Proposal for a Fitness Center in TI Essay -- Texas Instruments Health

Proposal for a Fitness Center in TI An on-site fitness center for Texas Instruments will prove to be advantageous to the company as well as its employees. Studies show that employees who exercise regularly are more productive, efficient, and pleasant to work with. Texas Instruments has the capability to increase employee retention, recruitment, and revenues by investing in a fitness center through Health Fitness Corporation. Health Fitness Corporation provides on-site fitness centers for numerous prestigious companies such as Best Buy and Federal Express. The positive relationships and results have more than qualified Health Fitness Corporation to provide Texas Instruments with a unique facility, designed to meet all of their personal needs. Among Health Fitness Corporation’s services are state-of-the-art equipment, the latest healthcare products, a knowledgeable staff, specialty classes, and employee incentive programs. The project will be divided into four phases, each with a certain purpose and timeline to achieve a specific goal. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase I (Research and Development) - This four month phase will involve evaluating the needs and desires of Texas Instruments’ employees. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase II (Bidding and Structural Construction) - This five month phase involves choosing the right contractor and building the facility. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase III (Interior Development) - This two month phase will involve renovating the interior of the facility to meet Texas Instruments’ custom desires. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phase IV (Trial Period) - This one month process involves staffing the facility and providing training on the exercise equipment. Health Fitness Corporation offers two standard packages. Package A is less expensive to implement, but Package B offers greater revenues. After analyzing Texas Instruments, we believe that Package B will be the most beneficial to the company. Not only will this investment improve the financial status of Texas Instruments, but it will also develop stronger employee relationships. For each dollar Texas Instruments invests in this project, they will realize a greater increase in employee productivity. Many forward-thinking corporations are offering on-site fitness centers to their employees. Texas Instruments must join this trend or their company will be left behind in employee recruitment and retention. Health Fitness Corporation can h... ...ly expanded and is becoming much more than mere fitness centers, but major sources of revenue for companies as well. Health Fitness Corporation has assisted many companies in increasing both recruitment and employee retention. In today’s fast-paced, competitive business world, companies who do not innovate are left behind. Texas Instruments cannot allow these other corporations to gain a competitive advantage. Health Fitness Corporation can provide Texas Instruments with a facility that will not only compete with other companies, but will also offer special programs, products, and training that will separate Texas Instruments from the competition. Health Fitness Corporation looks forward to the commencement of this project and a long and rewarding relationship with Texas Instruments. Works Cited British United Providence Association [online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/exercise.html [2004, April 22] Georgia State University Exercise and Physical Fitness Page [online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/benefits.html [2004 April, 24] Hoover’s The Business Information Authority [online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.hoovers.com [2004 April, 18]

Benefits of Technology

Ever since it developed, there has been controversy over whether or not mechanical inventions benefit our lives. Doug Rennie’s article, â€Å"Faxed to the Max†, says â€Å"the timesaving devices we created give us more freedom to do what we want have instead imprisoned us in our own technology. † Although this may be true to some people, everyone has the power to resist technological devices. People can chose to use these tools to enhance their lifestyles, like they can chose to use a hammer or a saw for a project; they don’t necessarily need it, but it would save time and energy.It is the ability to mistreat these inventions that makes some people uneasy towards about using technology in their daily lives. Although it can be abused in many ways, technology used properly is a tool that aids in education, health and communication. Our physical health has benefited greatly from technology. Through inventions like the pacemaker and artificial limbs, a tremend ous amount or people have had better physical conditions. This biological technology is not favourable to all. Some say that it is better for nature to do its work and people should not interfere.The spread of new inventions can soon get out of hand. For example, if we have the ability to clone humans, our lifestyles will change. People will abuse this power by being careless about their health. They believe people think technology can save them in the end, so they can exercise less and eat more unhealthy foods. On the other hand, curative inventions have saved lives and allowed people to lead healthier ones. There can be ways to make technology accessible to only certain people, but there is no reason to stop the usage of these medical products if they can help save lives.An example of one of these products is the pacemaker, invented by Canadian electrical engineer, John Hopps. Because the heart stops beating when it cools, he found that mechanical or electric stimulation could mak e the heart start up again. Since then, many were given healthier lives. Prosthetic limbs have also played a great role in helping the lives of amputees. Artificial limbs with sensors and microchips have recently been designed so that these people can maintain an active lifestyle rather than being confined to wheelchairs. Technology plays a very important role in the communication of people  today.With the touch of a button, the Internet and the cellular telephone can allow us to transmit our message to someone on the other side of the planet. Certain people chose not to use any of these appliances because of the negative consequences. The Internet contains inappropriate sites and some parents don’t want to risk the chance of their child meeting a dangerous stranger in a chat room. People are so used to e-mailing that they don’t know how to send letters anymore. Other antagonists of technological communication believe that the invention of cellular phones is prone to car accidents.Contrariwise, internet has allowed to world to communicate and to easily get in touch with someone. There are parental controls on the Internet and the phone is simply a tool that people can chose not use. In a car accident, it is more of the driver’s responsibility than the cellular phone because the driver chose to use the cellular phone. The Internet is a cheaper and quicker way to communicate. Typing an e-mail and it getting it to the other person takes only a matter of seconds, whereas writing a letter and sending it could take days.Through instant messages and chat rooms on the Internet, a person can converse with another on the other side of the world and save money on their phone bills. Cell phones are convenient devices, especially in emergencies. For instance, if someone was lost in the woods, they can either phone for help or check the map on their cell phone. Cellular phones are also timesaving tools because they can fit in pockets and there is no n eed to find a payphone or carry coins on the street. We can easily abuse the technology around us, but we can just as easily find that the consequences are more beneficial when we use it properly.We should consider the negative effects of technology and find ways to limit them, but we cannot let these issues stop us from the possibilities that the devices can offer. Many of the appliances that scientists created have improved our communication with the world, easier and faster learning, and have even extended the life spans of numerous people. It is wrong to say that everyone has been trapped into being time-sick patients of modern devices. We are simply using these tools to our advantage so we can accomplish the numerous tasks in our lives easier. Without any technology at all, we will be taking a step back from mankind.

Cognitive Effects of Radiation essays

Cognitive Effects of Radiation essays There have been many terrible consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the worst of which has been the suffering and death of millions of Ukrainian people due to radiation exposure. The Physical deterioration of the residents exposed to high amounts of radiation has been extensive and severe, with the rates of cancer and other diseases shooting up by the hundreds of percents. Out of the 100,000 citizens relocated from the Chernobyl plant and the city of Pypiat, Heart and Blood disease has gone up 938% from .74/1000 to 6.94/1000, Endocrine, Digestive and Immunity disease has risen 1350% from 12.67/1000 to 171.11/1000, Respiratory disease has risen 577% from 23.67/1000 to 138.68/1000, and Nervous System disease has risen 500% from 21.25/1000 to 106.28/1000. Other diseases, such as thyroid cancer and birth defects in children, have also risen in sharp increments. One of the most unexplored regions of radiation exposure has been the threat and consequence of cognitive decrements. There has been proven to be many negative factors associated with exposure to radiation, such as fatigue, memory loss and memory retention problems, concentration loss, lack of mental flexibility, stimulus response problems, and recall difficulties. One test that has proven to be very useful in assessing victims of radiation exposure for cognitive deficits is the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Matrices, or the ANAM. This test was created by F.W. Hegee, the director of the Office of Military Performance Assessment Technology, and has proven to be a very useful tool in cognitive assessment. It is a computer program that consists of 27 subtests, and, unlike pencil and paper tests, stores the scores and converts them to useable form right inside of the program without the complication and human error that normally accompanies the transmission of information from raw data to the form of useable data. It is also portable, and can be saved to a ...

Free Essays on Odepus

"An idea is an eye given by God for the seeing of God. Some of these eyes we can not bear to look out of, we blind them as quickly as possible." (Russell Hoban, American novelist) Sometimes the reality of a situation is so harsh that, instead of facing it, people blind themselves to it. In Oedipus Rex, the theme of sightlessness is prevalent throughout the play. Sophocles uses ambiguity to keep from creating biases toward the characters so that, in a sense the audience, as well as the characters, are blind. Fate and blindness go hand in hand in the play. The main character, Oedipus, is a severe victim of fate, ".... damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand." The hero Oedipus is tormented by the punishment of a crime that he did not commit. At birth, it was said that he would "†¦lie with [his] mother, breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes; and that [he] should be [his] father’s murderer." This fate is undeserved and makes one question the reasoning behind the fate. The gods seem heartless and cold in their treatment to an innocent man. The aspect of sightlessness is first mentioned in the discussion between a soothsayer and Oedipus to find out the justification for the punishing, "†¦murdering sea," that Thebes has been thrown upon. The city is being punished by the gods for an offense that has been committed by a criminal who does not know his crime. The question of justice arises and is dismissed just as fast because, "...justice is a concept. Muscle is the reality." The action of the gods may not have seemed fair, but, to coin a phrase, "life isn't fair." From his birth, Oedipus was prophesied to a fate worse than death, so his parents then sentenced him to death. He was bound at the ankles and carried off by a shepherd to be killed. The shepherd then felt pity for the baby in his arms and did not wish to kill it so he gave the baby to another she... Free Essays on Odepus Free Essays on Odepus "An idea is an eye given by God for the seeing of God. Some of these eyes we can not bear to look out of, we blind them as quickly as possible." (Russell Hoban, American novelist) Sometimes the reality of a situation is so harsh that, instead of facing it, people blind themselves to it. In Oedipus Rex, the theme of sightlessness is prevalent throughout the play. Sophocles uses ambiguity to keep from creating biases toward the characters so that, in a sense the audience, as well as the characters, are blind. Fate and blindness go hand in hand in the play. The main character, Oedipus, is a severe victim of fate, ".... damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand." The hero Oedipus is tormented by the punishment of a crime that he did not commit. At birth, it was said that he would "†¦lie with [his] mother, breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes; and that [he] should be [his] father’s murderer." This fate is undeserved and makes one question the reasoning behind the fate. The gods seem heartless and cold in their treatment to an innocent man. The aspect of sightlessness is first mentioned in the discussion between a soothsayer and Oedipus to find out the justification for the punishing, "†¦murdering sea," that Thebes has been thrown upon. The city is being punished by the gods for an offense that has been committed by a criminal who does not know his crime. The question of justice arises and is dismissed just as fast because, "...justice is a concept. Muscle is the reality." The action of the gods may not have seemed fair, but, to coin a phrase, "life isn't fair." From his birth, Oedipus was prophesied to a fate worse than death, so his parents then sentenced him to death. He was bound at the ankles and carried off by a shepherd to be killed. The shepherd then felt pity for the baby in his arms and did not wish to kill it so he gave the baby to another she...

Alcohol Use Disorder

Diagnosis The DSM-IV-TR classifies drug disorders into substance use disorders (substance dependence and abuse) and substance-induced disorders (substance intoxication, substance withdrawal, induced delirium, anxiety, depression, psychosis and mood disorders). Sometimes it is difficult assessing patient’s psychiatric complaints because heavy drinking is associated with alcoholism can co-exist with, contribute to or result from several different psychiatric syndromes. (Shivani, Goldsmith Anthenelli, 2002) In order to improve diagnostic accuracy, distinguishes among alcohol-related psychiatric symptoms and signs, alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes and independent psychiatric disorders that are commonly associated with alcoholism emerges to be essential. Patients’ gender, family history, and course of illness over time also should be taken into account. Alcohol-related psychiatric symptoms and signs Heavy alcohol consumption directly affects brain function and brain chemical and hormonal systems known to be involved in many common mental disorders thus can manifest itself in a broad range of psychiatric symptoms and signs. (Koob, 2000) And this usually the first problem which brings the patients seek help. The symptoms vary depending on the amount of alcohol used, how long it is used and how recently it was used as well as patient’s vulnerability to experiencing psychiatric symptoms in the setting of consumption. For example, during intoxication, smaller amount alcohol may produce euphoria whereas larger amount may produce more dramatic changes in mood. Alcohol also impairs judgment and aggressive, antisocial behaviours that may mimic certain externalizing disorders such as ASPD. Alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes The essential feature of alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes is the presence of prominent and persistent symptoms, which are judged- based on their onset and course as well as on the patient’s history, physical exam, and laboratory findings to be the result of the direct physiological effects of alcohol. Given the broad range of effects of heavy drinking may have on psychological functioning, these alcohol-induced disorders span several categories of mental disorders, including mood, anxiety, psychotic, sleep, sexual, delirious, amnestic and dementia disorders. Alcoholism with comorbid, independent psychiatric disorders Alcoholism is also associated with several psychiatric disorders that develop independently of the alcoholism and may precede alcohol use and abuse. One of the most common of these comorbid conditions is ASPD, and axis II personality disorder marked by a longstanding pattern of irresponsibility and violating the rights of others with alcohol. (Stinson et al. , 2006) Assessment The three major purposes for a comprehensive assessment are to determine a diagnosis, devise a treatment plan and to make appropriate referrals. The assessment should provide a clinical picture of the client’s personal level of functioning, history, presenting problems, family and social context in the client’s life. It is very important that the assessment process requires the gathering of comprehensive, accurate information, for a valid diagnosis and appropriate treatment. – It is vital that the counsellor needs to collect valid and reliable information. Both formal diagnosis, as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (APA, 1994) and informal diagnosis, if the client has had therapy in the past can be made. – Comprehensive assessment is essential in designing a treatment plan. The more information provided concerning the etiology, functioning level and prognosis of the problem, the better the treatment plan. – Comprehensive assessment also provides information in order to made appropriate referral. The counsellor may decide to provide treatment solely or in conjunction with some other drug treatment specialists. Generally there are three categories of assessment measures: subjective data and physiological data. -Subjective data To collect information of demographics, family and living situations, mployment, education, drinking history (including development of the drinking problem and current drinking) and the effects on the subject’s cognitive, psychosocial, behavioural and physiological functioning. (Aalto Seppa, 2005) For example, some questionnaires focus on problems caused by alcohol consumption, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) (Saunders, Aasland, Babor, de le Fuente, Grant, 1993) There are ones with diaries focussing on the quantification of alcohol consumption, such as quantity-frequency, time-period or time-line follow-back methods. Webb et al. , 1990) More recently, a low level of response (LR) to alcohol (the need for higher amounts to have an effect) is a genetically influenced characteristic that is both found in populations at high risk for future alcoholism and that predicts alcohol related life problems in future. This Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol (SRE) questionnaire asks for estimate of number of drinks required to produce each of four effects at different times in their lives. Miller, Thomas, Mallin, 2006) In addition, the survey included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C (AUDIT-C), a three-question alcohol screening test adapted from the original AUDIT developed by the World Health Organization for use in primary health care. The AUDIT-C is a simple, reliable screening tool that focuses on the frequency of drinking, quantify consumed on the typical occasion and the frequency of heavy episode drinking. (Bush, Kivlahan, McDonnell, al. , 1998) Again, there is no such perfect measure that SRE was found to be biased and not able to identify high functioning middle-age women. Schuckit, Smith, Danko, Isacescu, 2003) The difficulty with these specific questionnaires is that people who drink alcohol in general tend to neglect or underestimate their alcohol consumption. (Koch et al. , 2004) The accuracy of these measures is based on the patient’s awareness of and willingness to acknowledge his or her pattern and level of alcohol use as well as negative effects of drinking. At least some individuals who drink excessively will fail to do this. (Allen Litten, 2001) – Physiological data Comparing to subjective data, physiological data can overcome the subjectivity, underestimation in particular thus provides more precise and objective information about the drinking issue. It includes general medical and psychiatric history and examination. This is conducted through screening of blood, breath or urine for alcohol used, further on laboratory tests for abnormalities that may be accompanied acute or chronic alcohol use such as gamma-glutamy-transferase (GGT) or mean corpuscular volume (MCV), a measure of the average size of red blood cells. These may also be used during treatment for potential relapse. GGT is the most commonly used biochemical measure of drinking. However, it is not clear how much drinking is actually needed to cause GGT levels to elevate. And MCV tends to miss more alcoholics than GGT as MCV may be elevated by a variety of conditions other than heavy drinking such as non-alcoholic liver disease, smoking, advanced age or use of anticonvulsants etc. Thus applying the usual cut-off points for these tests, GGT turns out to have a low specificity whereas MCV shows a low sensitivity. This may lead to a gross misunderstanding with the patient and unnecessary further testing. Carbohydrate deficient transferring (CDT) has been recently approved as a marker for identification of individuals with alcohol problems as well as an aid in recognizing if alcoholic patients in treatment have relapsed. CDT and GGT appear to validly detect somewhat different groups of people with alcohol problems. GGT may best pick up those with liver damage due to drinking, whereas CDT seems to be related to level of consumption with or without liver damage. It should be kept in mind that biomarkers do not identify women or adolescents with alcohol problems as they do for male or adults in general. (Similarly, self-report screening tests are also generally less able to detect alcohol problems) (Allen Litten, 2001) Previous studies showed that over 80% of internists and family clinicians report that they usually or always ask new outpatients whether they drink alcohol. Less than 20% of primary care physicians routinely use validated self-report alcohol screening instruments (e. g. CAGE questions or AUDIT) Fewer than half ask about maximum alcohol consumption on one occasion. Alcohol biomarker laboratory tests are rarely used. Reasons given by clinicians for not following recommended alcohol screening guidelines range from lack of time, to insufficient knowledge and skills, to pessimistic attitudes about the ultimate benefits of screening. A current study conducted by Miller, et al. , (2004), they found that approximately 60% of clinicians surveyed frequently screen patients for alcohol use with quantity/frequency and CAGE questions. This is comparable to the incidence of screening found in previous studies. (Miller, Ornstein, Nietert, Anton, 2004)Miller, et al. 2006) further found that over 90% of patients were in favour of screening and guidance about alcohol use and very positive about the use of biological alcohol markers. These findings suggest that physicians and clinicians may be convinced that patients are open to alcohol screening and would not be offended by it. Heavy drinkers may have more of a tendency to be embarrassed by such questions but there is no evidence they would be object to screening. The majority of patients would also be willing to receive alcohol biomarker blood tests, if their physicians and clinicians deemed such tests necessary. Alcohol Use Disorder Diagnosis The DSM-IV-TR classifies drug disorders into substance use disorders (substance dependence and abuse) and substance-induced disorders (substance intoxication, substance withdrawal, induced delirium, anxiety, depression, psychosis and mood disorders). Sometimes it is difficult assessing patient’s psychiatric complaints because heavy drinking is associated with alcoholism can co-exist with, contribute to or result from several different psychiatric syndromes. (Shivani, Goldsmith Anthenelli, 2002) In order to improve diagnostic accuracy, distinguishes among alcohol-related psychiatric symptoms and signs, alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes and independent psychiatric disorders that are commonly associated with alcoholism emerges to be essential. Patients’ gender, family history, and course of illness over time also should be taken into account. Alcohol-related psychiatric symptoms and signs Heavy alcohol consumption directly affects brain function and brain chemical and hormonal systems known to be involved in many common mental disorders thus can manifest itself in a broad range of psychiatric symptoms and signs. (Koob, 2000) And this usually the first problem which brings the patients seek help. The symptoms vary depending on the amount of alcohol used, how long it is used and how recently it was used as well as patient’s vulnerability to experiencing psychiatric symptoms in the setting of consumption. For example, during intoxication, smaller amount alcohol may produce euphoria whereas larger amount may produce more dramatic changes in mood. Alcohol also impairs judgment and aggressive, antisocial behaviours that may mimic certain externalizing disorders such as ASPD. Alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes The essential feature of alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes is the presence of prominent and persistent symptoms, which are judged- based on their onset and course as well as on the patient’s history, physical exam, and laboratory findings to be the result of the direct physiological effects of alcohol. Given the broad range of effects of heavy drinking may have on psychological functioning, these alcohol-induced disorders span several categories of mental disorders, including mood, anxiety, psychotic, sleep, sexual, delirious, amnestic and dementia disorders. Alcoholism with comorbid, independent psychiatric disorders Alcoholism is also associated with several psychiatric disorders that develop independently of the alcoholism and may precede alcohol use and abuse. One of the most common of these comorbid conditions is ASPD, and axis II personality disorder marked by a longstanding pattern of irresponsibility and violating the rights of others with alcohol. (Stinson et al. , 2006) Assessment The three major purposes for a comprehensive assessment are to determine a diagnosis, devise a treatment plan and to make appropriate referrals. The assessment should provide a clinical picture of the client’s personal level of functioning, history, presenting problems, family and social context in the client’s life. It is very important that the assessment process requires the gathering of comprehensive, accurate information, for a valid diagnosis and appropriate treatment. – It is vital that the counsellor needs to collect valid and reliable information. Both formal diagnosis, as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (APA, 1994) and informal diagnosis, if the client has had therapy in the past can be made. – Comprehensive assessment is essential in designing a treatment plan. The more information provided concerning the etiology, functioning level and prognosis of the problem, the better the treatment plan. – Comprehensive assessment also provides information in order to made appropriate referral. The counsellor may decide to provide treatment solely or in conjunction with some other drug treatment specialists. Generally there are three categories of assessment measures: subjective data and physiological data. -Subjective data To collect information of demographics, family and living situations, mployment, education, drinking history (including development of the drinking problem and current drinking) and the effects on the subject’s cognitive, psychosocial, behavioural and physiological functioning. (Aalto Seppa, 2005) For example, some questionnaires focus on problems caused by alcohol consumption, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) (Saunders, Aasland, Babor, de le Fuente, Grant, 1993) There are ones with diaries focussing on the quantification of alcohol consumption, such as quantity-frequency, time-period or time-line follow-back methods. Webb et al. , 1990) More recently, a low level of response (LR) to alcohol (the need for higher amounts to have an effect) is a genetically influenced characteristic that is both found in populations at high risk for future alcoholism and that predicts alcohol related life problems in future. This Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol (SRE) questionnaire asks for estimate of number of drinks required to produce each of four effects at different times in their lives. Miller, Thomas, Mallin, 2006) In addition, the survey included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C (AUDIT-C), a three-question alcohol screening test adapted from the original AUDIT developed by the World Health Organization for use in primary health care. The AUDIT-C is a simple, reliable screening tool that focuses on the frequency of drinking, quantify consumed on the typical occasion and the frequency of heavy episode drinking. (Bush, Kivlahan, McDonnell, al. , 1998) Again, there is no such perfect measure that SRE was found to be biased and not able to identify high functioning middle-age women. Schuckit, Smith, Danko, Isacescu, 2003) The difficulty with these specific questionnaires is that people who drink alcohol in general tend to neglect or underestimate their alcohol consumption. (Koch et al. , 2004) The accuracy of these measures is based on the patient’s awareness of and willingness to acknowledge his or her pattern and level of alcohol use as well as negative effects of drinking. At least some individuals who drink excessively will fail to do this. (Allen Litten, 2001) – Physiological data Comparing to subjective data, physiological data can overcome the subjectivity, underestimation in particular thus provides more precise and objective information about the drinking issue. It includes general medical and psychiatric history and examination. This is conducted through screening of blood, breath or urine for alcohol used, further on laboratory tests for abnormalities that may be accompanied acute or chronic alcohol use such as gamma-glutamy-transferase (GGT) or mean corpuscular volume (MCV), a measure of the average size of red blood cells. These may also be used during treatment for potential relapse. GGT is the most commonly used biochemical measure of drinking. However, it is not clear how much drinking is actually needed to cause GGT levels to elevate. And MCV tends to miss more alcoholics than GGT as MCV may be elevated by a variety of conditions other than heavy drinking such as non-alcoholic liver disease, smoking, advanced age or use of anticonvulsants etc. Thus applying the usual cut-off points for these tests, GGT turns out to have a low specificity whereas MCV shows a low sensitivity. This may lead to a gross misunderstanding with the patient and unnecessary further testing. Carbohydrate deficient transferring (CDT) has been recently approved as a marker for identification of individuals with alcohol problems as well as an aid in recognizing if alcoholic patients in treatment have relapsed. CDT and GGT appear to validly detect somewhat different groups of people with alcohol problems. GGT may best pick up those with liver damage due to drinking, whereas CDT seems to be related to level of consumption with or without liver damage. It should be kept in mind that biomarkers do not identify women or adolescents with alcohol problems as they do for male or adults in general. (Similarly, self-report screening tests are also generally less able to detect alcohol problems) (Allen Litten, 2001) Previous studies showed that over 80% of internists and family clinicians report that they usually or always ask new outpatients whether they drink alcohol. Less than 20% of primary care physicians routinely use validated self-report alcohol screening instruments (e. g. CAGE questions or AUDIT) Fewer than half ask about maximum alcohol consumption on one occasion. Alcohol biomarker laboratory tests are rarely used. Reasons given by clinicians for not following recommended alcohol screening guidelines range from lack of time, to insufficient knowledge and skills, to pessimistic attitudes about the ultimate benefits of screening. A current study conducted by Miller, et al. , (2004), they found that approximately 60% of clinicians surveyed frequently screen patients for alcohol use with quantity/frequency and CAGE questions. This is comparable to the incidence of screening found in previous studies. (Miller, Ornstein, Nietert, Anton, 2004)Miller, et al. 2006) further found that over 90% of patients were in favour of screening and guidance about alcohol use and very positive about the use of biological alcohol markers. These findings suggest that physicians and clinicians may be convinced that patients are open to alcohol screening and would not be offended by it. Heavy drinkers may have more of a tendency to be embarrassed by such questions but there is no evidence they would be object to screening. The majority of patients would also be willing to receive alcohol biomarker blood tests, if their physicians and clinicians deemed such tests necessary.

Information and operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Information and operation management - Essay Example Thus, the core operations of JLR are performed in automobile manufacturing and assembly plants, whereas are developed, produced and assembled vehicle parts. These operations are performed at three vehicle manufacturing plants and two design and engineering centres. In addition to design and manufacturing operations, the company performs many other operations across business functions, such as supply chain management, financial management, HR management, IT management, inbound and outbound logistics, distribution, marketing and sales, CSR, customer service, etc. Production operations management related to planning and management of key production manufacturing activities. In case of JLR these activities include everything from the moment of transforming available raw materials (input) to ready products (outputs). Quality of the products produced is one of the most critical factors in production operations. As the company’s management is focused on sustainable production and operations, it is worth to mention that in addition to managing manufacturing process, the company manages the environmental impact caused in result of JLR’s operations. In addition to the above mentioned activities of production operations management at JLR, the company aims to develop new products and find new sustainable product solutions. Therefore, the key objectives of production operations management at JLR include the following: ensuring the availability of development and manufacturing capacity, product design and manufacturing, tests, assembly, co ntrol and improvement of the quality level of the final product, etc. Supply chain management implies different functions and activities from those defined in production operations. Supply chain includes the following main activities: materials management, inventory management, scheduling and releasing, logistics, order management,

Philopsphy paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philopsphy - Term Paper Example This paper applies these two theories of ethics on particular concrete cases. The cases are, keeping/breaking a promise, abortion, and Euthanasia. As sources of information, two books are used: Practical Ethics, by Peter Singer, and Ground Work of the Metaphysics of Morals, by Emmanuel Kant. Before applying the two ethical theories to the above cases, it is important to first give an overview of each of the theories. To begin with, the utilitarian theory of ethics is an end based theory. In other words, in determining the morality of an action, the proponents of utilitarian theory will focus on the end result of the action, and if the end product of the action will result in greater good to the majority of people, i.e. if the action will maximize happiness for the majority, then the action is a morally right action (Singer, 3). On the contrary, if the action diminishes happiness, or makes the majority of people to suffer, then the action is morally wrong. Deontological theory of Ethi cs on the other hand is based on the law or the duty ( Kant, 13-15). This means that an action is regarded as being morally right if it is done in accordance with the requirements of the law, or in fulfilment of one’s obligation. ... tological theory of Ethics, the main question that we should ask ourselves is whether or not the act of breaking or keeping the promise is in line with our obligations or the law. Emmanuel Kant, one of the main proponents of deontological theory of Ethics argues, in his famous categorical imperative, that before taking an action, we should ask ourselves whether we would wish our manner of acting to be made into a universal law applicable to all similar cases (Kant, 18). Kant, therefore, is of the view that we have the obligation to treat others as we would like to be treated. In this sense, breaking a promise that we have made is morally wrong because we would also not like somebody who has promised us something to fail to keep their promise. We should always keep our promises since we have an obligation to fulfil what we have promised to do. A utilitarian on the other hand would base their judgement on the consequence or the end result of either breaking or keeping ones promise. If the action will maximize the interests of the majority, then the action is morally right, and on the contrary, if the action will result in diminishing happiness to the majority of people, then the act is morally wrong. On this basis, a utilitarian wouldn’t give a definitive answer on whether the act of keeping or breaking a promise is intrinsically wrong or right. A utilitarian will conclude that the morality of the action of either keeping or breaking a promise will greatly depend on the particular circumstance at hand. If the circumstance is such that keeping or breaking a promise will lead to greater happiness for the majority, then the action is morally right and if the action will lead to suffering of the majority of people, then the action is morally wrong. Abortion The main