Fragile X Syndrome and Its Impact on Children's Language Essay

Fragile X Syndrome and Its Impact on Children's Language - Essay Example The condition, also called Martin-Bell syndrome, is statistically moderate to severe in boys and normally manifests a mild form of impairment in girls. From 15% to 20% of those with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) exhibit autistic-type behavior such as "poor eye contact, hand flapping, and poor sensory skills" (Edelson, 1995, para. 2). Males with fragile X syndrome may exhibit autistic-like behaviors, but it is not a major cause of autism. About 15 percent of persons with fragile X syndrome may meet diagnostic criteria at some point in their lives. The figure above shows the most common fragile X mutation- an expansion of extra DNA within a specific component of the FMR1 gene. In the premutation, the expansion is relatively small, however, in the full mutation the expansion is quite large and is usually accompanied by abnormal methylation. The presence of abnormal methylation leads to decreased production or absence of the FMR1 gene's protein product, called FMRP. The specific function of FMRP in the human brain is currently under study; current evidence suggests it may be involved in the regulation of proteins produced by other genes. Certain physical characteristics can be seen in an individual with fragile X syndrome. ... Other recognizable features are high-arched palate, strabismus (lazy eye), and, sometimes, mild heart valve abnormalities. Blood tests to determine levels of fragile X mental retardation protein can be done to diagnose the condition and several treatments can be undertaken as well as use of mild medications and therapy for speech, language and sensory improvement. Genetic counseling is recommended (Edelson, 1995). In 1991, the fragile X gene (FMR1) was characterized and found to contain a tandemly repeated sequence, and the larger the size of this permutation in a woman, the more risk that full mutation can occur in her offspring (Fragile X: Diagnostic, para. 3). The genotype can be determined more accurately with DNA testing. Full mutation occurs with one in 3,600 males and one in 4,000-6,000 females (Smith, 2006). Various degrees of mutation, however, occur in one in 1,200 males and one in 2,500 females, and testing should be considered in the following cases: Individuals of either sex with mental retardation, developmental delay, or autism, especially if they have (a) any physical or behavioral characteristics of fragile X syndrome, (b) a family history of fragile X syndrome, or (c) male or female relatives with undiagnosed mental retardation. Individuals seeking reproductive counseling who have (a) a family history of fragile X syndrome or (b) a family history of undiagnosed mental retardation. Fetuses of known carrier mothers. Patients who have a cytogenetic fragile X test result that is discordant with their phenotype. These include patients who have a strong clinical indication (including risk of being a carrier) and who have had a negative or ambiguous test result, and patients with an

Military Industrial Complex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Military Industrial Complex - Essay Example Eisenhower was worried about the costs of an arms race that was taking shape between the United States and Soviet Union (Pavelec 95). He wanted to caution the American citizens and the incoming administration about concentrating militarization of the country, which he claimed, would deny other areas of the economy the necessary resources. According to Eisenhower, overspending in the military sectors will divert finances aimed for sectors like building of hospitals and schools. Further, increase in military spending resulted in large budgets that were not sustainable by the country; therefore, Eisenhower wanted the country to budget for what it can afford (Pavelec 95). Eisenhower was also worried the union between defense contractors, and the armed forces would change the way the country handles international relations and disputes. This union, Eisenhower thought would increase the chances of war as a means of solving conflicts instead of depending on peaceful negotiations. As a milit ary veteran, Eisenhower had seen the horror and lingering sadness that result from war. According to Eisenhower, his successors should balance between a strong national defense and diplomacy when dealing with the Soviet Union threat during the cold war. Therefore, he encourages those that were coming after him to settle differences with other countries not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose (Pavelec 96). Another concern that stimulated the warning was that as the military and the arms industry accumulated power; they posed a threat to the country’s democracy. Eisenhower thought that the massive power of the military and the arms industry and resultant lose democracy would lead to the loss of citizen control over the military-industrial complex (Pavelec 96). The threat posed by military-industrial complex as envisioned by Eisenhower has become true the years following his speech. Concerning endless conflict with hostile ideology, the former president was right gi ven that the United States has continued to engage in never ending wars with different groups or countries. After the end of Eisenhower’s presidency, the country went on to fight in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. War has become a permanent engagement given the recent declaration by the United States’ political leadership that there is no foreseeable end to the war against terror. Even after the killing of the Al-Qaeda leader, the country still faces a threat from the terrorist group, which implies its ability to survive the death of its targeted leadership (Eisenhower 7). The United States has become a country of unending war where the end of one signals the chance for the military-industrial complex to find a new enemy that must be neutralized therefore perpetuating the complex’s appetite for war (Eisenhower 8). The Military-Industrial Complex now dictates a large part of the United States foreign policy. The sale of military equipment to foreign governments h as now become a source of major revenue for American arms industry (Pavelec 96). On the permanent military industry, the former president’s warning has come true. Since the end of nineteenth century, the United States military has grown to become a major industry in the country’s defense system. As with any other industry, the arms industry has an ambition to grow, which means

Reagans War on Drugs Essay Example for Free

Reagans War on Drugs Essay The phrase â€Å"sex, drugs, and rock and roll† held true to its well-earned spot in 1970’s and 1980’s society. With a new, looser culture, explicit music, raunchy and rambunctious movies as well as a societal focus on many things immoral, it was an era of challenging social norms. As the use of recreational and psychoactive drugs, as well as alcohol, increased, a new problem arose; how does law enforcement and the government undo the damage being made by this new society? Laws were passed, bureaus and commissions were formed, and the President of the United States began what he called â€Å"The War on Drugs†. Over the years, some of these solutions have proven to make some impact. The initiation, tactics, and attempts at dealing a major blow to drug abuse have all affected the way America sees drugs today. A new type of warfare had made its way into the country, and after all these years, it has made its fair share of positive and negative effects. â€Å"Just say no. † (Reagan Declares War on Drugs, 1982). This was one of the many scare tactics used in America’s new war on drugs. The president needed to construct a plan to detract the public eye from drugs’ fame. Nancy Reagan was equally as adamant about keeping America safe and clean. She traveled to and spoke at many schools, enforcing the idea of simply refusing the temptation of drugs. Before the Reagan’s began their wartime, Richard Nixon introduced his own ‘war’ on drugs, stating, â€Å"America’s public enemy number one is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive. † (Remarks About an Intensified Program for Drug Abuse Prevention, 1971). This mindset was yet another strategy used to make America energized and willing to fight this war. Nixon passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act in the 1970’s as a way to keep a constant eye on the drug industry. This act required the pharmaceutical industry to maintain physical security and strict record keeping for certain types of drugs. When Reagan became president he gave a speech, announcing, â€Å"We are taking down the surrender flag that has flown over so many drug efforts; we’re running up a battle flag. † (Reagan’s ‘War on Drugs’ Speech, 1981). America’s first clear attack on the use of drugs was verbal – this strategy temporarily affected the country, but more had to be done to combat this enemy. The United States and its’ presidents had to take a fighting stance if they wanted to decrease drug abuse. One of the first instances of this was President Nixon’s Operation Intercept. Announced even before the official ‘war’ on drugs began – in September 1969 – this campaign focused on reducing the amount of cannabis entering the United States from Mexico. Following this effort, the United States government funded the controversial Methadone Maintenance Program. Methadone Maintenance treatment, a program in which addicted individuals receive daily doses of methadone, was developed as part of a broad, multicomponent treatment program. † (Center for Disease Control, 2002). After Nixon’s trials and failures, President Carter went at the fight with a different, looser approach. Carter called for the decriminalization of marijuana. With a less vicious outlook, Carter believed that the punishment of a crime should not be more brutal than that said crime. President Carter’s tactic proved unworthy, as while he was in office, use of cocaine increased dramatically. Finally, as Reagan took center stage and stepped into presidential office, he kept a strong belief against this criminal act. Reagan created the Office of National Drug Control Policy to eradicate illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking of drugs, as well as put an end to drug related violence and crimes. Reagan put policies in place to strengthen his deadly grasp on drug-ridden society. He required mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug dealers – a policy he initiated in hopes of making drugs seem less glamorous and infinitely more criminal. He began the South Florida Task Force, which dealt with the increase of drug trafficking in Southern Florida. This force worked hand in hand with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Operation Swordfish was put in place by the DEA to attack international drug organizations. â€Å"The operation was dubbed operation swordfish because it was intended to snare the ‘big fish’ in drug trade. † (Drug Enforcement Agency, Operation Swordfish, 1980). Vice President George H. W. Bush began insisting that the CIA and U. S. Military become involved in drug interdiction efforts. The Drug-Free Media Campaign Act of 1988 was passed in hopes to convince America’s youth and future generations to stray away from drugs. After all of these battles, did America finally win this war? â€Å"The U. S. Federal Government spent over $15 billion in 2010 on the War on Drugs, a rate of about $500 per second. † (The Budgetary Impact of Drug Prohibition, 2010). This is a sign that perhaps Reagan’s War on Drugs wasn’t quite as effective as he had so hoped. The United States today has the highest incarceration rate and prison population of any country in the world. This is provided in part by the amount of arrests and incarcerations due to drug sentencing guidelines and policies. â€Å"In the 1980’s, while the number of arrests for all crimes had risen by 28%, the number of arrests for drug offenses rose 126%. † (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010). This did not specifically mean that there were more drug-related crimes, but that law enforcement had simply cracked down on the arrests of said crimes. In comparison, Time Magazine’s study states, â€Å"Drug convictions went from 15 inmates per 100,000 adults in 1980 to 148 in 1996, an almost tenfold increase. More than half of Americas federal inmates today are in prison on drug convictions. In 2009 alone, 1. 66 million Americans were arrested on drug charges†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Time Magazine, 2012). While this war on drugs may still be in effect, it may have positive outcomes for further in the future. As for the time being, America has two main stances on the subject: some call for further reparations in the war on drugs, while others believe the war is unsuccessful, and the focus needs to be shifted to more important and dire issues. The War on Drugs has failed. † (19 Member Commission, June 2, 2011). In another instance, a poll was taken throughout the country, and its results, â€Å"three in four Americans believe that the War on Drugs is failing. † (October 2008 Poll). Suggestions of decriminalization have been made by many. The legalization of drugs is claimed to have many positive effects on the country as a whole, including positive economic effects. While this ‘war’ on drugs started off as a full-fledged attack on all users and distributors of illegal narcotics, it seems to have transformed into a war against itself: will continuing these attacks help the country, or will allowing certain, less harmful drugs to be legal prove to be a more reasonable solution? â€Å"Legalizing drugs would save taxpayers $76. 8 billion a year in the United States $44. 1 billion from law enforcement savings, and at least $32. 7 billion in tax revenue†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Harvard Study by Jeffrey A. Miron, 2008). In addition, the policies put into effect by Nixon and Reagan may ave had a positive impact on crime in the United States, but it may not have been in the way they had wished. â€Å"Drugs got enormously cheaper so users didn’t have to hit as many old ladies over the head and steal their pocketbooks. † (Travis Wendel, â€Å"More Drugs, Less Crime†, 2010). Murders, robberies and other violent crimes seemed to decline as the price of drugs went down – could this happen if drugs were legalized as well? America in this day and age has a vast amount of governmental and international issues in desperate need of resolution – is drug control still one of them? The United States of America is a country known by many as ‘land of the free’, but does this mean that its citizens should be allowed to participate in activities such as drug use with such a negative connotation? Did Reagan’s War on Drugs really make an effective impact on the way America sees drugs today? The answer to that question is this – while his tactics may not have worked the way he had desired, America as a whole has indeed seen less drug related crime. This does not mean it does not exist, nor does it mean that by legalizing drugs will solve all of the country’s problems. What this does mean is that Reagan’s war on drugs did not put an end to drug use, but it just may have opened America’s eyes to more clear and present danger. While drugs are in no way going to solve America’s problems, the once War on Drugs may now need to be adjusted to a name more fitting. A War on Crime as a whole perhaps? A War on Drug Related Violence? Reagan had the correct idea, now the country can put it into proper use. His War was not an end all war, but it just may have been enough to enhance America as a whole.

Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Australia

Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Australia Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): NCDs are a group of non-infectious diseases that progress slowly from their onset and prevail for longer duration. The four main NCDs responsible for world-wide deaths are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), Cancer, Chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. According to the â€Å"World Health Organization (WHO) global statistics report†, more than 36 million deaths have been recorded in the year 2008 because of NCDs. These deaths can be prevented by reducing the risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, healthy diet with moderate to vigorous physical activity. The four major NCDs combined together are responsible for 84% of death in 2008 globally. This assignment deals with CVDs, their prevalence in Australia and the population approaches that the country has taken towards prevention and control of CVDs. This assignment also deals with the future strategies that can be followed to further decrease the prevalence of CVDS. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs): CVDs are associated with heart and blood vessels related to the heart. The most common NCD prevalent in Australia are Coronary Heart disease, Myocardial Infarction, Heart failure and Stroke. According to WHO, CVDs has become the major cause of death estimating about 17 million deaths worldwide in the year 2008 and are a major contributor towards global economic burden. Cardiovascular diseases and Australia: Even though Australia is a high income country, it is also affected because of NCD’s with 35% cardiovascular disease death rate in 2008. 2008 Australian mortality estimates: Adopted from WHO – NCD country profiles, 2011 CVDs ranks first in causing death and disability responsible for nearly 17% of disease burden in 2003. In 2008, more than 50,000 deaths have been recorded because of CVD. There is a strong linkage between CVD and other NCDs such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to their common risk factors which is also a major reason for the increase in death. Even though the mortality rates have declined over the past 20 years, CVDs are a continuous threat to the Australian population. In 2011, a death estimation of 31% was recorded which clearly denotes a decrease in death rate when compared to the 2008 death estimates of over 35%. CVDs are expensive to treat. Over $5.9 billion were spent on CVDs from total healthcare expenditure in 2004-2005. This accounts for 11% of total healthcare expenditure. Even though death rates are decreased, 482,000 hospitalizations were recorded in 2009/10 and 12% increase in hospitalization is seen from 1999 to 2010. CVDs prevalence increases with an increase in age. This increase is due to hospitalisation care for elderly and their improved life expectancy. After hospitalization and onset of CVDs, a decline in people’s life quality occurs. Long term cardiovascular diseases are reported in 35% of people between the ages 55-64 while 64% are reported in case of individuals above 75 years. Risk factors: The risk factors associated with CVDs can be classified as modifiable/behavioural risk factors and non-modifiable/genetic risk factors. Age, family history, gender and ethnicity are the genetic risk factors whereas increased tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, socio-economic status and poor nutrition are the modifiable risk factors. There are biomedical conditions such as increased blood pressure (BP), increased cholesterol, overweight, kidney disorders, diabetes which are also risk factors for the prevalence of CVDs. The modifiable risk factors can be controlled by changing the behavioural pattern such as increased physical activity, reduction in tobacco and alcohol consumption and healthy dietary pattern. This change decreases the occurrence of CVD in all populations. Physical inactivity in Australia: Physical activity improves health and decreases the effect of CVDs and its risk factors. Increased benefit is seen when vigorous physical activity is followed compared to walking. According to National Health Survey (NHS), nearly 70% of Australian population comes under low level of physical activity. Here, the physical activity is measured based on the value obtained by multiplying physical activity in last two weeks, average time spent and intensity. Intensity is substituted by 3.5 for normal walking, 5.0 for moderate activity and 7.5 for vigorous exercise. Physical activity (PA) differs with age. There is a 57% rise in physical activity in individuals aged above 75 yrs and a reduced physical activity of 27% is recorded in 15-20 year individuals. This is due to obesity, low socio-economic status and education. 4.4% of participants from a study conducted on 2,298 Australian resulted in obesity being the reason for physical inactivity. Poor health, lack of knowledge and skills, time and use of private vehicles serve as individual factors for less PA. Low socio-economic population have reduced access to supportive environments because of high cost entry fees. Unhealthy diet in Australia: A diet with high fat, dairy products and high salt causes CVDs. Data from National Health Service (NHS) of Australia for the year 2007-08 reported that 46% of Australian population consumed whole fat milk, 49% consumed skimmed milk and the remaining 5% fell under no milk consumption category. Diet rich in fibre, fresh fruits, and vegetables are recommended as healthy dietary pattern. Diet with high fruits and vegetables are recorded as age increases. 65.7% the Australian population aged 15-24 consume low fruits while only 34.6% the population aged 75 and above consume inadequate fruits. NHS reports that a decreasing trend is seen in the consumption of healthy diet in all Australian populations from 2004. This decline in healthy diet is due to socio-economic status, ethnicity and place of living. 54% of low socio-economic individuals consume inadequate fruits compared to 47% of the individuals with high economic status due to cost. In case of welfare dependent families, a healthy diet consumes about 40% of their total income which is also a reason for increase in unhealthy diet in Australia. Based on ethnicity, 71% of indigenous population consumed low fruits compared to Australians. Tobacco consumption in Australia: Increased tobacco use is a major factor for CVDs prevalence due to the presence of toxic substance called nicotine and cadmium. According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the percentage of tobacco consumption has been reduced in Australia from 1994 to 2007 from 29% to 19% in the age group above 14 years. It has been reported that the percentages of individuals who smoke daily were 26% in 1993 which reduced to 17% in 2003 and 16% in 2007. This decrease in smoking trend from 1980 till present is because of smoke-free environment, occupational status, increase in price of tobacco, banning the promotion of tobacco sale and restriction of tobacco availability based on age factor. Increased alcohol consumption in Australia: Excessive alcohol consumption contributes towards occurrence of CVDs. High level of alcohol intake increases blood pressure, blood triglycerides and cholesterol thus increasing the chances of cardiovascular occurrences. According to National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2010, a decrease in alcohol consumption from 8.1% to 7.2% is seen from 2007 to 2010. More than 26,000 individuals above 12 years participated in the National Drug Strategy Household Survey and their knowledge, alcohol and drug consumption histories and related behaviours were recorded. According to 2011-12 estimates, more than 29% adult males and 10% females have had more than two standards drink fixed by National Health and Medical Research Council. High blood pressure in Australia: High blood pressure increases the force on arterial walls of the heart and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of high blood pressure among 25 years of above Australians in 1999-2000 was 30% which is similar to the prevalence in 1995 which was 31%. A 12 year follow-up of the Australian diabetes, obesity and lifestyle study, 1999-2000 (AUSDIAB) conducted in the year 2012 reported that 3% of total population develop high blood pressure every year. 50% high risk prevails among smoking men population in Australia. High blood cholesterol in Australia: High cholesterol is common among elderly Australian population aged 55-64 years. 50% of rural Australian population have high cholesterol rate than urban population (47%). Prevention strategies: Unhealthy diet, increased alcohol consumption, smoking and physical inactivity are not only responsible for the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases but also for the burden caused by other non-communicable diseases. The Australian government along with non-government organizations created population-level prevention strategies to reduce the risk factors which reduce the country’s NCDs burden. Population-level initiatives currently active in Australia: Based on WHO 2005, the following population-level strategies are followed in Australia to reduce the prevalence of the risk factors. Laws, regulations, taxation and pricing interventions Improved built environment Public awareness campaigns Tobacco control: Since 1980’s, significant improvement in public health can be seen through awareness programmes, laws and regulations. Evidence proves that promotion of tobacco encourages adolescent population to uptake smoking. So, Tobacco prohibition Act, 1992 was passed to ban any forms of advertisement. According to Quit Victoria 2008, sponsorship by tobacco companies is also banned in return for any type of publicity. From 2006, 30% of the front and 90% of the back of cigarette packets are filled with health warnings. Smoke free environment have been present in Australia from 1986. All the Australian states have smoke-free hospital campus and vehicles. With time and place restriction to smoke, decrease in amount of smokers and passive smokers have been recorded. Presence of tobacco outlets near schools has been prohibited. Laws have been passes in all the states and territories of Australia prohibiting the sale of tobacco and cigarettes to individuals less than 18 years of age. Taxation on tobacco products was introduced in 1901 and was revised between 1993 and 1995. Based on consumer index, an increase in taxation prevails. This taxation reduced the tobacco purchase among adolescents, also increasing the government revenue. Awareness and campaigns resulted in a change in attitude among Australian smokers with a significant decrease in smoking prevalence. Alcohol control: Excessive alcohol consumption on a single occasion alters the triglyceride and cholesterol level in blood resulting in intoxication. The National Alcohol strategy, 2006-09 aimed at reducing harmful effects of alcohol consumption. The National binge drinking strategy-2008 existed to reduce alcohol intoxication among young Australians aged below 25 years through campaigns and supplying grants. Every state in Australia has separate alcohol control strategy according to which alcohol is a legal drug with restrictions on its manufacture, supply, promotion and consumption. Alcohol licensing laws were established which restricts the trading hours, quantity and premises. These have been successful by reducing the hospitalization, crime and injury with public involvement. Declaring the legal drinking age to be 18, increasing the price and tax, appropriate labelling standards and mature advertising standard without appealing youths prevented increased alcohol consumption. The Good Sports program by the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) initiates safe and healthier communities by reducing the alcohol promotion in sport clubs. Managing physical inactivity and poor diet: Regular physical activity and healthy nutrition maintains good health thereby reducing CVDs. National level population approaches such as â€Å"Healthy weight for adults and older Australians 2006-10† focuses on weight management through social-marketing campaigns and education on physical activity as well as healthy food preferences. The â€Å"Health Weight, 2008† is another national level approach that focuses on youths and their family’s health management. The â€Å"Australian physical activity† guidelines are established by the Department of Health (DoHA) for 5-12 years as well as 12-18 years. The National Heart Foundation of Australia recommends minimum 30 minutes of physical activity for individuals with stable CVDs and a progressive physical activity for people with advanced CVDs (Briffa et al. 2006). Physical activity depends on built environment. The Australian Local Government, Heart Foundation of Australia and Planning Institute of Australia pro vide guidelines on how to develop built environment with physical activity sites. According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ 2002), appropriate labelling of foods specifying the nutritional standards is necessary. The â€Å"Healthy Weight† is an Australian government managed website on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. â€Å"Get set 4 Life – Habits for Healthy Kids† targets physical activity and healthy eating among 4 year old kids. Future strategies and goals: Even though 35% mortality is seen because of CVDs, the possibility of reducing it even more in Australia is challenging since a progress to control CVDs has already been achieved. Measurement data’s such as incidences for the risk factors are important to prevent future cardiovascular mortality rates. Currently, limited data exists regarding CVDs. Most of the data’s are from the AusDiab cohort studies. Further studies should exist to measure incidence as well as to determine the efficiency of prevailing population level strategies. The impact of these prevention strategies on health outcomes are also to be measured. Clinical guidelines are present to monitor the CVDs events (NHMRC, 2005) but extra studies are required to find whether the guidelines are active in all states. International guidelines from other countries (example, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in United Kingdom) can be useful. It is necessary to concentrate more on the social and e nvironment factors as well as in-depth analysis to verify the success rate of population-level initiatives. WHOs targets for control of NCDs and the likelihood of these targets happening in Australia include: Decreasing the NCDs mortality rate: 25% relative reduction in the overall mortality rates within a time span of 15 years. This is possible by preventing the premature deaths through the control of risk factors. By 2018, the Australian government also aims at increasing the life expectancy in indigenous children population under 5 years. Smoking tobacco: 40% relative reduction from the current prevalence by 2025. From the 2010 National Drug Strategy Survey, 15.1% of individuals aged 14 years and above smoke daily. By this target, a daily smoking percentage of 10.6% can be achieved. Alcohol consumption: 10% relative reduction of alcohol consumption by 2025. Physical Activity: Inclusion of 30 minutes moderate physical activity per week in the adult population. A target of 15% increase in the proportion of individuals participating in such physical activity by 2015. Healthy diet – reduction in salt and trans-fat: Reducing the mean population consumption of salt to 5gms per day. This is hard to achieve since it requires laws and legislation to completely eliminate trans-fat. Instead of a total elimination, reduction in usage of fatty acids in foods can be achieved. Conclusion: Australia has already achieved a target to reduce the burden caused by NCDs. Considering the present situation, it is possible to reduce the risk factors rather than eliminating them completely. The above mentioned targets along with effective medication and lifestyle changes successfully will reduce the current prevalence of risk factors and NCDs burden in Australia.

Abortion Essay -- Pregnancy Ethics Essays

Abortion Perhaps one of the most controversial issues debated between lawmakers and legislatures is abortion. Disputes concerning abortion began during the 1820s. By 1965, with a few exceptions, abortion had been made illegal in all states. Abortions were only permitted when the fetus was deformed, or if birth of the baby would harm the mother’s life. All of this changed however in 1973 during the landmark Supreme Court Case of Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion. The Supreme Court recognized that it is solely a mother’s choice whether to become a parent. The court also recognized that an issue as significant as child bearing warrants the highest level of constitutional protection. According to the Court, a state’s interest in potential life is not â€Å"compelling† until there is a status of viability—the point in pregnancy at which there is a reasonable possibility for the sustained survival of the fetus outside of the womb. The Cour t also affirmed that the right to privacy is not absolute and that a state does have a valid interest in safeguarding maternal health, maintaining medical standards, and protecting potential health. Under the Court’s decision, a state may, but is not required to prohibit abortion after viability, except when it is necessary to protect a women’s life or health. The Roe v. Wade decision faced immediate opposition. Opponents at both the federal and state level urged government to pass anti-abortion legislation. Over the next two decades, the Supreme Court was repeatedly called upon to decide whether a wide range of abortion statutes violated a woman’s right to privacy. While a large portion of these restrictions were considered unconstitutional, the court grante... ...forts to educate women about other options, such as adoption, should be extended. Furthermore, there should be an expansion of efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies. Such efforts should include programs for sexual education and the provision of contraceptives to sexually active females. Abortion should not only be available to those women with the financial means to pay for it. Congress should pass laws that would ensure females of low-income status access to abortion at the government’s expense. Moderates would also like laws that guarantee that medical facilities which provide abortions are licensed to meet very high standards of health care. Websites for more information: www.naral.org www.crlp.org www.nrlc.org http://www.plannedparenthood.org/abortion/default.htm http://www.policyalmanac.org/culture/abortion.shtml Abortion Essay -- Pregnancy Ethics Essays Abortion Perhaps one of the most controversial issues debated between lawmakers and legislatures is abortion. Disputes concerning abortion began during the 1820s. By 1965, with a few exceptions, abortion had been made illegal in all states. Abortions were only permitted when the fetus was deformed, or if birth of the baby would harm the mother’s life. All of this changed however in 1973 during the landmark Supreme Court Case of Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion. The Supreme Court recognized that it is solely a mother’s choice whether to become a parent. The court also recognized that an issue as significant as child bearing warrants the highest level of constitutional protection. According to the Court, a state’s interest in potential life is not â€Å"compelling† until there is a status of viability—the point in pregnancy at which there is a reasonable possibility for the sustained survival of the fetus outside of the womb. The Cour t also affirmed that the right to privacy is not absolute and that a state does have a valid interest in safeguarding maternal health, maintaining medical standards, and protecting potential health. Under the Court’s decision, a state may, but is not required to prohibit abortion after viability, except when it is necessary to protect a women’s life or health. The Roe v. Wade decision faced immediate opposition. Opponents at both the federal and state level urged government to pass anti-abortion legislation. Over the next two decades, the Supreme Court was repeatedly called upon to decide whether a wide range of abortion statutes violated a woman’s right to privacy. While a large portion of these restrictions were considered unconstitutional, the court grante... ...forts to educate women about other options, such as adoption, should be extended. Furthermore, there should be an expansion of efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies. Such efforts should include programs for sexual education and the provision of contraceptives to sexually active females. Abortion should not only be available to those women with the financial means to pay for it. Congress should pass laws that would ensure females of low-income status access to abortion at the government’s expense. Moderates would also like laws that guarantee that medical facilities which provide abortions are licensed to meet very high standards of health care. Websites for more information: www.naral.org www.crlp.org www.nrlc.org http://www.plannedparenthood.org/abortion/default.htm http://www.policyalmanac.org/culture/abortion.shtml

The Chocolate War :: essays research papers

1. Robert Cormier wrote The Chocolate War. The copyright of the book is 1974. 2. In the exposition of The Chocolate War, Jerry Renault, the freshman quarterback, was receiving constant blows from opposing players. Jerry was trying to get the ball to his receiver, the Goober, but not having any luck. In The Chocolate War, the rising action was the majority of the story. At Trinity High School, the school that Jerry attends, there is a group of "elite" students called the Vigils. The Vigils give out "assignments" to random students at Trinity. Archie, the head, told the Goober that his assignment was to unscrew every screw in Room nineteen. The Goober spent several hours doing his assignment, and eventually finished with the assistance of a few Vigil members. As the story goes on, the reader learns that every year at Trinity, there is a chocolate sale run by the assistant head master, Brother Leon. The last major detail in the rising action was when Archie informed Jerry of his assignment, Jerry’s assignment was not to sell chocolates for the first ten days of the annual chocolate sale. The climax of the novel was on the eleventh day of the chocolate sale when Jerry was supposed to start selling the chocolates but he didn’t. As a result of Jerry not selling any chocolates, the other students’ sales began to plummet during the falling action of the story. Brother Leon began to feel nervous and had to go to Archie and the Vigils for help. Incredibly, the Vigils turned the whole school against Jerry and made selling chocolates the "cool" thing. Students began to look down upon Jerry for not conforming to the chocolate sale tradition. Someone even vandalized Jerry’s locker and cut up his gym sneakers. A group of boys, including Emile Janza, one of the biggest bullies at Trinity, jumped Jerry after football practice and abused Jerry’s body with their fists and football cleats. The Chocolate War didn’t have a happy ending, but there was a resolution in the story. Archie set up a boxing match, of all things, between Jerry Renault and Emile Janza. Emile ended up beating Jerry to a bloody pulp in a matter of minutes, while Jerry landed only three punches the entire match. As a result Jerry finally learned that he couldn’t beat the system, and that he’d be better off doing what his authorities instructed him to do.

Employee Compensation and Benefits Essay

Companies today should mirror their compensation and benefit programs with their long- term business strategy and organizational culture. According to Casio (2010), â€Å"Pay systems are designed to attract, retain, and motivate employees† (p.421). The most important objective is fairness or to achieve internal, external, and individual equity; and maintain a balance in relationships between direct and indirect forms of compensation, and between the pay rates of supervisory and nonsupervisory employees. Employers must perform job analysis, develop job descriptions, evaluate the value of job/position in the organization, develop pay structure and pay levels to create competitive employee compensation and benefits (Cascio, 2010). Components of Employee Compensation and Benefits Employers must gain their workers’ trust, loyalty, and motivation to ensure organizational goals are achieved. There are three major components of the benefits package: security and health (e.g. health insurance, disability insurance, hospitalization, surgical, maternity coverage, pension plans, etc.), payments for time not worked (e.g. vacations, holidays, personal excused absences, grievances and negotiations, sabbatical leaves, etc.), and employee services (e.g. tuition aid, credit unions, auto insurance, fitness and wellness programs, moving and transfer allowances, stock-purchase plans, referral awards, flex work schedules, etc.). Factors such as the following are important strategic considerations in the design of benefits programs: the long-term plans of a business, its stage of development, its projected rate of growth or downsizing, characteristics of its workforce, legal requirements, the competitiveness of its benefits package, and its total compensation strategy (C asio, 2010). Organizational Data to Conduct Human Capital Management Functions Organizations consider human capital management as a function of the human  resources department in managing organizations’ most important asset, their employees. By creating a competitive compensation and benefits package, management puts emphasis on the economic value of their personnel. Because of today’s competitive environment, developing incentives that constantly improve employee performance, job satisfaction, and encourage motivation of every individual employed is essential to effectively achieve the organizations vision, mission, and goals. When the organizations human capital management functions and policies inspire employees to excel, as a result of the compensation, benefits, and incentives provided to them, everyone wins (Casio, 2010)! References: Cascio, W. F. (2010). Managing human resources: Productivity, quality of work life, profits (8th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.