Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) - 1359 Words

This paper explores the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The virus has infected two million adults and children by the year 2005 already. The virus continues to race around the world, and new HIV infections are at 50,000 per year (Martine Peeters, Matthieu Jung, Ahidjo Ayouba) (2013). The final outcome of the HIV infection is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). There are many treatments that have developed to help the large number of people infected (Demmer, 2002). HIV greatly spread throughout Africa while originating with African chimpanzees. There are many different theories as to what started the HIV outbreaks, but all theories come to the same conclusion that there†¦show more content†¦Origins of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus The human immunodeficiency virus infecting humans originated as a natural infection from chimpanzees. HIV sporadically infected rural people that lived in isolated areas amongst the Congo. David M. Hills (2000) states in â€Å"Origins of HIV† that the virus had deadly outcomes. It quickly adapted to human beings. This became a human disease transmitted through blood and sexual contact. Tracing HIV to its roots, physicians recognized this virus as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and Kaposi’s sarcoma found in young homosexual men (Peeters et al., 2013). These observations are the beginning of an alertness of the HIV epidemic in the United States. The final outcome of the HIV infection is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Dennis H Osmond; Susan Buchbinder; Amber Cheng; Allison Graves) (2002). There are two subtypes of the virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2. They both originate from the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) which was found in Africa. The source of the HIV-1 virus was in chimpanzees coming from central Africa. The source of HIV-2 virus was from west Africa derived from Soot Mangabey Monkeys (Rambout et al., 2001). HIV belongs to a family of viruses known as lentiviruses. Paul M. Sharp and Beatrice H. Hahn (2011) explain in their article that lentiviruses are viruses that slowly act over a long period of

Paradox of Affluence and Maslow free essay sample

Only 30% of Americans say they are very happy according to national surveys, depression shows the most dramatic increase, and there is more suffering from mental disorders and emotional distress since the increase in wealth. The research on happiness and wealth relate to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs because in his hierarchy he answers the question of how to accomplish happiness. According to his hierarchy, to feel happy you need to be in a positive state of mind or feeling that is characterized by satisfaction or pleasure and he suggests that in order to be able to experience those positive feelings, one must first satisfy needs. His triangle consists of nothing but five levels of needs. Wealth is related to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as well because having money to support yourself, your family, buy food, and have a place to live, is part of the needs. In the second level up on the triangle of needs is security needs, which defines a person’s need to have security, especially financially. We will write a custom essay sample on Paradox of Affluence and Maslow or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, there are three more levels above security needs and none of them say anything about being wealthy, or being able to buy tons of expensive products in order to be happy.

Canadas Declining Health Care System And The Brain Drain Essays

Canadas Declining Health Care System And The Brain Drain Canada's Declining Health Care System and the Brain Drain Canada's government-funded health care system in under attack. Despite the mandate of the Canada health act, which was meant to assure universality, comprehensiveness, equitable access, public administration and portability of our health care system, (Braithwaite 17), Canadians today make the issue of health care their most important political concern. One of the biggest crises the Canadian health care system faces is for strange reasons not in the spotlight when debating the issues, that is the brain drain-Canada losing highly skilled physicians and health care workers to other countries like the U.S. It is time to look at solutions to reverse this popular trend among doctors. A privately funded health care system can rejuvenate health related research in Canada and virtually eliminate the brain drain. By addressing today health care problems, examining what lures our workers to other countries, and applying economic models, a theory to today's problems can be answered. Canada's health care concerns are primarily the result of federal and provincial cutbacks in an effort to eliminate the deficit (Gordon 1). Under the restructuring, governments have provided less money to the system resulting in hospital closures, lack of hospital beds, and operating rooms, cancellation or reduction of programs and restriction on the availability of new medical technologies (Gordon 3). All these have resulted in limiting the service provided by physicians to their patients. A similar situation exists with respect to physicians in the research community. Talented, world-class Canadian scientists have been faced shrinking government funding for basic and clinical research. Among the G-7 nations, Canada ranks last in per capita spending for health research. Japan, France, the U.S. and the U.K. all spend between 1.5 and 3.5 times more than Canada does (Bannister 77). It is clear to see that many issues must be addressed to keep our doctors north of the border. Evidence of the physician brain drain in Canada is plentiful. Data from the Canadian Institute for health information (CIHI) shows that there has been a 130per cent increase, which is more than double, the net loss of doctors that went to work abroad from 1991-1996, mostly going to the states. In 1996 alone, 513 Canadian physicians (net) that left Canada represent the annual output of approximately five Canadian medical schools (Buske 158). The loss of each single physician represents a loss of a major Canadian investment in a highly educated, skilled practitioner who otherwise could have contributed to the overall health and well being of Canadians in their respective communities, and whose future research could have proved to serve the country as a whole. But with much higher salaries and larger funding for research, it is hardly the doctors' fault. The brain drain is not confined to physicians. Doctors represent only one quarter of health workers who made the move to the states in 1996, with nurses making up the majority (Buske 158). It is clear that Canada's health care needs more funding at all levels, and the only way to accomplish this goal is to open new money streams into the system to counter the impact of diminishing funding. One answer to the problem is to have a privately funded health care system, which would let Canada keep doctor salaries competitive and provide additional resources to the system, including selling our services to U.S. patients. Although privatization of health care scares many citizens, especially those with little to no income, a publicly funded system with a private tier could alleviate their worries and benefit all Canadians. With an added source of revenue, the economics behind this model is simple: as the price of salaries goes up, the population of doctors and nurses in Canada rises as well. If the demand for doctors in Canada rises, which seems to be the case, then the government must do something to increase the supply as well, in order for the market to stay in equilibrium. The closer to equilibrium means fewer waiting lists for medical attention and better health care overall, which are aspects that we just cannot afford to overlook or relax at the expense of other Canadian health and social issues. Increased revenue through some

Companies Damage Control

Companies Damage Control Introduction Through the process of globalization markets around the world are experiencing a greater degree of interconnectivity resulting in a far more efficient process of global capital flows and resource allocation. In other words resources from one area in the world can now be allocated to another area in the world in a faster, cheaper and more efficient way.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Companies’ Damage Control specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is an important factor to take into consideration due to the fact that as the green movement progresses within the U.S. and new forms of legislation are enacted to force companies to comply with stricter environmental standards this creates a distinctly unfriendly business environment for companies to continue operations in. Why do Companies Outsource? When factoring in the high cost of American labor, high local and government taxes as well as higher uti lity cost expenditure as compared to that in other countries it becomes obvious as to why companies are outsourcing their business processing and manufacturing sectors to locations such as China, the Philippines and India. In such locations not only is the minimum wage lower but utility expenditure is cheaper, local environmental laws are more lax and companies are able to be more flexible in terms of how they want their operations to grow and develop. Implications Unfortunately the long term implications of the outsourcing movement is a decrease in the American manufacturing sector as more and more jobs go to foreign countries. Also it must be noted that there are environmental implications that should be taken into consideration since the reason why the green movement has become so prevalent in the U.S. is related to the fact that it is often the case that unregulated and unrestricted manufacturing processes often result in adverse impacts on the local environment. As noted in the case of China and India where a majority of outsourced manufacturing has been going, it was seen that between the 1990s to the present the level of toxic chemicals in the air and water has increased exponentially due to the rather lax environmental standards for the disposal of industrial waste during the manufacturing process.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Corporate Social Responsibility What must be understood is that while companies are not directly liable for activities before particular laws have been enacted against them all companies should at least follow a certain degree of corporate social responsibility (CSR) during normal business processes. CSR is a way in which a company limits its actions in order to comply with certain ethical standards and principles, the goal of which is a positive impact on the local community and environment (KRENG MAY-YAO, 2011). The reason behind this is connected to the way in which a company is perceived by consumers which results in either a positive or negative company image which will impact consumer patronage of a companys products and services. Thus, it can be seen that in cases where there is a necessity to perform a certain degree of due diligence in cases where a company has to fix a problem when certain laws prohibit particular actions then under CSR a company must do so in order to maintain a positive public image. Conclusion As such, in the case of damage control in the case presented what will be done is for the company to immediately take responsibility and fix the problem under the tenets of CSR however based on the possibility of future problems such as this surfacing in the future it would be recommended that the companys manufacturing facilities be transferred to locations abroad where environmental regulation laws are less strict so as to prevent future regulation problems from oc curring. Reference Kreng, V. B., May-Yao, H. (2011). Corporate Social Responsibility: Consumer Behavior, Corporate Strategy, And Public Policy. Social  Behavior Personality: An International Journal, 39(4), 529-541.

Issues faced by multinational companyies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issues faced by multinational companyies - Essay Example In this present day context, companies are eager to earn an extraordinary reputation for themselves in the global market, which further encourages them to diversify their respective business operations. The issues that face by the multi-national organisations might impose considerable impact upon the reputation along with the overall performance of their business in an unfavourable way. In recent years, multinational companies are dealing with critical issues while performing their respective operations throughout the globe. This can be owing to the reason of their wider operational network and prevalence of extreme business market competition among others. A few of the challenges that face by multi-national companies include incessant alteration of business environment, changing trends in the preferences of the customers and rising competition among others (Sabir , 2013; Elnaugh, 2008). Contextually, this paper intends to evaluate the present issues and challenges facing by multinat ional companies in the global business environment. The evaluation will be conducted through reviewing several noteworthy literatures and critically comparing different concepts or theories related to the subject matter. Critical Evaluation of Issues/Results As discussed above, multi-national organisations on the modern day environment often face several issues that impose unfavourable impacts upon their operational performance. With the advent of globalisation, the companies have to deal with stern competition, forcing them to adopt unconventional strategies for the purpose of overcoming the identified issues and attaining sustainability. Apart from this, companies also need to move parallel with the changing demands of the customers. Additionally, constant advancements in technology present another major challenge for companies in this present day context (Slideshare Inc., 2013). The challenges that are currently faced by the multi-national companies have been illustrated hereunde r with reference to the relevant theories. Comparing and Contrasting Different Theories, Concepts and Research Findings Multi-national companies are observed to remain continuously under immense pressure in order to perform effectively in an evenly poised competitive global market. According to the study conducted by McDonald & Burton (2013), there are certain major challenges that companies face when they perform their respective operations in several regions of the world, which can be explained with the assistance of the globalization and international theories. Emphasising the same context, Hennart (2000), affirmed that the foremost among them is the changing economic conditions that have been explained as ‘market imperfections’ in Hymer’s international theories. In this regard, the global financial conditions fluctuate quite frequently due to gaining momentum of globalisation and other crucial factors mainly owing to two driving forces, viz. ‘boundedly rational’ and ‘opportunistic’ forces, influencing companies to change their strategies on a constant basis in correspondence to their transaction costs (Hennart, 2000). Moreover, McDonald & Burton (2013) also affirmed that volatility in the political conditions of various nations also forced multi-national co

Market Model Patterns of Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Market Model Patterns of Change - Research Paper Example The introduction of Pepsi and other competitors into a market changed Coca cola’s business operations. Among these was the adoption of increased advertisement to popularize the brand. In addition, it introduced new incentives to the market like sports sponsorship and holiday campaigns. The company has also introduced new products like bottled water. The company entered new markets and increased the number of outlets in the globe (Petretti, 2008). In the short run a business seeks to maximize on the profits by increasing production, decreasing production and continue producing. Coke started operating aggressively in France in 1999. Its primary concentration was customer satisfaction. This is evident through incentives offered to retailers and middlemen. This has made coke available to the customer. It has also acquired shelf spaces in areas that the customer can easily access the product. Coca cola aims to reduce it cost of production in the long run. This could be achieved thr ough the change in capacity levels in order to reach low cost, which is evident through its plan to increase production in china. It would be achieved through introduction of new production line. ... Needless to say, the company was sued by its distributors as it sought to expand its market of powdered sport drinks. This created a bad reputation to the Coca Cola Company. It however created a problem within its distribution channel. Coca cola has faced tough economic conditions. According to Gill (2008), these conditions have led to low consumption of the beverages. It has encountered high ingredients cost and a decline in sales. In countries such as India the company has received criticism from activists. It has been accused of depleting underground water where the bottling plants are located. The company has to improve on its corporate social responsibilities in order to remain competitive in the industry. Competitors are forging partnerships that are aimed at increasing their market share in certain markets (Gill, 2008). Pepsi and Tingyi holding corporation established an alliance that aims to exploit the China market. Coca cola moved in to increase its production in the market by building new production lines. On the other hand, Pepsi has been able to improve its market share to almost 20 percent as compared to coca colas’ 17 percent. Coca cola has experienced a decline in profit levels. In Europe it registered a 4 percent decline in sales. This is due to the economic crises facing the continent (Gill, 2008). Pepsi produces soft drinks as well as snacks. Coca cola has been able to improve on its products as well as come up with bottled water. This indicates that the competition is stiff. Petretti (2008) denotes that these companies are innovating new ideas to remain relevant in the market. Pepsi has been reported to have spent around 3.5 billion dollars in marketing its products. Pepsi has recently realized

Effects of Computer Society Essay Example for Free

Effects of Computer Society Essay Traditionally, courses that deal with computers and society issues focus primarily on enumerating the various ways in which computers impact society. This is done by listing categories of topics such as privacy, computers in medicine, military uses of computers, etc. Classic cases of computer abuse or errant systems are typically described in detail, as a way of simply making students more aware of how computers affect society. These examples are meant to serve as warnings to future professionals, in the hopes that they will practice their profession with greater care. What is missing from these discussions, however, is  why  computers have the impact they do on society. What are the characteristics that are the root of this impact? Are there fundamental differences between this technology and others that have transformed our world in the past? The intent of developing a list of these characteristics is that it could lead to a better understanding of the nature of the social impact of computers. In this way, it might be possible to examine a new computer project at the time of its  design  (not, as is the usual case, a long time after the project has been implemented and disseminated) to determine its potential impacts as a social change agent. The characteristics given below are not necessarily unique to computer technology. However, in many instances computers have created situations that were previously impossible to accomplish (such as space flight), were essentially inconceivable until the technology was applied, or at least were very difficult to achieve without the aid of computer technology. Furthermore, even though other technologies may have had impacts similar to computers in many ways, computer technology has greatly amplified their effects to the point of entirely overshadowing any previous technologys impact. Finally, the term  computer technology  is meant to be inclusive of any device that is essentially controlled by a basic computer (CPU, program, etc. ). This would include, therefore, modern telephones, VCRs, microwave ovens, CAT scanners, supermarket scanners, and the like. The following are in no particular order. Also, some devices or examples are likely to fit into more than one of the categories below: (1) Ubiquity It is perhaps stating the obvious that computers appear to be everywhere today. Even when we dont encounter them directly in their various forms of modern convenience devices, such as digital watches, microwave ovens, VCRs, and the like, we generate transactions that are processed via computers without actively doing anything: the utility companies are recording our usage, the phone company records incoming calls, our answering machine might be recording a message while we are doing something else, someone is performing a credit check on us, etc. (2) Magnification Computers tend toward magnification in several different ways. First, the explosion of the availability of information is due in large part to the computers ability to generate, collect, and store an ever increasing amount of raw data. Since the ability to create and collect data is growing exponentially, so too is the generation of information that can be synthesized from this data. Second, the types of negative impacts a single error can have has grown enormously with computer technology. Finally, the number of people directly affected by a system error has also grown enormously, to where a single software system literally can affect millions directly. 3) Accessibility Access to information continues to increase at hard to believe speeds. Many information resources are available only in digital form, via, for instance, the Internet. As more information is converted to digital form (e. g. voice and video), the ability to duplicate and distribute such information increases enormously. Indeed, there are some forms of publishing that can exist only within the context of a computer system. The concept of hypertext and hypermedia (including audio and video), the ability to create non-linear accessibility to information, was conceived out of the ability to randomly access information via computers. Its increasing success easily shows how important information in a digital form has become already. (Oz, 1994). (5) Lack of Accountability It has become a popular complaint that it is getting more and more difficult to locate a human being who is willing to accept responsibility for an error made by a computerized system. While it is tempting to blame such problems on incompetent employees, in truth the problem may be a poor user interface, lack of training, or an error in the software, none of which can be solved by those providing the front-line service. Another difficulty is finding someone who will, indeed, fix an error in an account. It is often the case that service representatives are reluctant to accept the responsibility for making a necessary change. In addition, it can often be difficult to even find a human being to deal with a problem. Getting lost in a voice-mail system has become a modern urban legend. (Nissenbaum, 1994). (6) Temporality Computers have several effects on time and the timeliness of information. It seems that computer technology is to blame in large part for the speed p of modern society everything has to get done faster, be there sooner, be available immediately. Another form of temporality in computer systems is that information can be retained over long periods of time, even when they appear to have been destroyed (consider the classic case of Col. Oliver North). There is little reason that information should be entirely lost any more, even due to accident. And it is reasonable to suspect that every s crap of information generated today will be available virtually forever. Another temporal shift for which computers have been responsible is that people who work together do not necessarily have to do so at the same time. Finally, services and information are more frequently available on a 24-hour basis. This allows people to request a service or seek information when it fits their schedule, rather than when it fits the service providers schedule. (7) Spatiality Computers have done more to shorten distances than any previous technology, even the supersonic jet. It is possible to send large amounts of data, messages, video, etc. virtually anywhere in the world via networks such as Internet. Long distance learning, using information databases or video feeds of courses via satellite, is a reality for a growing portion of our modern society. We can now even be on the move when we talk with someone on the phone, or receive a fax. (8) Surveillability Is there any doubt that computers have made surveillance easier than at any time in history? In addition to the usual surveillance equipment such as cameras and microphones, transactional data is increasingly being collected for virtually all types of transactions, even cash purchases and the acquisition of services. There has even been discussion by the government of using a universal health card, which is seen by many as the first step toward finalizing the move (begun with the co-opting of the social security number) in the US toward a national identification card. (9) Shifting of Relationships/Changes in Intercommunication Protocols One of the more difficult characteristics to track is how computer technology has changed communication between people and groups of people. In particular, the use of email has been shown to eliminate a lot of the usual visual and verbal cues we often use in communicating with one another (whch can be viewed as both an advantage and as a disadvantage). In addition to removing such cues, computer-mediated communications mask attributes such as race, gender, age, or physical disability, in addition, perhaps, to the persons social or management status within an organization. (Grudin, 1994; Perrole, 1987). (10) Illusion of Precision It is not difficult to make many (perhaps even most) people who are not in the computer field believe that any numeric result generated by a computer is correct. Those not well versed in the hardware of computers have little understanding of the fact that numbers must be converted back and forth between decimal and binary forms, or that there is a limitation on the accuracy of numbers due to memory constraints. As a result, they willingly accept values generated by a computer as infinitely accurate. (Liffick, 1985). Conclusion The characteristics described above are factors in the social impact of computer technology. For most there is at least anecdotal evidence of their existence (with seemingly countless examples). For some, there is also experimental evidence. It has finally become widely accepted that technology is not value neutral, as originally thought. By examining this list and using it as a set of landmarks for evaluating new systems, it may be possible to better anticipate the social impact of new systems, prior to their dissemination.