Medicare and Medicaid in California

Introduction The need to get better health care services is a mandatory requirement by all citizens irrespective of their age, race, tribe or political affiliations. Nations have developed their health institutions to ensure everybody gets quality health services that are also affordable. The state of California and other states have programs that ensure all people get health services without struggling.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Medicare and Medicaid in California specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They have established the Medicaid and Medicare services that ensure all citizens are guaranteed proper medical services. This essay explores how these programs have been incorporated in California’s healthcare systems to ensure people get quality services. Medicaid This program was established to ensure all people who have financial difficulties access medical services without constraining their budgets. T his means that this program offers subsidized services for all poor people and those that are disadvantaged in the society. It is crucial to state that this program is not offered to everybody except those that have limited sources of income and are low income earners. This means that people earning above the average pay are not allowed to subscribe to this program. This program gives direct qualification to anyone who receives CalWORKs, foster care assistants and those that are entitled to receive Supplementary Security Income. Another group of people who can get this service includes those that have physical disabilities like the blind, pregnant, people aged less than 21 and those aged more than 65 years. People operating child care centers and nursing homes are eligible to this program since they take care of children aged 21 years. This favor is also given to foster parents and those living and taking care of children aged below 21 years. The California Department of Health Care Services (CDHCS) administers this program by offering an identification card that contains all the details of the beneficiary and the provisions under this program. The following are also observed before consent is granted to a person to enroll in this program. A person must have assets not exceeding $2000 or if the person is married their total should not be more than $3000. Medicare This program exists to take care of the old people in California. This means they must have attained 65 years of age or more to qualify for it. It ensures that all old and retired people continue to get quality medical services through subsidizing their health expenses. They are allowed various privileges provided they have their membership cards. The federal government offers this insurance scheme to ensure that all young people with various physical disabilities. This provision favors most people who already have disability insurance benefits and social security retirement advantages. In California this service is offered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They ensure they have all the details of their clients concerning their hospital and medical insurances and when they began.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Most people have both Medicaid and Medicare and use them to help pay for their health care needs. In this case Medicare precedes Medicaid since it has more rooms to accommodate various conditions. Beneficiaries are always advised to present both cards when seeking medical services to ensure they get maximum services. There are various health insurance providers and people are advised to seek services from providers that accept these two cards. This ensures that there will never be delays or useless expenses when seeking medical assistance. This essay on Medicare and Medicaid in California was written and submitted by user Michaela Howe to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Racism Impact on Minorities in American Society

Racism Impact on Minorities in American Society The election of President Barrack Obama was an indication that the US had finally come of age in as far as eradication of racism is concerned. However, critics argue that Americans were simply against the bullying of Iraq in a war that the previous president, George Bush, alleged was necessary to facilitate the destruction of nuclear weapons in Iraq.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism: Impact on Minorities in American Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unfortunately, the American military found no such weapons, which raised questions on the motives of the government in attacking Iran. According to critics, such loss of confidence in the administration and the thirst for change led to the election of Barrack Obama but did his election contribute to a decline in racism. Although it is evident that the US is making milestones in the reduction of racism, this vice is a mindset dependent on individual choice and thus the election of a ‘black’ or ‘white’ president has nothing to do with people’s view on racism. The concept’s primary basis is personal experiences as well as stereotypes that various individuals grow into. For instance, African Americans mainly came into the country because of colonization and slavery. Although the government later legally abolished slavery, Americans of European descent still treated former slaves and their children as inferior, which is a stereotype that exists to date. The implication of the stereotype, at the time, was that African American could not access education, proper health, and other government social amenities but a lot has changed and such individuals get access to most of the facilities that Americans of European descent get. The motto ‘E Pluribus Unum’ as embellished on America’s Great Seal, which translates into ‘Out of many, one’, signifies the country’s desire t o create unity from the many races that inhabit the territory. However, as long as racism is still prevalent, the US cannot claim to live in the spirit of the creed. It is difficult to change the mindset of all individuals regarding their view of different races, but the government has to try to put more effort into it instead of letting time ‘heal all wounds’. Ronald Takaki, an author, activist, and one of the pioneers of ethnic studies suggests that the education system has a significant role to play in changing the perceptions of Americans towards individuals of different races in their midst. He adds that educators bear the task of enabling individuals from different races embrace each other’s diversity and derive strength in multiculturalism.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Judging by the rise of interracial marriages in the US today, it would be appropriate to deem his assessment as accurate. Takaki suggests that reminding people of their diversity and enabling them to understand the positive side of different cultures is the way forward in the journey to eradicate racism in the US. Although the US has made considerably great strides towards a racial-free society, with the help from globalization, it still has a long way to go and it would be premature to refer to the current era as the ‘post-racial’ America. The society should address such issues as how to eliminate stereotypes, which pass from one generation to another. The society should be more prudent in highlighting similarities among the different races instead of focusing on the differences and reasons why one race is more superior to the other. History is essential as it enables society to strategize for the future, but it should not be allowed to cripple progress or cause stagnation, especially on matters that do not contribute to the welfare of th e people living in it. Studies suggest that in the year 2054, the population of white people in the US will be minimal enough to gain regard as part of the minority. This prediction has raised questions as to whether the issue of racism will thus be extinct. The forecast has also caused concern on whether other items will take prominence in exchange for racism and what such questions would consist. In answering the question of whether the prediction suggests elimination of the vice that is racism, as being a mindset, it is difficult to eliminate the matter. It is possible that the issue would diminish in importance; however, that would not mean that the US becomes ‘truly multiracial’. The issue of racism would not completely disappear, but rather just diminish in importance. Some of the likely candidates that would replace racism in urgency include social stratification, gender inequality, and the provision of quality health services.  Social stratification describes the categorization of people into â€Å"classes† according to their financial capabilities. This phenomenon has already taken root in most societies, even in developing countries. The gap between the rich and the poor in the US is ever-widening, with most people striving for more material and financial wealth in a country where the population increases gradually every year while resources remain relatively the same. As a result, globalization has been occurring at lightning speed and people opt to explore regions outside their territories for specific financial gain.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism: Impact on Minorities in American Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, this concept has given birth to multinational companies and organizations. Ironically, in the US, most minority groups seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to the acquisition of wealth. This fact implies that the lik elihood that the same minority groups that have suffered racial discrimination for centuries stand the highest chances of being at the bottom of the ladder in social class is high. Many reasons underscore this analysis, but the most significant would be the quality of education that people in the minority groups get in comparison to white Americans. Throughout history, blacks and Hispanics have had access to low-quality education, partly because of their historical background and stereotypes and because they believe and play into the inferiority stereotype. Another contributory factor to this issue is the prevalence of racial segregation in the country. In most states, neighborhoods are divided according to race and class, with most people living in the high-end or suburban communities being white. Hispanic and black minorities predominantly occupy states such as Houston and California and only a small percentage of the entire ‘white’ population choose to live in such n eighborhoods. Due to the low quality of public amenities and high unemployment rates, crime in these areas is higher in comparison to suburban neighborhoods in cities such as Los Angeles. For instance, studies show that although the number of successful African American individuals rises every year, the number is still low when compared to the number of white Americans that share the same accomplishments. The same case applies to the Hispanics. The ‘superior’ and ‘inferior’ classifications play a large part in contributing to the outcome of the predicted status. The whites have already had a head start; thus, other races lagging would have to work extra hard to compete on the same level. Therefore, the best approach is to be optimistic yet realistic. Expecting too much is likely to lead to disillusionment. Even though the American society is not yet at a level where it would be safe to consider racism a minor issue, it is possible for people from different racial backgrounds to get along. It is time that the American society focused on more critical matters in a bid to improve the lives of its citizens. For instance, currently, numerous experts on racial topics provide statistics on how high or low the level of racism is. However, if these people would put the same energy into other salient matters such as the sustainability of power and the provision of essential services for everyone, the society would be better off and would be more likely to focus on those matters instead of the racism issue. It is usually easier to unite people who face a common problem or work towards common goals and therefore, it is possible to join Asians, Hispanics, African Americans, Arabs, and whites.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A good example is the reaction that the country gave after the bombing of the World Trade Center on September 11. The people reacted as one country, united by a shared tragedy and the races where people belong to did not seem to matter at that moment. The state-supported the war on terrorism as a single unit, in defense from other attacks. This case is just one of the instances that prove that redirecting the energy spent on analysis of trends on racism into more salient issues is bound to bring the American people together in disregard of the vice. Another indication of progress towards the right direction is the rise of interracial marriages and relationships, resulting in the creation of a generation that is unified by the unity of the parents. The integration of races in this manner makes it difficult for future generations to have racial hatred for one another, thus making it easier to rule out racism as a significant deterrent to the society’s development.  Due to the fact that Americans have had years of practice at ‘calibanization’, it is essential to note that changing the situation would take time and people should not be overly optimistic to the point where they get disillusioned. One of the possible solutions is the creation of a level playing field in education through the provision of scholarships to students from minority groups who show great potential. This scenario cuts across the board as creation of more facilities for the sole purpose of accommodating the minority groups would not accomplish integration, but rather create seclusion. The idea of creating more schools with curriculums that favor black, Hispanic, or Asian people provides an avenue for the education of more significant numbers of individuals from these groups, but integration requires that the races get access to the same institutions regardless of race and compete for the attainment of excellence for a better job market and labor force. Another possible solution is embracing the different talents that each race possesses in the creation of diverse opportunities for the overall benefit of the nation. For instance, black people possess ability in the entertainment industry, especially in pop culture. Harnessing and promoting this talent for the benefit of everyone would diminish the urge to pull people from other races down. Asians, on the other hand, are talented in matters relating to technology and business while Hispanics have a rich dance culture. Most people wonder how Asians living in the US are gradually turning the tables around on the stereotype of being an inferior race and establishing their superiority through the display of skills in business and science. The best answer would be a change in their mindset about the country. Asians have reconciled with the fact that they may not be superior, but the US is now their home and it is their duty to develop their lives as they grow ‘their’ country’s economy . Reconciling with the past means that they have not forgotten about it, but they admit that they can do nothing about history. Therefore, they choose to focus on a way forward with the vision of a racism-free environment. Asians have established booming businesses and thrive in technology-related issues. An excellent example of Asians who have turned their fortunes around is the duo that created YouTube and later sold it to Google, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. Most Internet users utilize the program indiscriminately, not only in the US but also all over the world. Vera Wang is another example of an American of Asian descent that has turned her fortune around by choosing to focus on self-improvement rather than racial prejudices and crippling stereotypes. There is a high possibility that if the rest of the minority groups adopted the same mindset, racism would lose its current relevance and make way for essential issues that take focus on self-improvement and self-reliance. The curre nt pessimism by other minority groups regarding their achievement of ‘the American dream’ makes it harder for optimistic individuals with a vision for the country to change the view of the majority towards a discrimination-free society. The current generation is greatly disillusioned regarding the speed at which racial integration should occur, thus resulting in the perception of social injustices based on factors that date back in the past. Although it may be more than likely that the first few administrations set the pace for racism and delayed the development of minority groups, focusing on the problem rather than possible solutions does not offer any remedies. The Asian community understands that aspect and opts to put its industrious nature into good use to create a livelihood and a legacy for its future generations. The Asian community portrays that the American dream is not hereditary, but rather a progression of hard work, tolerance for differences amongst diffe rent races, and appreciation of diversity in different cultures.  The Hispanic population bears excellent potential for the attainment of similar success, mainly because most immigrants get visas to work in the country. The American government has over the years, capitalized on the need for immigrants to earn a livelihood by allowing them to stay on work visas. This aspect provides a steady labor force for the country. The Hispanic community can use these opportunities to run legitimate businesses that benefit the entire population and create enough income for the development of social amenities in areas where they live. Asians have a reputation of owning most of the dry cleaning businesses in the country. Although this element may not seem like a prestigious opportunity for most of them, they have focused on the profitability of the company and built business empires through investment of the income that such businesses generate. Therefore, the community not only qualifies as a à ¢â‚¬Ëœmodel minority’ community but also as a model community for the entire country in the achievement of its goals.

OB3-LEADERSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

OB3-LEADERSHIP - Essay Example Of course, you are welcome to write interpretations for more than five assessments if you wish. Out the 36 self-assessment exercises that I took, I find these five dimensions to be a close representative of my â€Å"self,† my leadership style and preference. These are emotional intelligence of which I scored 14, Measuring Locus Control of which I scored 37 (reversed scoring), Transformational Leadership of which I scored five on both dimensions (develop followers into leaders and inspire followers to go beyond their own self-interest), Communication openness of which I scored 9 and change leader of which I scored 9 Five Self -assessment Exercises a) Emotional Intelligence – I scored 14 on this Simply put, emotional intelligence is an ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. Translating to an organization or a workplace, this will enable me to better relate to others. Initially, I thought that the ability to get along we ll with others is trivial and unimportant. Until I took the subject which made me realize that this a very potent leadership and management aptitude that should be harnessed and even a prerequisite to being a transformational leader. b) Measuring Locus Control – I scored 37 on this (reversed scoring) I scored well on this assessment which measures self-control. I appreciate the result for it validated my belief that I have the capacity to guard myself against intemperance which could undermine my integrity as a leader. I believe that this assessment is also connected to emotional intelligence, the ability to assess and control myself. c) Transformational Leadership – scored 5 on both dimensions which are to develop followers into leaders and inspire followers to go beyond their own self-interest. Perhaps I was biased when I took the assessment for this is the type of leadership that I would like to be. But I took the assessment honestly without looking at the answer ke y and I was glad to know that I scored five on both dimensions; which are to develop followers into leaders and inspire leaders to beyond their self-interest. I will endeavor that when my skill set as a leader will be fully developed, that I will evolve into this kind of leader in the future. d) Communication openness – I scored 9 on this. I scored a near perfect on this. Perhaps this is just a reinforcement of one of my obvious aptitude for emotional intelligence or ability to know myself and others and the ability to relate to others. Because to be able to get well with others, I have to be open to good communication first. I expected to score high on this. e) Change Leader – I scored 9 on this This too I expected to fare well because I tend to get well with others. As I can easily get through others, implementing change for me is almost effortless that my personality can easily get consensus even if I have to initially contradict the status quo. After taking the ass essment and reflected on the common ground on the dimensions that I scored well, I figured that it is my ability to know myself and others. I scored well on locus control, transformational leader, change leader and communication openness which has a requisite of intra and interpersonal skill and ability to get well with

UK employee relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UK employee relations - Essay Example Employer-employee relationship is something that has been a cause of concern for the better part of history. In the past, there was little that employees could do to object to the treatment that was a part of their daily lives as a consequence of the actions of the employers. Then the springing up of various trade unions granted both employees and workers some power to sit at a table with businessmen and argue for their rights. Recent years have seen a trend in countries across the globe that has led to more protection to employees and programs have been introduced to better the interaction between employers and their respective employees. It is important however, to assess with a critical eye how the multiple legislations and laws that have been created are being implemented and if they truly are helping the workers. Employee relations is a complicated branch of interactions in the economic context and encompasses the interaction of employees, employers, trade unions, and government s on a regular basis (Rose, 2008, p.3). Employee relations are a term that has only recently been bought to the forefront in order to change the layout of how the relationship is between employers and their employers. This term indicates a particular subject matter unique to it and was previously known as industrial relations, which may still be used now. Debate may arise as to the meaning of the two terms and some say that it is clearly insignificant. There are some who argue that the use of the term industrial relation would drag in trade unions that are no longer as strong as they used to be. Employee relations would encompass the service sector which is currently employing about seventy percent of the workforce of a country that is developed (Leat, 2007, p. 5). Employee relation would also include as well as leave out if it is applicable, the idea of unions and other blocs. Industrial relation systems were mainly established in the early twentieth century when there was a demand for labor and a large amount of employment to go with that and not a lot of skilled labor (Dicker, 2003, p. 9). When there grew a scarcity of labor the trade unions gained more bargaining power and wages were higher yet there was no clear relationship that existed between employers and employees and the unions were becoming a way of life. So in the twenty first century there was change in mindset as to the idea of relations in the market and employees were seen to not test boundaries by questioning and participating in a business. With employee relations there is now an emphasis on searching for talent and then grooming it and allowing it to continue. Employee relations can mean various things to the employers. Some of these may be that employee relations can mainly be looked at as more of a philosophy rather than some form of management that is well defined. A shift is also beginning to take place now with power shifting from the trade unions to the individuals in workplaces. This may be due to the drop in membership of trade unions which was at one time at a high of about twelve million plus and has since fallen to about seen million (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, 2010). The review of the Employment Relations Act of 1999 was an example of the legislative measures that were taken to curb the role of trade unions. The reason for the passing of this review was to make changes to the labor market in order to provide a more fair and long-lasting platform for the development of healthy employee relations. It was purported that the review of the Employment Relations Act of 1999, and the subsequent measures, would help to boast the rate of employment and to integrate both justice and flexibility in the industrial system of the country. According to the Employment Relations Act of 1999, the employers had the authority to recognize or derecognize a trade union for the intention of collective bargaining where most of the employees are in favor of it. I n a research study conducted, most of the

Culture and Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Culture and Business - Research Paper Example Despite Brazil being one of the countries experiencing a high economic growth, the existing cultural differences may affect business interactions in this country. As earlier indicated, communication is the most important thing in effective transaction of business. In this regard, there are striking differences between in the communication styles. According to the Centre for Intercultural Learning (2009), â€Å"Brazilians tend to get close to each other when a conversation is taking place, no matter what the relationship is between them.† In Western culture, there is a tendency to create a less social distance especially with strangers. In effect, we may experience such differences, which the Brazilians may misconstrue as unfriendly. In addition, the average distance between two people having a conversation in Brazil is around 30 or 40 cm (Centre for Intercultural Learning, 2009). However, only close friends will exhibit such a distance in most cultures. Nevertheless, it is imp ortant for an individual to appear relaxed and friendly when having a conversation since they may talk to an individual while touching them now and then. Such cultural behavior in Brazil is the expectation, which in the Western world is akin to sexual harassment in some cases. In business, modest dressing is one of the major characteristics in our society. In effect, the way of dressing in the Brazilian business setup is similar. However, the way Brazilians address each other in business is informal. In this regard, Brazilians will only use the titles during the introductions stage. Effectively, they will keep referring to each other in their first name during the rest of the conversation following the introduction, which is different from our business culture (Centre for Intercultural Learning, 2009). In this case, Western business culture dictates that we should refer to our colleagues in their titles. In fact, some business cultures will not allow us to address our supervisors at work in their first name, which is unheard off. However, this is the norm rather than the exception amongst the Brazilians. In effect, acquainting oneself with this distinct cultural factor will help an individual realize that Brazilians is not a sign of disrespect but a culture. According to Global Edge (n.d.), Brazilians behavior in meetings appears to be unstructured and natural. In effect, they may appear to lack objectivity while negotiating a business transaction. Therefore, this can negatively affect a business transaction since one can perceive the other party as not interested. In addition, the unstructured behavior may result to deviation from the objectives that the meeting set to attain. In addition, there might be instances in which a Brazilian may bring in personal information during a business conversation. However, it is the culture of Brazilians to talk openly to their partners in business as they seek to form a relationship for successful business. In effect, unde rstanding such differences is crucial for successful business transactions. We all realize the importance of maintaining a proper eye contact while communicating in a business transaction. In fact, our business cult

International Development Policy

International Development Policy Political, economical and social development of developing countries has been a high priority on the global agenda. International development policy has gained momentum as issues such as poverty in some developing countries have been increasingly linked to global security issues such as terrorism. Global policy in regards to development has become more prevalent through the increase of international organizations and institutions. However, international development policy and its perceived importance to national economic, political and social growth within developing states has become a strongly debated issue. From the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to more regional and bilateral initiatives, development has remained a salient global issue. In recent decades, the focus of international development has shifted from economic to human development and from structural to sustainable development. Despite the various methods used of stimulating international development, Offici al Development Assistance (ODA) continues to be essential to many developing states. It can be argued that for this reason that institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which formulate and implement policy in relation to ODA, continue to have an increasing influence on developing states. In the last decades, an international development policy shift has taken place from structural adjustment programs focusing on economic reform and market-orientated policies to sustainable development incorporating social and environmental reform and human-orientated policies. One region greatly influenced by international development policy has been those developing states on the African continent. Many sub-Saharan states in Africa have been plagued by underdevelopment and continue to be heavily dependent on ODA. Despite reaping some benefits from the rapid economic growth in Asia and new economic partnerships with some BRIC states, most of the states in Africa continue to struggle with underdevelopment. Africa is a continent with enormous potential in both natural and human capital yet suffers from widespread poverty and human deprivation. The continent has the world’s highest proportion of poor, 46 %, and is home to more than 30% of the worlds poor (Cheru 2008, p.6). Despit e various development initiatives such as the Lagos Plan of Action for Economic Development of Africa, Africa’s Programme for Economic Recovery, the African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programme for Socio-Economic Recovery and Transformation, the Three Year Priority Programme for Survival, Rehabilitation of African Economies, the African Charter for Popular Participation for Development and the Compact for Africa’s Recovery, Africa’s developmental gains have been marginal. Africa’s problematic of underdevelopment has been blamed on exogenous factors such The post-World War II international system has increasingly witnessed more international and regional integration in addition to the rise of powerful non-state actors such as international , regional and transnational organizations. Organizations such as the United Nations, the African Union, various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and multinational corporations (MNCs) are increasingly playing a more important role in the international system. The institutionalizing of liberal policies within states through international financial institutions indicates the increasing influence non-state actors have on state affairs and sovereignty. Therefore, globalization and the role of key international non-state actors has become a reality. Not only has the number of international organizations increased exponentially since the post -war period, the scope and regulating power has accordingly also increased. For instance, there are international organizations for international trade (World Trade Organization, G8, G20), finance and foreign aid(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank), health (World Health Organization), law (International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and Special Courts and Chambers for Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Lebanon), law enforcement (Interpol, Europol), humanitarian aid (International Red Cross and Red Crescent), migration (UNHCR), labor (International Labor Organization) and environment (UNEP) to name but a few! This excludes the additional formation of regional blocs for dealing with security (NATO, ECOWAS) and economic competitiveness within the global trade system such as NAFTA and many of Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs). This plethora of international and regional organizations has not simply served to deal with or regulate transnational iss ues without affecting state sovereignty. Supranational regional organizations such as the European Union (EU) indicate that states have voluntarily relinquished some sovereignty for the overpowering interest of mutual gain. International â€Å"The governance indicators establish a discursive field of state legitimacy and normalcy and ‘responsibilises’ states: construct them as ethical actors that are capable of correct and responsible choices and policies† (Lowenheim 2008: 255) The use of global governance indicators is a means by which donors of official development assistance (ODA) can allocate scarce resources to what are perceived to be â€Å"effective† governments in developing countries. Ineffective governments in developing countries, which create rent-seeking activities, are seen as less desirable for the allocation of these scarce resources. Global indicators can, therefore, be used to assist donors in their decision-making for the allocation of aid to recipient states. Global institutions have an increasing tendency to rate and rank the governance capacities and performances of states. This practice of ranking and rating has increased significantly in the last few decades. The UNDP has identified at least 130 performance indices of which 80% had been created between 1991 and 2005 (Bandura 2005: 5). Each of these indices rank and assess country performance in such aspects as openness, competitiveness, governance, development, health, education, human rights, security, globalization among others. World Governance Indicators for Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa To examine the trend in quality of governance in each of the three case studies, aggregate indicators for Voice and Accountability (V A), Political Stability and Absence of Violence (PSAV), Government Effectiveness (GE), Regulatory Quality (RQ) and Rule of Law (RoU) have been used from the World Governance Indicators (WGI) index. The WGI uses a scale between 2.5 to -2.5 where 2.5 indicates a high 41  quality of governance. The selected time frame used is from 2002 to 2011 (data was unavailable for 2001 and 2012). Although Nigeria and South Africa did not implement a majority of the recommendations, the case studies were included in the analysis to provide insight if any observed improvement was as a result of the APR recommendations or due to other determinants.

Disparities in Health of Children :: Teaching Education

Disparities in Health of Children Abstract There has been much research that verifies the existence of health disparities among different socioeconomic groups and different racial and ethnic groups. I will take a look at this research to determine why these disparities exist and how these effect the education among those who experience it. When we consider the education of our children in the United States, we must consider their health as a significant issue as it can positively or negatively impact a student’s education. It has generally been acknowledged that there is a great disparity in our country in the area of health care. Healthy People2010, a published report put out by the Health and Human Services Division of the Unites States Government (2000) has included as part of its Goals for 2010, to eliminate health disparities among different segments of the population. According to this report, health differences occur depending on a persons gender, race or ethnicity, education or income, disability, rural locality, or sexual orientation. In this paper, I will mostly concentrate on racial and ethnic differences as well as socioeconomic differences. According to the Healthy People 2010 report, biological and genetic differences do not explain the health disparities experienced by non-White populations in t he United States. Besides "complex interaction among genetic variations, environmental factors, and specific health behaviors," Health and Human Services says, "inequalities in income and education underlie many health disparities in the United States." Also, "population groups that suffer the worst health status are also those that have the highest poverty rates and least education." Health, United States (1998) reported that each increase of income or education increased the likelihood of being in good health. According to this report, those with less education tend to die younger than those with more education for all major causes of death including chronic diseases, communicable diseases and injuries. There are several factors that account for differences between socioeconomic and racial and ethnic groups. These factors include a lower sedentary life style, cigarette smoking and less likely to have health insurance coverage or receive preventive care among these groups. Those who live more sedentary life styles are at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, all things that effect lower-socioeconomic groups more often than those in higher income brackets. Those who are less educated are also twice as likely to smoke cigarettes as the most educated.

Advancement in Science and Technology Research is a peer-reviewed open access journal published quarterly Essay

Advancement in Science and Technology Research aims at providing a platform for researchers, engineers, scientists, and educators to publish their original research results, to exchange new ideas, to disseminate information in innovative designs, engineering experiences and technological skills. It is also the Journal’s objective to promote engineering and technology education. The papers for publication in Advancement in Science and Technology Research are selected through rigorous peer reviews to ensure originality, timeliness, relevance, and readability. Advances in Science and Technology is a irregular series presenting the Proceedings of CIMTEC, International Cermics Congress and Forum on New Materials. The series is published on behalf of TECHNA GROUP, Faenza, Italy. With the second review conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) approaching in April, a raft of studies have appeared making clear that fundamental changes in science and technology are affecting the implementation of the treaty and that it must be adapted to take account of them.[1] The most significant development is the revolution in the life sciences and related technologies, including a growing overlap between chemistry and biology. There is a vastly increased understanding of the functioning of biological systems as a result of the mapping of the human and other genomes as well as of advances in structural biology and the study of proteins (proteomics). Information technology and engineering principles are increasingly integrated into biology. The intersection between chemistry and biology has further expanded thanks in part to the automation of synthesis and screening of chemical compounds enabling laboratories to assess vast numbers of new chemical structures and a much-enhanced understanding of how certain â€Å"chemicals of biological origin† act. Technological advances supplement these trends, for example, providing for more efficient means of delivering biologically active chemicals to target populations or targeting organs and receptors within an organism. These developments are expected to bring many benefits, including new medical treatments and methods of pest control. At the same time, the capacity to discover or design new chemical structures that may have utility as chemical warfare agents has also increased significantly. Novel agents can be created far more quickly than ever before. In addition, advances in manufacturing technology have shortened other time requirements, enabling shortcuts in the progression from research and development to full-scale manufacturing. Changes in the chemical industry have dispersed technology and facilities, complicating verification and traditional nonproliferation strategies. As a result, the time and effort needed to field a new chemical weapon has shrunk, particularly in the early stages, while the capability to detect such actions has not grown significantly. These trends and a recently increased interest in the use of incapacitants for law enforcement purposes raise at least the threat that states could skirt or quickly break out of the CWC prohibitions on developing and acquiring chemical weapons. It has also enlarged the overlap between the two otherwise quite separate treaties governing chemical and biological weapons, the CWC and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). States-parties need to adapt the implementation of the CWC to account for these changes or risk diminishing confidence in its effectiveness and endangering its viability.

The Circadian Rhythm Effect Essay Example

The Circadian Rhythm Effect Essay Example The Circadian Rhythm Effect Essay The Circadian Rhythm Effect Essay Jorge Lozano Introduction Almost all living things have a normal daily cycle they adhere to. It usually relates to the pattern developed by a function of time in relation to behavioral and physiological processes. Circadian rhythm in all mammals is a process that describes our inner master â€Å"clock† and our daily functionality. â€Å"Circadian timing is structured in such a way as to receive information from the external and internal environments, and its function is the timing organization of the physiological and behavioral processes in a circadian pattern (1)†. With the 24 hour cycle put in use we determine the sleeping and feeding patterns of all animals. Since the circadian rhythm is such a vital function for our biological well being it is highly important to study and document both the internal and external processes that directly effect it. Our main objective in researching this was to determine if the relationship between biological functions relate to our normal daily activity period. We hypothesized that during our normal rest period we reach a nadir or low point of functionality while during our normal activity period we reach our zenith or high point. Materials and Methods In order to collect the necessary data, we took measurements of heart rate, adding speed, eye-hand coordination, and eye-hand coordination number of trials with mistakes. Measurements were taken at 12 time points throughout a 24-hour period over a 7-day period. The tests were taken by individual students with the sample size being the students of the Biology lab 155 class roster . At various hour intervals a 1 minute heart beat rate measurement is taken. The cognitive test is taking a measurement of adding speed. This is done by timing how fast the test subject is able to add a line of numbers. The motor coordination test is eye-hand coordination, with time and number of trials documented. The eye-hand test is taken by timing the process of thumb to each finger on one hand. The data collected individually is grouped together with all students and averaged out by test within an excel spreadsheet to determine if any significant data was collected. This analysis of collected data will show whether there is a difference in the effect of circadian rhythms within various hours and days. Results Results were produced by using average results from the Biology 155 sections 4 11 student roster. Regarding pulse rates in beats per minute, the trend is to have the lowest value early in the morning and the highest value in the afternoon. Graph1 demonstrates the beats per minute average when compared to the hour of day. The results show that at 6am the low value average of 68. 27 heart beats per minute while the highest value of 80. 40 beats measured at 6pm. The trend shows that there is a gradual increase as the day progresses. Also that within the mid-day hours of 12pm to 2pm (graph 1) there is a drop in heart rate. The addition speed test results show a minimal increase in adding speed throughout the day. Graph 2 displays the speed in seconds based on hour of day. The results show that at both 2am and 4am the average speed was slowest with 82. 07 seconds. The average fastest speed is 62 seconds taken at the 8pm hour. The trend shows that student adding speed increases throughout the day. The eye-hand coordination test results displayed in Graph 3 compare the number of seconds it takes to count with fingers compared to the hour of day. The resulting trend demonstrates that eye-hand coordination increases from morning to evening. At 4am the results show the slowest speed of 12. 86 seconds while the fastest speed of 7. 8 seconds occurs at 6pm. Graph 4 displays the number of trials with mistakes made during the eye-hand coordination test as compared to the hour of day. The trend shows that there are numerous changes in amount of trials throughout the day. The amount of trials made with mistakes is highest at 4am with 1. 13 trials taken and the lowest amount at both 8am and 8pm. Graph 1 Graph 2 Graph 3 Graph 4 Discussion The results from our tests concurred with the results from the five sources researched. Our peak optimal hours for memory, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination are during peak activity hours of the day. Each person has a circadian rhythm they develop which directly effects the sleeping pattern and daily activities. The circadian rhythm adjusts the body to coordinate various physiological activities. â€Å"The findings of a 24 hour period on every day could be an example associated with. a rhythm which can be caused by exogenous factors † (3). Some of the exogenous factors that effect the results are sleep hours, stress levels, and daily activities. These can be seen within the graphs taking into consideration the â€Å"normal† sleeping hours for the test subjects. â€Å"There was a significant correlation between the rhythms at zero phase shift† (6), which we can see from our graph results, with â€Å"sleep and illumination†(6) being a large factor throughout our four tests. Our test results conclude that our body is running on a circadian rhythm with multiple factors in our day to day lives effecting our â€Å"bodily programming† which in turn allow us to function at either our peak levels or our slowest levels. The data underscore the interrelationships between energy metabolism, circadian rhythmicity, and sleep regulation†. (2) The mind and motor skills are in the reactionary chain of chemical levels within our body that are enhanced or decreased by various effectors but which are developed into a rhythm that we become adjusted to.

Fooling and Disguise in Shakes essays

Fooling and Disguise in Shakes essays Fooling and Disguise in Shakespeares The Twelfth Night or What You Will The Twelfth Night, or What You Will was written by William Shakespeare during the sixteenth century. This play is full of romance, comedy, and especially fooling and disguise. The act of fooling is seen through many characters of the play such as, Viola, Olivia, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Maria, and of course Feste, the most important and intelligent character of the play. Shakespeares, The Twelfth Night, or What You Will, portrays a great significance of fooling and disguise through the main characters. Viola is a great example of disguise in the play. Her boy disguise is an emotional catalyst for everyone else in the play. Acting as Cesario, Viola fools everyone. She is a fool caught between Orsino and Olivia. While she is falling in love with Orsino, she is wooing Olivia as Cesario. She is full of intelligence, wit, and charm, which makes her a great fool. This is because the meaning of a fool in this play is an intelligent person who brings awareness to themselves and others. At the end of this play, Viola does bring out awareness in herself and others, such as Orsino. Olivia, the countess, is a great fool of the play as well. She fools everyone in the story when at the beginning, she mourns for her dead brother, but by the end she is more concerned with her love for Cesario, a male disguise for Viola. At the end, she realizes that she actually in love with a woman, disguised as a man, and then quickly reverses her love to someone she does not even know, Violas twin brother. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria are a great team in the play. Sir Toby is Olivias uncle and his companion is Sir Andrew. Maria is Olivias servant, a lady in waiting. These three are the fools and the pranksters of the play. Sir Toby keeps Sir Andrew around only for his money, and in return, uses the money to get drunk. Sir ...

Staistic assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Staistic - Assignment Example The result revealed that the relationship between the two variables is best determined by linear relationship using following equation: Regression Analysis: Credit Balance($) versus Size The regression equation is Credit Balance($) = 2591 + 403 Size Predictor Coef SE Coef T P Constant 2591.4 195.1 13.29 0.000 Size 403.22 50.95 7.91 0.000 S = 620.162 R-Sq = 56.6% R-Sq(adj) = 55.7% Analysis of Variance Source DF SS MS F P Regression 1 24092210 24092210 62.64 0.000 Residual Error 48 18460853 384601 Total 49 42553062 Unusual Observations Credit Obs Size Balance($) Fit SE Fit Residual St Resid 5 2.00 1864.0 3397.9 113.7 -1533.9 -2.52R R denotes an observation with a large standardized residual. From the regression analysis above, we can see that there is a linear positive relationship between the two variables, which means as the number of people in the house increase, the credit balance also increases. Minitab results for regression indicate a factor DF, which stands for degree of freedo m. The DF for a variable is calculated by one less than the number of group levels. Similarly, degree of freedom for error is calculated by subtracting number of group levels from sample size; whereas, degree of freedom for total is calculated by sample size minus 1. ... The sum of squares (SS) are calculated using the sum of Y’s and X’s. MS is called Measure Square of the Error and is calculated by F-test in Analysis of Variance. It is a ratio of variability between groups compared to variability within the groups. If the ratio is large then the p-value would be small indicating a statistically significant result. F-test is at least 1 indicating a non-negative number. In our case it is 62.64 which considerably high thus showing a p-value less than our level of significance i.e., 0.05. Also p-value is the probability of being greater than F value or simply the area to the right of F value. . P-value of 0.000 in Analysis of Variance and 0.026 in Sequential Analysis of Variance (for Quadratic Polynomial fit) are both less than our significance level of ? = 0.05. Further, R-Square value of 56.6% suggest that the model fits well with the actual data and there is relatively a strong relationship between the two variables. 3. Coefficient of C orrelation A correlation coefficient referred to as Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient is used to measure the strength of linear relationship between the two variables. The value of the coefficient is influenced by the distribution of the independent variable. Next correlation between Credit Balance and Size was determined using Pearson’s coefficient of Correlation as shown below: Correlations: Credit Balance, Size Pearson correlation of Credit Balance and Size = 0.752 P-Value = 0.000 The Pearson Correlation value of 0.752 indicated that there existed a strong relationship between the two variables since Statisticshowto.com (2009) suggests High correlation: 0.5 to 1.0 or -0.5 to -1.0 Medium correlation: 0.3 to 0.5

Research methods assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Methods assignment - Research Paper Example Mekonnen and Harris (2006) is an empirical investigation whether â€Å"cause-related† and â€Å"affinity marketing† enhances the product’s appeal and provides product differentiation (p. 135). In particular, the study investigated whether â€Å"linking a commercial organisation’s product with a non-profit organisation enhances the product’s appeal and provides differentiation from rival offers† (Mekonnen and Harris 2006, p. 135). Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 135) articulated that the purpose or aim of their study is to investigate the efficacy of the premise of â€Å"affinity marketing†. The research objectives were not explicitly stated but it can be surmised that, implicitly, the research objectives covered identification of values associated with the use of affinity cards and how they affect the likelihood of donation. 2.0. Literature Review Based on a review of literature, Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 136) claim that â€Å"there are significant gaps in understanding consumer attitudes† towards products being sold by â€Å"cause-related marketing† and â€Å"affinity marketing†. ... 136). Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 135) declared their work as a challenge to the assumption â€Å"that linking a product to a non-profit organisation enhances its appeal and provides a basis for differentiation.† For Mekonnen and Harris (2005, p. 135), â€Å"the efficacy of this premise depends on the type of cause or affinity group.† Unfortunately, however, the review of literature of Mekonnen and Harris (2006) does not amount to an illustration of the â€Å"significant gaps in understanding consumers’ attitude† in the literature. It is not clear from the review of literature what the various studies have made or the findings they have reached on the relationship between â€Å"cause-related market marketing† and â€Å"affinity marketing† on one hand and product sales on the other. Perhaps there was no empirical study done at all prior on cause-oriented and affinity marketing prior to their study but this is not clear from the review of lit erature. However, because of the failure to illustrate what empirical studies have done or to explicitly clarify at least that no study has been done, the review of literature fails to identify precisely or to justify precisely the significance of the Mekonnen and Harris (2006) endeavour in the overall literature on the subject. The review of literature narrated that cause-oriented marketing has been conventionally characterised as being focused on short-term campaign initiatives (Mekonnen and Harris 2006, p. 136). It also pointed out that the affinity marketing is a sub-set of cause-related marketing (Mekonnen and Harris 2006, p. 136). However, citing the work of Berger and others in 1999, Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 136) clarified that â€Å"affinity marketing can