India's Globalization and Economic Development Essay

India's Globalization and Economic Development - Essay Example After India’s independence, economic managers took very cautious steps since they found the world sharply divided into two blocs. On one end, there were capitalist economies, particularly the US; on the other hand, there existed communist economies, primarily the USSR. This study will drive an evaluation of these competitive claims via a systematic investigation by use of an intensive case study. Foreign policy is the effort by a nation to capitalize on its state interest in the global environment. In 1947, India foreign policies strived to attain international peaceful environment, autonomy, strategic space, free of entanglement, conflicts, and alliances associated with Cold War while it concentrated on domestic activities aimed at nation building (Mukherjee and Malone 2). This India’s philosophy facilitated neither global economic growth nor corporation (Anonymous 14). In fact, it facilitates conflicts and collisions as Indian economic analysts assert that unlike dome stic policy, this India’s foreign policy attempt meets other states in search of the same goals for themselves and sometimes at India’s expense. ... India’s patterns of globalization side with hyperactive globalists and diplomats in spite of having existed since immemorial time. As of now, people understand foreign policy as a function of the modern state system since they can speak of the late Indian medieval policy. According to Westphalia state system, before India came to existence in the eighteenth century, she was losing sovereignty attributes and her capacity for foreign policy and independence. As a result, Imperial British interests prevailed over India’s foreign goals since the country was a dependant (Mukherjee and Malone 13). From the perspective of feminist economists, winners and losers of India appear represented in the process of globalization. For instance, due to his strong personality, Curzon tried to assert what Imperial British portrayed as India’s interests by sending Young on his expedition in Tibet. However, London reined on him so rapid to let go of his gains in order to preserve the overall British interests. The balance of power theory in conjunction with game theory put across that practitioners and diplomats analyses the working of global changes basing their facts on opportunities, joys of diplomacy, and threats. Therefore, transformers’ view of India’s globalization contradict with that of skeptics since the former believe they are fortunate to have lived in a time when India was undergoing the period of the fastest change and they aspire to practice foreign policy. Today the world is experiencing political diversities and economic values within groups where independent states do not want to accept burdens that come along with international leadership.

Arguing a postion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Arguing a postion - Essay Example Furthermore if it comes to a choice between regulated studies on a few animals and treatment for an incurable disease, most people reluctantly make the same choice (Morelle).On the other hand, and animal rights activists argue that animal testing and experimentation is ethically and morally wrong, because by experimenting carious medicines on animals, we are selfishly causing them pain for our own benefit. While the standpoint of the activists may be sympathetic, ultimately, in Western society as a whole accepts the sacrifice of animals in the name of science. Joan Ryan, an ex-home office minister quoted, â€Å"Animal research and testing has played a part in almost every medical breakthrough of the last century. It has saved hundreds of millions of lives worldwide†. (Ryan). In fact, animal testing may not be the only way to discover new methods of treatment and diagnosis. The tests performed provide convenience as most of the test animals resemble the Human biological system and the results observed in these systems are quite similar to the effects expected to be observed in Humans. Since Humans can’t be used for testing and experimental purposes. Moreover, as animals share similar biological features to humans; animal testing has made strides in veterinary medicine as well. On the other hand, there are many people who consider animal testing as cruelty being inflicted upon the animals, the issue of selfishness is also another reason that these experiments are considered wrong because of the fact that we hurt the animals just to gain benefit for our own self. Animal testing and experiments are also considered to violate animal rights; those who support this statement tend to believe that if testing on humans is considered wrong then the same should be considered for the animals (Shukla). All of these procedures and experiments are previously approved by the relevant

The meaning and impact of discrimination

The meaning and impact of discrimination One has constructed this essay in a manner in which the reader will be able to appreciate the motives of discrimination and inequality and when they could take place; as well as the meaning and the impact they have, not only on the LGBT community but on the society as a whole. Throughout this essay one will attempt to identify the manifestation of inequality in the modern society, which in spite of everything is still occurring even after the Equality Act 2010 has come into practice and it introduced the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). This essay will focus on and around the inequality experienced by the LGBT community only, while keeping in mind of the fact that many other communities are suffering due to the injustice caused by being discriminated against. Supposedly, due to a recent period of advancement in law-making, the people identifying themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) are benefiting from extraordinary privileges and safeguarding which were initiated in the light of the appalling experiences they had, as well as promoting diversity; these rights are protected by the legal system in the UK, but are they mere theories/ideologies whose application still remains of question? Many people have overlooked any existing inequalities post enforcement of the aforementioned laws, thinking that if the law exist it means that it will happen. This essay will critically appraise the actual application of these laws within public and private organizations as well as at an individual level. The writer contemplates on commencing this essay with investigating the definitions of inequality and discrimination, for the reason that it will provide a solid foundation for the further understanding of the aforementioned terminology often described as a concern within the society; as well as providing reassurance that the reader is in agreement with the writer as far as the meaning of the words. According to Collins’ dictionary, inequality is the disparity in social class, assets, health, and prospect between human beings or social classes. The inequalities may be experienced by everybody, especially those people who are part of minority groups. Inequality is often stemmed from the society’s discriminatory behaviour practiced by institutions, governmental chambers and individuals in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Wales and Northern Ireland (UK) towards the people identifying themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Subsequently, one would like to define the term discrimination, similar words that relate are bigotry, bias, injustice, favouritism, unfairness, inequity, prejudice, and intolerance. In essence, it refers to certain individuals or groups of people behaving unfairly (discriminating), toward a person or a group of people they perceive to be different from themselves or the group of people they associate with. Discrimination often stems from people’s evolutionary fear of the unknown, promoted by the lack of education and obliviousness towards phenomena that are regarded as out of the ordinary. Lorde, A talks about her opinion on the social division present in our society â€Å"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.† Lorde, A. (1995) The society became indoctrinated overtime and the discriminatory practices have come to be accepted as culturally/societally and furthermore unswervingly tolerable. This of course, should have been subject to change in the modern society of the twenty first century. Regrettably, the society has learned nothing from history, and an abundant amount of discrimination is still present and it leads to societies morals being questioned. This is mainly due to argumentum ad populum[1] which leads people to have unthinkable preoccupations just to belong and feel accepted. The reader may be familiar with the concept of â€Å"othering† also known as â€Å"otherness†. Classified as a psychological approach, it is fundamental to sociological studies and it illustrates the imbalance within political power between the majority and the minority groups. It appears that from a sociological perspective the majority versus minority power balance leans towards the majority. Othering is a ma nner of obtaining one’s own definite individuality as a result of the defaming of an other†. Bauman, Z claims that the notion of otherness is based on the fact that the human individualities are established as irreconcilable difference and he approves of the idea of otherness as an acceptable social concept. One would argue that this theory is defending the need for social classification based on the higher number of people which belong to a certain set of criteria which are more commonly found; furthermore making this theory very short sighted. One must aim for equality as a social norm, Goldwater, B explains that† Equality, rightly understood as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences; wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism. â€Å"Goldwater, B (1964) LGBT communities often live with â€Å"The sword of Damocles†[2] hanging above their heads meaning that they live under constant real and perceive threat during their lives, having an impact on their relationships with friends and family, health status, mental health (there are higher risks of depression, suicide, anxiety and mental distress in the LGBT population), and financial deficits. These people feel the need to â€Å"come out† in front of their friends and family, and want to be accepted without the fear of rejection and guilt. Then again, why the notion of â€Å"coming out of the closet†? The society is building closets to hide what they want to avoid, i.e. skeletons in the closet. Do heterosexual people have to make their sexual orientation public and fear of disapproval, rejection, and discrimination? One of the reasons for all this unwanted attention towards people’s sexual orientation may be because focusing on the LGBT community and spending energy and time on discriminating (please see otherness) is a red herring[3] used to distract the society’s attention from more important problems such as poverty and recession. The aforementioned theory is a mere extrapolation, such trying to find reason in madness or a as Nietzsche portrays it â€Å"†¦.there is also always some reason in madness Nietzsche (1914) although some people do prefer to accept it as oppose to admitting that people can be so venal. Wilkinson et al believes that â€Å"although sexual orientation is only one component of an individuals sexual identity there is a common misconception that the components of a persons sexual identity operate in parallel. For example, when people are described as possessing cross-gender sex roles, they are more likely to be perceived as being gay or lesbian.† Wilkinson, Wayne and Roy, Andrew (2005) One cannot avoid drawing attention to the standing of the Christian Church and its philosophies, and their impact on people’s way of life (at least from a historical perspective). Therefore, one of the reasons behind the inequality and discrimination people within the LGBT community are experiencing, it is due to the intransigent position of the Abrahamic religions[4] as far as sexual orientation. The Church is (was) profoundly engrossed within the social and cultural background, especially in the very religious population but not limited to; this has engendered fallacies emerged from pious puritanical dogmas regarding the individuals with non-heterosexual orientation. Therefore these individuals exposed to the aforesaid ideologies have grown up to think that it is unnatural and dehumanizing to have a non-heterosexual orientation. This may affect the individual as far as their own sexual orientation thus often causing them to deny who they are, keep it hidden and even practice suicidal behaviour (please see closet); or practice homophobic behaviour with a view in being accepted in their communities. On the other hand, many Christian denominations adopt newer and more open ideas about homosexuality, which allows more people to keep following their faith while being themselves. Many people/health professionals/social worker fail to understand that homosexuality is only a small aspect of a person’s individuality. The reader may inquire about the impact of the inequality towards the LGBT community on today’s society and vice versa. It is causing a social problem, for the reason that the society ends up persecuting prolific members of the society who would be able to elicit much beneficial changes for the posterity. Unfortunately the lack of opportunities, the mental distress and disapproval they experience leads to them not being able to achieve their full potential and thus impedes the social growth and progress. On the other hand, the constant discrimination and harassment experienced by these individuals could evoke strengths of character in certain people, who would eventually become leaders of the resistance against inequality and discriminatory practices. They may devise strategies to further educate the masses by becoming transparent and open themselves up to sharing their private experiences with others. Ultimately, fighting for the rights to be heard and accepted as parents, as spouses, as teachers, as friends, colleagues, leaders, care providers and furthermore human beings as well as form closely knit groups which provide emotional support to one another. One of these people is Lorde, A, a well-known civil rights, feminist movements activist and writer emerged from the LGBT community as an advocate by voicing her view on the importance of community support; The outsider, both strength and weakness. Yet without community there is certainly no liberation, no future, only the most vulnerable and temporary armistice between me and my oppression.† Audre Lorde (1996) One could argue that there are many people within the society who are celebrating the differences in people and that in the ideal world people would accept the variety of sexual orientation as a norm and utilizing the knowledge regarding the aforementioned only when offering personalized support. One’s outlook about the necessary awareness of individual’s sexual orientation by the private and governmental institutions is further explained by Trevor Phillips, Chair of Equality and Human Rights in his speech as it follows â€Å"Commission Data matters– because injustice that goes unseen goes uncorrected. How can we expect care homes to be sensitive to the needs of older LGB residents, or schools to the needs of the children being brought up by same-sex couples, if they don’t even acknowledge they’re there?† Sadly, the society teaches their children that discrimination is a tolerable practice thus leading towards an impasse and further narrowing of the acceptance. The homophobic views of the parents get transferred onto their children, people may be able to see children from an early age i.e. in the kindergarten using terminology such as â€Å"gay† or â€Å"lesie† as insults among themselves and others, leading to a negative view of homosexuality from an early age. Should a modern society accept this sort of behaviour from the future generations? The reader may think that the aforementioned statements could not be accurate, taking in consideration the Human Rights Act of 1989 as well as the Equality Act of 2010 and other laws and policies which support the equality of the individual at large. Well, in the light of such thoughts one feels the need to go even further and illustrate with examples these inequalities. Ellison et al explains that â€Å"Nearly four in ten lesbians and gay men reported that they had been bullied, felt frightened and had suffered from low self-esteem.† Ellison and Gunstone, 2009 Social workers will without a doubt come in contact with service users which identify themselves as LGBT. Therefore they must be able to communicate by using acceptable terms, be respectful and take in consideration the person as a whole, pertaining to their physical, emotional and financial needs. Disregarding a person’s sexual orientation, would be like ignoring somebody’s arm, it is part of them, a piece of the puzzle. One must carefully identify areas of inequality and discrimination, which the service users may be experiencing and make use of this information to further one’s understanding and awareness of the support needed. Spirituality, togetherness, health needs, age and other factors must be taken in consideration when evaluating a service user’s needs. The sad truth is that there is a tendency in the social and health professionals to assume heterosexuality in the elderly. This is inadvertently discriminative practice. On the other hand, the soc ial worker must be able to reflect honestly on their own feelings and beliefs regarding other people’s various sexual orientation; being aware of any prejudices one may have would help to provide anti discriminative support to the service users. To be able to explain the seriousness of the issues discussed within this essay, one must quote Ellison et al for a second time, they claim that â€Å"55 per cent of gay men, 51 per cent of lesbians and 21 per cent of bisexual women and men said they would not live in certain places in Britain because of their sexual orientation.† Ellison and Gunstone, (2009). This is unacceptable by the moral and ethical standards expected from today’s society, therefore the social worker must be aware of the people who do live in those areas and empower and safeguard them as necessary. On the other hand Ellison et al also explains that â€Å"Seven in 10 lesbians (69 per cent) and gay men (70 per cent) felt they could be open about their sexual orientation in the workplace without fear of discrimination or prejudice. This contrasts sharply with only around two in 10 (23 per cent) bisexual men and three in 10 (30 per cent) bisexual women who felt the same. 83 per cent of respondents would be happy or felt neutral about having an openly LGB manager at work† Ellison and Gunstone, (2009). This provides proof that the society has grown to be more accepting of the LGBT community and that the laws and policies are being enforced within private and governmental organisations. It appears that education seems to make a big difference as far as being open and accepting of diversity. There is evidence of bullying due to sexual orientation at school levels, were people get physically and emotionally abused. ‘People call me â€Å"gay† everyday, sometimes people kick me or push me, they shut me out of games during school gym and they steal my belongings.’ James, 17, secondary school (South West). Hunt and Jensen, (2007) The social worker, needs to be able to act as an advocate for these people, they must be empowered and supported so they learn to accept themselves. In summary, the society inclines to be critical of the people in the LGBT community due to different factors; these are religious, cultural, fuelled by fear of unknown, lack of education, upbringing, and avoidance behaviour(i.e. questioning own sexuality). Unfortunately, this translates into discrimination and inequality, which leads to many unwanted effects. Due to the fact that this paper is a mere literature review, one could not offer more specific examples of actual cases, therefore this article talks more generally about inequality and where it may be present, it’s impact on the society and the individuals as well as the impact of the law on the changes that have taken place towards acceptance of the LGBT community. As a future social worker, one finds that the knowledge acquired through the present paper will be of great aid to further one’s knowledge in understanding not only the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population, but also other minority groups that more often than many people would expect suffer in silence. After much research, one must admit that there is very little literature present about the ageing and LGBT population. As the population is getting older, many people in the aforementioned community are interested in their future, especially if their partners pass away. Many transgender population live in fear that if they lose their capacity, will they still be able to get their hormonal treatment to maintain their identity. Therefore, one would suggest further research in that area, in form of an empirical study. [1] Latin for appeal to the people- deceptive claim that presumes an insinuation to be accurate for the reason that numerous people accept it to be true. [2] The Sword of Damocles- in this context to be read living in constant fear please see Bibliography [3] something that deceives or distracts from important issues [4] This of course is the theoretical view of the Church, one must take in account that there are many religious people and organisations that are happy to accept and support the LGBT community such as YMCA.

Gene Therapy :: Genetics Genetic Engineering

Gene Therapy Gene therapy is the term used for the process of curing various diseases on the genetic level by injecting patients with a healthy gene so their bodies will continue to produce healthy copies of the gene rather than destructive ones. The term gene therapy and the basic notions that it entailed weren't even in researchers' vocabulary until the mid 1960's. Early endeavors to cure people via a genetic approach began in 1970 with a disease called argininemia, but proved ineffective. An actual effective transfer of a gene didn’t occur until nine years later in 1979. Early attempts to examine the ethical nature of the future of gene therapy stemmed from this initial successful experiment and ones immediately following it.2 Throughout the 1980’s and early 1990’s development of gene therapy continued. It wasn’t until 1993 that the first clinical trial of gene therapy using the adenovirus, which was the vector that Jesse Gelsinger was administered, took place.2 A vector is the method by which the healthy gene is inserted into the DNA of the patient. 18 year-old Jesse Gelsinger died September 17, 1999 from a gene therapy experiment targeting the gene for the disease ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), a rare genetic disorder that affects the liver and its ability to clear ammonia from the body’s bloodstream. The illness occurs in 1 out of every 40,000 births and 50% of infants die within a month of birth. Jesse had a relatively mild form of the disease and was controlling it with drugs. He entered the study to help further OTC research with the hopes of finding a treatment for others with the condition.1 The study was performed by the University of Pennsylvania’s gene therapy researchers. Researchers injected Jesse’s liver with a vector including both the adenovirus and a normal OTC gene. He was the 18th subject to undergo the treatment, but received a higher dose of the adenovirus than all of the other subjects. Gene Therapy :: Genetics Genetic Engineering Gene Therapy Gene therapy is the term used for the process of curing various diseases on the genetic level by injecting patients with a healthy gene so their bodies will continue to produce healthy copies of the gene rather than destructive ones. The term gene therapy and the basic notions that it entailed weren't even in researchers' vocabulary until the mid 1960's. Early endeavors to cure people via a genetic approach began in 1970 with a disease called argininemia, but proved ineffective. An actual effective transfer of a gene didn’t occur until nine years later in 1979. Early attempts to examine the ethical nature of the future of gene therapy stemmed from this initial successful experiment and ones immediately following it.2 Throughout the 1980’s and early 1990’s development of gene therapy continued. It wasn’t until 1993 that the first clinical trial of gene therapy using the adenovirus, which was the vector that Jesse Gelsinger was administered, took place.2 A vector is the method by which the healthy gene is inserted into the DNA of the patient. 18 year-old Jesse Gelsinger died September 17, 1999 from a gene therapy experiment targeting the gene for the disease ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), a rare genetic disorder that affects the liver and its ability to clear ammonia from the body’s bloodstream. The illness occurs in 1 out of every 40,000 births and 50% of infants die within a month of birth. Jesse had a relatively mild form of the disease and was controlling it with drugs. He entered the study to help further OTC research with the hopes of finding a treatment for others with the condition.1 The study was performed by the University of Pennsylvania’s gene therapy researchers. Researchers injected Jesse’s liver with a vector including both the adenovirus and a normal OTC gene. He was the 18th subject to undergo the treatment, but received a higher dose of the adenovirus than all of the other subjects.

Seat Belts Argumentative Essay

A seat belt is a restraining device installed in a vehicle to prevent or minimize the force of an injury during a crash (â€Å"Seat Belts† 5). Although it is also known as a safety belt, the â€Å"safety† part is the key issue that is causing much controversy around drivers, manufacturers, and researchers alike. The main idea around the debate is the fact that although research indicates that when seat belts are used properly they save lives, opponents argue that mandating their use can actually cause more harm than good in some cases and is an infringement on personal rights.Car accidents are the leading cause of death for people under 35. Due to the fact that at least 40,000 people die each year in car accidents, the law that mandates seatbelts on all drivers/passengers in vehicles should stay in place. Although Seat Belts have been shown to provide safety to drivers and passengers who use them, not everyone is a fan of the mandatory seat belt laws. Opponents who are against the idea of mandatory seat belt laws say that they might be safer without seat belts and that airbags will protect them.Many people argue that they may be safer without seat belts. According to the article â€Å"Seat Belts† â€Å"In high-speed collisions where crash forces are extreme, seat belts have been linked to life-threatening conditions, including cardiac arrests and injuries to the chest, abdomen, or neck† (5). They put forward this idea because they feel that seat belts are causing more harm than good. However, airbags were never made to take the place of a seatbelt, and when worn with a seatbelt, they increase the effectiveness of it by 40%.Airbags also don’t protect from side-impacts at all so they aren’t safer than seatbelts. Another argument opponents against seatbelts have is that mandatory seatbelt laws are a violation of freedom. They claim that they should have a choice whether or not they should wear a seatbelt when in a vehicle. However, this is not an infringement on freedom. Freedom stops when we get to a point where others may be harmed or killed. As soon as something puts lives in danger, the â€Å"right† of freedom disappears thus making mandatory seatbelt laws a non-infringement on freedom.â€Å"Seat belts are the single most effective traffic safety device for preventing death and injury in a vehicle† (â€Å"Seat Belt Safety, Seat Belt Laws†). Wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50%. Seat belts save lives and are effective in preventing ejections from a vehicle. While opponents argue that in certain cases it is better to not wear a seatbelt, wearing a seatbelt is usually the safer route. A person will never know what type of accident they might enter and thus can’t prepare for a certain type of accident.You can’t know whether or not having a seatbelt will save you. It’s better to wear a seatbelt and have a 50% of survival than not we aring a seatbelt and have a 3% chance of being in a situational accident where not having a seat belt will save you. Research shows that â€Å"Seat Belts saved more than 75,000 lives from 2004 to 2008† (â€Å"Seat Belt Safety, Seat Belt Laws†). Without the mandatory use of seat belts, many lives could be put in danger and this would have negative social and economic effects on society.49 States in the USA have issued mandatory seat belt laws to promote safe habits and to protect the people. With this law in place, many lives have been saved as people were forced to wear seat belts to properly protect them in crashes. In a crash, there are two types of collisions. These are called, Primary and Secondary collisions. â€Å"A Primary Collision is the impact between the vehicle and another vehicle or object. A Secondary Collision refers to the impact of an occupant with some part of the vehicle’s interior, such as the steering wheel, the roof, or the windshield† (â€Å"Seat Belts† 2).Seat Belts are designed to tighten at the appropriate moment, so that they either prevent the second collision or at least minimize the injury potential of the even. Without the mandatory seat belt laws, many people will die in crashes in which simple use of a seat belt could have saved them. Seat Belts are optimal to Vehicle Safety and should be required to be used in every vehicle. Even if you are a very good driver or have never been in an accident, you can never predict what will happen when you’re on the road. Seat Belts can help save the lives of both you and others around you.With Seat Belts Laws in place, vehicle travel will be a much safer place. Safety is a concern not just with seat belts, but also with many things in life. When driving, safety should be above all and many safety technologies such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, and traction control are in place to protect the people. Seat Belts are the main force that is saving many l ives of drivers young and old. Although seat belts provide a good level of safety, the debate over the relative safety of such devices, as well as the rights to passengers to choose whether or not they want to use these devices, is sure to continue.

Early Brain Development and Learning

It is not commonly known that the brain is 90% developed by age five. Most people believe that at age five children are just starting to learn. In fact, the brain absorbs more from birth to age five rather than from age five on. Parents and family can do many things to aid in the development of a baby’s brain, ultimately assisting in their learning. The sequence and rate at which the brain develops predicts the optimal times for a baby to learn. Sequence and rate is measured by milestones that a baby may reach by a certain age. Experiences are one thing that helps promote brain development. Our five senses give us these experiences. How in the first few years of life do we develop into the complex people we are today? We will look at how nature versus nurture; sensory perception; positive and negative experiences and both our social and physical environment contribute to and develop everything about whom we are as individuals. The brain is influenced in many different ways. The most important factors in brain development start with genetics, nutrition, and responsiveness from parents, daily experiences, and physical interactions. Parents need to know that children are learning and accepting more information that a fully grown adult. Children need positive and sensitive feedback from family. In the past, scientist believed that the human brains development was determined by a biologically determined path (Brotherson, 2005). This means that the brain would develop genetically through family, but leading technology and science proved that the brain is not predetermined genetically by family. The brain matures through the five senses: smell, touch, vision, taste, and hearing. The experiences that the five senses bring are very crucial to help build the connections that guide brain development. The importance of the parents understanding of the first few years of his or her child’s life is extremely important. As Titzer, P. H. D, (2008) uses a computer metaphor to explain brain development he put it this way â€Å"Your baby’s brain could be thought of as a highly responsive, self-programming computer. For the first few years, the hardware is still coming together – a baby is not a finished product, but a growing, developing individual, complete with organic â€Å"circuitry† – the central nervous system† (p. ). The brain will absorb more with more stimulation. At an earlier age stimulation for the brain circuitry is at its best. This will cause the brain circuitry to develop more effectively. The main function of the brain in the first three years of life is to create and support connections between neurons. The con nections are referred to as synapses. Synapses could be envisioned as the limbs on the tree. Imagine a large family tree with its trunk as the original lineage. Then the main branches are the families as they grow and have children. Neurons are like the trunk and the main branches of the tree. The number of neurons a baby is born with remains constant in the first three years of life. Synapses (all those years of lineage on the family tree) are all the little twigs and branches that come off the main trunk. In the first three years of life our brains synapses increase to a number in the hundreds of trillions. However, after age three the number of synapses begins to slow until age 10. During this period there are more synapses created than needed. A person creates more synapses than needed and the â€Å"use it or lose it† theory applies to all the unused synapses. The synapses being used the most, meaning the circuits that transfer information the most become permanent to the brain. The synapses not used are lost in a process called pruning. In fact, the ability to see light is lost if the eyes are not exposed to light within the first three weeks of life, hence â€Å"use it or lose it† theory (Hawley, 2003). This will happen because the synapses that can see light will be lost because they will not have been used. That is why we want to give our children as much experience socially and with learning as possible. With this kind of experience these synapses will become permanent. Brotherson (2005) describes a baby’s brain at this point like a â€Å"†super sponge† absorbing everything given to it (para. 4) The first three years are the most sensitive for learning and development (Gable & Huntington, 2001). The brain takes in these experiences through our five senses. According to Gable & Huntington (2001) â€Å"an infant’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical and language development are stimulated during multisensory experiences† (para. 12) During these first few years of life is most rapid growth period for the brain. At birth the brain is 25% developed, at six months it is 50% developed , at 30 months 75% developed and at age five it is already 90% developed. There have been many optimal opportunities for parents to teach their children many things from birth to this point already. Children at the age of two have been known to read at the reading level of a fifth grader because they were taught at the â€Å"prime time. † Acquiring the knowledge of how a baby’s brain develops and what can be done to influence it in a positive way can make a world of difference for a child. A positive influence during this critical period is very crucial. Let us take a look at nature versus nurture; sensory perception; positive and negative experiences and both our social and physical environment contribute to and develop everything about who we are as individuals. Take the study of nature, for example, our individual innate qualities versus nurture, and our personal experiences. As evidences by the recent Human Genome Project, it is currently believed that there is much more nurture than nature in the result of each of us. With this, how does nurture become nature? Let us look at the example of ‘perfect pitch’ to show the relationship between genetics and environment. This is an example of how† heredity and environment can interact† (Davies, 2001, para. 3). Davies (2003) describes perfect pitch as â€Å"The ability to recognize the absolute pitch of musical tone without any reference note. People with perfect pitch often have relatives with the same gift and research show this is a highly inherited gift, possibly the result of a single gene. However, studies also demonstrate a requirement for early musical training (before age 6) to manifest perfect pitch. Many personality and behavioral traits will not be exclusively the result of nature or nurture, but rather an inextricable combination of both† (para. 5). _ Nature versus nurture and the role that heredity and environment have in human development indicates that with almost all biological and psychological traits genes and environment work together in communication back and forth to create us as individuals . No one questions it; this is the ying and the yang, the Adam and Eve, the Mom and Pop of pop psychology and genealogy. Nature and Nurture is what made us what we are today and will determine what our children will be tomorrow. I have heard the expression that life is all about perception. We all know people who are positive and those who are negative. And each of us has either an optimistic or pessimistic personality. How we perceive the world around us is i nherently a matter of our sensory perception of the world and largely that done in the first several years of life. We have many senses but we most often refer to the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. We are born with the need for a multisensory environment. Research shows that interactions that are associated with many of emotion are more â€Å"readily remembered and recalled†_ __(Gable & Huntington, 2001, para. 17)_. With this, it is proven that with a multisensory environment we develop out temperament and emotions during an early the early stages of life. Developmental milestones are certain things that a child should be able to do by a certain age range. A child’s doctor will use these milestones to assess the development of a child in the area of his/her gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive, and social skills. Even though each milestone has an age range, each child is different and unique so the age can vary significantly. One child may start to walk as early as seven months old and another child may not begin to walk until 16 months old and both would be considered normal. They both would be within the normal age range. In conclusion, we have looked at how genetics and environment in early brain development occurs as well as the importance of multiple sensory experiences, positive interactions, and social and physical stimulation in early development of a variety of cognitive and behavioral skills. It was briefly discussed that there are many interventions and treatments for improvement in many areas of interrupted brain development due to early childhood trauma, stress, and neglect with appropriate intervention. Many agencies today focus on education for parents and caregivers to ensure a more positive and educational experience for the early brain development. References Brotherson, Gable,S. & Hunting, M. (2001). Nature, Nurture and Early Brain Development. Retrieved from http://extension. missouri. edu/publications/DisplayPub. aspx? P=GH6115 Hawley, T. (2003). Starting Smart. How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development. Titzer, R. Ph. D. (2008). Your Baby Can Read. Carlsbad, Ca

The World Distribution of Population Essays

The World Distribution of Population Essays The World Distribution of Population Essay The World Distribution of Population Essay The world distribution of population is as important as the world distribution of areas of tectonic activity in predicting the hazards of volcanic activity. Discuss this statement (40 marks) A hazard is a danger or risk and a natural disaster deals out a great number. It can be hypothesised that the greatest hazards posed by natural disasters are upon humans, so in knowing where populations are located we can predict the risks of volcanic activity. Hence, it appears common sense would dictate the statement to be entirely true, however, with the addition of a distinction between two arguments it is not always the case.The first states that in a dense area the main hazard is high death tolls, infrastructure loss, famine and epidemics, so distribution of population is vitally important, but the second identifies how in areas of sparse population, other severe effects will occur so population distribution is limited in its predictive advantage; additional effects being those on an international scale, environmental and supply side shocks. Population distribution refers to the patterns of people spread across a given area, often associated with population density (the average number of people per square kilometre).The map below shows how populations are mostly concentrated near coastlines and in habitable environments (i.e. Europe rather than the Arctic Circle), overall. Further to this, 50.5% live in urban areas and world population is highly concentrated in areas rich in resources (coal, oil, minerals, fishing) and temperate in climate. The reason being that people need a source of income,provided by natural resources to some extent, whilst temperate climates provide rain and heat for growing crops, essential for emerging developing economies and previously vital for the developed economies whose focuses now lie in secondary, tertiary or quaternary sectors.Tectonic activity distribution refers to how the movements in the Earths plates lead to distinctive areas and patterns where seismic activity occurs, leading to events such as tsunamis, volcanoes and earthquakes. In the map below, it is evident that these features of tectonic activity, occur along plate boundaries as these are the causation for seismic activity. A particularly area of distribution is the Ring of Fire because it exemplifies the connection between the risks associated with high density areas of population and seismic activity combined.In laying home to over 800 million people, 90% of world earthquake activity and 50% of the worlds active volcanoes; the links between the two variables needed to calculate risk are impossible to ignore. From the detailed comparison of the maps above, the West coasts of South America and North America and the Ring of Fire region have both density of volcanoes and people; strong positive correlation between the two variables implicit of how both are necessary in hazard prediction. However, the volcanoes will always stay in situe so the dynamic changes of population density do appear more dominant in terms of volcanic hazards.In using the population trends stated previously there are a great many factors drawing people into areas of seismic activity so population distribution is only going to increa se in density within seismic prone areas, so human dispersion is vital in recognising both future and current hazards. All preceding knowledge is summed up in Kofi Annans assessment:At no time in human history have so many people lived in cities clustered around seismically active areasPoor land-use planning; environmental mismanagement; and a lack of regulatory mechanisms both increase the risk and exacerbate the effects of disasters, which clearly illustrates the relationship between volcanic disasters, populations, planning and development; demonstrating the vital influence of population change in risk reduction.Furthermore, humans being the victims of the greatest hazard is emphatic given half a billion people live in spitting distance of active volcanoes. Therefore, all such theory leads me to exemplify the two arguments stated previously: In light of the first argument, the main hazard to any natural disaster is humans, so in densely populated areas their location must be take n into account. In the case of the Mount Nyiragongo eruption (Congo), its proximity to the dense population of the city of Goma, 16km south-west of the volcano, increased hazards. With a population of 500,000 people, 147 were killed because the 40mph lava flows reached the densely populated area quickly.1/3 of Goma was destroyed along with 14 villages along the path to Goma, from the Volcano and through the valley. Therefore, such an eruption would have benefited from focus on the population dispersion analysis rather than just when the volcano would erupt because evacuations needed to have been put in place. The pseudo-mathematical equation for risk Risk = Hazard x Value x Vulnerability / Capacity (Value indicating the elements at risk (number of human lives, economic value of property, etc., while vulnerability refers to factors which increase the susceptibility to he impact of hazards) highlights how the number of human lives and property at risk and the susceptibility of these i ndividuals is a bigger factor than the simplicity of seismic activity distribution because the environment can recoup and the volcano is the effector not the effected. More importantly, the density of Value and Vulnerability

Rizal Essays

Rizal Essays Rizal Essay Rizal Essay After seeing Dr. Jose Rizal’s life through the movie, I’ve learned so much about him, aside from the common things. At his younger years, Rizal showed so many traits and the most important thing is his nationality. And even though faced with the far more superior Spaniards, Rizal showed no sign of fear. Rizal at his attainment of higher education at Ateneo Municipal even showed that he was far more superior to the Spaniards. He finished a Medical course with â€Å"Excellent† remarks.From this his educational achievement, I can really say that even though he was seen as a lower person, he showed that he was far superior and smarter than them. Rizal’s peaceful way of revolt against the Spaniards started when he was in Spain and his friend told him that many bad things have been happening to Philippines, most especially to his hometown, Calamba. He wrote a novel with the main character named Crisostomo Ibarra, personifying himself living in a place somewhat r esembling Philippines.It also showed the malfunctions of the Spanish Government administrating Philippines. Having read Rizal’s novel, the Spaniards showed this as treason against their rule in the Philippines. At the time Rizal was convicted of treason, he showed no fear and remained in his peaceful arms against the Spanish Government. He remained strong, in the face of death. I’ve reflected from the movie the nationality of Rizal for our country.Indeed he was a noble man, for he used peaceful means against the Spaniards to let them know that what they’ve done to our country was wrong. He was humble because even thought he learned so many things he remained down to earth, humorous based on the movie I’ve seen he still throw jokes to the Spaniards when other people at his place would tremble and he never fails in making everybody smile and intellectual for he has attained many things and used them for good reasons. Indeed Dr. Jose Rizal is the Philippines Greatest Hero.

Bruno - Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay Example for Free

Bruno – Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay Bruno is portrayed as talkative in the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas because when he went exploring he found a boy, named Shmuel on the other side of the fence he was not afraid to not only talk to him but, to have a bit of a conversation with Shmuel, although he had never met this boy before. Here is some of the conversation the two young boys carried on the first time they had met: â€Å"Hello,† said Bruno. â€Å"Hello,† said the boy. â€Å"I’ve been exploring,† he said. â€Å"Have you?† said the little boy. â€Å"Yes. For almost two hours now.† â€Å"Have you found anything?† asked the boy. â€Å"Very little.† â€Å"Nothing at all?† â€Å"Well, I found you,† said Bruno after a moment (page 106-107). Bruno is described as creative in this novel because when he let it slip to his sister that because of the rain he hadn’t been able to go and see Shmuel for a few days he was quickly able to make up an excuse that Shmuel was his imaginative friend: â€Å"I have a new friend,† he began. â€Å"A new friend that I go see everyday. And he’ll be waiting for me by now. But you cant tell anyone.† â€Å"Why Not?† â€Å"Because he’s an imaginary friend,† said Bruno trying his best to look embarrassed, just like Lieutenant Kotler had when he had became trapped in his story about his father in Switzerland. â€Å"We play together everyday† (page 155) In this novel Bruno is showed as curious because he loves to explore even though it is off limits at the new house, ‘Out-With’, Here is an example of a time when Bruno went exploring: ‘Before heading of in that direction, though, there was one final thing to investigate and that was the bench. All of these months he’d been looking at it and staring at the plaque from a distance and calling it ‘the bench with the plaque’, but he still had no idea what it said. Looking left and right to make sure that no one was coming, he ran over to it and squinted as he read the words. It was only a small bronze plaque and Bruno read it quietly to himself. ‘Presented on the occasion of the opening of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. ‘Out-With Camp,’ he continued, stumbling over the name as usual. ‘June nineteen forty’ (page102). Bruno is defined as caring throughout the book because he doesn’t recognize the various barriers presented, between him and Shmuel, Bruno is also very caring as he treats Shmuel as an equal unlike the soilder’s and many people around him. ‘Perhaps you can come to dinner with us one evening,’ said Bruno, although he wasn’t sure it was a very good idea. ‘Perhaps,’ said Shmuel, although he didn’t sound convinced. ‘Or I could come to you,’ said Bruno. ‘Perhaps I could come and meet your friends,’ he added hopefully (page 132). This specific reference from the novel shows two different barriers between Shmuel and Bruno, one being the fence between them and the other being the families when they go to supper together. Bruno – Boy in the Striped Pajamas. (2016, Nov 12).

Law of Succession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Law of Succession - Essay Example The witness must not only sign at the bottom of each page but also in the place indicated as â€Å"witness to sign† along with name, address, occupation, the date and the place. (www.wills-scotland-co.uk0. n this case ,Harold should sign the Will at Maria’s office or at Barbaras house and both the witnesses namely Barbara and her husband Paul should sign the Will immediately after Harold, and they should not leave the room before the signing the Will. Further , Barbara and Paul should not sign at the back of the will and should sign at the bottom of each page but also in the place indicated as â€Å" witness to sign† along with name , address , occupation , the date and the place. Only two. Both the witnesses must be present at the same time when a testator signs the Will. In Re Bravda (1968), it was held that where the Will was witnessed by four witnesses and two of them were beneficiaries and hence the Will was declared as void. (www.funtriva.com). Revocation of a Will includes rules relating to how a valid Will is made unmade or invalid. Section 18 and 20 of the Wills Act 1837 deal with revocation of a Will. However, in case of any dispute, the courts will interpret the rules which offer some quiet challenge and interest in the subject. It is normally revoked ipso facto due to a latter or subsequent marriage. Section 18(1) of the Wills Act 1837 states that though a voidable marriage makes a Will invalid but a void marriage does not revoke a will as held in Re Roberts.1 Under Wills Act 1963, the second instrument is effective to cancel the first Will, if the second Will adheres with any law concerning the legality of the first one, though not effective by the law concerning its own validity. (Collier & Collier 275). In general, a revocation clause will cancel all earlier testamentary aspirations, If intended or worded to act so, but may not be effective if a divergent intention is apparent as

Head Start Early Education Program Annotated Bibliography

Head Start Early Education Program - Annotated Bibliography Example Educational development is both a short-and long-term goal. As noted by Sciarra et al. (2015), the program serves the at-risk preschool-age children. To ensure its continuity, funds are provided by the federal government through the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. The transition from preschool to elementary school results in varied changes in the development of the child such as the need for children to engage successfully with their peers outside the home and adjust the space and requirements of the classroom. To that effect, the McWayne et al (2012) discuss how the Head Start Early Education Program is designed to develop strong family relationships, improve the children’s educational performance, and design an environment to develop strong cognitive skills. Deming (2009) asserts that the Head Start Educational program is among the longest-running programs in America that attempt to address systematic poverty and improve educational performance. It is equally important to note that the ABCD Head Start program is at the forefront of cutting-edge work in early education. The program helps the children develop their brain (Action for Boston Community Development, 2015). Lee (2011) illustrates the effect of the duration of Head Start enrollment on the academic outcomes of children. The study reported that the program improved performance. Furthermore, the article by Besharov and Call (2009) critique the program outlining its weaknesses. The article provided crucial information on elements of the policy that require reform. Lee, K. (2011). "Impacts of the duration of Head Start enrollment on childrens academic outcomes: Moderation effects of family risk factors and earlier outcomes." Journal of Community Psychology 39 (6),

Research Paper Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results Essay

Research Paper Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results - Essay Example Sampling method: Sample can be defined as the representative group of the population. The sample size of the study was 3, 639. Two types of sampling method were used to select cases for the survey. In the first phase, a few colleges of different stated of the USA were selected by applying quota sampling and subsequently the respondents were selected at random without any bias from those selected colleges. can, as the term suggests, have only one possible answer. Perhaps the most typical of these is the dichotomous question that has just two possible options "yes" or "no". Many attitudinal questions are single response in that respondents have to choose where they sit on a predetermined scale. They have to choose one response code that reflects their thoughts. Multiple response questions allow the respondent to offer more than one answer to a question (Hague, 2004). Key survey questions included whether the students had been prescribed or had used without a prescription opioids, stimulants, sleeping aids (sedatives), or anxiety medicines. To determine if students abused drugs, the researcher relied on questions that asked whether the students had experienced drug-related problems like engaging in illegal activities to obtain drugs, having withdrawal symptoms, or developing medical problems due to drug use. Questionnaire administration: The questionnaire was sent to the selected colleges and afterwards the college authority made available the questionnaire on their college homepage and urged the students to take part in the survey. Analysis of data: The data was analyzed using SPSS. The demographics of the respondents were analyzed. A distributing table of the data was created with data range. And afterwards, various tools of central tendency like mean, median were applied to the collected data. The null hypothesis of the study was "College students using prescription drugs without a prescription are not prone to drug abuse" and the alternate hypothesis was "College students using prescription drugs without a prescription are prone to drug abuse" Findings: According to the results of the survey, 59.9% of the cases reported that they medically used at least one of the four drugs with a prescription. About 20% of the respondents reported taking them without a prescription for non-medical reasons. 39.7% of the college students who took part in the survey reported that they had used the drugs only by prescription. 4.4% of the cases of the study reported to have used medications, but were not prescribed them. 15.8% of the respondents who participated in the web survey reported using some medications, both with and without prescriptions. The researcher also found that students who reported using drugs without prescriptions were more likely to screen positive for drug abuse compared to students who never used them or who had only used them for medical reasons. The findings can be summed up as below: Parentage Explanation 59.9% Reported medically using at least one of t

Coca cola in china market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Coca cola in china market - Essay Example This proved futile as the local media always gave first preference to the local firms’ products during its advertisement in peak hours. This disadvantaged coke as a whole leading to decrease in sales in the markets. To overcome this, company should have launched its own website (Staff, 2012). This would have helped the company to acquire and control a broader market place. Many customers would have followed the launched online hub to get information about the company’s product. This would have increased the sales as consumers would be at ease to get information on new company products and offers thus creating their commitment to the products. Secondly the company incorporated the initial American culture it had early adopted in the US market in other foreign markets. This led to its failure in many external markets like in Germany. People disliked the idea of coca cola using American culture in advertising and developing its products. The foreign customers were angered by this act of coke using American culture to advertise products in their countries. This they viewed as an infusion of foreign culture that competed with their own culture (Chan, 2012). Many consumers boycotted the coca cola company products and instead shifted to locally produced products. ... This led to few people getting to know of the existence and advantages of the coca cola products. This method adopted by coke proved to be too expensive but very ineffective as it failed to achieve its goal of popularizing coke products in China. Instead coca cola could have invested the money it used to finance the road shows in sponsoring the Olympics. Many Chinese involve themselves in Olympics either as participants or viewers. By getting involved in sponsorship of the Olympic games coca cola would have attracted many Chinese who create their time to watch the Olympics thus creating a large pool of customers across China (Chen, 2012). In china coca cola could have used traditional ways of packaging mostly used to integrate Chinese culture in a product. Coca cola would have succeeded more in China if it adopted a new packaging method with unique features like red stars that mostly appeal to Chinese youths this would have enabled the company to segment a market of the young custome rs (Li, 2012). In its advertisement coca cola used American Santa Claus. In it operation in China it could have used a similar photo but with the Chinese costume. This would have attracted a large pool of customers especially children thus helping the company to segment the market. In it worldwide Olympic campaign that went by the name â€Å"move to the beat† coca cola advertising department decided to use the London national anthem beats in their campaign song. This didn’t go well with the Chinise. Many young Chinese didn’t associate London with music. This costed coca cola a lot as many young potential customers opted to consume other products manufactured by their own local companies. Instead of this error of using Britain national anthem beat in to advertise its

How effectively do free elections, competition between political Essay

How effectively do free elections, competition between political parties and the activities of pressure groups, ensure that the - Essay Example Competition between rival political parties provides the ground for issue-based politics and thereby offering the people an opportunity to make informed choices between the different alternatives by electing leaders who best fit the job description and espouse the interests of the majority. Nevertheless, pressure groups also play a very profound role in global politics today because they put elected leaders to task, to deliver their election pledges to the people, as well as acting as the people’s watchdog, protecting and advocating for the interests of the electorates. In that case, free elections, competition between political parties and pressure groups have significant impacts on democracy, and in particular, with the pervasive increase in both the size and number of pressure groups in the world, debates have emerged regarding implications of these factors on democracy. For instance, questions have been raised concerning whether pressure groups promote democracy or whether they undermine it by impeding election of the right leadership; this paper will evaluate the effectiveness of free elections, competition between political parties, and the activities of pressure groups, in ensuring representation of the voters. Free elections are effective in ensuring the people are represented because they capture the true will and aspirations of a majority of people, which is the true essence of democracy in a free world, without undermining their voice through undercut means such as election rigging. Precursors to free elections include an impartial administration, that ensures enrolment is open to all eligible voters and casting of the vote is reasonably accessible to all, as well as, freedom from coercion, which ensures that the electorates are not compelled to make choices (Fletcher 2007, p.2). Additionally, a free electioneering process thrives on freedom of expression and association that allows all citizens to participate in the electoral debates, and tru thful election data systems that ensures that votes are counted fairly and accurately without falsifications whatsoever. In this regard, a free election is one that genuinely reflects the will of the people, and in which votes count equally, candidates campaign freely in a level playing field without restrictive infringements; allegations of dirty tricks coupled with unfair propaganda are some of the factors that undermine a free election. Leaderships who ascent to political offices through dirty tricks and unfair propaganda will hardly represent the electorates because they are a bunch of selfish self-serving individuals who owe no allegiance to the people thus they are accountable to no one in particular. Conversely, leaders who are put into office through fair elections are an embodiment of both the will and aspirations of the people thus will represent electorates effectively, because they are accountable to them. Free elections promote representation because they are the only s ource of political elites that can articulate the interests of the people through governance and democracy, unlike in dictatorships, where leadership is imposed upon the people regardless of whether it has the support of the majority of the people or whether it serves their interests. Competition between

The impact of VAC Therapy on management of sternal wound infections Literature review

The impact of VAC Therapy on management of sternal wound infections after cardiac surgery - Literature review Example The impact of VAC Therapy on management of sternal wound infections after cardiac surgery Sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery is a serious problem resulting in increased patient morbidity; mortality and duration of hospital stay (Luckraz et al 2003). The incidence of this infection has been variably reported as 0.5 to 5% and the resultant mortality as 10 to 25% (Sjogren et al 2006; Schimer et al 2008). Conventionally, many management techniques have been recommended to treat this complication like surgical debridement with open dressings, closed irrigation of the infected wound, or reconstruction with vascularised omental or pectoral muscle flaps (Domkowski et al 2003). Vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy is one of the newer modalities to treat this complication (Evans & Land 1997) which has been widely adopted. Application of negative pressure was successfully used for treating chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers (Eneroth &Â  van Houtum 2008; Ubbink et al 2008). After it was found successful in achieving faster healing in these wounds, use of this therapy has been extended for the management of sternal wound infections as well (Luckraz et al 2003; Domkowski et al 2003; Hersh et al 2003; Sjogren et al 2006). However, i t hasn’t been proven yet with good evidence that its efficacy is more than the conventional treatment. Thus, the main objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of vacuum assisted closure therapy in the management of wound infection after cardiac surgery. ... Also, it allows re-examination of the wound and bedside debridement, as and when required. To apply negative pressure, wound area is packed with special dressing (polyurethane sponge/foam or polyvinyl alcohol foam) and covered with a transparent tape which seals the wound. A drain tube passes through this tube which is connected to a vacuum tube which sucks out the fluid through this drain tube. Negative pressure applied is in the range of -75 to -125 mm Hg (MAS 2006). Conventionally, medical (antibiotics) and various surgical modalities have been used in the treatment of deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) (Singh, Anderson & Harper 2011). Surgical management options include closed suction antibiotic irrigation system, omental flap reconstruction, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi or rectus abdominis muscle advancement or rotation flap, and microsurgical free flap. Early wound exploration is combined with any of these techniques. Regimen of sternal fixation with sternal plating sys tem is also getting popular (Singh, Anderson & Harper 2011). Traditional methods of wound care involve regular cleaning and dressing of the wound different kinds of dressing materials from simple gauzes to chemical impregnated gauzes as per the type of the wound. However, VAC therapy is being projected as one solution for multiple wound types. Search strategy A manual search was conducted for the journals, books and other data related to the subject. Internet was also accessed for searching for journal articles pertaining to the subject. CINAHL database via the EBSCO host platform was utilized to perform a literature search because it is the most wide-ranging nursing database and is easy to search. MEDLINE and COCHRANE database

How effectively do free elections, competition between political Essay

How effectively do free elections, competition between political parties and the activities of pressure groups, ensure that the - Essay Example Competition between rival political parties provides the ground for issue-based politics and thereby offering the people an opportunity to make informed choices between the different alternatives by electing leaders who best fit the job description and espouse the interests of the majority. Nevertheless, pressure groups also play a very profound role in global politics today because they put elected leaders to task, to deliver their election pledges to the people, as well as acting as the people’s watchdog, protecting and advocating for the interests of the electorates. In that case, free elections, competition between political parties and pressure groups have significant impacts on democracy, and in particular, with the pervasive increase in both the size and number of pressure groups in the world, debates have emerged regarding implications of these factors on democracy. For instance, questions have been raised concerning whether pressure groups promote democracy or whether they undermine it by impeding election of the right leadership; this paper will evaluate the effectiveness of free elections, competition between political parties, and the activities of pressure groups, in ensuring representation of the voters. Free elections are effective in ensuring the people are represented because they capture the true will and aspirations of a majority of people, which is the true essence of democracy in a free world, without undermining their voice through undercut means such as election rigging. Precursors to free elections include an impartial administration, that ensures enrolment is open to all eligible voters and casting of the vote is reasonably accessible to all, as well as, freedom from coercion, which ensures that the electorates are not compelled to make choices (Fletcher 2007, p.2). Additionally, a free electioneering process thrives on freedom of expression and association that allows all citizens to participate in the electoral debates, and tru thful election data systems that ensures that votes are counted fairly and accurately without falsifications whatsoever. In this regard, a free election is one that genuinely reflects the will of the people, and in which votes count equally, candidates campaign freely in a level playing field without restrictive infringements; allegations of dirty tricks coupled with unfair propaganda are some of the factors that undermine a free election. Leaderships who ascent to political offices through dirty tricks and unfair propaganda will hardly represent the electorates because they are a bunch of selfish self-serving individuals who owe no allegiance to the people thus they are accountable to no one in particular. Conversely, leaders who are put into office through fair elections are an embodiment of both the will and aspirations of the people thus will represent electorates effectively, because they are accountable to them. Free elections promote representation because they are the only s ource of political elites that can articulate the interests of the people through governance and democracy, unlike in dictatorships, where leadership is imposed upon the people regardless of whether it has the support of the majority of the people or whether it serves their interests. Competition between

Problem Gambling Essay Example for Free

Problem Gambling Essay She took one last look out the window as they drove away, the tears streaming down her face. At the age of four, her world had fallen apart. Karina’s life started out as a perfect middle-class family, and soon turned into a broken mess. They had everything, a perfect house in a really nice part of the city, a nice car; everything was wonderful. As Karina got older, she began to notice things weren’t perfect. Her dad was never there. He was always out gambling in one way or another. â€Å"As time progressed we lost the car, and other possessions due to my dad’s gambling problem. It’s not only about gambling and the money. When people gamble, they do other stupid things, he had an affair. My parents decided to get a divorce. My dad didn’t argue, in fact he said that for the safety of our family it would probably be better because a lot of people were angry at him for what he owed them. It was all because of gambling and snowballed into a mess that could have been really dangerous for my mom and me had we stayed around. I’m sad that my life played out in that way at such a young age, and it’s very unfortunate. I know that if he wouldn’t have had gambling around none of those things would have taken place and we would probably still be the family that we were, but unfortunately that’s not how it played out. † Although many people think that legalizing gambling will have a great effect on the economy, I think the negative effects are much more evident. People’s views on subjects often have to do with their ethics. Ethics, as defined by Seiler and Beall, are an individual’s system of moral principles. My ethics lead me to believe that gambling is wrong because I was raised to believe that my family is more important than economic wealth. As it is evident in the story above, gambling can have a major negative effect on someone’s life, and so it is too much of a risk to legalize this dangerous game. Three main reasons that gambling should be kept illegal are that gambling creates tension among the family members, gambling increases crime in the society, and the addiction to gambling is too great for many to overcome. The first reason that gambling should be kept illegal is that gambling creates tension among the family members as the money that should be used for the family is being spent on gambling. Even though gambling might, in some cases, bring money into the state and local economies, there are side effects to having a casino down the street. Forshey (1998) states, â€Å"The gambling jobs, taxes, and recreational values provided by the industry cannot compensate for the social pain-in the form of bankruptcies, white-collar crime, divorce, a compromised political process, an increase in alcoholism-it inflicts. † The drain of a working person’s money that wager’s his or her paycheck and loses is not compensated with the amount of jobs a casino brings to a community. Gambling is a greedy industry that produces nothing more than empty hopes, empty dreams and empty wallets. Anderson states, â€Å"Proponents argue that state lotteries are an effective way to raise taxes painlessly. But the evidence shows that legalized gambling often hurts those who are poor and disadvantaged. † Without casino gambling, many local citizens would spend their money on groceries or clothes, instead of reducing their savings on gambling. As William Thompson states in his article â€Å"Gambling: A Controlling Substance,† It [gambling] is a pleasure, like other entertainment, but in that regard, it is an expensive pleasure. † Thompson then continues with this thought: â€Å"Politicians must recognize that the benefits of gambling are bounded by market structures. Gambling money does not grow on trees. It comes out of the pockets or real people, who otherwise would have spent it on something else. † All of this evidence shoes that gambling should be kept illegal because it creates tension among the family members as the money that should be used for the family is being spent on gambling. A second reason that gambling should be kept illegal is that gambling increases the amount of crime within a society. Gambling often becomes associated with crime, a relationship that seems quite understandable. Not only does gambling continue to be illegal in some forms which makes it a crime to participate in, but also the second half of the issue occurs when gambling increases the amount of street crime in a surrounding area. Crime rates have been significantly higher in places that allow gambling. Kindt states, â€Å"Atlantic City showed a jump in crime when gambling was legalized. The city went from 50th in the nation in per capita crime to first. Problem gamblers may also become more likely to have financial troubles and use illegal activities as a way to pay off their debts and keep up their unhealthy habit. † This graphic shows a report done by the U. S. Department of Justice studied people that were arrested in Las Vegas and Des Moines, Iowa. The results show many connections between gambling and crime. â€Å"More than 30 percent of pathological gamblers who had been arrested in Las Vegas and Des Moines reported having committed a robbery within the past year, nearly double the percentage for low-risk gamblers. Nearly one-third admitted that they had committed the robbery to pay for gambling or to pay gambling debts. In addition, about 13 perfect said they had assaulted someone to get money. † As is evident, gambling should be kept illegal because it increases the amount of crime within a society. We will now look at the last reason why gambling should be kept illegal. Finally, a third reason that gambling should be kept illegal is that the addiction to gambling is too great for many to overcome, resulting in psychological problems for the gambler. Some people argue that if a person wants to gamble badly enough they will do it. They say that one will be able to control his or herself and only gamble when it’s appropriate, but gambling is an addiction that some people can’t escape. The addiction is a nationwide problem, and as much a part of gambling as the dice. As an article in the Omaha World Herald states, â€Å"Problem gambling is the urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequence or the desire to stop, and pathological gambling involves wagering to such excess that it has a severe negative effect on the gambler’s life. † Getting hooked on gambling comes mainly from the action and thrill, an experience chemically the same as those with inhaled substances. They fall under the spell of action. Action is an aroused, joyous state involving excitement, tension, and anticipation of the outcome of a gambling event. It is the thrill of living on the edge. Gambling has little to do with money and everything to do with the feelings of a gambler. William Thompson states, â€Å"People will lie to themselves, also in calculating the money because they don’t want to tell themselves that they were foolish about gambling. † Problem gamblers describe gambling as â€Å"highs† similar to that experienced from many drug substances. Some experience these sensations when just thinking about gambling. How is a person supposed to avoid gambling if he or she is constantly being surrounded with opportunities to place bets and be involved in the â€Å"action†? As Frey suggests casinos increase the number of problem gamblers, and make it that much more difficult to stop for those already addicted. In order to stop the number of pathological gamblers from increasing, the amount of gambling in the United States must decrease as a whole. Pathological gamblers were twice as likely to describe their general health as fair to poor over the past two years and were more likely to acknowledge mental or emotional problems. Rates of alcohol and drug dependence, job loss, and bankruptcy were also significantly higher for pathological gamblers relative to non-gamblers. According to Weinstock and Meyers, â€Å" Almost 20 percent of the people diagnosed as pathological gamblers file for bankruptcy compared to the less than 5 percent of those in the general population. † Percentage of Population with Gambling Problems In order to stop the number of pathological gamblers from increasing, the amount of gambling in the United States must decrease as a whole. As is evident in this bar graph the amount of people with gambling disorders has greatly increased. According to Weinstock and Meyers, â€Å"Recent studies have found that approximately 2 percent of Americans have had severe levels of disordered gambling at some point in their lifetime. Alarmingly, the rate in the Mid-South is even higher. Studies with Mississippi and Louisiana reveal that about 5 percent of the residents in Mississippi have a gambling problem, while in New Orleans, Louisiana 8 percent of the population reported significant problems because of their gambling. † Gambling should be kept illegal because the addiction to gambling is too great for many, even adolescents to overcome. According to Welte, Barnes, Tidwell, and Hoffman, â€Å"Over 2% of U. S. adolescents have experienced problem gambling (i. e. , sub-clinical pathological gambling) in the past year. Females have a . 1% problem gambling rate, and males a 4. 2% problem gambling rate within the past year. † If we don’t put a stop to this now the future of pathological gambling will continue. Regrettably, these pathological gamblers will most likely have to deal with many adverse life events because of their addiction. Many problem gamblers are under so much stress, they commit domestic violence or suicide. There are other, less dangerous ways to find entertainment. So many people suffer every day from their addiction to gambling. The United States should put a stop by banning the gambling industry, and therefore eliminating the harmful side effects of legalized gambling. All of this evidence shows that gambling should be kept illegal because the addiction to gambling is far too great for some people to overcome, resulting in psychological problems for the gambler. The negative effects of gambling out-weigh the positive. The tension created among family members, increased crime in society, and the addiction resulting in psychological problems are just too great of a risk for the people of our society to undergo. So the next time you walk into a casino, remember Karina’s story and how the gambling may affect your life, because even if you’re willing to take the chance, odds are the negative effects of gambling will leave you unlucky in life. It is important for all of you to take note of the consequences and refrain from gambling. Staying away from the dangers of gambling, and setting an example to others is extremely important. No matter what type of personality you have, you can be an influence to others and help stop the spread of gambling all over the nation. I want to challenge you that if you know someone that gambles or you yourself gamble share what you know about gambling and try to put a stop to the habit! References: * Anderson, K. Gambling. Gambling Probe Ministries. Retrieved October 31, 2001 from http://www. probe. org/site/c. fdKEIMNsEoG/b. 4219137/k. C8BD/Gambling. htm * Brandt, K. (Personal communication, October 21, 2011) * Forshey, G. E. (1998). Lonely crusade: Fighting the Gambling Industry. The Christian Century. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from http://vnweb. hwwilsonweb. com/hww/results/getResults. jhtml? _DARGS=/hww/results/results_common. jhtml. 35 * Kindt, J. (1994). The Economic Impacts of Legalized Gambling Activities. Drake Law Review, 40 (1), 50-87. Retrieved October 26, 2011 from https://www.ideals. illinois. edu/handle/2142/16297 * Meyers, A. Whelan, J. Weinstock. (June 1998). Gambling: When it is not a Game Anymore. Business Perspectives, 16-22. Retrieved October 27, 2011 from http://www. allbusiness. com/specialty-businesses/291076-1. html * Problem Gambling: Be aware of warning signs. Omaha World Herald. (March, 19, 2010). Retrieved October 23, 2011 from Library. * Seiler, W. J. and Beall, M. L. (2009). Communication and Ethical Behavior. In Communication: Making Connections (8th Ed) (pp. 8-9). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Allyn.

The Needs For Sustainable Crop Production Methods Environmental Sciences Essay

The Needs For Sustainable Crop Production Methods Environmental Sciences Essay With the world population projected to be 9 billion by 2050 and doubling of the global food demand there is need for increased food production to feed the increasing mouths. In a bid to increase sustainable arable crop productivity three important tasks need to be done: (1) increasing crop yield per unit of land area, (2) increasing crop yield per unit of nutrients applied and (3) increasing crop yield per unit of water used. However, sustaining continuous arable crop productivity for future generations without compromising environmental integrity and public heath still remains uncertain due to fundamental shifts in politics, policies and incentives, institutions and technological advances (Tilman et al., 2002). 1.1 Sustainable arable crop production Sustainable agriculture is defined as practices that meet societal needs for food and fibre, ecosystem services for healthy lives by maximizing the net benefits to society when all costs and benefits of the practices are considered for both the present and future generations (Tilman et al., 2002; Bjà ¶rklund et al., 2009). Sustainable arable crop production can be achieved by using ecologically sound management technologies to achieve long-term sustainable yields. It requires production economics aspects as well as considering vital issues of ecological stability and sustainability through restoration of agricultural diversity and landscape (Altieri, 1995). Sustainable arable crop production should aim at meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their needs (Chizari and Ommani, 2009). In my own opinion, sustainable arable crop production involves the management, use and conservation of productive resources in a manner that ensures continuous provision for all needs of the present and future generation. 1.2 Types of agriculture Agricultural types influence the level of food production and impact on environmental sustainability. They are largely influenced by culture, soil type; international, regional or individual government polices as well as advances in science and technology. A wide range of agricultural practices are exercised under the different agricultural types. These include: use of agro-chemicals like synthetic fertilizer, herbicides, fungicides and nematicides, irrigation and use of genetically modified varieties. Organic agriculture Organic (biological or biodynamic) farming is an agricultural production system which seeks to avoid the direct and routine use of synthetically compounded chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, nematicides, growth regulators and all biocides in order to minimise environmental degradation at both micro and macro levels (Lampkin, 2002; Altieri, 1995; Hole et al., 2005; Ammann, 2008). The tools for organic farming include; crop rotation, tillage, time of sowing, varietal resistance and diversification and biological control. Organic farming is currently practiced in more than 150 countries and occupies 35 million ha of agricultural land globally (IFOAM, 2009). Conservational agriculture Conservational agriculture is an integrated approach to crop management which minimises soil cultivation and utilises agrochemicals in a manner to reduce disruption of natural biological processes. Its key features include: minimum mechanical soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and diversified crop rotations. Conservational agriculture has been advocated for by the FAO in developing countries like Brazil, Burkina Faso and India and has reaped significant benefits like increased crop and livestock productivity and biodiversity conservation (http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/) The agricultural practices under organic and conservational agriculture have been reported to significantly reduce the use of agrochemicals and tillage operations since they rely more on rotations, use of farmyard manure and crop residues to optimize productivity. This has resulted into a reduction in the emission of GHGs like CO2 and N2O (Chizari and Ommani, 2009; Brookes and Barfoot, 2008). Conventional agriculture In conventional farming, farmers can use agrochemicals like synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, nematicides in their farming operations extensively without any restrictions (Altieri, 1995). Conventional farming heavily relies on the application of a range of modern management systems and external inputs to achieve high yields (Hole et al., 2005). The efficient use of nutrients by hybrid varieties achieved through precision agriculture practiced under large-scale intensive farming results into high yields compared to organic farming (Tilman et al., 2002) Agroforestry Agroforestry denotes a sustainable land and crop management system; that strives to increase yields by combining production of woody forestry crops with arable crops and or animals simultaneously or sequentially on the same unit of land. It incorporates four main characteristics and these include: structure, sustainability, increased productivity and socioeconomic. Structurally agroforestry systems are grouped as: agrisilviculture, silvo-pastoral, agro-silvo-pastoral and multipurpose forest tree production (Farrell and Altieri, 1995). Polyculture cropping system Polyculture involves the growing of crops in mixtures or intercrops; annual crops with annuals, annuals with perennials or perennials with perennials grown in a spatial and temporal manner (Liebman, 1995). However, mixed agriculture is inhibited by the land tenure system and design of farm machinery. 1.3 Impact of agricultural types on sustainable arable crop production Organic farming Sustainable arable crop productivity requires proper management of soil fertility and biodiversity conservation. The productivity of or ­ganically grown food has increased annually by 15 percent with a global market worth US$50 billion per year mainly in developed countries. Organic farming has well established practices that simultaneously mitigate climate change, build resilient farming systems, soil structure and fertility and increase biodiversity which builds resistance to storms and increased pest and disease pressure (IFOAM, 2009). Organic farming is reported to increase species richness with an average of 30% higher than conventional farming systems. However, other studies have indicated a 16% negative effect on species diversity due to organic farming. Literature shows that some organisms are more abundant in an organic farming system for instance; weeds, predators like carabid, beetles and spiders. In addition, non-predatory species were more abundant under the convention al farming system thus natural enemies are negatively affected by conventional management. Organic farming practices are believed to be more environmental friendly than intensive agriculture which is dependent on the routine use of herbicides, pesticides and inorganic nutrient applications in the production of crops and animals (Bengtsson et al., 2005). However, practicing organic farming requires careful planning, management and decision making in order to establish a viable system and maintain farm income. The rotational design, crop types and varieties and timely soil management are important in maximising crop productivity in organic farming (HGCA, 2008). Below are some principle agronomic practices used in organic farming! Push and pull approach The push and pull technology has significantly resulted into increased arable productivity in many parts of the world. In East Africa (EA), the technology has been exploited to maintain soil fertility, control pests and parasitic weed; Striga. Lepidopteran stem borers like: Chilo partellus, Eldana saccharina, Busseola fusca and Sesamia calamistis cause 50% yield losses to maize, sorghum and sugarcane. This technology integrated with other crop management approaches has contributed to the sustainable production of maize in EA by increasing farmers yields from 1 t/ha to 3.5t/ha with minimal inputs and currently used by 25,000 small holder farmers. The technology involves intercropping maize with a repellent plant (Desmodium) and planting an attractive trap plant (Napier grass) as a border crop around the intercrop. Gravid stem borer females are repelled from the target crop by stimuli and simultaneously attracted to the trap crop, leaving the target crop protected. Desmodium produces some root exudates which stimulate the germination of Striga seeds and others inhibit their growth after germination. This combination provides a novel means of in situ reduction of the Striga seed bank. Desmodium also acts perennial cover crop and able to exert its Striga control effect and together with Napier grass protect fragile soils from erosion. Desmoduim fixes nitrogen, conserves soil moisture, enhances arthropod abundance and diversity and improves soil organic matter thereby enabling cereal cropping systems to be more resilient and adaptable to climate change while providing essential ecosystem services and making farming systems more r obust and sustainable (Cook et al., 2007). Table 1: Push and pull strategies used in arable crop production Target insect Protected source Country Push Pull Population regulation used Cotton bollworm Cotton Australia Oviposition deterrent: neem Trap crop: maize with sugar bait Insecticides, pyrethroides Pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) UK Non-hostile repellents: lavender Trap crop: turnip rape InsectidesBiopesticide: (Metarhizium anipsoliae) Adopted from (Cook et al., 2007) Biological control Biological control involves the use of parasites, predators or pathogens to maintain another organisms population at a lower average than would occur in a naturally in their absence. The aim is to reduce and achieve long term stabilization of weeds and pests. The technique has been utilised to control the Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica using Aphalara itadori (http://www.cabi.org/japaneseknotweedallaiance/). Most biological control studies have been largely successful on a small scale and have reduced the reliance on pesticides, insecticides and herbicides thus conserving biodiversity. Despite of its potential for biodiversity conservation, organic farming has been reported to have limited output and productivity. This could be attributed to the limited use of synthetic fertilizers which results into unavailability of important soil nutrients, increased perennial weeds, pests and diseases. As a result, the organic fields are abandoned in the long run or farmers adopt conventional farming practices. All the different types of agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment (Ammann, 2008). 2.0 SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES Scientific advances have significantly contributed to the sustainable production of arable crops to feed the increasing global population. These range from the discovery of the DNA structure and genetics by Craig and Watson and Gregor Mendel respectively to high throughput genomics-based approaches. They have been exploited by plant breeders to generate genetic diversity among crop species by crossing varieties with desired characteristics, use of mutations; chemical mutagens like gamma, x- and ÃŽÂ ²-rays. Other scientific advances that have contributed to sustainable arable crop production include; discovery of agrochemicals like fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and nematicides; agricultural machinery and equipments like; tractors, planters, harvesters, ploughs, sprayers and irrigation equipments which facilitate precision agriculture. 2.1 Impact of scientific advances on sustainable arable crop productivity Many factors impact on arable crop productivity and these include: land, climate change, production economics, legislation, breeding, labour and management and agronomic practices. Scientific advances in plant breeding are reported to have a significant impact on sustainable arable crop productivity (Tong et al., 2003). Plant breeding Conventional breeding Advances through conventional breeding and genetic transformation have provided genetic change to crops like wheat, rice, maize, cotton, soybean resulting into sustainable increased yields. These approaches have been used to exploit heterosis and feed the increasing world population; circumnavigate the effects of climate change by producing drought tolerant and disease and pest resistant varieties. For instance, the production of new rice for Africa (NERICA) a cross between Oryza sativa indigenous to India and West African native Oryza glaberrima through inter-specific hybridization. The drought and weed resistant variety is widely adopted and cultivated under the rainfed systems in SSA (Dingkuhna et al., 1999). Its cultivation has resulted into a reduction in paddy rice growing which emits GHGs: N2O and CH4 thus mitigating the adverse effects of global warming through destruction of the Ozone layer. In addition, world wheat production increased significantly due to the adoption of h ybrid dwarf wheat varieties and use of agro chemicals. The hybrids have a short stature, resistant to lodging and early maturing (Peng et al., 1999). In the UK wheat yields were reported to be increasing with an average of 110kgha-1 annually though further increase in sustainable wheat productivity can be achieved through by breeding resource use efficient varieties (Austin, 1999). Genetic Transformation Globally, transgenic crops are cultivated in 23 countries and occupy 114.3 million ha of land with an average increase of more than 12% annually. The number of transgenic crop traits and hectares planted are predicted to double by 2015. The use of rDNA technology in plant breeding has resulted into sustainable arable crop production through biodiversity conservation. This has been achieved by reducing pesticides and herbicides use and adoption of reduced tillage practices (Craig et al., 2008; Bitista and Oliveira, 2009; Hillocks, 2009). The development of insect resistant transgenic cultivars like Bt cotton transformed with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene which controls the production and expression an endotoxin within the plant to control Lepidopteran tobacco budworm, cotton bollworm and pink bollworm pests does not require pesticides. Bacillus thuringiensis has been used as an organic pesticide for decades and poses no threat to biodiversity which makes crops transformed with the Bt gene acceptable on the organic market and have an adoption rate of over 66% and 85% in China and South Africa respectively (Hillocks, 2009). Despite of its potential in ensuring sustainable arable crop production; GM technology has been criticised by anti GM activists as a threat to biodiversity. Concerns of horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance markers (ARMs), allergenicity and toxicity of the new GM food products have been reported as possible threats to biodiversity (Craig et al., 2008; Bitista and Oliveira, 2009). The use of insect and herbicide resistant varieties has resulted into emergence of new pests and herbicides resistant weeds due to selection pressure which results into secondary pests becoming major pests. GMOs contain ARM genes which are used in the selection process during transformation. The ARM commonly used is Neomycin phosphotranferase II (nptII) which inactivates the aminoglycoside antibiotics neomycin and kanamycin. There is concern that ARMs when introduced into food or the environment could drive the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria by functioning as sources of antibiotic resistance (Craig et al., 2008). Several transgenic plants constructed to be resistant to herbicides, insecticides or diseases are transformed with genetic material containing genes coding for compounds like antimicrobial agents. These could affect non target microbiota such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi and other beneficial soil microorganisms. For instance; a reduction in the colonisation potential of mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae has been attributed to the production of anti-fungal pathogenesis-related proteins from a transgenic tobacco plant containing ÃŽÂ ²-1, 3-glucanase (Araujo and Azevedo, 2003). Using insect resistant transgenic canola increases fitness in oilseed rape varieties expressing the Bt gene. However, pollen flow between canola cultivars with different herbicide resistance traits resulted into gene stacking causing genetic contamination of seed. In addition, gene flow can lead to development volunteer oil seed rape with multiple tolerance to several herbicides due pollination between adjacent crops (Natarajan and Turna, 2007). Controlling these super weeds requires toxic herbicides like 2, 4-D and paraquat which are hazardous to man and the environment. Agrochemicals The use of agrochemicals like inorganic fertilizers (NPK) during crop production has increased world crop productivity and reduced the rate of encroachment on natural ecosystem like forests and virgin land (Tilman et al., 2002). The increased use of fertilizers has been a major contributing factor to the increase in yield growth in developing countries since the Green Revolution. In addition, globally fertilizer use has plateaued due to a decline in its use in industrial countries and Soviet Union countries after joining the market economy (Fischer et al., 2009). In China increase in cereal production has been attributed to introduction of agrochemicals; yields increased from 1.21 t/ha in 1961 to 4.83 t/ha in 1998 (Tong et al., 2003). It is presumed that the historical decline in crop yields is due to the genetic ceiling for maximal yield potential being reached. Figure 1: Long-term trends of wheat yields in selected countries (Fischer et al., 2009) Despite their potential increased use of agrochemicals has resulted into environmental pollution, eutrophication of water bodies and global warming due to its emission of GHGs and stratospheric ozone depletion (Tong et al., 2003). Environmental pollution is due to nitrate leaching into ground water causing nitrate toxicity due to elevated nitrate levels in drinking water; chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) released from fertilizers applied as aerosols. Eutrophication results into death of aquatic fauna and flora hence threatening biodiversity. Technology Advances in scientific technology like agricultural engineering and development of modern farm equipments and machinery has boosted the agricultural sector and is one of the factors that will ensure sustainable arable crop productivity. The growth of irrigated area has expanded steadily over the last decade at 0.6 percent annually in developing countries and irrigation technology accounts for 0.2 percent in overall cereal yields from 1991-2007 (Fischer et al., 2009). Irrigation equipments like sprinklers have significantly contributed to the continued cultivation of arable crops throughout the year and under drought conditions. Farm machinery like combine harvesters, sprayer, planters, ploughs among others have helped in the efficient management of farm operations. However, the use of fuels by farm machinery during farm operations has been cited as a source of GHG, CO2 leading to an increase in atmospheric CO2 levels (Brookes and Barfoot, 2008). 2.2 Impact of science and policies on sustainable crop production The government land laws and policies, product prices and social economic factors like population migration, urbanization and world trade play a significant role in ensuring sustainable arable crop production. Figure 2: Shows area planted with cereals in China between 1961 and 1998 under principal government agricultural policies (Tong et al., 2003) Organic farming is viewed as a solution to biodiversity conservation and has received substantial support in form of subsidy payments through EU and national government legislation. As a result the certified organic and in-conversion area within the EU increased from 0.7 to 3.3 million ha from 1993 to1999 accounting for 24.1% of global organic land area (Hole et al., 2005). In 2007, 3% of the total UK land area is managed organically (HGCA, 2008). This direct support and intervention through fixation of ceiling and floor prices protects farmers from exploitation at both the domestic and international market hence producing more crops under organic farming whilst conserving the environment. However, enacting of the healthy check on CAP will remove restriction on farmers thus helping them to respond to new market signals, opportunities and challenges (http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/healthcheck/index_en.htm). In SSA the cultivation of GM crops has been hindered due to lack of a biosafety legislation supporting the biotechnology policy that can allow them acquire GM crops from the biotechnology companies that hold the intellectual property rights (Hillocks, 2009). CONCLUSION To ensure sustainable arable crop productivity; agronomic, breeding and institutional or infrastructural factors like increased investment into research and development of appropriate tool and technologies need to be considered.