Sample of Qualitative Research Essay

Sample of Qualitative Research EssayThere are many different things to consider when writing a sample of qualitative research essay. Whether you are planning to write a very short essay for an assignment or whether you want to write a lengthy research report, there are several things that you will need to look into in order to write your essay in the best way possible.The first thing that you will need to look at is your research question. What questions do you have about a topic that you want to answer?You should always write down your research question on a piece of paper or in a notebook. As you start to do your research, you should continue to jot down any questions that you may have.The next thing that you should do is to collect all of your data. Collecting your data may be the most tedious part of the whole process. Once you have all of your data, you should be able to narrow down the topic and provide a reasonable amount of data that will help you formulate your research ques tion.The last thing that you will need to do is to write the conclusion of your data. You will need to provide a description of your findings, and you will need to explain how these findings will help you make your recommendations. Once you have finished writing the conclusion, you should read it over and revise it if necessary.The last thing that you will need to do is to create a brief outline of the essay. If you plan to do it by hand, then this will be the part of the essay where you summarize your topic and explain the way that you will relate to your findings.The final thing that you will need to do is to proofread your work and follow it up with a title of your essay. By following these steps, you will be able to write a quality sample of qualitative research essay.

A Stand Against Assisted Suicide Essay Example

A Stand Against Assisted Suicide Essay A Stand Against Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide is a highly controversial topic. Assisted suicide is when, upon request, a doctor prescribes a lethal dose of medication to a terminally ill patient so that the patient can kill him or herself. In other words, a doctor provides the means for a patient to commit suicide. A form of assisted suicide is euthanasia. Euthanasia is when the doctor intentionally kills the patient with the intentions of ending the patient’s suffering; mercy killing. Although there have been many Supreme Court rulings on assisted suicide and the practice of euthanasia, it is legal in some states like Oregon and Washington. The practice of assisted suicide is done under the term â€Å"terminally ill. † There is no concrete interpretation of the phrase. Therefore, the phrase terminally ill can be interrupted according to which ever definition works best for us. Assisted suicide also causes mistrust between patients and doctors, unnecessary deaths, and involuntary suicide. Assisted suicide has a profound affect on family relationships, doctor-patient relationships, and ethical standards because of the mistrust it creates and the controversy over the issue. Assisted suicide and the use of euthanasia should be outlawed everywhere in the United States, not just in some states. Because euthanasia is a form of assisted suicide, I will, for the purpose of this paper, address the terms â€Å"assisted suicide† and â€Å"euthanasia† as one practice. The most important argument for banning assisted suicide may be that of misdiagnoses. We will write a custom essay sample on A Stand Against Assisted Suicide specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Stand Against Assisted Suicide specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Stand Against Assisted Suicide specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In a 2006 New York Times article, journalist David Leonhardt said that â€Å"Studies of autopsies have shown that doctors seriously misdiagnose fatal illnesses about 20 percent of the time† (Leonhardt). Harvard hematologist Jerome Groopman found that â€Å"80% of medical mistakes are the result of predictable mental traps, or cognitive errors†¦ [While] only 20% are due to technical mishaps† (Gorman). In other words, 80% of medical errors are due to the doctors themselves and not to technological issues. With doctors misdiagnosing patients at this astounding rate, it is inevitable that some patients will be misdiagnosed with a terminally ill disease, become depressed about their diagnoses, and think their pain is uncontrollable. This may leads to a request for assisted suicide under false pretences. Not only will these be tragic events, but doctors who misdiagnose are bound to be charged with murder since their diagnoses led to the intentional death of their patient. Erik Van Tongerloo wrote an article against the use of euthanasia on the basis of a true and personal experience: When I was 10 years old I was involved in an accident and was in a coma for 5 weeks. The doctors told my parents I had no chance to survive and they treated me because it was their duty. If euthanasia was allowed maybe I [would] not [be] alive anymore. I am still alive and most of my health problems are cured now. (qtd. in Tongerloo) In Tongerloo’s story, the doctors made a devastating decision prematurely that could have changed the life of Tongerloo and his family forever. Like Tongerloo, we should ask ourselves the same question: If euthanasia was a common practice at that time, would he still be alive? I would like to think so, but we cannot predict what would have been. We can only prevent what can happen in the future by banning the use of assisted suicide in the United States. Assisted suicide should also be outlawed because of the open interpretation of the phrase â€Å"terminally ill. † In other words, â€Å"terminal† can be defined in many different ways. Jack Kevorkian, once deemed â€Å"Doctor Death,† â€Å"defines terminal illness as any disease that curtails life even for a day† (Sarkar). There are many diseases or conditions that can â€Å"curtail life even for a day. † Diabetic patients can slip into temporary comas if they are not careful in treating themselves. Nonetheless, they are not good candidates for assisted suicide. In contrast to Kevorkian’s definition, The Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act of 1989 defines â€Å"Terminal condition [as meaning] an incurable and irreversible condition that, without the administration of life-sustaining treatment, will, in the opinion of the attending physician, result in death within a relatively short time† (National). This is a much more acceptable definition. Several states also have specific laws confined to their state on what â€Å"terminally ill† means. As we can see, the term â€Å"terminally ill† can be revised and manipulated to include everyone at one point or another. With such confusing definitions, some people could argue that they are terminally ill and therefore have a right to assisted suicide. It is only a matter of time before someone makes this argument in front of a Supreme Court and is granted the use of assisted suicide to end their life that may have otherwise been rich and full of experience. Another reason that the practice of assisted suicide should be outlawed is that it will encourage distrust between patients and their attending physicians. Judge John Noonan of the Ninth Circuit panel said that â€Å"most patients do what their doctors recommend. As an eminent commission concluded, once the physician suggests suicide or euthanasia, some patients will feel that they have few, if any, alternatives but to accept the recommendation† (Bork 15-20). We all feel the need to do exactly as our doctor tells us so we should all understand the pressure that these people would be under once the recommendation to commit suicide is presented to them. This pressure is the underlying cause for mistrust in the relationship between a patient and his or her doctor. The medical team, especially doctors, are expected to provide a safe and secure setting for patients. This includes not only physical safety but also the sense of security. When a doctor assists in suicide, people believe that the patient was pressured by the doctor into doing it; therefore breaking the trust bond that patients have with their medical staff. Another important reason to ban assisted suicide is that terminally ill patients may decide upon assisted suicide while they are mentally unwell. Being termed â€Å"terminally ill† has many mentally devastating consequences for most patients. They are disheartened to hear that they will soon die from their disease. In most cases, this leads to severe depression. While under such overwhelming depression, patients are in a very vulnerable state of mind, making any decision they make questionable. Many patients feel pressure from themselves, loved ones, or even from their attending doctors, to end their life, as it is a burden on those around them. Depression is not the only factor that affects the mind of the terminally ill. Most patients with terminal diseases are in unimaginable chronic pain and are under an aggressive regime of pain medication. The affects of such an amount of medication can definitely take its toll on the human mind. Even though the high amount of pain medication does offer some relief of pain, for most patients, it does not eliminate it completely. Therefore, on top of depression and pain medication they also have to deal with the residing pain affecting their state of mind. Mojtaba Rismanchi, a medical student at the University of Medical Sciences, said that â€Å"studies using MRI technology have shown brain deficits in CPPs [(Chronic Pain Patients)]†¦ [A] person who is under the mental pressures [of pain] is not capable of making critical decisions† (Rismanchi). According to Rismanchi, patients experiencing chronic pain cannot make critical decisions, like assisted suicide, with a straight and clear mind. We can compare the affects of chronic pain to torture. When someone is tortured they will most likely do anything, rational or not, to end their pain. It is the same with CPPs. We can not allow such radical decisions to be made under such circumstances, but rather we should continue to strive to make their lives more comfortable. Another strong argument for banning assisted suicide is the â€Å"slippery-slope† argument that says that voluntary euthanasia will lead to involuntary euthanasia. Penney Lewis, a School of Law graduate, says that we’ve seen this â€Å"slippery-slope† before with the case of abortion. [T]he legalization of abortion in limited circumstances [has lead] down the slippery slope towards abortion on demand and even infanticide; and the legalization of assisted suicide [will lead] inexorably to the acceptance of voluntary euthanasia and subsequently to the sanctioning of the practice of non-voluntary euthanasia – even involuntary euthanasia of â€Å"undesirable† individuals. Lewis 195-210) If we look at how the outlook on abortion used to be and how far its acceptance has come today, we can use abortion as a precedent, like Lewis has, to see what will happen in the future if we allow assisted suicide, even with limited abilities. In fact, studies have already been made in other countries that already practice assisted suicide, such as the Netherlands, to determine how many individuals die each year due to involuntary euthan asia. Despite the fact that the rate of legalized euthanasia in the Netherlands has gone up, in the three large-scale surveys conducted in that country the rate of terminations of life without explicit request (the Dutch term for non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia) has remained steady at roughly 0. 7–0. 8% of all deaths in the Netherlands (roughly 900–1000 deaths). (qtd. in Smith 131) The Netherlands are not the only country to be experiencing death by involuntary euthanasia. In 1997, Australia reported that 3. 5% of all deaths involving euthanasia were the result of non-voluntary or involuntary euthanasia (Smith 131). Belgium and Denmark are also listed in the study, each with their own numbers of involuntary deaths. As the evidence points out, voluntary euthanasia will lead to involuntary euthanasia if we allow it to be practiced. Some people disagree with banning the use of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The backbone of their campaign is the idea of autonomy, â€Å"the quality or state of being self-governing; especially the right of self-government† (Dictionary). They believe that everyone should be able to decide how they want to die. If someone wants to die by assisted suicide, it is his or her fundamental right to be able to do so. Proponents of banning assisted suicide do not solely disagree that people should be able to be self-governing, but they do believe that the consequences of these actions will affect everything; thus the arguments against it. The consequences of allowing such actions would be far worse than the consequences of outlawing it. Another argument against banning assisted suicide is that by doing so we are forcing patients to suffer and endure unbearable pain and heartache. This has long been a concern for both parties campaigning for or against assisted suicide. Proponents of outlawing the practice have agreed that extra measures can be put in place to make the fight against pain more aggressive and accurate. Everyday new discoveries are being made to help these people escape their suffering without ending their life. Besides medications, certified nursing assistants and other nurse faculty are trained and highly qualified to help meet these patient’s every need and help them be as comfortable as possible. A last argument against banning assisted suicide is that families with a loved one plagued by a terminal illness can end their grief and continue on with their lives by allowing an assisted suicide to happen to their loved one. It is a complicated situation and emotionally tiring to have a loved one with a terminal disease. No one admits to understanding the grief one must go through while watching a loved one suffer in agony. However, there are other alternatives to dealing with this grief. Most hospitals offer convenient counselors and therapists that specialize in helping the families of sick patients. These therapists are trained to help families deal with these hard times and help them continue to live life. Ending someone’s life so that the family can â€Å"move on† is understandable, but not acceptable when other alternatives are presented. As I have shown, assisted suicide and the use of euthanasia must be outlawed in every state. Lewis was right when she said that â€Å"today’s decision-makers [are called upon] to consider the behavior of others who tomorrow will have to apply or interpret today’s decisions† (Lewis 195-210). The decisions we make today will be acted upon in the future. If we allow assisted suicide, it will forever change the moral code, by which we, as the community of medicine, act upon, the relationships our patients will have with us, and numerous other devastating affects. â€Å"The terminally ill are a class of persons who need protection from family, social, and economic pressures, and who are often particularly vulnerable to such pressures because of chronic pain, depression, and the effects of medication† (Alaska). Together we can stand up against assisted suicide and encourage the continuous study of alternative methods to help terminally ill patients. We will not regret it. Works Cited Alaska Supreme Court. Sampson et al. v State of Alaska (09/21/2001) sp-5474. Alaska Supreme Court Decisions. Web. Touchngo. com. 24 Feb. 2010. â€Å"Autonomy. † Def. Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary. http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/autonomy Bork, Robert H. KILLING FOR CONVENIENCE: ABORTION, ASSISTED SUICIDE, AND Euthanasia. Human Life Review. 3. 1 (1997): 15-20. Print. Gorman, Christine. Where Doctors Go Wrong. Time Magazine 26 March 2007: Print. Academic Search Complete. 24 Feb. 2010. Leonhardt, David. Why Doctors So Often Get It Wrong. New York Times 22 Feb. 2006: p. 1. Print. Lewis, Penney. The Empirical Slippery Slope from Voluntary to Non-Voluntary Euthanasia.. Journal of Law, Medicine Ethics. 35. 1 (2007): 195-210. Print. National Conference of Commissioners. UNIFORM RIGHT S OF THE TERMINALLY ILL ACT (1989). Kauai, Hawaii July 28 – August 4, 1989. Rismanchi, Mojtaba. Chronic Pain and Voluntary Euthanasia. Journal of Medical Ethics History of Medicine. 1. (2008): 1-3. Print. Retrieved from the â€Å"Academic Search Complete† database. Sarkar, Spiti. â€Å"Right to die- To be or not to be? legalserviceidia. com. Smith, Stephen W. Empirical research in the debate on physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia.. Clinical Ethics. 2. 3 (2007): 129-132. Print. Tongerloo, Erik Van. Arguments against euthanasia. helium. com. Helium Inc. , Web. 23 Feb 2010.

The ability of the brain to re

The ability of the brain to re Introduction The ability of the brain to change following an individual’s experience is referred to as neuroplasticity (Alamacos, Segura, Borrel, 1998). This characteristic of the brain was discovered more recently and discredits the earlier belief that the brain could never change after a person has gone through the critical period of infancy. The brain is chiefly made up of nerve cells and glial cells which are usually linked.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The ability of the brain to re-task a different area following brain damage to one area specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Learning can be achieved through the alteration of the strength of these connections. In the last century, the common belief was that the lower brain and the neocortical areas could not be altered in structure after structure after childhood (Winship murphy, 2009). This belief has been challenged by the new revelations that indicate that all parts of the brain are plastic and can be altered even in older individuals. This paper seeks to identify the ability of the brain to re-task a different area to perform a function that has been affected by brain damage (Lazar, Kerr, Wasserman, 2005). Earlier studies Previous studies done by Wiesel and Hubel showed that ocular dominance columns that are located in the lowest neocortical visual area were largely not changeable after one has passed the critical period in development (Black, Cianci, Markokowitz, 2001). These critical periods were also examined in respect to language development; the findings suggested that all the sensory pathways were permanent subsequent to the critical period (Kaeser, et al., 2010). However, the earlier brain studies had also shown that changes in the environment could result in change in behavior and cognition. This change was linked to the alteration in neuronal connections and neurogenesis in specific parts of the brain such a s the hippocampus (Boudrias, Mcpherson, Frost, Cheney, 2010). Decades of enduring research on the functions and structure of the brain indicate that alterations take place in the lowest neocortical processing areas and that the alterations could result in marked changes in the pattern of neuronal activation in response to experience (Kaeser, et al., 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The resulting neuroplasticity theory asserts that experience can result in the modification of the brain’s physical structure and the functional organization (Alamacos, Segura, Borrel, 1998). Neurobiology and cortical maps The idea of synaptic pruning forms one of the important aspects of neuroplasticity. Synaptic pruning explains that specific links in the brain are subjected to constant removal or recreation depending on how they are being used (Draganski, 2006). The con cept of synaptic pruning is best captured in the aphorism â€Å"which states that neurons that fire together, wire together/neurons that fire apart, wire apart† (Boudrias, Mcpherson, Frost, Cheney, 2010, p. 8). This indicates that two neighboring neurons that concurrently produce an impulse can form one cortical map. Cortical maps are used to explain cortical organization of, in most cases, the sensory system (Giovanna, Paolo, Luca, Thomas, 2008). For instance, sensory impulses from the two arms are projected to different cortical sites in the brain. Thus the cortical organization defined by the response to sensory inputs represents the human body in form of a map. Researchers Merzenich, Doug Rasmusson and Jon Kaas conducted studies on the cortical maps by removing sensory inputs (Cutler Hoffman, 2005). Their findings which have been supported by various other studies show that the removal of an input in the cortical map results in the rewiring of the impulse through adjac ent inputs. Treatment of brain damage as an application of neuroplasticity Through neuroplasticity studies it has been found out that a brain activity that results into a certain function can be relocated to a different part of the brain. This may take place in the course of normal experience or may occur in the course recovery following brain damage (Draganski, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The ability of the brain to re-task a different area following brain damage to one area specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Neuroplasticity forms the basis on which the scientific explanation for the treatment of acquired brain injury is founded. The restoration of the lost functions through therapeutic programs in form of rehabilitation is achieved due to the plastic nature of the brain (Frost, Bury, Friel, Plautz, Nudo, 2002). Cortical tissue damage, as might occur following stroke, is usually known to affect t he initiation and execution of muscular contraction in the extremities opposite the side of the injury (Winship murphy, 2009). In addition the precise manipulative power and the ability to skillfully utilize the upper extremity are usually weakened. Depending on the extent of the injury, some functions usually return in weeks or months, although full recovery is uncommon in human beings. There is increasing evidence which indicates that the return of function observed following â€Å"cortical injury is largely attributed to the adaptive plasticity in the remaining cortical and sub-cortical motor apparatus† (Black, Cianci, Markokowitz, 2001). For instance, the studies pneurophysiologic and neuroanatomic on animals and the neuroimaging and other non invasive stimulation research studies conducted on humans provide evidence to show that adaptive changes take place in the undamaged tissues that surround a cortical infarct (Lazar, Kerr, Wasserman, 2005). Contrary to the previou s beliefs, the adult brain is not â€Å"hard wired† with fixed immutable neuronal circuits (Draganski, 2006). There are several instances through which the cortex and sub cortex can be rewired as a consequence of training or following an injury to the brain. This is supported by evidence that new brain cells can develop even in the adult mammal even at old age. The research findings so far have shown that this mainly occurs in the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb, however, there is increasing evidence that indicates that other regions of the brain may undergo neurogenesis (Frost, Bury, Friel, Plautz, Nudo, 2002). In most parts of the brain, dead neurons are not recreated but the specific functions are seen to be restored. However, evidence on the active, â€Å"experience-dependent re-organization of the synaptic networks of the brain involving multiple inter-related structures including the cerebral cortex is lacking† (Kaeser, et al., 2010, p. 13). The specific path way through which the process takes place at the molecular level is subject to intense research.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some theories have been advanced to explain how experience results in the synaptic organization of the brain, one of the theories include the general theory of the mind and epistemology referred to as Neural Darwinism which was developed by Gerald Edelman (Lazar, Kerr, Wasserman, 2005). Neuroplasticity also occupies a central point in the memory and learning theories that are characterized by changes in the structure and function of the synapses through experience (Lazar, Kerr, Wasserman, 2005). Sensory substitution and neuroplasticity is best remembered through the works of Paul Bach-y-Rita (Lazar, Kerr, Wasserman, 2005). He came up with a brain port while working with a patient whose vestibular system had been injured. The â€Å"brain port machine would replace the patient’s vestibular apparatus by sending signals to her brain via the tongue† (Winship murphy, 2009, p. 15). The patient used the machine for a certain period of time and regained the normal function. Her experience is best explained through plasticity because her vestibular system was disorganized following prolonged gentamicin medication and thus was sending uncoordinated signals to the brain. Using the machine developed by Paul bay her vestibular system was able determine new neural pathways that were instrumental in reinstating the lost function. Paul Bach-y-Rita used the following analogy to explain the plasticity concept; â€Å"if one is driving from one place to another and the main bridge that connects the two places goes out, he will be paralyzed before deciding to take the old farmland roads that are definitely shorter† (Winship murphy, 2009). By using these roads more, one will start getting wherever he wanted to go faster. Thus the new established neural pathways become stronger with more use. The unmasking process of the new neural pathways is generally understood to one of the main principal ways through which the plastic brain reorganizes itself (Boudrias, Mcpherson, Frost, Cheney, 2010). Another group referred to as the Randy Nudo learned that if an infarction leads to the cutting of blood supply to a certain part of the motor cortex of a monkey, the part of the body that is stimulated by the affected brain portion will respond when adjacent areas are stimulated (Kaeser, et al., 2010). In one of their studies, the intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) mapping techniques were applied on nine normal monkeys (Draganski, 2006). Some of the monkeys were subjected to ischemic infarction protocols. The monkeys that underwent ischemic infarction retained more finger flexion during food retrieval and after several months this deficit returned to the levels they were before the operation (Kaeser, et al., 2010). In regard to the mapping conducted to represent the distal forelimb, it was shown that cortical representations of movements had undergone reorganization in the entire surrounding cortex that had not been damaged. Better understanding on how the normal and damaged cortical tissues interact has formed the basis for current therapeutical approach in the treatment of stroke patients (Frost, Bury, Friel, Plautz, Nudo, 2002). The Nudo group is currently taking part in studying the treatment approaches that may result in better management of stroke. Such approaches include â€Å"physiotherapy, pharmacotherapy and electrical stimulation therapy† (Cutler Hoffman, 2005, p. 4). A professor at the Vanderbilt University known as Jon Kaas has been able to reveal â€Å"how somatosensory area 3b and the ventroposterior (VP) nucleus of the thalamus are affected by long standing unilateral dorsal column lesions at cervical levels in macaque monkeys† (Kaeser, et al., 2010, p. 10). This shows that the brains of an adult mammal can reorganize following brain damage or injury but the reorganization will be injury dependent. His more recent studies have been focused on somatosensory structure. Normally when injury is inflicted on the somatosensory cortex, one experiences a dysfunction in the perception of some part of the body. Jon Kaas is currently trying to understand how these systems (somatosensory, cognitive, motor systems) are plastic as a result of injury (Frost, Bury, Friel, Plautz, Nudo, 2002). More recently, neuroplasticity was applied in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries. The treatment was done by a team of doctors and researchers at Emory University, particularly Dr. Donald Stein and Dr. David Wright (Cutler Hoffman, 2005). This particular treatment was first of its kind to be applied in that it is affordable and does not show any side effects. Dr. Stein had had earlier observed that female mice recovered better from brain injuries as compared to their male counterparts. In addition he realized that the female mice had a better recovery record in some stages of the estrus cycle. After intense research studies, the team attributed this phenomenon to the levels of progesteron e (Cutler Hoffman, 2005). The higher the progesterone levels the better the recovery witnessed in the mice. Thus they developed a therapeutic approach that included enhanced levels of progesterone administration to patients with brain injuries. It was shown that if progesterone administration was done following brain injury that result in â€Å"stroke there were fewer instances of edema, inflammation, and neuronal cell death, and enhanced spatial reference memory and sensory motor recovery† (Kaeser, et al., 2010, p. 7). Administration of progesterone on a group of severely brain injured patients showed a reduction in mortality rates by up to 60%. Conclusion This paper sought to use existing literature in academic sources to explain how a lost function due to brain injury or damage can be re-tasked to another part of the brain. The area concerned with this study is referred to as neuroplasticity which can be simply defined as the ability of the brain to change following an in dividual’s experience (Boudrias, Mcpherson, Frost, Cheney, 2010). Neuroplasticity has led to a major shift in the way the understanding of the human brain. Major studies have been carried out by researchers and doctors to understand how the brain is able to re-task different area following damage to one area. Though there is no conclusive evidence to show how this occurs at the molecular level, there has been a marked improvement in the understanding and therapeutical application. References Alamacos, M. C., Segura, G., Borrel, J. (1998). Transfer function to a specific area of the cortex after induced recovery from brain damage. Eur J Neurosci, 5:853-863. Black, P., Cianci, S., Markokowitz, R. S. (2001). Question of transecallosal facilitation of motor recovery: Stroke implications. Trans Am Neurol , 95:207-210. Boudrias, M., Mcpherson, R. L., Frost, S. B., Cheney, P. (2010). Output Properties and organization of the forelimb Representation of Motor Areas on the Lateral Aspect of the Hemisphere in Rhesus Macaques. Cereb Cortex , 20(1):169- 186. Cutler, S., Hoffman, S. (2005). Tapered progesterone withdrawal enhances behavioral and moleculae recovery after traumatic brain injury. Experimental  neurology , 195(2):423-429. Draganski, B. (2006). Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the brain structure changes during extensive learning. The journal of Neuroscience , 26(23):6314-6417. Frost, S. B., Bury, S., Friel, M., Plautz, J., Nudo, R. J. (2002). Reorganization of Remote Cortical Regions After Ischemic brain Injury: A potential Substrate for Stroke Recovery. J Neurophysiol , 89:32053214. Giovanna, P., Paolo, P., Luca, B., Thomas, R. (2008). Genesis of Neuronal and Glial progenitors in the cerebellar cortex of peripuberal and adult rabbits.  journal pone , 12(4):345-7. Kaeser, M., Alexander, F., Wyss, F., Bashir, S., Hamadjida, A., Liu, Y., et al. (2010). Effects of Unilateral Motor Cortex Lesion on Ipsilesional Hands Reach and Grasp Perfomance in Monkeys: Relationship With Recovery in the Contralesional Hand. J Neurophysiol , 103(3): 1630-1645. Lazar, S., Kerr, C., Wasserman, R. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. neuroreport , 12(17)1893-97. Winship, I. R., murphy, T. H. (2009). Remapping the somatosensory cortex after Stroke: Insight from Imaging the Synapse to Network. Neuroscientist, 15(5):507-524.

How Economic Status And Gender Roles Affect Domestic Violence Term Paper

How Economic Status And Gender Roles Affect Domestic Violence - Term Paper Example Violence and abuse have been impacted by these changes because of the value placed on masculinity and femininity. As the woman rises in her professional career and earns enough for her own economic independence and financial stability for the family, the more the masculinity of men are threatened. This is impacted further by the structural, contextual and symbolic meanings within the marital relationship. The direction of Studies on Domestic Violence The dynamics of socioeconomic structures have been found to impact and influence the relationship of husbands and wives as income, education, and employment are seen as indicators of economic resources. This, though, is not enough reason to lead to an abusive relationship, where the women are the victims. Masculinity is closely associated with economic stability and financial capability to lead a family life. A husband’s traditional role is to provide for his family. Without this capability, the husband is burdened with stress and pressure in finding a job that will make him capable. A man’s capabilities, then, is shown to be linked to being able to earn for their family’s provisions. Because of this incapability, the stress and pressure, husbands tend to direct their frustration and anger on their environment, which incidentally is their families. A psychological theory for this is that men tend to express their frustration as aggression towards easy targets and those that they deem supposedly less powerful than them, their women and children.

Substance use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Substance use - Essay Example On the other hand the parasympathetic nervous system slows the heart rate, causes papillary constriction, and increases digestion. 2. List and explain three mechanisms by which drug tolerance might occur.  (One paragraph-at least 4 sentences) Drug tolerance occurs through different ways in the body. Three major mechanisms of drug tolerance go down to the molecular level. It can occur when the degradation enzymes for a specific drug are increased in the body and this result in the destruction of the drug before it begins its action. In another mechanism the receptors for the drug are removed temporarily or the down regulation of receptors occurs. These receptors are necessary for the action of the drug and decreased receptors might result in drug tolerance. Enhanced excretion of the drug is the third mechanism through which tolerance to the drug occurs. Excretion of the drug increases when the tolerance to it increases. 3. Discuss why current laws on crack possession have been criti cized. Include at least three of these criticisms.  (One paragraph-at least 4 sentences) Current laws on crack possession have been criticized by many because the same laws for crack in the powder form are lenient. Critics put forward that crack in powder form should also be penalized in the same way as normal crack is.

Strategic Company Overview of Wimm-Bill-Dann

Strategic Company Overview of Wimm-Bill-Dann The objectives of a business are to achieve growth, become profitable and to satisfy the customers needs. Many businesses have not optimally achieved this but Wimm-Bill-Dann has utilized their strategies in achieving a significant growth and this has been through mergers and acquisitions. Company overview Wimm-Bill-Dann is a Russian company that deals with dairy products, nectars, fruit juices and baby food. It is a market leader across the Russian territory with its bestsellers, J-7 juice and agusha baby food. Its market extends from Russia, former soviet republics and 10 other countries all with more than 280 million consumers. Wimm-Bill-Dann has 37 plants in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and central Asia. The company mission is ensuring that families live a healthy life by enjoying the companys nutritious products each day throughout their entire lifespan. The company has several committees whose aim is to ensure that the companys objectives are achieved. These committees include audit committee, investment and strategic planning committee and personnel and compensation committee. The audit committees goals and objectives are to assist the board of directors in carrying their responsibility in matters concerning preparation of financial statements, ensuring that there is an effective internal control, ensuring liaising and working with internal auditors and keeping with the requirements of legislative and normative acts. The audit committee may meet once per quarter fiscal year. The investment and strategic planning committee assists the directors in approving and carrying out its responsibility concerning mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning and investment programs. The committee meets not less than once in each quarter of a fiscal year. The personnel and compensation committee assist in the selection of the board of directors and help in the formulation and implementing of uniform personnel policy in all of its branches, personnel appraisal, training policy, dismissal of employees, remuneration and compensation policy and corporate ethics. The company is committed to the principles of transparency and corporate governance that is excellent. The corporate governance strength include high level of shareholder arrangement transparency, commitment to the practice of good corporate governance and the statement of the corporate governance code, being open to the investors where high level of financial and operational transparency is maintained and the presence of an effective and efficient oversight mechanism for the internal and external audit process. Financial strategies The company has solid financial strategies which ensure that it maintains financial stability and growth as depicted by its results. One of the company strategies in raising finances to fund its ambitious objective of acquisitions is the placing of bonds. The recent placing of bonds by the company was on 15th march 2008 with Moscow inter-bank currency exchange and this attracted a large number of investors. This attraction of many investors shows the great trust investors have with the company. The company financial results show that it has been on the growth phase. The results are analysed quarterly from 3 months of 2007 to 3 months of 2008.This is shown in the table below. 3 Months of 2007 6months of 2007 9 months of 2007 Financial year 2007 3 months of 2008 Gross sales rose 40.1% year-on-year to US$542.8 million rose 40.5% year-on-year to US$1,142.8 million rose 40.4% year-on-year to US$1,758.3 million 38.4% growth to US$2,438.3 million rose 34.8% year-on-year to US$731.9 million Gross profit increased 53.3% with gross margins increasing to 32.0% from 29.3% increased 48.8% to US$377.8 million increased 43.4% to US$578.4 million increased 26.2% to US$219.5 million increased 26.2% to US$219.5 million Operating income income increased 73.1% to US$51.4 million rose 44.3% to US$108.4 million rose 30.2% to US$168.3 million rose 24.5% to US$214.0 million increased 23.2% to US$63.4 million net income increased 84.8% to US$32.1 million increased 40.8% to US$65.8 million rose 30.2% to US$168.3 million increased 29.0% to US$140.0 million EBTDA increased 58.8% to US$70.4 million, EBITDA margin1 increased to 13.0% from 11.4% increased 40.3% to US$147.2 million increased 30.9% to US$229.4 million increased 29.0% to US$90.7 million increased 29.0% to US$90.7 million Earning per Share grew to US$2.40 from US$1.50 grew to US$3.18 from US$2.17 increased 30.6% to US$41.9 million The company profit has been growing at a high rate and this shows that there is an increase in sales of the products of the company and hence the business has managed to achieve one of the objectives of becoming profitable. We also see that earning per share is on the increase and this proves that the capital base of the company is on an increasing trend and so the investors are reaping from their investment. Diversification and acquisition strategy of Wimm-Bill-Dann Diversification of products involves manufacture and the sale of different line of products. This is important in reducing risks in an organization as risks will be spread within different portfolios. In order to expand and get hold of its market, Wimm-Bill-Dann has effectively used the merger and acquisition strategy to expand its business. The company has different range of products from milk products, bottled water and different kind of juice which provide its customers with a wide choice of products to purchase. One of the greatest acquisitions by Wimm-Bill-Dann is the acquisition of 95% stake in Depsona ZAO which is a leading Tula based juice and concentrates plant worth 34 million USA dollars. After this acquisition, Wimm-Bill-Dann placed itself strategically as a major fruit juice and concentrate producer in central Russia. The acquisition has given Wimm-Bill-Dann a chance to access locally grown raw material hence minimizing production cost. Depsona products were under three brands which are Depsona, Fructopak and limbo. The factory is use to produce Wimm-Bill-Dann brands national brands and act as a distribution hub for them. On September 2006, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods announced 100% acquisition of charter capital of Surgut city Dairy plant of Russia which was the largest milk processing plant in the region. The acquisition has enabled Wimm-Bill-Damm to be a leading company and to expand its market of Ural and Siberia. This acquisition has enabled the company to reduce the expenditure on logistics since there is reduced need for transporting products within different regions. Wimm-Bill-Dann now produces under its own brand at Surgut dairy. On September 2003, Will-Bill-Dann food announced the acquisition of an additional 47.7% of the equity capital of Ufamolagroprom hence increasing its total shareholding to 97%. Ufamolagroprom is the largest plant for the processing and production of dairy products in the republic of Bashkortostan. Originally the plant had a capacity of production of 240 tons of processed milk but now it has a capacity of 600 tons. The plant produce is sold under well-known Russian brands such as happy milk man, doctor Bifi and wonder. The brands distinct and attractive packaging gives it an upper hand in the market. In October 2007, Wimm-Bill-Dann acquired Georgian foods ltd which is based in Tbilisi, Georgia. This is in the companys strategy of growing its business by purchase of high performing companies with strong brand portfolio and having a large market size. Georgia food is one of the largest dairy producers in Georgia. This will enable the company to serve local demand of Georgia and supply the products to the adjacent market of Armenia and Azerbaijan. In September 2003, Wimm-Bill-Dann acquired Essentuki water production and bottling facilities. The company acquired OOOHealing spring which produces Essentuki brand mineral water and OOOGeyser, owner of Essentuki water wells. The transaction was worth 4 million US dollars. This resulted in the manufacturing facility of Wimm-Bill-Dann to be 24. Through this acquisition, the company has been able to provide its customer with highest quality goods as per its strategy in ensuring that the customer needs are satisfied. In 2006, Wimm-Bill-Dann announced the acquisition of Molka Company in Russias Irkutsk region, one of the largest companies that processes milk in eastern Siberia. The purchase of Molka allows Wimm-Bill-Dann to expand into the Siberian market. The companys presence in Irkutsk allows the company to reduce the expenditure incurred during the transportation of the products. Risk management strategy The company has several risks which it faces whilst in operation. Currency risk is one of the risks that the company faces as most of its sales are in Rubles, while bulk cost is in hard currency. Operational risks which occur when there is a disruption of raw material supply and increase in the price of raw milk. Competition risk is one of the biggest risk the company faces. The Russian economy is growing in two digit figure and due to this it has attracted the attention of both domestic and international competitors. International companies have offered the greatest challenge to the company because of their strong financial strength, they have well experienced, motivated and well learned human resource pool, strong management information system which include very modern management information system which is superior than those found in Wimm-Bill-Dann and marketing capability from these company that have a worldwide presence such as Coca-Cola company. There are several international companies which compete with WIMM-Bill-Dann, the top companies being Coca-Cola Company, Nestle and Danone. Coca cola is the largest soft drink company in the world. It owns four of the five world top brands which include Fanta, Coca-Cola, Sprite and Diet Coke. The company has worldwide recognition due to its high quality and uniformity in taste. It also has a very strong financial base and so it can easily expand to any territory in the world. Due to this, it has provided the greatest competition to soft drink segment of Wimm-Bill-Dann as most of the people have trust in its products. The company also has many franchise and high powered advertisements which are superior to wimm-bill-dann and hence offer a great competition. Nestle is the world largest food company in term of production and sales. It is also one of the largest bottled water makers, equipment for surgery and cosmetics. This company has a worldwide presence and its brands are highly respected around the world. The company has a strong financial background, good marketing strategies which provide it with a great opportunity to penetrate any market. This company has provided Wimm-Bill-Dann Company with big competition especially in the food manufacturing segment as it has penetrated Russian market Danone is one of the largest dairy food and water producers in the world. It is a world largest company producing cultured dairy products. This is the largest competitor to Wimm-Bill-Dann in the production of milk products as it has penetrated the Russian market. Human resource strategy The company has a well formulated human resources policy which ensures that the employees are highly motivated to ensure that they are productive. The company has formulated human resources strategy that is in line with those that directly deal with expanding through acquisition. The company has a policy which ensures that labour regulations are strictly followed and that all documents relating to labour law are maintained. The company ensures that the process of recruitment are fair and transparent in which there is no discrimination against sex ,age ,race or any prejudice against anyone. The company has a policy in which it ensures that employees are well compensated for their work and that they are offered good remuneration which will motivate them to perform well since people are an important entity in any organization. Staffing according to human resources strategy follows demand and supply of labour. The company has made several high level appointments recently. For example in Moscow may 12 2008,the company announced the appointment of Dmitry Ivanov as the chief financial officers who has 17 years of experience in financial field. Business strategy of Wimm-Bill-Dann The company has excellently utilized its business strategy in ensuring that it leads in the market in terms of business .Before merging, water business was run separately with its own finance and marketing departments, workforce and distribution network. Merging enabled the company to reduce the cost involved in administration, selling and distribution expenses. This will allow the company to enjoy the economies of scale in terms of transportation and distributorship. Also to reduce the overall cost, the dairy business was restructured so that all the transactions are directed from a central point where there is the overall management. In order to increase the output of milk, the company built a mega farm complex near St Petersberg. The farm has more than 1200 milking cows. Information system strategy The company has a modern information system strategy which ensures that work in the company is well organized and made easier. The company uses Oracle, a provider of enterprise software. This project covers all the key areas of the corporate activity which include marketing, finance, distribution, logistics and distribution at all of the companys enterprises in Russia. These processes assist in quick and effective management decision and ensure that they are successfully completed. New ERP system assists in the finance department especially in accounting reporting in both Russian standards and international standards. Marketing strategy The company has a well-developed market strategy which has enabled it to perform well in Russia. It has different brands and through this, it provides the consumer with a wide choice. Through vigorous advertisement, it has been able to capture the attention of many customers in Russia and other part of Russia. After acquisition of different companies, it has maintained the original brand names and packaging. This is important as it will maintain the old customer for the brands of the acquired company. Strategies that should be put to ensure that the company achieves further growth Marketing strategy Although the company has a solid marketing strategy but it has to put more effort in having access to the global market. It should put more effort in promotion of its products to other parts of the world that it has not accessed the market. It should explore potential market such as countries in Africa. The Company should borrow ideas from the strategies set by the Coca Cola Company. The company should also consider operating under franchise system in ensuring that its products are well distributed to the market. The company should increase the number and variety of products and through this, the company will provide its customer with a choice of products to choose from. The company should ensure that its branding and packaging are of high standard and should change with customers change in taste and fashion. The company should consider using marketing tools such as swot analysis in ensuring that it maintains its control of Russian market and as a mean to survive in an environment that has stiff competition. Information system strategy Although the company has an efficient management information system such as ERP accounting software, it should consider using more than one software when performing a given task. It should look for a way in which the systems are integrated. This is to ensure that efficiency is maintained and the work done is accurate. This will also ensure that fraud activities are minimized. Merger and acquisition strategy The company should maintain its strategy in merging and acquiring other companies. It should consider buying stakes in competing companies to reduce the effect of stiff competition from major multinational companies. For example it would be wise if they considered buying some stakes in the Coca Cola Company. Through this, it will borrow some ideas and skills concerning the businesses and hence improve on its performance. The company should acquire more companies in the markets in which it has not ventured. For example; it should buy companies in African countries such as those in South Africa. Human resources strategy It is people who make an organization to grow. To ensure that it has a rich pool of human resources, it should consider efficient training for workers to keep them updated on new skills so that the company can keep pace with other major multinational company in terms of human resources. The company should also increase the number of university fresh graduates who are undergoing management training. This is important in that it will gain new skills and different ideas from these graduates and this will assist the company in growth. Conclusion Will-Bill-Dann is a promising company with one of the best strategies. Its acquisition strategy has made the company to have good reputation and respect. Through its hardwork and well thought policies, the company is fast growing into one of the largest multinational companies. Through this, the company acts as a role model for other companies to emulate it.

Changing a Qualitative Research Into a Quantitative Study Essay

Fry and her colleagues undertook a qualitative research to develop a moral distress model in military nursing. Using the same problem statement, literature analysis and background information, this paper aims at converting the qualitative study carried out by Fry and her colleagues into a quantitative study. The study entails setting different research questions and collecting data that aims at addressing these questions. The process proceeds by a review background information and the problem statement. The final state of the process is formulating a new quantitative study question. Qualitative research problem Moral distress is a critical concern in military nursing considering the harsh and complex environments under which military nurses operate in. Literature has established a conceptualised model of moral distress, which starts with initial moral distress symptoms that leads to reactive distress behaviour which results from the effects of the former. There are various factors that cause the occurrence of moral distress in nursing. Considering the environmental differences of military and civilian nursing practice, it is evident that the prevalence of moral distress varies. Quantitative research purpose The main objective of this quantitative study is to contribute to the knowledge base about military nursing moral distress. The knowledge drawn from the research findings will be informative in designing conceptual models of moral distress in military nursing and developing policies for expediting the problem. Quantitative research question The qualitative research question was: Do military nurses experience the dimensions of the conceptualised moral distress described in the problem statement? In response to this question, Fry and her colleagues established four guiding research objectives. They include identification of moral distress experience among the United States Nurse Corps officers; construction of a moral distress model for moral distress experience among military nurses; development of a valid and reliable tool to measure moral distress in military nursing and the identification of the moral distress dimensions among military nurses. The new research question is: What is the prevalence of moral distress in military nursing? The research objectives associated with the aforementioned quantitative question include: (1) To establish the prevalence of moral distress among the Nurse Corps officers of the United States who have ever participated in the military crisis and (2) to establish the percentage of military nurses to develop reactive moral distress behaviour after suffering initial moral distress. Quantitative research sample The qualitative research sample comprised of 13 United States Army Nurse Corps Officers who have ever been deployed in military crisis zones from 1980 and latter. Seven of the thirteen nurses who took part in the research study were males. Six of them had been deployed in Bosnia, Three in Vietnam and four in the Persian Gulf War. The new study sample will include the retired and current United States military nurses who have ever been deployed in the military crisis zones. The large sample size is essential in identifying an inclusive sample representative of 1500 participants to give a higher validity and reliability of the research findings. Participants will be recruited through random selection of nurses who have ever been deployed to military crisis zones. The use of randomised selection of participants improves the validity of the overall results. Qualitative research limitations The first limitation as seen from the study is the use of snowballing sampling which reduces the validity of the overall findings. The second weakness of qualitative study relates to the sample’s small size. The final research findings of qualitative research lack generalizability due to the small sample size. The third weakness of qualitative research is the long time it takes to gather research data through interviews. The fourth eakness is the difficulties encountered in the analysis of the research data. It is not practical to apply statistical methods and tools in the analysis of qualitative study data. The limitations of the new quantitative research findings include: (1) the logical difficulties of getting a large sample size of 1500 participants; (2) the cost implications. It is costly to carry out a research involving such a large sample size. The third limitation is the inability of quantitative study to capture real sample dynamics that are guaranteed by structured interviews (Creswell, 1999). Qualitative Informed Consent and use of IRB The given study satisfied all the ethical research considerations. The researchers obtained the participant’s informed consent and also upheld the duty of confidentiality. The institutional review boards’ approvals were also sought before commencement of the research (Fry et al. , 2002). In the quantitative research study, ethical research considerations involved obtaining research approval from relevant institutional review boards. The research preamble instructions outlined the duty of confidentiality owed by the researcher to the participants. Participation in the phenomenal research study was also voluntary upon acquisition the consents of the participants. Qualitative Research Design and Philosophical Connectedness (underpinnings) The research design has two phases. The first phase entailed a review of the current literature to establish a conceptual moral distress model. The second phase entailed a structured interview with 13 participants who satisfied the inclusion criteria to collect the required research data. The final research findings were used in validation of the conceptualized moral distress model. The quantitative research employs a phenomenological study of the experiences of the United States military nurses in military crisis deployments. The study will seek to obtain the individual encounters with situations that caused them moral distresses. The research study will also seek to establish the prevalence of reactive moral distress behaviour among the participants that suffered initial moral distresses. The research design will employ a questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire will contain both open and closed ended questions to collect specific responses from participants and general open-ended views from participants. Quantitative Rigor of the Study Rigor is essential in quantitative research study. It raises the overall significance the research. Reliability and validity are the key dimensions of quantitative research’s rigor (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007). The use of a large sample size and probabilistic recruitment of the research participants increases the external validity of the overall research findings. The researcher should also avoid the research bias in the collection and analysis of the findings to increase the generalizability of the findings. Reliability is the measure of consistency of the research findings. It can be increased by applying similar statistical tools of analysis the results. SPSS is an accurate tool for statistical analysis of quantitative research findings using a uniform degree of freedom. The use of a self-administered questionnaire helps in maintaining anonymity, which give participants the freedom of expressing their genuine views. This is essential in reducing bias and increasing the overall validity and reliability of the research findings. The researcher should admit only completed questionnaires for final research analysis to ensure high validity and reliability of the study findings. This underpins the essence of recruiting a higher number of research participants to guarantee a high number of valid responses from the participants for analysis. Advantages of Qualitative research The main advantages of qualitative research include: (1) In-depth research of a phenomena through structured interviews and observation; (2) Flexibility of the research method to accommodate undefined variables; (3) Ability to capture the whole research information and scenes through tape recording and (4) it allows the researcher to note only relevant responses for analysis (Rubin & Babbie, 2009). Disadvantages of qualitative research The major advantages of qualitative study include: (1) subjectivity of the research findings; (2) its vulnerability to researcher’s bias; (3) It requires a lot of labour and resources; (4) limited replicability and generalizability of the research findings and (5) the difficulties encountered in analysing qualitative research data. It is laborious and time consuming (Rubin & Babbie, 2009). Advantages of quantitative research study The main strengths of quantitative research include: (1) the ease of data analysis using statistical tools; (2) the ease of statistical analysis of quantitative data makes it effective in testing hypotheses and (3) the ability to accommodate large sample sizes that increases validity and reliability of the findings. Disadvantages of quantitative research The first weakness of quantitative research is the ignorance of the research context. The second is the connectedness of the research validity with large sample sizes. It can be difficult and expensive to get a large sample size. The third weakness is the high probability of getting unreliable responses from anonymous participants.