tiny population) early Holocene male skeletons which have been recovered from North America, the individuals all have wide bodies, a trait shared by Native American communities today and which is associated with adaptations to cold climates. Auerbach argues that people from the Americas have wider bodies than other populations around the world. If true, that also supports the isolation model, as it would have been a shared trait developed in Beringea before people dispersed. Genomes and Beringia A 2015 study (Raghavan et al.) comparing genomes of modern people from all over the world found support for the Beringian Standstill Hypothesis, albeit reconfiguring the time depth. This study argues that the ancestors of all Native Americans were genetically isolated from East Asians no earlier than than 23,000 years ago. They hypothesize that a single migration into the Americas occurred between 14,000 and 16,000 years ago, following the open routes within the interior Ice Free corridors or along the Pacific coast. By the Clovis period (~12,600-14,000 years ago), isolation caused a split among the Americans into northernAthabascans and northern Amerindian groupsand southerncommunities from southern North America and Central and South America. Raghavan et al. also found what they termed a distant Old World signal related to Australo-Melanesians and East Asians in some Native American groups, ranging from a strong signal in the Suruà ­Ã‚  of Brazils Amazon forest to a much weaker signal in northern Amerindians such as Ojibwa. Raghavan et al. hypothesize that the Australo-Melanesian gene flow may have arrived from Aleutian Islanders traveling along the Pacific rim about 9,000 years ago. In an article released the same week as Raghavan et al., Skoglund et al. reported similar research and resulting genetic evidence. While their results are largely the same, they emphasized the Australo-Melanesian gene flow among South American groups, terming it evidence of Population Y, and arguing that the data support a long-standing theory concerning ancient Australo-Melanesian voyages to the New World. This model is over a decade old, but was built on cranial morphology and has not had genome support before this time. Skoglund et al. admit that DNA has not been retrieved from crania exhibiting the supposed physical affinities to Australo-Melanesians. See Was there Pre-columbian Contact Between Polynesia and America for additional discussion. Archaeological Sites Yana Rhinoceros Horn Site, Russia, 28,000 cal BP, six sites above the Arctic Circle and east of the Verkhoyansk Range. Malta, Russia, 15,000-24,000 cal BP: DNA of a child burial at this upper Paleolithic site shares genomes with modern western Eurasians and Native Americans bothFunadomari, Japan, 22,000 cal BP: Jomon culture burials share mtDNA in common with Eskimo (haplogroup D1, see Adachi)On Your Knees Cave, Alaska, 10,300 cal BP (see Perego 2009 Paisley Caves, Oregon 14,000 cal BP, coprolites containing mtDNA Monte Verde, Chile, 15,000 cal BP, first confirmed preclovis site in the Americas Kennewick  and Spirit Cave, USA, both 9,000 years cal BP (wide body form, see Auerbach) Charlie Lake Cave, British Columbia, Canada Daisy Cave, California, US Ayer Pond, Washington, US Upward Sun River Mouth, Alaska, US Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Population of Americas, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Adachi N, Shinoda K-i, Umetsu K, and Matsumura H. 2009. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Jomon skeletons from the Funadomari site, Hokkaido, and its implication for the origins of Native American. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 138(3):255-265. doi:10.1002/ajpa.20923 Auerbach BM. 2012. Skeletal variation among early Holocene North American humans: Implications for origins and diversity in the Americas. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 149(4):525-536. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.22154 Hoffecker JF, Elias SA, and ORourke DH. 2014. Out of Beringia? Science 343:979-980. doi:10.1126/science.1250768 Kashani BH, Perego UA, Olivieri A, Angerhofer N, Gandini F, Carossa V, Lancioni H, Semino O, Woodward SR, Achilli A et al. 2012. Mitochondrial haplogroup C4c: A rare lineage entering America through the ice-free corridor? American Journal of Physical Anthropology 147(1):35-39. doi:10.1002/ajpa.21614 Long JC, and Ctira Bortolini M. 2011. New developments in the origins and evolution of Native American populations. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 146(4):491-494. doi:10.1002/ajpa.21620 ORourke DH, and Raff JA. 2010. The Human Genetic History of the Americas: The Final Frontier. Current Biology 20(4):R202-R207. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.11.051 Perego UA, Achilli A, Angerhofer N, Accetturo M, Pala M, Olivieri A, Kashani BH, Ritchie KH, Scozzari R, Kong Q-P et al. 2009. Distinctive Paleo-Indian Migration Routes from Beringia Marked by Two Rare mtDNA Haplogroups. Current Biology 19:1–8. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.11.058 Raff JA, Bolnick DA, Tackney J, and ORourke DH. 2011. Ancient DNA perspectives on American colonization and population history. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 146(4):503-514. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.21594 Raghavan M, Skoglund P, Graf KE, Metspalu M, Albrechtsen A, Moltke I, Rasmussen S, Reedik M, Campos PF, Balanovska E et al. 2014. Upper Palaeolithic Siberian genome reveals dual ancestry of Native Americans. Nature 505(7481):87-91. doi: 10.1038/nature12736 Raghavan M, Steinrà ¼cken M, Harris K, Schiffels S, Rasmussen S, DeGiorgio M, Albrechtsen A, Valdiosera C, vila-Arcos MC, Malaspinas A-S et al. 2015. Genomic evidence for the Pleistocene and recent population history of Native Americans. Science. doi: 10.1126/science.aab3884 Reich D, Patterson N, Campbell D, Tandon A, Mazieres S, Ray N, Parra MV, Rojas W, Duque C, Mesa N et al. 2012. Reconstructing Native American population history. Nature 488(7411):370-374. doi:10.1038/nature11258 Schurr TG, Dulik MC, Owings AC, Zhadanov SI, Gaieski JB, Vilar MG, Ramos J, Moss MB, Natkong F, and The Genographic C. 2012. Clan, language, and migration history has shaped genetic diversity in Haida and Tlingit populations from Southeast Alaska. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 148(3):422-435. doi:10.1002/ajpa.22068 Skoglund P, Mallick S, Bortolini MC, Chennagiri N, Hunemeier T, Petzl-Erler ML, Salzano FM, Patterson N, and Reich D. 2015. Genetic evidence for two founding populations of the Americas. Nature advance online publication. doi: 10.1038/nature14895 Tamm E, Kivisild T, Reidla M, Metspalu M, Smith DG, Mulligan CJ, Bravi CM, Rickards O, Martinez-Labarga C, Khusnutdinova EK et al. 2007. Beringian Standstill and Spread of Native American Founders. PLoS ONE 2(9):e829. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000829 Wheat A. 2012. Survey of professional opinions regarding the peopling of America. SAA Archaeological Record 12(2):10-14.

Globalization Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Globalization - Term Paper Example Arab Maghreb union consists of five states such as Tunisia, morocco, Algeria Libya and Mauritania all from North Africa. The five members signed a treaty to enhance stability and tranquility in the region coupled with superior coordination of policies that have mutual benefits. Additionally, the other major agreement among those states in the union is to enhance free trade that would improve their economic stability. Another key aspect that could boost trade in AMU is establishment of joint projects and other economic programs that could make the AMU members to be competitive in the world market (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Para. 1-5). AMU and European Union (EU) are similar in that their aims are to improve the economic status of their respective members by making regulations that will enhance effective trade. However, difference between the two unions is visible because AMU is a free trade area while EU is a customs union (Shafeeq Para. 16-19: Hannan Para.1-5). In conclusion, trade unions have benefited much in boosting the world’s economy as they have assisted to eliminate the barriers of trade that barred economic growth. AMU and EU are perfect examples of trade unions with the two unions exhibiting same objectives but they have different policies. Hannan, Daniel. The EU is Not a Free Trade Area but a Customs Union: Until We Understand the Difference, the Debate about Our Membership is Meaningless. 5 Feb. 2014. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.

Finance - Budgeting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance - Budgeting - Assignment Example A comparison of the actual and budgeted costs should be closely monitored to determine the efficiency of the system in place. If the current technique does not always reflect the true cost of operation or reports wide gaps between budgeted and actual costs, a change in technique could be a solution. The company has been employing process costing to budget and monitor its various costs. This method is a widely used tool in costing of its products. In order to do this, the company recognizes the following cost pools: The production budget of the company is set before the production period usually for one year. Traditional costing method and variance analysis are used to adjust the different costs incurred. At the end of each quarter, the company computes the different variances to determine whether the company is above or below the set level. However, no effort is made to correct the budgeted costs. As the size of the company is relatively small, it currently doesn't employ any software in order to efficiently track costs. The data for production is gathered for each pool center manually and is sent to each department involved such as purchasing, billing, and inventory. It is also apparent that the company has no formal monitoring system as the budgets are never adjusted. It should be noted that the price of materials being used by the company often vary with their availability. For instance, the price of LPG is directly related to the price of fuel in the world market. The volatility of the price of fuel is not taken into account as the company's budget is already set for a year's period. Recommendations for Improvement A company's budget as discussed above is one of the most significant information for managers as it reflects its expectations on its future operations. The company under consideration reports declining profitability within the past five years. The reported reasons for this are unexpected rise in material inputs which are not anticipated and reflected on pricing and additional costs due to lost of administrative and paper works. The company also admitted that as its competitors seem to be gaining market share through production efficiency, they seem to be lagging off. This is reflected by their declining profits and high production costs. It is recommended that the company reevaluate its value chain. This evaluation is needed in order for them to ascertain the processes which add value to their products and eliminating those which do not. This will lead to a leaner manufacturing system and will surely help the company in cutting down unnecessary costs. The company should also create an information system in order to

Strategic Issues in the United Kingdom (UK) Essay

Strategic Issues in the United Kingdom (UK) - Essay Example This means that the questions are meant to address the issue pertaining the dynamism in the brewing sector as well as the implications of the maturity stage. They should neither be vague nor ambiguous. Secondly, the research questions should be very specific; this means that they should focus on a narrow topic that will help facilitate achievement of results that are reliable and can be used to solve a real world problem. Thirdly, the research question should present the purpose why the research is to be conducted; in this case it is clear that the effects of the research will help find a way forward on the brewing industry in the United Kingdom. Fourthly, the research question should present a realistic situation that is capable of being addressed in the research. Even if the research were to be funded, one will find the conviction to do so as it is clear from the research question. Finally, the scope of the research question should be within the testable range of the variables. Que stion 3 Requirement for primary data There should be a requirement for collection of primary data. In the case scenario of the brewing sector, the reports by the UK Monopolies & Mergers Commission will provide very useful information in elucidating the provisions of the law and the trends in the sector. Other primary information required include the legislations, regulations, policies, contracts, and other first-hand information that may be beneficial for the research. Question 4 Structure of the methodology Firstly, the problem under research is identified. The trends in the brewing industry have demonstrated a lot of dynamism. The problem comes in when one desires to know the sources of the dynamic changes as well as the best way to resolve them using the most appropriate strategies. After problem identification, secondly, gathering of information about the problem by the researcher is done by interviewing the commissioners of the UK Monopolies & Mergers Commission and getting inf ormation from books, magazines, newspapers among other available documents. Thirdly, the development of a concrete problem statement is done. The statements that have been developed are objective, testable and purpose driven hence making the research have a sense of direction. Fourthly, the hypotheses are formulated, for example in the case scenario we can make an hypothesis such as, ‘the UK Monopolies & Mergers Commission is the major contributor to the changes and instability in the brewing sector’ Fifthly, The hypothesis is tested and if the data supports it then relevant conclusions are made. After the analysis of the available data collected from various sources, conclusions are made. A lot of work is required in the collection of data so that authentic and comparable data is realized. Question 5 Timelines for the project The initial processes are more theoretical hence require little time. Developing the problem comes automatically because the research looks at pr oviding a solution to a trending issue; in this case we are establishing what is ailing the brewing sector. A review of literature helps develop the research questions. Composing the research question is a simple process that is devoid of many processes. All this can be done within a period of three days. Further to this, the most daunting task is the collection of facts from the ground about the

Compare and Contrast Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare and Contrast Religion - Essay Example Christian Theism is the classical Christian philosophy of 17th century. The word â€Å"theism† is derived from the Greek word â€Å"theos† which means God. The word was first used in this context by Mr. Ralph Cudworth in the 17th Century. Literally speaking, Christian Theism is, in fact, propagation of Monotheism which means that there is only one God. Many argue that Christian Theism is based on Judaism, the Pagan Gods and the old Greek philosophy but this is disputed and, to a large extent, a matter of opinion. The first two attributes, when read together gives an apparently contradictory yet interwoven understanding of God. Theism defines God to be personal – which means God has characteristics of a human being. Hence God thinks and acts like a human being, takes interest and is involved in the activities of his creations – that is our universe and us, human beings. At the same time, God is also perceived as infinite and transcendent and therefore one can never truly understand or comprehend his nature. As Sire (2004) frames it â€Å"This means that he is beyond scope, beyond measure, as far as we are concerned........All else is secondary†(Sire,â€Å"The Universe Next Door†,2004).Theism also defines God to be omnipresent – and thereby always aware of what is happening in this world. God is, hence, present in everything but not the thing itself. And God is also perceived to be good and thereby all his actions are for the good of human beings. This philosophy throws up some interesting thinking and concepts. This inherently assumes that the world is logical and has a co-relation between cause and effect. God has created an underlying order into the universe and therefore the world and the universe is meaningful. Though not a defined Christian Theist, perhaps the best expression of this concept was uttered by Mr. Albert Einstein when he said â€Å"You believe in the god who plays dice, and I in complete law and order

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Report - Essay Example Customer service is a process used by the organisations to provide customers with the needs and wants. The travel and tourism industry is one which is very large and there is a high level of direct customer interaction in this industry. Over the years, with the level of disposable income rising in the country, the customers are able and willing to spend more on various services related to travel and tourism and various researches have highlighted that customers are able to spend heavily on their travel and tourism needs. Saying this is also important to understand, that with an increase of the number of people indulging in the travel and tourism, the need for customer service has also grown to a higher extent. The travel industry requires to follow the ABTA rules. The main aim of the ABTA policies is to ensure that all the members of the travel industry and that all the customers and the members of the travel industry are provided with high levels of quality and customer service. All the travel related companies need to follow the rules set down by the ABTA and are obliged to follow the rules and regulations and policies set down by the ABTA. Customer Service is an essential part of Customer relationship management. Customer relationship management, which is widely known as CRM holds an enormous importance in today’s competitive world. This is clear from the several different mission statements and the vision statements that are presented by the companies across the world. An excellent example for the mission statements is, ‘It is the policy of McDonnell & Miller to provide products and services to the market which meet or exceed the reasonable expectations of our customers. Satisfying our customers with the appropriate level of quality is a primary goal and a fundamental element of our business mission’ (Mission Statements, 2010). Various changes have

Classify each person into 1 profile group Essay

Classify each person into 1 profile group - Essay Example yers suggested that a fourth dichotomy, (with the contrasting poles of perceiving and judging), also has an effect on the characteristics of personality type- Judging- perceiving (J and P respectively.) All possible permutations of the four criteria mentioned above produce sixteen different combinations/possibilities representing which of the different poles/ends in each of the 4 (four) dichotomies dominates in an individual, thus defining sixteen different personality types. The sixteen personality types can be assigned a combination of four letters (i.e. an acronym) corresponding to the different ends in each of the four dichotomies (Penner et al 67-90) Various descriptions clearly suggest that George W. Bush belong in the ESTJ. His pictures and character are those of an extravert. As a child, Bush is portrayed as something of the family crown of entertainer. He takes extravert roles such as cheerleader and runs for fraternity president. He gets a playboy status and shows a bias for operation by flying for the Texas Air National Guard. On the political campaign, his trail comes across as active, sociable, energetic and outgoing. In contrast, his democratic opponents-Al Gore and John Perry- both earned reputations as being too stiff, wooden or boring (Jones3-6). His tendency to spend time at his ranch or ant Camp David may at first suggest preference for introversion. However, a closer look at his behavior in these settings further suggests a preference for extraversion in that a key theme is sociability- in addition to the presence of presidential staff; he is known to engender long and active days that often involve family and fri ends. Intuition and Sensing refer to different ways of comprehending. People who prefer sensing are described as realistic, practical, and always focused on living in the present. People who prefer intuition are described as imaginative, oriented to the future or theoretical. According to an analysis, George W. Bush appears to be a

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Report - Essay Example Customer service is a process used by the organisations to provide customers with the needs and wants. The travel and tourism industry is one which is very large and there is a high level of direct customer interaction in this industry. Over the years, with the level of disposable income rising in the country, the customers are able and willing to spend more on various services related to travel and tourism and various researches have highlighted that customers are able to spend heavily on their travel and tourism needs. Saying this is also important to understand, that with an increase of the number of people indulging in the travel and tourism, the need for customer service has also grown to a higher extent. The travel industry requires to follow the ABTA rules. The main aim of the ABTA policies is to ensure that all the members of the travel industry and that all the customers and the members of the travel industry are provided with high levels of quality and customer service. All the travel related companies need to follow the rules set down by the ABTA and are obliged to follow the rules and regulations and policies set down by the ABTA. Customer Service is an essential part of Customer relationship management. Customer relationship management, which is widely known as CRM holds an enormous importance in today’s competitive world. This is clear from the several different mission statements and the vision statements that are presented by the companies across the world. An excellent example for the mission statements is, ‘It is the policy of McDonnell & Miller to provide products and services to the market which meet or exceed the reasonable expectations of our customers. Satisfying our customers with the appropriate level of quality is a primary goal and a fundamental element of our business mission’ (Mission Statements, 2010). Various changes have

Tax Planning And Tax Avoidance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Tax Planning And Tax Avoidance - Essay Example Taxation is a major tool to drive the economics in the certain direction. Young and Guenther studied the relationship in the context of the mobility of capital in international level and Sun studied the efficiency of capital allocation. However, all these require that the financial reporting to be reliable, accurate, transparent, comparable and true representative of business conditions. International Financial Reporting Standards is mandated to be adopted as the financial reporting system in the EU countries for the listing companies. Barth, Landsman, & Lang and others have reported an improvement in the accounting information with the adoption of IFRS. Samuel, & Obiamaka in a paper stated that IFRS system of accounting as the base for tax will drive the tax accounting to generate the real economic value of the company. This provides greater opportunity to explore the real taxable income for the company. Use of IFRS increases the chances of them being listed in other countries. Use of the comparable system of IFRS across the broad would reduce the chances of measures taken by the company for tax avoidance to be overlooked. Another argument in favor of the adoption of IFRS states that it would result in the increased involvement of audit committee in addition to the other level of management. This will increase the double check facility for the audit committee as companies will not be available with an opportunity to avoid tax by claiming that reporting of a transaction is in accordance with the rules.

How it Relates to Greek Religion and Culture Essay Example for Free

How it Relates to Greek Religion and Culture Essay Ancient Greeks believed in a series of myths, which explained nature, set the moral code for the Greek people, and some were just entertaining stories. These myths turned the Greek world from a world of fear into a world of wondrous beauty. Many of these gods and goddesses were associated with a particular task or activity (Buxton). The Greek people believed that the gods were incorporated into every aspect of their lives. The Ancient Greeks, being a polytheistic culture, created many extravagant myths regarding 12 gods and goddesses that they believed to rule all aspects of their lives. These myths were an early science. They were the result of the Greeks trying to explain the world around them. The Greek people created their gods in their own image, naturally making heaven an enjoyable and familiar place (Hamilton). In Greek mythology the Gods did not create the universe, but instead, the universe created the gods. The mythology of the people of Greece begins with Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. It is in these epic poems that Homer tells the stories of the many gods and hero’s of Greece. We now know who and what the Greek gods were, but how are they relevant to the Greek Religion? It is important to know that the Greeks did not have a word for religion. Also they did not have any written text or scripture. When we talk about Greek religion we mean their ritual behaviors and their beliefs in sacred items, beings, and places (Cline). We also must remember that Greek mythology is not the same as Greek religion, though they are closely intertwined. The only requirement of the Greeks for their religion was to believe in the gods and perform sacrifices to them. These sacred acts, sacrifice and festivals, were the root of the Greek religion (Buxton). This seems to be a rather relaxing way to carry on in life, but not so. The Greeks attributed anything good happening to the gods being happy with them, also when something bad happened, for example, an earthquake, famine, or the loss of a battle, it was attributed to the gods being displeased with the Greeks (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The Ancient Greeks were an extremely religious people, who spent their lives trying to please the gods through their sacrifice, festivals, and unwavering belief in them. Sacrifice was one of the most important ways to please the gods; they were thought to be gifts to the gods. The people of Greece would give a sacrifice not only of animals, but also bloodless sacrifices, such as food, grasses, grains, and incense (Christman). Each city had a temple erected to their patron god. In Athens they had built the Acropolis, with its main temple being the Parthenon, which was dedicated to Athena (which whom Athens was named after). Athena was Zeus’s daughter, and it is said in the myths that she was born from his head. Athena is known as the Goddess of war and the defender of the towns. She is usually shown in art dressed in full armor. Also associated with her is Nike the symbol of victory (Hamilton). These temples were not for worship, but they were believed to house the gods for which the temple was built. The only people who were allowed inside were the priests and priestesses, and that was only to keep it clean and take care of the god’s statue (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The focus of the temple was no only the god or goddess but the sacrificial alter. Each temple had an alter outside for the worshipers to place their offerings. The sacrifices the Greeks made to their gods were their way of ensuring that they would be allowed to lead a normal happy life. The Greeks also took part in religious festivals and for further reassurance of their pleasing the gods went to oracles. We know that the Greek people participated in many religious festivals, but the details of these festivals are unknown. The main festival that the Greeks partook in was the Olympic games, in honor of Zeus. Zeus was the most powerful of all the gods, his power alone was greater than all of the other gods combined. He was the God of the Sky, bearing his thunderbolt, at which he would throw to earth striking anywhere he wished. His faults, however, entertain the idea that he is a man. Zeus is portrayed as falling in love with many women and trying to hide his infidelity from his wife Hera (Hamilton). The Olympic game festival occurred every fourth summer. Throughout Greece a truce was proclaimed so that all Greek citizens could come and participate (â€Å"Greek Religion†). The exception to this was women, they not only could not participate, but they could not even watch (Buxton). The Olympic games were held at the Stadium of Olympia, and the main event was the pentathlon, where the participants competed in five different events. This arena was also the very first monument of Greek Classical art (Kleiner). Another part of the Greek religion was the oracles. The most famous oracle was the Oracle of Delphi. The oracles were believed to be the messengers of the gods. But not any normal person could understand their messages, only the priests and priestesses could. The Greeks believed that the gods spoke in riddles, because the gods were more complex than the humans, and so the could not reply as the humans did (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The festivals and the oracles were an important part of the Greek life. The Greek gods even found a place in the everyday life of a Greek citizen. Hestia, Zeus’s sister. She plays no part in the myths but was very important to the Greeks. She was the Goddess of the Hearth. Every home in Greece had a hearth dedicated to her where the fire was not allowed out go out, along with each city (Hunt). When a new town was founded the people would light a torch from the mother town and carry its fire to the hearth in the new town. Sound familiar; this is the proposed beginning of the Olympic torch. Also, when a child was born the family had to walk the newborn baby around the hearth before it was to be accepted into the family (Hamilton). Also, according to Hunt, boys were trained to have healthy strong bodies, not only to fight in the armies, but to be strong competitors in the Olympic games. Boys and girls were taught from very early ages about the gods and goddesses. They were taught how to respect and please them in their daily lives (â€Å"The Ancient Greeks†). Also most Greeks made some sort of sacrifice to the gods daily. This was to try and keep the gods happy and bring good fortune to themselves. There were many different ways that the people of Greece tried to keep the thought of their gods present in their daily lives. Religion impinged on the warfare of the city-states in a number of ways. The commanders frequently saw themselves as walking in the footsteps of their gods and heroic predecessors (Buxton). No where in the Greek city-states did they go into battle without first sacrificing. To do this was unthinkable. The soldiers of Greece usually sacrificed to either Ares or Athena. Ares was the God of War, but isn’t mentioned much in the myths. He has no distinctive attributes and is difficult to identify in art. Hamilton says this is probably because the Greeks thought of him as â€Å"hateful†. Again, Athena is known as the Goddess of war and the defender of the towns. But then on the opposite end was the honoring of Aphrodite, who was the Goddess of Love and Beauty, but also revered for pleasure and procreation. Women of the towns and city-states would honor and sacrifice to Aphrodite, to ensure the safe delivery of a baby, or to be pleasing to their future husbands (Atsma). I Greece all marriages were arranged to keep or raise a family’s social status, so many brides did not ever meet their husbands-to-be until the wedding day. Whatever men or women did in their daily activities was relevant to the influence of the gods. The Greek mythology played an important role in the every day lives of the Greek people, and even more important one in the development of their religion. Greek mythology was a way for the people of Greece to explain the â€Å"why’s† and â€Å"how’s† of their world. Their religion and their mythology were very closely intertwined. This was shown through their various ways of honoring their gods through festivals, sacrifice, and using the oracles. Also through the passing of the beliefs from one generation to the next. The importance of the gods was shown in their magnificent temples also. These Myths for the Greeks changed their world from the unknown to kind and beautiful. Works Cited â€Å"Ancient Greece. † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008. Sept. 14, 2008. . Atsma, Aaron J. â€Å"Theoi Greek Mythology: Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature and Art. † The Theoi Project. 2008. Sept. 14, 2008. . Buxton, Richard. Ancient Greece. Ed. Paul Cartledge. United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Christman, Zachary and Alfred Hanssen. â€Å"Greek Religion: Religion and Death. † 2002. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Sept. 14, 2008. . Cline, Austin. â€Å"Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art† Sept. 14, 2008. . â€Å"Greek Religion. † Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Sept. 21, 2008. . Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York. Back Bay Books, 1942. Hunt, Dr. Patricia. â€Å"Roles of Men, Women, and Children. † Richmond University. Sept. 16, 2008. . Kleiner, Fred and Christian Mamiya. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. 12th ed. volume 1. California. Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2005. â€Å"The Ancient Greeks. † 2002. Sept. 16, 2008. . Wilkinson, Philip. Dictionary of Mythology. New York. DK Publishing, 1998.

Principal Component Analysis for Numerals

Principal Component Analysis for Numerals Recognition of Off-Line Handwritten Telugu Numerals Based On Principal Component Analysis Manubolu Sreenivasulu, Prasenjit Kumar Das Abstract India is a multi-lingual multi-language country but there is not much work towards off-line handwritten character recognition of Indian languages [1]. In this paper we have proposed principal component analysis (PCA) for feature extraction and used Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) based model for classification and recognition of off-line handwritten numerals of telugu script. Principal component analysis is one of the important method for identifying patterns in data and expressing the data to highlight their similarities and differences. In high dimensional data it is difficult to identify patterns, where the luxury of graphical representation is not available, principal component analysis is a good method for analysing data. The performance of the Probabilistic Neural Network classifier was computed in terms of training performance and classification accuracies. Probabilistic Neural Network gives fast and accurate classification and is a promising model for classification of the characters [9]. Keywords   PCA, PNN, Classification and Recognition, Handwritten Characters I. INTRODUCTION Character recognition (CR) is the important area in image processing and pattern recognition fields. The various applications of character recognition are includes library automation, banks, defense organizations, reading aid for the blind, post offices, language processing and multi-media design. Hence the research in character recognition is very popular. To recognize Hand-Written Characters (HWC) is an easy task for humans, but for a computer it is an extremely difficult job. This is mainly due to the vast differences or the impreciseness associated with handwritten patterns written by different individuals. Machine recognition involves the ability of a computer to receive input from sources such as paper and other documents, photographs, touch screens and other devices, which is an ongoing research area. Handwritten character recognition (HWCR) can be divided into two categories, namely, Offline Handwritten Character recognition where the image is sensed â€Å"off-line† fr om a part of a document and â€Å"Online† Handwritten Character recognition where the movements of the pen/tip can be recorded â€Å"on-line† as used in the pen based computer screen systems. Off-line recognition usually requires imperfect pre-processing techniques prior to feature extraction and recognition stages [3]. Telugu is the most popular script in India. It is the official language of the southern Indian state, Andhra Pradesh. The Telugu script is closely related to the Kannada script. Telugu is a syllabic language. Similar to most languages of India, each symbol in Telugu script represents a complete syllable. Officially, there are 10 numerals, 18 vowels, 36 consonants, and three dual symbols [1]. There are five major stages in the HCR problem: Image pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction, training and recognition and post processing. Several works had been done on feature extraction for character recognition. The feature extraction method includes Template matching, Identification of similarities and differences, Histograms, Zoning, Graph description etc. II. DATA COLLECTION AND PREPROCESSING Data collection for the experiment has been done from different individuals. Currently we are developing data set for Telugu. Earlier we had collected 250 Telugu numeral samples from 50 different writers. Writers were provided with a plain A4 sheet and each writer asked to write Telugu numerals from 0 to 9 at one time. Recently, we have again collected 150 Telugu numerals by 30 different writers. In this paper the data set size of 300 Telugu numerals is used. The database is totally unconstrained and has been created for validating the recognition system. The collected documents are scanned using the Canon-Lide scanner jet, which is usually a low noise and good quality image. The digitized images are stored as binary images in the BMP format. A sample of Telugu handwritten numerals from the data set is shown from figure 1. Figure 1: Handwritten Telugu Numeral Samples Pre-processing: Figure 2: Pre-processing Pre-processing includes the steps that are necessary to bring the input data into an acceptable form for feature extraction. The initial data is depending on the data acquisition type, is subjected to a number of preliminary processing stages. The pre-processing stage involves noise reduction, slant correction, size normalization and thinning [2]. For noise removal we used median filter. For better understanding the function of median filter, we added the salt and pepper noise artificially and removing it using median filter. In character classification/recognition correcting the skew (baseline deviation from the horizontal direction) and the slant (average near-vertical strokes deviation from the vertical direction) is an important pre-processing step. The slant and slope are introduced by writing styles. Both corrections can reduce handwritten word shape variability and help the later operations such as feature extraction, classification and recognition [4]. Normalization is required as the size of the numeral varies from person to person and even with the same person from time to time. Thinning provides a reduction in data size; it extracts the shape information of the characters. Thinning is the process of reducing the thickness of each line of pattern to just a single pixel [5]. Here, we have used the morphology based thinning algorithm for better symbol representation. Thus, the reduced pattern is known as the skeleton and is close to the medial axis, which preserves the topology of the image. Figure 5 shows the steps involved in our method as far as pre-processing is considered. III. FEATURE EXTRACTION USING PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS In this paper, the principal component analysis (PCA) is being used as an extraction algorithm of features. The PCA is a very successful techniques which has been utilized in image compression and recognition. The sole purpose of PCA is to decrease the big dimensions of data [9]. In this way we can identify patterns in data, and express the data in such a way as to present their differences and similarities. Because the patterns in data is hard to find in high dimension data, where the usefulness of graphical representation is not present, principal component analysis is a very good tool for analysing the data. The other advantages of PCA is that when you have found the patterns in data, and then you compress the data, i.e. by reducing the dimensions, with negligible loss of information [6]. Algorithm Step 1: Get input as pre-processed image   Step 2: Subtract the mean In order for the PCA to work correctly, it is needed for you to subtract the mean from each of the dimensions of data. The subtracted mean is the average in each dimension. Step 3: Calculate the covariance matrix The data is 2D, the covariance matrix will be 22.the definition for the covariance matrix for a set of data with n dimensional is: Cn x n = (ci,j, ci,j = cov(Dimi,Dimj)) Step 4: Compute eigenvectors and eigenvalues  of the covariance matrix Because the covariance matrix is square, we are able to calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors for this matrix. The eigenvectors and eigenvalues will give us useful information about our data. Step 5: Component choosing and creating a  feature vector In this step the notion of reduced dimensionality and data compression comes into it.When you look at the eigenvalues and eigenvectors from the previous section, you will be able to notice that the eigen values are quite not equal values. The fact is that the eigenvector with the highest eigenvalue is the main component of the data set. In fact the eigenvector with the larges eigenvalue was the one that pointed down the middle of the data. It is very important relationship between the dimensions of data. Generally, when the eigenvectors are found from the covariance matrix, the next step is to order the eigenvalue from highest to the lowest. This will give you the components in a very significant order. Now it is required to form a feature vector, that is just a name for a matrix of vectors. It is constructed by taking the eigenvectors that you want to keep from the eigenvectors list, and creating a matrix with those eigenvectors in the columns. Feature Vector = (eig1 eig2 eig3 .. eign) Step 6: Deriving the new data set It is the last step in principle component analysist. When we have choosed the components or the eigenvectors, that we want to keep in our data and create a feature vector, we would take the transpose of that vector and will multiply it on the left of the true data set, transposed. Final Data=Row Feature VectorXRow Data Adjust Here the Row Feature Vector is the matrix of the eigenvectors in the columns transposed so that the eigenvectors will be in the rows, with the most important eigenvector at the top, and the Row Data Adjust will be z wiullthe mean-adjusted data transposed, ie. data items will be in each column, with each row holding a dimension which is separate[6]. IV. CLASSIFICATION AND RECOGNITION USING PRABABILISTIC NEURAL NETWORK Probabilistic neural networks (PNN) can be utilized for problems of classification. PNN is adopted for it has many advantages. Its training speed is many times faster than a BP network. PNN can approach a Bayes optimal result under certain easily met conditions [7]. The most important advantage of PNN is that training is easy and instantaneous. Weights are not â€Å"trained† but assigned. Existing weights will never be alternated but only new vectors are inserted into weight matrices when training. So it can be used in real-time. Since the training and running procedure can be implemented by matrix manipulation, the speed of PNN is very fast. The network classifies input vector into a particular class since that class has the highest probability to be correct. In this research paper, the PNN is of three layers: the Radial Basis Layer, the Input layer and the Competitive Layer. Radial Basis Layer calculates vector distances between input vector and row weight vectors in weight matrix. Those distances were scaled by Radial Basis Function not in a linear fashion. Then the Competitive Layer will find the shortest distance among them, and will then find the training pattern which is near to the input pattern depending on their distance. The network structure is illustrated in Figure 3. The symbols and notations are adopted as used in the book Neural Network Design [9]. These symbols and notations are also used by MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox. Dimensions of arrays are marked under their names. Input Radial Basis Layer Competitive Layer Q x R P Q x 1 R x 1 n a d c Q x 1Q x 1 K x 1 K x 1 K x Q R Q x 1 Q K Figure 3: Network Structure 1) Input Layer: The input vector, denoted as p, is presented as the vertical bar in Figure 3. Its dimension is R Ãâ€" 1. 2) Radial Basis Layer: In Radial Basis Layer, the vector distances between input vector p and the weight vector made of each row of weight matrix W are calculated. Here, the vector distance is defined as the dot product between two vectors [10]. Assume the dimension of W is QÃâ€"R. The dot product between p and the i-th row of W produces the i-th element of the distance vector ||W−p||, whose dimension is QÃâ€"1, as shown in Figure 3. The minus symbol, â€Å"−† indicates that it is the distance between vectors. The transfer function in PNN has built into a distance criterion with respect to a center. In this paper, it is defined as radbas (n) = Each element of n is substituted into Eq. 1 and produces corresponding element of a, the output vector of Radial Basis Layer. The i-th element of a can be represented as ai = radbas(||wi-p||.*bi) Where Wi is the vector made of the i-th row of W and bi is the i-th element of bias vector b. 3) Some characteristics of Radial Basis Layer: The i-th element of a equals to 1 if the input p is identical to the ith row of input weight matrix W. A basis neuron which is radial along with a weight vector near to the input vector p will produce a value close to 1 and then its output weights in the competitive layer will pass their values to the competitive function. It is also possible that several elements of a are close to 1 since the input pattern is close to several training patterns. 4) Competitive Layer: There is no bias in Competitive layer. In Competitive Layer, the vector a is firstly multiplied with layer weight matrix M, producing an output vector d. The competitive function, denoted as C in Figure 3, produces 1 corresponding to the largest element of d, and 0’s elsewhere. The output vector of competitive function is denoted as c. The index of 1 in c is the number of numeral that the system can classify [9]. V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The data set was divided into two separate data sets, the training data set and the testing data set. The training data set was used to train the network, whereas the testing data set was used to verify the accuracy and the effectiveness of the trained network for the classification of characters. .The PNN was tested in more than 350 samples of telugu numerals and we have obtained an average recognition rate of 97%. Table 1 shows the performance of PNN. Number of Samples PNN 15 96.3% 50 96.8% 100 97.7% 125 97.6% Table 1: Recognition Rate in Percentage VI. CONCLUSION In this paper the PCA for feature extraction and the PNN for classification and recognition have been implemented. The performance of Probabilistic Neural Network classifier was calculated in the terms of classification accuracies and training performance. Probabilistic Neural Network gives fast and accurate classification and is a promising tool for classification of the characters. REFERENCES U. Pal1, T. Wakabayashi2, N. Sharma1 and F. Kimura2, â€Å"Handwritten Numeral Recognition of Six Popular Indian Scripts†, Manubolu Sreenivasulu, Prasenjit Kumar Das, Mr. Rishi Mathur, â€Å"Numeral Recognition of Four Scripts: Bengali-Assamese, Gujarati, Oriya, Nepali†, First International Conference on Innovative Advancements in Engineering and Technology (IAET), 2014. Panyam Narahari Sastry, Ramakrishnan Krishnan,â€Å"Isolated Telugu Palm Leaf Character Recognition Using Radon Transform – A Novel Approach†, 2012 World Congress on Information and Communication Technologies, 978-1-4673-4805-8/12/2012 IEEE. Jian-xiong Dong and Dominique Ponson and Adam KrzyËâ„ ¢zak and Ching Y.Suen,â€Å"Cursive word skew/slant corrections based on Radon transform†. Rafael C. Gonzalez, Richard E.woods and Steven L Eddins, â€Å" Digital Image Processing using MATLAB†, Pearson Education, Dorling Kindersley,South Asia,2004 Lindsay I Smith,â€Å"A tutorial on Principal Components Analysis†, February 26, 2002. D.F. Specht, â€Å"Probabilistic Neural Networks† Neural Networks, vol. 3, No.1, pp. 109-118, 1990. M. T. Hagan, H. B. Demut, and M. H. Beale, Neural Network Design, 2002. Mohd Fauzi Othman, Mohd Ariffanan Mohd Basri,â€Å"Probabilistic Neural Network For Brain Tumor Classification†, 2011 Second International Conference on Intelligent Systems, Modelling and Simulation.

Human Resources Conflict :: Human Resources Essays

Human Resources Conflict In this section I will be identifying possible areas of conflict between the various human resources functions in Southgate College. The human resources functions are: Selection Recruitment and Training In Southgate College the recruitment process for teaching staff can take a long time there are several reasons for this: 1.Some skills are in very short supply such as electrical instillation, plumbing and construction and also motor vehicle maintenance. This is because these skills earn far more money in the labour market than if people with these skills be paid if they came to work at Southgate College as a teacher. 2.Owners of these skills would be expected like all teachers in further education, to undergo 2 years training part time for the certificate of education, which is a government requirement. But many plumbers and electricians are already well qualified and resent the fact that they have to do another period of training 1 day a week for a job in which they earn far less money than if they stayed as plumbers and electricians without the qualifications. So it will be better for the plumbers and the electricians to carry on doing there own jobs rather than becoming a teacher. This is the reason why these courses are hard to come by. So as this shows the rapid decrease in staffing in these occupations has lowered the amount of teachers to teach these courses. This has now forced many colleges to stop these courses as there is better money for them in their own profession rather than teaching it. The main problem with this is that all the staff have to undergo the 2-year training course for the CoE this is a waste of time and effort for this type of job. They already know how to teach their profession so this leads them not to teach and stay where they are. If Southgate College chooses not to train its workforce it will be faced with additional recruitment costs. This is because when skills are required existing employees will have to be made redundant. The importance of Training and Development at Southgate College is that If they neglect and do not train the staff it you will be caught out in the end either by staff leaving due to low moral; Southgate college may not perform at its peak because staff may not know how to use equipment properly or are not sure what the correct procedure is or your business falls behind because either you or your staff have not been given the opportunity to update their skills or knowledge within the college. Recruitment and Appraisals

Gap year

There are approximately ten out of ten students that would take a gap year before attending college rather than Just applying for college right away. Undoubtedly a nice break from all this pressure would be Just perfect but not really helpful for graduates. Therefore, students that do not attend college right after high school tend to lose time. The actual concept is to register into college after graduating from high school. If graduates get a year off after high school they will not get the college experience.School is not Just about learning the essentials; it is about deciding what a student wants to be, and which college a student wants to attend. Students should not take a gap year because they are more likely to forget everything they have learned during their high school years and it also affects their motivation for learning. Students that attend college after high school without taking a gap year have a knowledgeable mind and preserve more of what they were taught in school to participate in their college courses.However, students that take a gap year tend to lose their knowledge and it will be difficult for them to get back on track. Instead of all the suffering and anxiety on making the right choice to which college to apply to, just get it over with. Rather than risking their life and career. In â€Å"The Gap Year,† Hannah Purnell (2013) argues that students are going to forget and move out of formation of the academic skills. It will be a difficult for them and they are not going to be fully prepared on the first day of college after having a gap year. Gap year There are approximately ten out of ten students that would take a gap year before attending college rather than Just applying for college right away. Undoubtedly a nice break from all this pressure would be Just perfect but not really helpful for graduates. Therefore, students that do not attend college right after high school tend to lose time. The actual concept is to register into college after graduating from high school. If graduates get a year off after high school they will not get the college experience.School is not Just about learning the essentials; it is about deciding what a student wants to be, and which college a student wants to attend. Students should not take a gap year because they are more likely to forget everything they have learned during their high school years and it also affects their motivation for learning. Students that attend college after high school without taking a gap year have a knowledgeable mind and preserve more of what they were taught in school to participate in their college courses.However, students that take a gap year tend to lose their knowledge and it will be difficult for them to get back on track. Instead of all the suffering and anxiety on making the right choice to which college to apply to, just get it over with. Rather than risking their life and career. In â€Å"The Gap Year,† Hannah Purnell (2013) argues that students are going to forget and move out of formation of the academic skills. It will be a difficult for them and they are not going to be fully prepared on the first day of college after having a gap year.

Health Record Worksheet Essay

In 150 to 350 words, explain the importance of the health record. Support your explanation using your assigned readings. The importance to health records is that it is easier to treat a patient if you already have the history of the patient illnesses and what medications have helped in the past as well as it will tell them anything they are allergic. They are also important for you don’t have to retake the same test over again if you already have it on file at the hospital you went too. Now with the electronic health care they are heping to make the paients experience better for them with less wait time and questions. Also with the electronic health records it helps the doctor to be reminded of when a new test needs to be done or when a prescription needs to be filled as well. I think that all health records are good because your doctor can go back and see what you were treated for and what has helped you in the past that can help you now.   Use the following table to identify and list at least five key components of the health record. Additionally, include a 50- to 100-word description of each component. Support your descriptions using your assigned readings. Component of the health record Description Adminerstrative system component This where the patient gets registered, admitted, and discharged this information is very important without this in health records it would make it a lot harder to get the patient seen. This is why it is a key component to health care because without this it wouldn’t run as smoothly. Laboratory system component This is where the doctor can put in orders to get lab work done then someone will bring the sample to the lab to get processed. Then later the doctor can find the results and figure out a diagnosis of the patient or order more labs to get done on the patient. Radiology system component This is where the doctor can order a xray of a patient and then the patient gets sent down to Radiology to get xrayed. Then the radiologist will send the pictures to the doctor after they are processed. The doctor will tell the patient why they are in pain and the next steps for them. Pharmacy system component This is where the doctor can order perscriptions and send them to the pharmacy without writing out a prescription and giving them a paper to bring to pharmacy. Also will help make sure that there are no forgery with any of orders. That way the patient doesn’t lose it as well. Clinical documentation This where the patients information goes so it is easily found by the doctor to access it. Also is where the description of the events that happened of each visit with the patient and what has worked and what did not work as a solution. Also can find the patients contact information here. Use the following table to identify and list at least five structured coding systems. Additionally, include a 50- to 100-word description of each system. Support your descriptions using your assigned readings. Structured coding system Description International classification of diseases  this would be different coding they use between other countries and the United States. This is when I believe a patient comes to America with the disease already in them so they talk about it to others they use a code instead of just plainly saying it out loud in front of the patient. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders This is what doctors use to label someone with a mental disorder whether it was from birth or from a substance abuse. Every patient would have a code with them instead of labeling them they just used codes to tell them apart in a hospital. Also easier to keep track of who is who. Current procedural Terminology This is when you have a patient in the examing room and need to tell your nurses what is happening and what needs to be done so they use code names instead of the regular terms so it does not scare the patient they are working on. Also makes it so there is less to say.

Exercise during pregnancy Essay

Pregnancy brings along a number of physiological, emotional and psychological changes for expectant mothers. Researchers, though they usually disagree on the intensity and type of physical activity or exercise that pregnant women should be involved in, agree that some form of exercise is useful for pregnant women. Poudevigne and O’Connor (2006) discuss several research which highlight the psychological problems that some pregnant women face and the challenges in dealing with them (4). Smith and Michel (2006) sought to determine the effect an aquatic exercise program would have on the pregnant mother. The researchers wanted to find out if participant’s would be more willing to participate in health-promoting activities and if there would be any improvement to physical discomfort and mobility problems (5) as a result of the aquatic exercise program. Forty non-exercising pregnant women who were at least 19 weeks pregnant were recruited. Participants opted to be in either the experimental or control group with each having 20 members. Over a six-week period the 20 members of the experimental group were involved in three weekly 60 minute sessions of aquatic exercise. The members of the control group were instructed to continue their usual non-exercising routine (5). The researchers did pre-and post-test comparisons as well as comparisons between the results of both control and experimental group. The results from these comparisons supported the researchers’ hypotheses that exposure to the exercise program would have a positive impact on participants’ involvement in other health-promoting activities. Similarly it was found that those involved in the exercise program experienced less physical discomfort and demonstrated improvements in their mobility and perceptions of their body image (5). I believe the findings reported by Poudevigne and O’Connor (2006) are quite useful for pregnant mothers who want to exercise but are worried about the type of exercises to perform. It appears that the aquatic exercises would be a welcome alternative to women than regular gym-type and strenuous exercises. It would be good if future research compared the effectiveness of these two types of exercises. Some researchers are not convinced that exercise alone can accomplish physical improvements for mothers, particularly during the advanced pregnancy stage. Depledge, McNair, Keal-Smith and Williams (2005) hypothesized that exercise with other supports could improve physical conditions. The research objective was to see if the conditions of pregnant women with symphysis pubis dysfunction, or pelvic joint pain, would improve with exercise and interventions such as advice and pelvic support belts. The researchers felt this study was essential given the increase in the number of pregnant women experiencing this condition. Methods that would diminish pelvic discomfort in pregnant women would therefore be quite useful in improving how well this condition is dealt with both by clinicians and the expectant mothers themselves (1). The participants in the research were randomly assigned to one of three groups. There was an exercise only group along with advice, a group that combined exercise with wearing a non-rigid support belt and the third group combined exercise with a rigid support belt. Participants were divided into each group relatively evenly – 30, 28 and 29 respectively. The intervention program lasted for a week and pre- and post- test analysis of level of discomfort and intensity of pelvic pain were recorded (1). The results of the research revealed that all three groups reported some amount of improvement in their pelvic pain over the period. However the variation between groups was not very significant (1). I found the results of this research to be particularly interesting since it suggests that the use of support belts does not result in any additional improvements over exercise. This demonstrates the extent to which exercise can improve the conditions of pregnant women, even those with considerable levels of pelvic pain due to symphsis pubis dysfunction. Often some mothers desiring to participate in exercise are confused by physician’s reports which suggest that exercise is unsafe for the expectant mothers because of the risk of maternal hypothermia (2) and an untimely or late delivery (3). In fact Poudevigne and O’Connor (2006) did a comprehensive review of research on the subject and discovered that a significant number of women, who were physically active before their pregnancy, demonstrated a decrease in these activities throughout their pregnancy (4). Larsson & Lindqvist (2005) tested the merits of this position in a study of 37 pregnant women participating in low-impact exercises (2). They discovered little risk to the pregnant women who revealed comparable core temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation as compared to a control of 11. This suggests therefore, that the participants and, by extension, pregnant mothers at whatever stage of pregnancy, are at little risk of maternal hypothermia doing low-impact exercises (2). Similarly Leiferman and Evenson (2003) report in their study of close to 10, 000 mothers, that there was little or no risk that mothers would deliver their babies either pre- or post- term as the skeptics of exercise during pregnancy usually suggest (3). This information I find relieving for mothers who are concerned about the welfare of the fetus during exercise. Since there is little risk with low-impact exercises pregnant mothers should no longer have significant objections to exercise. Evidently research supports the view that exercise during pregnancy is harmful neither to the mother nor the unborn fetus. Exercise seems to be beneficial in relieving some of the discomforts faced by expecting mothers both of the physical and psychological nature. While there is no suggestion that exercise offers much further benefits over other interventions or a sedentary lifestyle, it has not been shown to be harmful.