Human Resource Development, Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resource Development, Motivation - Essay Example There are certain criteria by which employees decide whether their jobs are on the level or not. Any one of these criteria can derail the employer's efforts to motivate employees if it isn't right. The evaluative criteria of concern to employees are: (1) Security - Majority of employees feel insecure, and these insecurities and fears can get in the way of their buying into motivational efforts. Industrial Psychologist Andrew DuBrin divides these fears and concerns into following broad categories: (2) Commitment - To employees, most managers seem to lack commitment. The constant shifts of direction and reshuffling of priorities send an unintended signal that today's priority will be forgotten tomorrow. Some employees learn to 'wait it out' when they get an instruction. (3) Fairness - Employees are keenly aware that their managers have more authority than they do. Lacking the power to stick up for themselves, they are quick to perceive unfairness in the treatment they receive from those who do hold power. (4) Respect - Employees feel respected only when they feel that their superiors take them seriously and have a genuine concern for the employee's desires. Supervisors who treat employees without respect hurt their self-respect. Self-respect is a prerequisite for self-awareness and self-awareness is the most important thing towards being a champion. (1) Build (5) Development Opportunities - People have a very natural and healthy urge to accomplish things, to grow and develop. Sometimes their desires seem to be at odds with the goals of the organization. (Hiam Alexander (1999) Motivating and Rewarding Employees, p.74 - 89) Keeping in view the employee's criteria as discussed above, an employer may consider the following tips to constantly motivate the employees: (1) Build a solid foundation for the employees so that they feel invested in the company. Tell them about the history of the company as well as its vision for the future and ask them about their expectations and career goals. (2) Create a positive office environment that makes all employees feel worthwhile and important. Avoid playing favorites with the staff. (3) Work with each of them to develop a career growth plan. If employees become excited about what's down the road, they will engage themselves better with the present work. (4) Help employees improve their professional skills by providing training and in-house career development. Encourage them to attend seminars, workshops and educational classes paid for by the company. Employees may appreciate the fact that the company is investing in them. (5) Acknowledge employee's contribution and boost their morale. (6) Provide Incentives. (7) Honor the promises made. Failure to do so will result in a loss of trust. (8) Match tasks to talents. Assign individuals with tasks they would enjoy or are particularly good at. This would help improve employee's confidence level. (9) Don't forget the fun. Once in a while, put work aside and do something nice for the employees. (10) Set an example. Great people make others around them

Research Proposal - Brief Provisional Title Essay Example for Free

Research Proposal Brief Provisional Title Essay Brief Provisional Title: To what extent does media reporting, during a two-month period in 2000 contribute to the vigilantes towards paedophiles. The main aims of the dissertation: It can be suggested amongst academic literature that much of the heightened attacks against paedophiles is media generated, generally the media is perceived as instigators of provoking and motivating heightened anxiety and vigilantes amongst the public domain (refer to Kitzinger, 1999b and Soothill, 1991). Ultimately it can be claimed that tabloid newspapers have led the way in the construction of the personification of paedophiles, often portraying them as perverts, evil and beasts, reinforcing the publics beliefs that paedophiles are somewhat a different species apart from ordinary people. It can be platitude amongst academic commentators that the newsprint media do more than merely reflect social reality (Greer, 2003, P.44), the media can be accused of amplifying a moral panic or even cultivating a mob rule mentality through such conceptualisations. The print media potentially play an active role in criminological theory, too exemplify labelling theory. The labelling theory focuses on the premise that crime and criminal behaviour is a social process, that of the relationship between an individual who is defined as deviant and those who have the power to label such individual as deviant. These general propositions attribute the media as an important factor in such process, thus helping to construct the paedophile with a hate figure identity. The process by which labelling occurs has social and psychological implications on those who are labelled, which in my research is paedophiles. Embedded within such theory exists the belief that such individuals who are labelled are likely to incorporate the label within their self-image and such stigmatisation is likely to affect how they are treated by others in the future. Indeed Spencer, 1999 proclaims that where paedophiles are hounded out, they will go underground (Spencer, 1999, P.178) . Such a theory will be applied into my dissertation to attempt to explain whether the labelling of paedophiles by the print media contribute to the vigilantes towards paedophiles. However throughout my research process there existed an identifiable relationship between the failures of legislation, in accordance to the protection of children and vigilante attacks towards paedophiles, as people seem to have lost confidence in the system and have decided to take the law into their own hands (David, 1997, P.20). But such a relationship will not be acknowledged within my research, as my aim is to examine the way in which paedophiles are represented and labelled through print media reporting. Examining such relationship between legislation and vigilante attacks would inevitably result in me exploring outside the realm of my research question. The central research question I wish to explore is: To what extent does media reporting, during a two-month period contribute to the vigilantes towards paedophiles? My initial hypothesis is that negative labelling of paedophiles perceived through the print media structure individuals perceptions. There also exists a certain complicity towards the way in which the print media reinforces or contributes peoples actions to act violently towards paedophiles. Reasons for undertaking research: Although I have never worked with sex offenders or with victims who have experienced such abuse, the desire to focus my dissertation on paedophiles originated from the tragic death of Sarah Payne in July 2000 by Roy Whiting, a previous convicted sex offender. What jilted my interest was the profound response of the public and media, which triggered a campaign for the implementation of Sarahs Law. Such a campaign resulted in the actions of the Sunday newspaper, the News Of The World publicly naming and shaming convicted paedophiles. To me this is detrimental not only to children but also to paedophiles are they are likely to pose a greater risk to children. A great concern of mine is the way in which paedophiles are stereotypically represented by the media, as it notably feeds the hysteria of public fear and incites such hostility for lynch mob frenzy. Methodology and methods: To investigate the way in which paedophiles are portrayed in the print media and does such portrayal reinforce violent behaviour, I wish to examine both written text and visual images, thus resulting in my methodology consisting of a qualitative approach. My methodology will allow me to explore the ideological themes and stereotypical language embedded within such press report, evaluating whether conceptualisations of the paedophile incite a violent mentality. The source of documentation I wish to analyse in my methodology, will be from national newspapers from the year 2000, such as the News Of The World, The Sun, the Daily Mail and The Guardian, which will consist of a time framework of two months, preferably being the months July and August. I wish to explore these specific months as the newspaper, the News Of The World, in the summer of 2000 undertook such initiative to publicly name and shame convicted paedophiles. Examining newspapers during this period will inevitably provide me with a rich source of information to evaluate and analyse. Due to my study concentrating on a limited time framework and a specific theme it is fair to illustrate that my study will not represent the norm of the print media in relation to the way in which paedophiles are ascribed with such label, my study will only represent a fragment of the print media. However my intentions from my findings is to elucidate the representation of paedophiles within the print media and provide a rigorous analysis concerning the way in which the media militates violent behaviour towards paedophiles. Thus in relation to my research there may exist some difficulties I may encounter these may include, with respect to a paedophile report, me questioning to what extent a report featured in a newspaper is actually valid, which could result in my findings representing a misinterpretation of paedophiles. With respect to resources, I may encounter difficulties in relation to gaining access to newspaper articles from the year 2000. Some articles can be gained from UWCN Library but other articles from newspapers such as the News Of The World and The Sun may result in me researching beyond the UWCN library to libraries such as Cardiff or even paying to order back issues from the internet. Bibliography: David, M. (1997). Child Protection, Moral Outrage or Mob Rule? Community Care. 7 August, PP. 20-21. Greer, C. (2003). Sex Crime And The media, Cornwall: Willan Publishing. Kitzinger, J. (2002). The Ultimate Neighbour Form Hell? Stranger Danger And The Media Framing Paedophiles. In: Jewkes, Y and Letherby, G. Criminology: A reader, London: Sage Publications. McDonald, l. (2001). Sex Offender, The Home Office And the Sunday Papers, Journal of Social Welfare and family Law 23 (1), PP. 103-108. Reiner, R (2002). Media Made Criminality. In: Maguire, M and et-al. The Oxford Handbook Of Criminology, Oxford university press. Thomas, T. (2002). Sex Crime, Sex Offending And Society, Cornwall, Willan publishing. Tierney, J. (1996). Criminology, Theory And Context, England: Longman. White, R and Haines, F. (1996). Crime and Criminology, An Introduction, Oxford University Press.

Feared Drowned :: essays research papers

Favorite Poem I picked the poem â€Å"Feared Drowned† by Sharon Olds as my favorite poem because it reminds me of a hard time that I had to overcome in my life. Once in my lifetime, I found this one perfect person who I fell in love with and lived happily ever after. Yeah, in reality this did not happen. Yes, we did have common interests and therefore developed romantic involvement. Real life relationships are more like "The Real World" rather than "Romeo and Juliet". It was a fact of life that couples do break up. In my freshman year of college I lost someone very special. My girlfriend at that time broke up with me but she still wanted to be friends. We had been in a relationship for about 4 years and all of a sudden everything started to fall apart. I could not figure out how that could be possible to be friends still. I always thought once you break up that’s it you go your way and I go my way. I didn’t really want to be friends with her. I was ready to move on with life but she kept coming back to me. Although, I didn’t look at her the same way I used to but she still wanted talk on the phone and go out. Growing apart was the reason for our break-up. This was an instance where we just did not feel attracted to each other anymore and that resulted in an end of relationship. She started talking to another guy and I started talking to this one girl and we came to the conclusion that we should break-up before anything bad happened such as losing trust in one another and this could hurt our relationships forever. Now I have overcame that tough time and I am still friends with my ex-girlfriend.

My Brother Cried :: Personal Narrative Death Papers

My Brother Cried I stand there shivering as tears stream down my face and roll onto my coat. I cannot believe she is really gone-- she was only four months old. It is not fair to take her away from her family; she was only a baby. I listen as the bishop and the priest try to comfort our pain, but somehow they make it more of a grievous reality-- Stephanie is really gone. When the bishop finishes blessing the grave, I hear the echos of Stephanie's anguished mother, "Don't take my baby away, I love her!" I ponder her words as they ring in my head; it makes me think, "Did I really love her?" I know I did, but at first I tried not to. I cry because of my heartlessness; Stephanie only needed love and attention while she existed on earth. As I watch her mother weep, I condemn myself-- a terrible aunt. Despite my crude heart, I soon realize that Stephanie touched all of our lives, not just mine, in some way or another. Stephanie Becomes Extremely Sick Stephanie Christine Schank was born on a quiet, rainy Sunday in October. Immediately after church, my older brother Chris and I traveled over thirty miles north from Silver Spring, Maryland to Gaithersburg to see our newborn niece. Despite the familiar picturesque autumn scenery, we drove on Interstate 270 in dismal silence. We heard something might have gone wrong during the birth. Chris and I did not know what to expect. Upon arrival at Shady Grove Hospital, a nurse guided us to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. A million troubling thoughts raced through my mind. Could something possibly be wrong with the baby? No way! That would never happen to a righteous Mormon family. Why would God give a honorable family an affliction as serious as this? I never expected anything unfortunate to happen to my family or me, and especially not to my brother and his wife. I thought about Marisel, Stephanie's mother: perhaps she had a hard birth and the doctors needed specialists. I rationalized an y possible problem and convinced myself that everything was fine. Chris and I sat in painful silence as we waited patiently for someone to come answer our many questions. Finally, Mike, my oldest brother, and his home teacher strolled down the hallway. I assumed that Mike had taken him back to see Stephanie and Marisel.

Ethics Assignment

Table of Contents 1. 0 Aims1 2. 0 Objectives3 3. 0 Introduction5 4. 0 Questions (a) and (b)13 5. 0 Conclusion14 6. 0 References15 1. 0 Aims To understand students understand the importance of work ethics in the work place. 2. 0 Objectives 1. Instill strong organizational values. 2. Build an integrity-based organization. 3. Develop ethical behavioral influences. 4. Implement plans and strategies to achieve ethical excellence. 3. 0 Introduction According to Chester Barnard, an organization is a system of consciously coordinated activities or efforts of two or more persons.His meaning of organization implies formal planning, division, of labor and leadership. On the other hand, Bedeian and Zamnuto see organizations as social entities that are goal directed, deliberately structured activity systems with a permeable boundary. Their meaning of â€Å"deliberately structured activity systems† basically means that organizations are structured in a proper way jobs are divided among peop le to achieve a common goal. According to www. dictionary. com, an organization a social unit of people that is structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals.Every organization has a management structure which will divide and break down the roles and tasks of different members. Organizations are also regarded as open systems which affects and also are affected by environment. (dictionary. com, n. d. ) In any organization, reputation is very important and ethics plays a vital role in the success of an organization. In short, ethics is the choices which individuals make both in their personal and professional lives which deal with morality such as right versus wrong. Charles D. Little, 2000) Business ethics also refers to ways in an organization carry out its business according to the accepted moral standards. It is actually a set of moral principles and code of conducts applicable to all businesses which not only relates to the customer itself but to the society as well. It also implies the ways of conducting business in a way which not only benefit oneself but to benefit everyone as a whole. According to Charles D.Little, organizational business ethics is the application of these morality related choices as influenced and guided by values, standards, rules, principles, and strategies which is related to an organization’s activities and business situations. Laura Nash with a Ph. D. from Harvard University further asserts that business ethics deals with choices about what laws should be and whether to follow them, about economics and social issues outside the law, and about the priority of self-interests over the company’s interests. (Laura Nash, 2000) . 0 Questions a) How can employers develop a better work ethics in the workstation? i) Employers should lead by example and practice what they preach. Employers should always lead by example by first doing what they want their employees to do. This is because if the manager itse lf practices what he preach, it shows how serious he is in leading by example. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) ii) Reward and praise those who deserve. Simple things like a thank you note or a note of praise will go a long way in showing you appreciation towards the employee.It will show how the employers appreciate its employees and also that the employers are not those who will take all the credit by themselves. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) iii) Reprimand those who go against work ethics. If there is anyone in the organization who breaks the rules of a company, action should be taken towards that employee to show how serious the organization is in dealing with ethical issues. It will also serve as a reminder to others to not go against any ethical code of conducts set by a company. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) iv) Legal and regulatory compliance.One way to develop better work ethics in the workstation is through legal and regulatory compliance. Employers should conduct their businesses according to the law in order to hold fast to the values of integrity which will help contribute to a company’s good reputation. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) v) Be accountable. Employers should also be accountable to whatever they do. The Code of Ethics by the Society of Professional Journalists states that admitting their own mistakes will make employees know that one should owe up to their own mistakes instead of running away from them.By doing this, employees will know that they would have to owe up to whatever they do and it is not right for them to push the blame to someone else for their own deeds as it is unethical. This practice will greatly help avoid unethical practices in the workstation. (spj, n. d. ) vi) Maintain true and accurate records and also proper disposal of records. Employers should always maintain true and accurate records and also the proper disposal of records. Information should not be alter or falsify to mislead the public.When appropriate, business information shoul d also be destroyed according to the legal requirements in a proper way to protect the privacy of stakeholders such as customers and employees of the company. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) vii) Should not practice favoritism. Employers should not practice favoritism in the workplace. They should always treat all employees equally. This to prevent any jealousy by any parties which could cause unethical work practices. A work environment where everyone is treated fair and just will reduce the chances of unethical behavior because employees will not feel less important or unappreciated. Code of Conduct, n. d. ) viii) Do not practice bribes and kickbacks. Bribes and kickbacks should not be practice in the company and should be strictly prohibited. Managers should never accept any bribes or favors from any parties for their own interest. Business arrangements with any outside parties should also be written out in a proper document and be approved by the legal counsel or authority in charged to avoid unhealthy practices in an organization. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) ix) Penalties The company should also enforce penalties to those who engage in unethical practices.Those who engaged in unethical practices should be demoted, laid off or be made responsible for their acts such as paying a fine. This would help prevent others in the organization from engaging in unethical behavior. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) x) Establish whistleblower provisions. Employers should also establish whistleblower provisions to protect employees who in good faith report misconducts by any party. This is to avoid retaliation, threats, harassment and discrimination by other employees.The establishment of this kind of act will encourage more people to speak up and unethical practices in a company can be eliminated. (John J. Kayne, n. d. ) xi) Tighten electronic and security requirements. Companies should tighten electronic and security requirements. This is to commit to protecting all aspects of information sys tems and at the same time make sure that all the organization abides by the policies established. This will help protect private information from being leaked out or stealing of information from other parties.This could help reduce the number of hackers whose aim is to steal private information. A system to monitor electronic data used in the company should also be implemented so that employees and employers alike could not simply disclosed or misuse information for activities that are unlawful and inappropriate. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) b) How do we (employers and employees) ensure that positive shared values are practiced and promoted to create an ethics-driven culture in the organization? i) Respect and avoid criticizing your employer.Employees should communicate effectively with the boss and respect them as their superiors. As times have change and more employers are more open to suggestions and feedback from employees but it does not mean that the employee could lash out anything at the employer. The employee should always know where to draw the line and never go overboard to criticize them or talk behind their backs. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) ii) Do not befriend your colleagues for the wrong reasons. Times have change and people nowadays are getting more busybody.There is always the office gossip where people want to know what is going on in other people’s lives. However, the best way is to always be honest in all your friendships and do not befriend others just to benefit from them. This is because people will always appreciate genuine friendship and befriending someone just to get something from him or her will not leave a good impression about you to others. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) iii) Avoid comparison. Everyone is unique in their own way, have their own set of talents and skills which is why people are assigned to different roles and tasks.One should not compare one’s work to other people or complain whenever another gets promoted. This is because promotion will come when you deserved it. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) iv) Do not interfere in other people’s affairs. Each and everyone in an organization should respect other’s privacy and should never try to interfere in people’s private affairs. Do not insist on knowing something if that colleague is reluctant to tell you and do not be too enthusiastic in giving your opinions.If someone confides in you about his or her problem, one should only listen and give them support which they need instead of tons and tons of advice. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) v) Do not be a busy-body. One good attitude to be practiced in the workplace is to not stick into other people’s affairs. One should instead use the energy to do better in their own work instead of poking into other people’s business. By doing this it will create a pleasant environment to work into and people will feel comfortable working with you. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) vi) Dress professionally.B oth employers and employees should always dress up professionally as the attire will speaks for itself and it will reflect well about the company towards an external organization. Therefore, people should always the dress code set by a company. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) vii) Leave personal matters at home. People should not bring their family to work as it may make other employees’ uncomfortable. Second, they should also not talk about family matters in the office as not everyone will be interested in their family matters. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) viii) Respect the contribution by others.When a colleague is praise or rewarded for his or her good performance, one should not get jealous because it will help to improve the organization and you yourself will stand to benefit from his or her performance. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) ix) Take credit only if it is yours and do not brag about it. If you had contributed to the success of something, then you should acknowledge it and should ce lebrate your achievements. However, if it is other’s work, then by all means direct credit to them. Besides, one should also not keep bragging their achievements in the workplace. Prema Jayabalan, 2013) x) Be informed. One should always themselves about everything which is happening around in an organization. It is not good to not know anything about your company as it will reflect how people look at you as a person. Besides, being updated in an organization will help generate a good impression about you to the employer as it shows that you are competent and relevant to the workplace. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) xi) Should not share or access any confidential information. Both employers and employees should not access or share any confidential information with anyone.It is very vital for both employers and employees to protect any information within their records so that each and every person’s privacy is respected. Private information should also never be sent over the In ternet except through the use of secure methods to prevent the leakage of private information. This practice will ensure that every person’s private and personal space is respected. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) xii) Never let conflict of interest intersect with work problems. Employers and employees should never let conflict of interest intersect with work problems. They should always put the organization’s interest before their own interest.To prevent conflict of interest from affecting professional judgement, employees are also not encouraged to deal with customers or others who are their close friends or relatives. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) xiii) Maintain a professional work environment. Both employers and employees should always maintain a professional work environment. Everyone should be treated fairly with respect, courtesy and consideration and they should not be any biasness in the workplace. This is to maintain a workplace free of any harassment or discrimination to en sure that both employers and employees could work in a positive environment with an ethics-driven cukture. John J. Kane, n. d. ) xiv) Stay free of substances such as drugs and alcohol. Both employers and employees should stay free of substances such as drugs and alcohol. Everyone should report to work free from any abuse of substances to prevent the influence of any drugs or alcohol while working and also to prevent any discomfort to other colleagues. This is also because working under the influence of alcohol and drugs could cause one to not be able to think properly and may cause tantrums which may disturb the peacefulness in the workplace. xv) Give everyone equal treatment.Employers and employees alike should be given equal treatment meaning that everyone is given equal opportunity. The setting at the workplace should be such that cultural differences are celebrated and does not discriminate by gender, sex, race, colour, or creed. Employment should be based on a merit system rela ted to competence and qualifications of the worker rather than based on a person’s gender, race, colour, or creed. (John J. Kane, n. d. ) xvi) Be honest and truthful. Employers and employees alike should always be honest and truthful in all their actions.When everyone in an organization is honest and truthful to each other, they will be a high level of trust among each other and this will lead to higher productivity as it is always easier to work with a trusted person. (Code of Conduct, n. d. ) xvii) Practice integrity. Employers and employees should practice integrity at all times. They should be fair and honest in all business dealings and also all other aspects of business so that outsiders such as suppliers, customers and the public will have faith in the organization.Thus, the reputation of the organization will be uplifted and everyone in the organization will be more motivated to practice ethical behaviour in the company. (Code of Conduct, n. d. ) xviii) Be responsible . Employers and employees should also be responsible at work. They should be committed to their work and develop a high sense of accountability as these would make working in an organization more pleasant. (Code of Conduct, n. d. ) xix) Practice high citizenship behaviour. Employers and employees should practice high citizenship behaviour meaning that they are patriotic, loyal and highly committed towards their company.They should always participate in all the matters relating to the progression of the company as this action will benefit and further motivate everyone in the company. (Code of Conduct, n. d. ) xx) Care for each other. Employers and employees should be caring towards each other. They should always show compassion and kindness to their colleagues and this must come from the heart. It will make people touch and people will be ready to open up to each other. This practice of openness will help discourage unethical behaviour and it will further stimulate a highly ethical w ork environment. Code of Conduct, n. d. ) 5. 0 Conclusion Ethics is a very important aspect which must be practice by all companies to ensure their survival and also its reputation. Lack of ethics in a company could easily cause a company’s downfall as it loses trust from other parties. Ethics is also important to ensure employees’ commitment as an employee will definitely not leave if he or she is treated appropriately. Long serving employees will also contribute to increase investor and customer loyalty and confidence as it is an undeniable fact that everyone loves and honest company who looks after its people well.Workplace ethics is very important because it enhances teamwork. With teamwork, it will enable employees to work together without any conflicts or prejudice. They will also be better to understand their employer’s expectations and could motivate and push each other to excel in a given task. This will also make working easier as they is a high level of trust, sincerity and partnership in the organization. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) It is also important as every employee will want to feel secure in a job. This will make employees more motivated to go to work as they know that they will not lose their job if they were not given valid reasons.Thus, employee productivity will be higher as they will feel appreciated and will not be harassed by other workers. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) Workplace ethics are also important as it helps protect the company’s privacy as well as property. Organizations where all employees strictly adhere to the code of ethics need not fear any leaking out of company’s information, truancy, taking false sick leave and other disciplinary and ethical issues. From then employer’s viewpoint, they should always treat their workers with respect and reward those who deserve. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) Ethics is also very important in aintaining a company’s reputation because the society at large will always admire and look up to a company which is ethical. This is because it shows that the organization is sincere and genuine in conducting their business and this will help attract more people towards the organization. (Prema Jayabalan, 2013) 6. 0 References Prema Jayabalan (2013), Workplace ethics: Ensuring harmony in the office [online] Available from : http://mystarjob. com/articles/story. aspx? file=%2F2013%2F2%2F2%2Fmystarjob_careerguide%2F12606844&sec=mystarjob_careerguide (Accessed on 27th February 2013) John J.Kane (2013), Code of Conducts and Ethics [online] Available from : http://codeofconduct. pdf (Accessed on 25th February 2013) Businessdictionary. com (n. d. ), What is an Organization? [online] Available from : http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/organization. html#ixzz2LVVEI0Il (Accessed on 27th February 2013) Managementstudyguide. com (2008), Business Ethics – A Successful way of conducting business [online] Available from : http://www. mana gementstudyguide. com/business-ethics. htm (Accessed on 27th February 2013) Spj. org (2012), Society of Professional Journalists: SPJ Code of Ethics [online] Available from : http://www. pj. org/ethicscode. asp (Accessed on 27th February 2013) Don Knauss (n. d. ), The Role Of Business Ethics In Relationships With Customers [online] Available from : http://www. forbes. com/2010/01/19/knauss-clorox-ethics-leadership-citizenship-ethics. html (Accessed on 28th February 2013) Sumitama Mukherjee (n. d. ), What is an Organization? [online] Available from : http://whatisanorganization. pdf (Accessed on 28th February 2013) Charles D. Little (n. d. ), Organizational/Business Ethics [online] Available from : http://wweb. uta. edu/management/Dr. Little/†¦ /Organizational%20Ethics. ppt (Accessed on 28th February 2013)

Braveheart Movie Review essays

Braveheart Movie Review essays The movie "?Braveheart" won five Academy Awards in 1995 at the 68th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Directed by Mel Gibson, "Braveheart" is about a war for freedom between the Scottish and English. The plot is based on the life of the protagonist, William Wallace, (played by Mel Gibson) who is single-minded and leads the Scottish army to freedom. "Braveheart" isnt historically accurate. William Wallace never traveled beyond the borders of Scotland. Also, his troops never took control of York as Randall Wallace (scriptwriter) shows in the film. In fact, his troops only arrived to Cumberland and Northumberland that are in Scotland territory. According to history, Malcolm Wallace, father of William Wallace, was alive when he started a rebellion against England in 1297. However, in Gibsons version, he is murdered by the English in the beginning. The setting of this film is very attractive. While I was watching it, I felt as if I was in the film - it felt so real and I actually became emotional. The directing and producing teams did a good job scouting locations. The setting made the film look real, true to the period and engaging. The cinematography was also well done. Tracking and dolly shots were frequently used in the film, adding drama and an dramatic sweep to the production. I noticed that William Wallace is consistently positioned from a certain angle that makes it look like he's always in charge. With that in mind, I will never forget the close-up shot of Wallace, taken from a camera positioned over him while he was being punished. It made me feel emotional because for the first time in the film, it made Wallace look so vulnerable. The acting in the film is amazing and all involved did a great job speaking in the Scottish accent, especially considering the fact that the Scottish accent isn't easy to master. The acting was so effective, it seemed like I was actually watc...

ddddddd essays

ddddddd essays master will not inform him. Most masters prefer for their slaves to stay ignorant. He believes that he was around twenty-seven and twenty-eight when he began writing his narrative - he overheard his master say he was about seventeen years of age during 1835. The farm was owned by Aaron Anthony who is believed to be Douglass father. Douglass mother was Harriet Bailey who worked in the cornfield s on the farm. Douglass rarely saw his mother and was raised by his grandmother Betsey Bailey who was a mid wife. Frederick was separated from his mother when he was only a few weeks old, and was raised by his grandparents until he was six years old. At the age of six, Frederick's grandmother took him to the plantation that was 12 miles form his the home of his master and left him there. At the age of eight, Frederick was sent to Baltimore to live as a houseboy with Hugh and Sophia Auld, relatives of his master.Sophia Auld, Frederick's "mistress", was very humane to him and spent time tea ching him the A, B, C's. After he mastered this, she assisted him in spelling three and four letter words. At this point in his lesson Mr. Auld encountered what his wife was doing for Frederick and forbid her to continue. He believed that "if you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell" and continuing with "learning would spoil the best nigger in the world". The masters felt that an ignorant slave formed a choice slave and any beneficial learning would damage the slave and therefore be futile to his master. . Frederick with the desire to learn how to read took it upon himself to do so.Frederick would make friends with as many white boys as he possibly could on the street. His new friends would be transformed into teachers. When he could, Frederick carried bread on him as a means of trade to the famished kids for knowledge. He would also carry a book anytime he had an errand to run. The errand would be completed quickly, allowing extra study t...

Primary Standards in Chemistry

Primary Standards in Chemistry In chemistry, a primary standard is a reagent which is very pure, representative of the number of moles the substance contains and easily weighed. A reagent is a chemical that is used to cause a chemical reaction with another substance. Often, reagents are used to test for the presence or quantity of specific chemicals in a solution. Properties of Primary Standards Primary standards are typically used in titration to determine an unknown concentration and in other analytical chemistry  techniques. Titration is a process in which small amounts of a reagent are added to a solution until a chemical reaction occurs. The reaction provides confirmation that the solution is at a specific concentration. Primary standards are often used to make standard solutions (a solution with a precisely known concentration). A good primary standard meets the following criteria: high level of puritylow reactivity (high stability)high equivalent weight (to reduce error from mass measurements)not likely to absorb moisture from the air (hygroscopic) to reduce changes in mass in humid versus dry environmentsnon-toxicinexpensive and readily available In practice, few chemicals used as primary standards meet all of these criteria, although its critical that  a standard is of high purity. Also, a compound which may be a good primary standard for one purpose may not be the best choice for another analysis. Examples of Primary Standards and Their Uses It may seem odd that a reagent is needed to establish the concentration of a chemical in solution. In theory, it should be possible to simply divide the mass of the chemical by the volume of the solution. But in practice, this isnt always possible. For example, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) tends to absorb moisture and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus changing its concentration. A 1-gram sample of NaOH may not actually contain 1 gram of NaOH because additional water and carbon dioxide may have diluted the solution. To check the concentration of NaOH, a chemist must titrate a primary standard (in this case a solution of potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP). KHP does not absorb water or carbon dioxide, and it can provide visual confirmation that a 1 gram solution of NaOH really contains 1 gram. There are many examples of primary standards; a few of the most common include: Sodium chloride (NaCl) is used as a primary standard for silver nitrate (AgNO3) reactions.Zinc powder may be used to standardize EDTA solutions after it has been dissolved in hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid.Potassium hydrogen phthalate or KHP may be used to standardize perchloric acid and an aqueous base in an acetic acid solution. Secondary Standard Definition A related term is secondary standard. A secondary standard is a chemical that has been standardized against a primary standard for use in a specific analysis. Secondary standards are commonly used to calibrate analytical methods. NaOH, once its concentration has been validated through the use of a primary standard, is often used as a secondary standard.

ADA Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ADA Presentation - Essay Example suit because she believed that the employer had violated the rules of Americans With Disability Act (ADA) as well as Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The outcome of the case was that the employer secured the verdict in his favor. The first issue that the court had to decide about was whether an employee who is fired because of his duty of care for her child was experiencing discrimination at the hands of the employer and whether the employer violated the provisions of FMLA (Leagle.com 1). The second issue that was under scrutiny was whether an employer was in violation of ADA and whether the employer could be held responsible for indulging in discriminatory employment practices if the employer fires an employee on the basis of the employee being absent from his place of work because he/she had to look after a disabled child. The rules that were used for the case were that an employee cannot be terminated from his/her duty because she was looking after a disabled child who she had a duty to care for (Leagle.com 1). The second rule that was used in the case was that the employer fired the employee because he/she had been absent from work. The third rule that was considered in the case was that the ADA does not require and employer to provide reasonable accommodating for the disabled child of an employee. The analysis provided by the court was that the employee was working in a significant department which was the energy department of the healthcare facility and it was essential for her to attend work on regular basis. Furthermore, the employer in the case had clearly provided the employee with five warnings regarding her termination as a result of being absent. Furthermore, the employer and the employee had been in an agreement that the employee would be allowed to take time off the job to look after the child but there was no evidence of the employer officially providing the employee with the permission of being absent from the job for the amount of time she had

Marketing 521 - Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing 521 - Discussion - Assignment Example Moreover, if the employees are made to perceive the organization positively, they become motivated to work in the organization increasing their productivity. The management of an organization may decide on the values and characteristics the organization wants the public to associate it with. When the desired values have been established, they should be translated in to appealing marketing language. The Public relation’s department should then popularize the values among the employees in the organization before publicizing it eternally. Ethics refer to the moral values and principles that guide a person in decision making (Brenkert, 2008). Several ethical issues exist in the field of marketing. Predatory pricing in developing countries by large corporations to drive out competition is an ethical issue. Through this pricing method, competitors are denied their livelihood by large organizations by being driven out of business. Price fixing is another illegal activity in marketing. This happens when traders conspire to regulate prices of commodities so as to remain at a particular level for their mutual benefits. They manipulate supply and demand so that prices favor their profitability. The consumers are left on the receiving side since they have no choice, but to buy commodities at the exaggerated

Moral Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral Statements - Essay Example To support this argument on proper grounds, we must understand that realism basically rests on the premise that concreteness of objects as they appear is separate in function from the way these same objects enter perception. Anti-realism or idealism may hold true assuming that moral realists make no adequate plausibility of accounts during the process of formulating truths and that commonsense intuitions are generally proposed to agree with moral realism. By experience, commonsense intuitions are partly concrete and partly abstract since it can only be admitted as useful by an individual who has encountered tangibility of a case or matter on a regular basis, yet, because there emerges quite a number of uncertainties over time, making such case or matter seem to acquire properties that bear new or different impressions, the real portion is rather evaluated by the realms of the unreal. This is to demonstrate that the loss or decrease of logical grounds in establishing the truth is brou ght about by changes in the literal truth as well as the nature of its presence after the apparent sight and sense of reality. Naturally, it is the reality that gives shape to truth and our experience of reality under frequent terms enables us to decide about the truth in its degree of completeness. To this point, it turns out that commonsense intuitions are able to cover and justify both positions of moral realists and moral anti-realists who each have the capacity to form and distinguish between views according to how reality is confronted by their principles of living. Commonsense on measuring truth in matter is primarily earned by constant engagement with the physical object which realism may eventually treat as valid. On intuiting with commonsense, however, part of looking at the object as real may be deducted from the cognitive process of placing more subjective effort on understanding its existence in truth so that this becomes reasonable. This is in the context of idealists who prefer to determine truth by a higher form of resolution in addition to the use of sense perceptions especially in the absence of sufficient pragmatic evidence. For this situation to yield an interesting consequence, feelings and sensations ought to accumulate in a fashion, which upon combination with a more profound philosophical thought or movement would proceed to lay foundations of truth bound to remain constant despite constraints of time and evolution. In the light of realism, experience occurs to be a sphere in which sensations and feelings are spontaneously taught to be learned so as to realize truth. Feelings and sensations, nevertheless, are an outcome of interactions or responses to stimuli that are exchanged within human population based on significant events that involve objective concerns either seen or felt. Rationalizing around this stage, it then makes ample sense to argue that emotional or sensational impact can possibly bring truth to solid creation. If by any chance this arrives instead at a complicated discourse of having to present the substance of ethical realism and of moral anti-realism in scrutinizing detail, the endeavor should necessitate relevant theories by Descartes and Hume whose respective concepts regarding rationalism and empiricism can be utilized to settle conflicts on proving which set of beliefs is greatly responsible for the

Personal Philosophy of Education Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Philosophy of Education - Personal Statement Example Nevertheless, one of the most common factors that characterize most philosophies in education is the issue of social pedagogy. Social pedagogy refers to an educational approach that focuses on providing holistic education and cares to students (Lingard, Nixon, & Ranson, 2008 p. 23). Social pedagogues are guided by four main principles. These are holistic education, holistic wellbeing, promoting human welfare, and molding students to become responsible members of the society. Holistic education pays greater emphasis on issues such as cognitive development, emotional and spiritual development, as well as physical and practical skills development. My personal education philosophy is based on the belief that all educators should be social pedagogues. I believe that education should be seen as the process of empowering learners to make the best out of their lives regardless of their age. Therefore, education should not be seen as a way of discriminating or categorizing individual on the basis of their age or backgrounds. As such, the main approach should be regarding all learners as human beings who need to be taught how to make the best out of their lives (Tisdall, 2006 p. 34). In this regard, an education system should focus on empowering students to deal with contemporary challenges and issues affecting humans. For instance, contemporary education should focus on empowering learners to deal with issues such as climate change, terrorism, economic challenges, and the issues of globalization and cultural integration. I also believe that this kind of education can only be achieved in a specific learning environment that is characterized by a high sense of equality, sameness, and heightened interactions between educators and learner s. In lieu of this, educators have to consider learners, irrespective of their age, as fellow humans; hence the need to treat them equally.  

Everything you need to kow about a computer mouse Essay

Everything you need to kow about a computer mouse - Essay Example Dr. Douglas Carl Engelbart of Stanford Research Institute (SRI) invented the mouse in early 1960s. He worked with Bill English, the man behind the hardware design of the first mouse. Engelbart's innovative ideas changed the way working with computers, from a more complicated to a user-friendly machine. The results of analyzing different characteristics of pointing input devices (such as speed and accuracy) led to the invention of the first prototype computer mouse. Engelbart first called this device as "X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System," wherein it received its patent number 3,541,541 on November 17, 1970. According to an interview, Douglas Engelbart said, "SRI patented it, but they really had no idea of its value. Some years later I learned that they had licensed it to Apple for something like $40,000." So, how did this device get its popular name At first, it had its cord in front, so it was termed "mouse" and that's were it got its smart name. However, they later on changed the cord's position as the present mouse is. In early 1970s, Bill English invented the so-called "ball mouse" while he was working for Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). In 1981, Xerox Corporation introduced Star, officially known as the 8010 Star Information System, which features various technologies including mouse. Inspired by Xerox Star, Apple Computer released Apple Macintosh in 1984, which made mouse popular and indispensable for computer use. II. TYPES There are three basic types of mouse: mechanical, optomechanical, and optical mouse. Mechanical mouse has a rubber or metal ball at the base that moves against two rollers as it passed across a flat surface. As the ball rolls on a certain direction, circuits in the mouse translate its movement into signals the computer understands. Mechanical mouse must be place on a mouse pad - a rectangular rubber that provides better traction than the top of the desk. Optomechanical mouse works on the same principal as the mechanical mouse but uses optical sensors to detect the motion of the ball. Optical mouse on the contrary, has no moving mechanical parts inside. Instead, it uses light-emitting diodes (LED) to detect the mouse's movement. It is more efficient than mechanical and optomechanical mice but is also more expensive. III. CONNECTIONS A mouse can connect to your computer in several ways. Serial mouse connects directly to RS-232C serial port. Bus mouse connects directly on a small round connector (female mini-DIN-9), but this is pretty well obsolete because this mouse is difficult to install. PS/2 connects to a PS/2 connector (female mini-DIN-6); it's installed as simple as any serial mouse. Cordless mouse uses is a battery-powered device that transmits data using infrared technology of radio waves to communicate with the computer. Some users prefer to use cordless mouse because it frees him from the hassles of cords and provides much desk space. USB mouse is the easiest mouse you can connect in your computer, even when your computer is running. IV. SPEED Mouse speed is expressed in DPI (dots per inch), which is the number of pixels the mouse cursor will move when the mouse is moved one inch. V. INNOVATIONS AND ALTERNATIVE DEVICES a. Trackball is an input device with a ball mounted in its surface, which rotates to control the position of the cursor. b. Touchpad is an input device

Personal Philosophy of Education Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Philosophy of Education - Personal Statement Example Nevertheless, one of the most common factors that characterize most philosophies in education is the issue of social pedagogy. Social pedagogy refers to an educational approach that focuses on providing holistic education and cares to students (Lingard, Nixon, & Ranson, 2008 p. 23). Social pedagogues are guided by four main principles. These are holistic education, holistic wellbeing, promoting human welfare, and molding students to become responsible members of the society. Holistic education pays greater emphasis on issues such as cognitive development, emotional and spiritual development, as well as physical and practical skills development. My personal education philosophy is based on the belief that all educators should be social pedagogues. I believe that education should be seen as the process of empowering learners to make the best out of their lives regardless of their age. Therefore, education should not be seen as a way of discriminating or categorizing individual on the basis of their age or backgrounds. As such, the main approach should be regarding all learners as human beings who need to be taught how to make the best out of their lives (Tisdall, 2006 p. 34). In this regard, an education system should focus on empowering students to deal with contemporary challenges and issues affecting humans. For instance, contemporary education should focus on empowering learners to deal with issues such as climate change, terrorism, economic challenges, and the issues of globalization and cultural integration. I also believe that this kind of education can only be achieved in a specific learning environment that is characterized by a high sense of equality, sameness, and heightened interactions between educators and learner s. In lieu of this, educators have to consider learners, irrespective of their age, as fellow humans; hence the need to treat them equally.  

How to Interact with Customers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

How to Interact with Customers - Essay Example In this particular case, it has to be highlighted that the issues faced by the consumers on the purchase of the products of the company’s sales’ department needed solutions. This makes the customers and consumers of the products call up to the customer service department. It is to be highlighted and mentioned that when the customers opt to call up the customer service executives of the company, they are in drastic and urgent need of help and support. The process of customer care executives asking them about their sales transaction details are bound to heighten the frustration level of the consumers and customers since it adds up to the delay in getting the desired solution. It also needs to be taken into consideration that in some cases, it might so happen that the customers may not have the sales transaction details at their immediate disposal. This might result in the process of being avoided or getting delayed in terms of getting a recommendable solution to their pro blem. In order to tackle this issue, the company can focus on implementing technology-based upgrades in its customer services. To start in the most traditional way, it can be said that the company goes for an upgrade of their entire customer support software. The new software should be having a feature which will allow the customer service representative to simply type the consumer name and id and thereby pull up the relevant details associated with their individual transaction. However, in the scenario, the company wants to quicken the process of tackling the issue, the company can focus on analyzing the customer queries that are commonly asked by the consumers and customers. It has to be said that the company will need to utilize the tactic of ‘listen and engage’. In order to start with the process of listening to the consumers and customer needs, the company needs to analyze the most frequently asked queries of the consumers. Once, the common queries are being identi fied, the company can focus on the process of designing a special section on the website with the label of frequently asked questions or (FAQs). The company can also opt for designing a user community-based page, which can be integrated with the company’s website. While talking about positioning the page, it has to be mentioned that the page should be placed in the portion of the website which will talk about the frequently asked questions. Also, the consumers who have purchased products from the company’s sales department has to be communicated about the existence of this page through email. This will help the consumers to deal with the product related issues, by asking fellow buyers and users of the same product. By having these particular features in the website, the company will be empowering the customers to troubleshoot their own set of product-related problems on the basis of self help. The self help feature will help in a great way to eradicate the need of call ing the customer service representative at all times. This is sure to provide a great amount of boost in regards to tackling of the issues related to the frustration level of the customers, since it will not be necessary from them to provide the details of their sales transactions at the first place.  

WGU SZT 1 Task 4 - Disaster in Franklin County Essay Example for Free

WGU SZT 1 Task 4 Disaster in Franklin County Essay The most important aspect in managing a disaster situation is preparedness. The simulation Disaster in Franklin County highlights the role of public health personnel, with emphasis on the public health nurse because the nurse is often a first responder to such a disaster. This helps to examine the roles, actions, coping methods, and techniques used by a nurse in a disaster scenario. A. Role of Public Health Personnel The role of public health personnel is to maintain the physical and emotional safety of individuals throughout the community affected by the storm. Those in the Public Health Department are responsible for ensuring the citizens of Franklin County have all the basic necessities for survival, such as clean water, food, shelter, and necessary medications. Because of the varying needs of the community, the Public Health Department is also responsible for maintaining and disseminating up-to-date information on how to obtain help, how to acquire the basic necessities, and health hazards/concerns. The public health nurse assures these needs and concerns are met within her scope of nursing practice, using her assessment and prioritization skills. While the public health nurse is assessing the needs of those affected, other members of the Public Health Department maintain operations and assume any jobs that fall outside of the nursing scope of practice utilizing each individual’s skills: the health educator is able to draft concise and easily understood directions relating to maintaining health and directing those displaced to the nearest shelter; the department bookkeeper maintains the financial records during the disaster operations; the receptionist uses her connections with vendors and general people skills to obtain what is needed to run the department; the epidemiologist’s analytical approach and organized thinking is essential in mapping out the logistics of emergency departmental operations; and the environmental health supervisor, who has the most supervisory experience, oversees all operations by the Public Health Department, attends important briefings, and delegates tasks. B. Chain of Command Establishment of a chain of command in a situation such as a severe storm or other disaster is essential. Because there may be a disruption to commonly used manners of communication, such as television, telephones, and the internet, it is important to have a clear outline of where and to whom to report, how to find answers, and who will perform necessary tasks. In the simulation, the Public Health Department is both a link in the larger, county-wide chain of command and has its own hierarchy structure. Within the scope of the county, the Public Health Department reports to the Medical/Health Branch Director who is directly under the Operations Chief. The Operations Chief, who is in charge of managing and monitoring the actions of each department, reports to the Emergency Operations Commander. The Emergency Operations commander is the highest link in the chain, not only overseeing the operations of the various governmental departments, but also the officers in charge of Safety, Public Information, and Legal. Within the Public Health Department, like in the county structure, there is an Operations Chief, responsible for all the actions taken by the department. This is someone with experience in the field, supervisory experience, and an understanding of the structure and function of the department. Under the Operations Chief, there are officers for Logistics, Planning, Finance/Administration, Public Information and Liaison. Each of these individuals is chosen according to his or her individual strengths and abilities within the department and is accountable for the actions of the Public Health Department. C. Resources Through the county-wide set up of an Incident Command System (ICS), the public health nurse has many resources available to her to aid the community. To spread information about boiling water for safe use, the nurse has the assistance of the Public Information officers of both the Public Health Department and the county. Also, because of a pact Franklin County has made with neighboring REPLACE County, the Public Health Department is able to promptly begin inspections needed to reopen restaurants, providing needed food and a sense of normalcy to the people. While conducting door-to-door interviews, the nurse has additional members of the ICS present to assist in assessing the safety of homes and to aid in the evacuation of residents in unsafe or dangerous environments. After the providing immediate needs, the nurse is able to aid those affected by the storm emotionally and/or psychologically by referring them to hotlines and other practioners in the area for assessment and treatment. D. Actions of Community Health Nurse The community health nurse is, through door-to-door interviews with residents most affected by flooding and power outages, able to intervene in unsafe situations. The nurse prepares before the interviews, benchmarks for the determination for safety. The nurse assesses these benchmarks by enquiring if residents have adequate food and medications, know how to safely consume water, have any injured, young or elderly who need assistance, have safe shelter and know of the resources available to them. When confronted with emergency situations, the nurse uses her connections in the ICS to aid citizens. After discovering a potentially hazardous chemical spill, she cautions the resident against the cleaning the spill himself and deploys an Environmental Health Specialist to assist. The nurse also intervenes to stop a situation from becoming hazardous by instructing another resident that the operation of a generator indoors requires adequate ventilation, thereby preventing a carbon dioxide poisoning. Finally, the nurse assists a resident without an adequate supply of life-sustaining medication in obtaining a resupply and further offers him help in evacuating to a shelter if preferred. In addition, the nurse is able to make referrals to other social service departments for those who will need further assistance even after basic needs are met. E. Coping with Aftermath An important part of aiding a community after such a disaster is understanding the long term effects on everyday life. The public health nurse is instrumental in assisting those affected emotionally and financially with the appropriate resources. In the scenario, the nurse is able to aid those calling the Public Health Department by recognizing the issues caused by the storm and taking steps to get help where needed. The nurse refers a woman whose family is having difficulty dealing with unemployment and anger after the storm by suggesting counseling and scheduling a home visit to further assess needs. Another way the nurse aids the community is by recognizing potential serious hazards and dispatching the appropriate members of the Public Health Department to aid in assessment and stabilization of the environment. Finally, the nurse acts swiftly in a confirmed hazardous situation by notifying Emergency Medical Services of an injury in an area with a large community presence, thereby protecting other citizens from harm and allowing the appropriate actions to be taken to neutralize the danger. E1. Techniques While interacting with the community during the post-storm phone calls, the nurse used multiple methods to calm the fears of those involved. In the first instance, the nurse was able to support the caller by using language that reflected her own concerns back to her. This allowed the caller to have her fears validated. Also, the nurse provided the caller with reassurance that her family was not alone in dealing with the consequences of the storm and resources through which she might find help. Both of these techniques were useful throughout the calls the public health nurse received as well as maintaining a professional demeanor and using her connections to other departments in the ICS to provide prompt assistance where needed. F. Preparation of Nurses Emergency situations or disasters on any scale can benefit greatly from well prepared and qualified nurses from a variety of fields. In preparations for large scale disasters, nurses must make sure to maintain current knowledge of emergency services and procedures. This can be accomplished through continuing education with community health focus. Nurses can also participate in city, county, and state wide disaster drills, learning vital skills in a safe but accurate simulation. Nurses can also make sure to understand the policies and procedures of their practice settings regarding disaster situations. Conclusion As nursing practice expands further into the community, it becomes vital to understand the roles required in a disaster situation. By examining the actions taken, methods used and interactions with other departments, the importance of the community health nurse in maintaining the safety of the public is clear. Public health nurses have the unique position to truly advocate and aid many people in emergency situations.

Pathogenic Etiology of Atherosclerosis

Pathogenic Etiology of Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis Heart Coronary Special Topics in Pathophysiology Introduction to the Components of the Cardiovascular System: To understand the basis of this paper, the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, it is vital to appreciate the basic physiology of the heart, circulatory system, and most importantly, the coronary arteries. This fundamental comprehension will lay the foundation to better understand the devastation caused to the coronary arteries by the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This may also provide insight into prevention and treatment strategies to counteract the destructive mechanism of this disease. The heart is a very small, vitally important organ composed of four muscular chambers: the right and left atria, and the right and left ventricles. The atria have relatively thin muscular walls, allowing them to be highly distensible [1]; whereas the ventricles are of greater muscular thickness, which is vital for pumping the blood to the pulmonary and systemic circuits. A normal healthy heart has two main functions: to pump blood to the pulmonary circuit where the blood becomes oxygenated and to pump the oxygen-rich blood to the systemic circuit. The heart is essentially a small, muscular pump that is responsible for propelling deoxygenated blood to the lungs, while correspondingly pumping nutrient rich, oxygenated blood to the body. Once the blood leaves the left ventricle, it enters the aorta and corresponding network of arteries that constitute the circulatory system. Blood vessels are divided into four categories: arteries (take oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body), arterioles (branch out from the arteries leading into the capillaries), capillaries (smallest of blood vessels where gas and nutrient exchange occurs), and veins (carry deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart). Arteries and veins have different functions; however, they both are composed of three distinct layers: tunica intima, tunica media, and the tunica adventita [2]. The tunica intima is the innermost layer of any given blood vessel; it includes the endothelial lining and a layer of connective tissue containing variable amounts of elastic fibers [3]. The tunica media is the middle layer which contains concentric sheets of smooth muscle composed of elastin and collagen fibers [3]. It is this smooth muscle that when stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system either constricts, decreasing the diameter of the lumen (vasoconstriction), or it relaxes, increasing the diameter of the vessel lumen (vasodilation) [2]; the role of these vasoactivators will be discussed later in this paper. Lastly, the tunica adventitia is the outer most layer, which is composed of collagen and elastin fibers. Often, this outer layer is blended into adjacent tissues allowing the anchoring and stabilization of some vessels [2]. As the heart is an organ continuously doing work, the cardiac muscle cells are in need of a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. It is the coronary circulation that is responsible for the blood supply to the cardiac tissues, via an extensive network of coronary arteries. Both the left and right coronary arteries originate from the base of the ascending aorta within the aortic sinus [1,3]. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays an important role as neurogenic stimuli have the ability to restrain the extent of coronary vasodilation. This neuromodulation governs the rate of release of vasoconstrictive norepinephrine (NE), which is increased by the adrenergic activation and angiotension II (AII) [1]. Other vasoconstrictors include ÃŽ ±1 and ÃŽ ±2 adrenergic activity, AII, and endothelin. Vasoconstrictive stimuli are also responsible for an increase in free cytosolic calcium in the vascular smooth muscle, resulting in the homeostasis of myocardial contraction [4]. Importantly, these vasoconstrictive adrenergic influences are opposed by vasodilatory influences such as ÃŽ ²-adrenergic vascular receptors and metabolic mechanisms such as nitric oxide (NO), adenosine (ATP) and the activation of vascular ATP dependent potassium channels (KATP) [1]. With this, there are three essential regulators of coronary tone: i) the metabolic vasodilatory system; ii) the neurogenic control system (more vasoconstrictive than vasodilatory); and iii) the vascular epithelium, which can be either vasodilatory by releasing NO or vasoconstrictive by releasing endothelin-1 [1, 4]. Thus, we must keep in mind that endothelin-1 is one of the more powerful vasoconstrictors, especially when endothelial damage is extensive [1, 4]. These vasoactive substances are activated by their respective and very different, signaling pathways; thus contributing to the complexities of atherosclerosis, making it a true multifactorial disease. As with other vessels within the body, when there is an increased demand for oxygen, vasodilation of the coronary arteries occurs. This vasodilation is usually mediated by the release of NO from healthy endothelium; in contrast, when the endothelium is damaged, it releases vasoconstrictive endothelin [1]. It is because of their vital importance that the coronary arteries have gained popular attention when they are partially or completely occluded by atherosclerotic plaques. These atherosclerotic plaques cause inadequate oxygen supply to the cardiac tissue resulting in tissue death (myocardial infarction), and various other forms of heart diseases [1]. Therefore without an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to the myocardial muscle, the heart will cease to function properly. This basic foundation will give us a better idea on how a healthy cardiovascular system functions. Therefore allowing us to understand the drastic effects a disease such as atherosclerosis can have on this system. The main focus of this paper will be on atherosclerosis; however other forms of heart disease will be discussed to solidify the idea of how destructive atherosclerosis can be. Thus, the remainder of this paper will focus on the cellular mechanisms behind atherosclerosis, along with old and new thoughts in regards to the etiology and treatment options for this type of heart disease. Their Underlying Relation of Atherosclerosis to Other Coronary Heart Diseases: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the dominant chronic disease in many parts of the world, and early in the 21st century it is predicted to become the main cause of disability and death worldwide [5]. CVD represents a very broad category of conditions that affect the heart and circulatory system. Common risk factors include: blood pressure (hypertension), total cholesterol (LDL and HDL), diabetes, obesity, left ventricular hypertrophy, and genetic predisposition [6]. The most prominent and worrisome of these diseases are those that contribute to coronary heart disease. The coronary heart diseases of interest include: ischemic heart disease, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and most importantly, atherosclerosis. As a result of these coronary heart diseases, cardiac output is often depressed and often increases the oxygen demand needed by the cardiac tissues. Therefore the effects of coronary heart disease cannot be taken lightly, as the effects can be highly variable, ranging from diffuse damage, to localized narrowing or stenosis of the coronary arteries [7]. Importantly, these coronary diseases have direct vasodilatory effects of the coronary circulation, acting by the formation of adenosine and NO, and the opening of the KATP channels; also the vascular endothelium is damaged, causing the vasodilatory stimuli to be overcome by the vasoconstrictors such as endothelin and AII [1]. By discussing these other forms of coronary heart disease, the reader will better understand the relationship between these diseases and atherosclerosis; allowing a better understanding of the importance for prevention and treatment strategies of coronary heart disease. Traditionally, it has been thought that the major cause of myocardial ischemia is the result of fixed vessel narrowing and abnormal vascular tone, caused by atherosclerosis-induced endothelial cell dysfunction [6]. This narrowing of the coronary arteries reduces the blood and oxygen flow to the myocardial tissues. It is the cessation of the myocardial blood flow due to atherosclerotic occlusions that results in the immediate physiological and metabolic changes. Unfortunately, the heart cannot increase oxygen extraction on demand, therefore any additional oxygen requirements are met by increasing the blood flow and autoregulation of the coronary vasculature [6]. This oxygen imbalance may also be an underlying cause for not only myocardial ischemia, but contractile cardiac dysfunction, arrhythmias, infarction, and sometimes death [5]. However, important to note is the heart’s unique ability to adapt to these sudden changes in coronary blood flow by correspondingly decreasing the rate of cardiac contraction [1,5]. Thus, the decreased work during ischemia proportionately decreases the oxygen demand and helps conserve the underperfused myocardium [1]; this protective mechanism prevents further damage and cell death due to decreased oxygen levels. Besides physiological factors, there are also metabolic changes that occur immediately after the initial onset of ischemia. The myocardial energy metabolism shifts from aerobic (mitochondrial) metabolism to anaerobic glycolysis within a few seconds [5]; simultaneously, the energy depletion causes the myocardial contraction to diminish, eventually ceasing altogether. Consequently, due to the inhibited mitochondrial metabolism, there is an increase in adenosine concentrations; which causes the adenosine to bind to the smooth muscle receptors, decreasing calcium entry into the cells, thus causing relaxation due to vasodilation [7,8]. Overall, the inability to meet the myocardial oxygen demand often results in severe, vice-like chest pain, or more commonly known as angina pectoris. Angina pectoris often is an associated symptom of myocardial ischemia and is the common medical term used to describe chest pain or discomfort due to coronary heart disease without myocardial necrosis. Interestingly, angina can also occur in people with valvular disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension). Currently there are three major variations of angina pectoris. The first is known as stable angina, or more commonly, chronic stable angina. This form of angina is characterized by a fixed, obstructive atheromous plaque in one or more coronary arteries [1,7,9]. Patients who suffer from chronic stable angina usually have episodes of discomfort that are usually predictable. The discomfort is experienced shortly after over exertion and/or mental or emotional stress; these symptoms are usually relieved by rest, nitroglycerin, or a combination of both. Again, the major contributing factor in stable angina is due to the coronary vasoconstrict ion caused by atherosclerotic endothelial dysfunction [7]. A second form of angina is known as unstable angina. Unstable angina is characterized by unexpected chest pain which usually occurs at rest without any type of physical exertion. This chest pain is due to coronary artery stenosis caused by atherosclerotic plaque or the narrowing of the vessels obstructed by blood clots. Also other key factors in unstable angina include inflammation and infection [7,9]. The last form of angina is the variant angina, or more commonly known as Prinzmetal’s Angina [7]. This form of angina is manifested by episodes of focal coronary artery spasm in the absence of atherosclerotic lesions [7,9]. The coronary vasospasm alone reduces coronary oxygen supply and is thought to be caused in response to abnormal endothelial dependent vasodilators (Acetylcholine – ACh, and serotonin) [1,7]. These coronary spasms are often manifested by the coronary atheroma which damages the vascular endothelium, causing a decreased production of vasodilators (NO and prostaglandin – PGI2) and an increase in vasoconstrictive factors such as endothelin and AII [1]. Often when someone is diagnosed with either form of angina, they are usually monitored closely, as they are at an increased risk of a heart attack (myocardial infarction), cardiac arrest, or sudden cardiac death. A myocardial infarction (heart attack) is the resultant complication when the blood supply to part of the heart is interrupted. This ischemic oxygen shortage causes damage and sometimes death to the heart tissues. Important associated risk factors include: atherosclerosis, previous heart attack or stroke, smoking, high LDL and low HDL cholesterol levels, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure [10]. Often referred to as an acute myocardial infarction, it is part of the acute coronary syndromes which includes ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina [1,7,10]. As with angina, the pain experienced may result from the release of mediators such as adenosine and lactate from the ischemic myocardial cells onto the local nerve endings [7]. This ischemic persistence triggers a process called the ischemic cascade [5], which usually results in tissue death due to necrosis. Certain factors such as psychological stressors and physical exertion have been identified as major triggering factors involved with acute myocardial infarctions. Often these acute myocardial infarctions are brought on by the rupturing of atherosclerotic plaques, which then promote thrombus (blood clot) formation causing further occlusion of the arteries. This atherosclerotic blockage thus initiates myocardial necrosis, which in turn activates systemic responses to inflammation causing the release of cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFÃŽ ±) [7,10]. Damaged caused by myocardial necrosis includes: i) loss of critical amount of ATP, ii) membrane damag e induced metabolically or mechanically, iii) formation of free radicals, iv) calcium overload, and v) sodium pump inhibition [1]. Apart from damaging the myocardial tissue, an acute myocardial infarction can cause varying pathophysiological changes in other organ systems. Some of these changes include: decreased pulmonary function – gas exchange, ventilation, and distribution of perfusion, decreased vital capacity; reduction in hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen, causes hyperglycemia and impaired glucose function, increases the plasma and urinary catecholamine levels (thus enhancing platelet aggregation), and also has been found to increase blood viscosity [5]. From the above evidence, we can see that coronary heart disease should not be looked at light heartedly. It is due to their similarity that the different coronary heart diseases can be diagnosed using a given set of molecular markers and other diagnostic tools. Serum cardiac markers have become widely used when it comes to diagnosing the extent and type of coronary heart disease a patient is symptomatic of. Also, these tests have allowed physicians to diagnose an additional one third of patients that do not exhibit all criteria of a given disease [5], thus preventing more premature deaths. The most common of these cardiac markers are myocardial bound creatine kinase (CK-MB), and cardiac troponin l and t (cTnl and cTnT). These markers are often found within a blood sample as levels start to rise between 3-8 hours and 3-4 hours respectively [7]. More recently, new ‘risk factor’ biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), myeloperoxidase (MPO) [11, 12], and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 [12] are being studied more in depth as alternative cardiac markers. Although cardiac biomarkers are heavily used, the role of noninvasive technologies also plays a major role in diagnosing coronary heart disease. These noninvasive metho ds include electrocardiography, exercise stress testing, echocardiography, cardiovascular MRI, and CT imaging of the heart [5]. Some invasive, intravascular techniques include ultrasound, thermography, near infrared spectroscopy, cardiac catheterization, and cardiac angiography [12]. As coronary heart disease is the leading cause of hospitalization and death among today’s population, primary and secondary prevention strategies need to be considered with the utmost importance. Primary prevention generally means the effort set forth to modify risk factors and prevent their development delaying or preventing new onset coronary heart disease [13]. As for secondary prevention, this often refers to the therapy involved to reduce recurrent coronary heart disease events; thus secondary preventions are essentially treatment strategies. The most common and less intensive of these treatment strategies are that of the pharmaceutical therapies. Often, these drug regimes range from the daily aspirin intake to angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), to ÃŽ ²-blockers and nitrates [12]. These drug therapies often lower the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. Unfortunately daily drug regimes do not work for everyone. Some people have their coronary heart dise ase surgically corrected either by angioplasty (insertion of stent to keep the blocked vessel open) or by means of a more complex surgery consisting of a single to multiple coronary artery bypass. With everything considered, drug therapies and surgical correction are only a means of correcting the problem; patients are also encouraged to increase physical activity and change their daily dietary habits in becoming more successful in reducing risk of development or progression of coronary artery disease. These different forms of coronary heart disease are very closely related to one another, more importantly, closely related to atherosclerosis. As discussed previously, coronary heart diseases are characterized by the narrowing or stenosis of the coronary vessels, usually caused by the atherosclerotic plaque formation due to endothelial cell dysfunction. As a result, atherosclerosis is the underlying mechanism for ischemic heart disease, angina pectoris (stable, unstable, and variant), myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death [12]. Therefore it is important to understand the cellular pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, which will lead to a better understanding resulting in better prevention and treatment strategies for all forms of atheroma induced coronary heart disease. Introduction to Atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis, the primary etiology of cardiovascular disease, is characterized by intimal plaque that forms as a time-dependent response to arterial injury [14]. Atherosclerosis is a disease affecting the arterial blood vessels, which is commonly known as â€Å"hardening of the arteries.† This form of coronary heart disease is the principle source of both cerebral and myocardial infarction, gangrene of the extremities, and loss of function of both organs and tissues [15]; this disease is ultimately responsible for a majority of deaths in North America, Europe, and Japan [16]. The method of atherogenesis is not fully understood, however there are a number of current models that suggest that stressors corrupt the vascular integrity allowing the abnormal accumulation of lipids, cells and extracellular matrix within the arterial wall [7]. Due to its very slow progression, it is not surprising that atherosclerosis goes undetected and remains asymptomatic until the atheroma obstr ucts the blood flow within the artery [14,16]; hence atherosclerosis is often referred to as the â€Å"silent killer†. Often, the atherosclerotic plaque can be divided into three distinct components. The first being the atheroma, which is the nodular accumulation of the soft, flaky, and yellow material of the plaques, usually composed of macrophages closest to the lumen of the artery. The second component is the underlying areas of cholesterol crystals, and the third is the calcification at the outer base of the older/more advanced lesions [17]. Collectively, these components constitute the basis of the atherosclerotic plaques. These atherosclerotic plaques are responsible for the arterial narrowing (stenosis) or they may rupture and provoke thrombosis [7, 14, 15]; either way the atherosclerotic plaque causes an insufficient blood supply to the heart and other organs. As discussed previously, the atherosclerotic plaques lead to other major complications such as ischemia, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke, and causes impaired blood flow to the kidneys and lower extremities. Interestingly, arteries without many branches (internal mammary or radial arteries) tend not to develop atherosclerosis [5]. One of the most evidence-based hypotheses regarding atherogenesis is that of the response-to-injury hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that the atherosclerotic lesions represent a specialized form of a protective, inflammatory, fibroproliferative response to various forms of insult to the arterial wall [15]. This seems to be a reoccurring theme, as now atherosclerosis is considered to be a form of chronic inflammation between modified lipoproteins, monocyte derived macrophages, T cells, and normal cellular elements of the arterial wall [16, 18]. As with other diseases, there are a number of physiological factors that increases one’s risk for developing atherosclerosis. These factors include: age, sex, diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, tobacco smoking, estrogen status, physical inactivity, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia [7, 19]. The remainder of this paper will shift its focus to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis including the ideas of endothelial dysfunction, lipoprotein entry and modification, recruitment of leukocytes, recruitment of smooth muscle; as well as other contributing factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Also, the cellular complications of atherosclerosis will be discussed. Endothelial Dysfunction – Primary Initiation of Atherosclerosis: Healthy arteries are often responsive to various stimuli, including the shear stress of blood flow and various neurogenic signals. These endothelial cells secrete substances that modulate contraction and dilation of the smooth muscle cells of the underlying medial layer [7]. These healthy endothelial cells are also responsible for the inhibition of migration of smooth muscle cells to the intimal layer [20] and they also play an important role in immune responses. Normal functional characteristics of healthy endothelium includes: i) ability to act as a permeable barrier between the intravascular and tissue space, ii) ability to modify and transport lipoproteins into the vessel wall, iii) acts as a non-thrombogenic and non-leukocyte adherent surface, iv) acting as a source of vasoactive molecules, v) act as a source of growth regulatory molecules, and vi) a source of connective tissue matrix molecules [14, 15]. Overall, in a normal, healthy state, the endothelial layer provides a prote ctive, non-thrombogenic surface with homeostatic vasodilatory and anti-inflammatory properties [7]. It is widely known that the endothelium is responsible for the synthesis and release of several vasodilators such as: NO, endothelium derived hyperpolarizing factors (EDHFs), endothelial derived relaxing factors (EDRFs), and prostacyclin (PGI2) [7, 20]. These vasodilators utilize a G-coupled signaling pathway, where NO diffuses from the endothelium to the vascular smooth muscle where it activates guanylyl cyclase (G-cyclase) [7]. The G-cyclase in turn forms cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) from cGTP; an increase in cGMP results in smooth muscle relaxation which subsequently involves a reduction of cytosolic Ca2+. Aside from these anti-thrombic substances, the endothelium also produces prothrombic molecules including endothelin-1 and other endothelium derived contracting factors (EDFCs) [20]. Importantly, the endothelium derived NO not only modulates the tone of the underlying vascular smooth muscle, but is also responsible for the inhibition of several proatherogenic processes. These processes include smooth muscle proliferation and recruitment, platelet aggregation, oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDLs), monocyte and leukocyte recruitment, platelet adhesion, and the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines [20]. Therefore, relating back to the response-to-injury hypothesis, loss of these endothelial functions promotes endothelial dysfunction, thus acting as the primary event in atherogenesis. Endothelial dysfunction is considered to be an initiating event which leads to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. For this reason endothelial dysfunction has been shown to be of prognostic significance in predicting such vascular events as heart attacks or strokes [21]. It has been established that endothelial cell dysfunction is characterized by alterations in vascular permeability and inadequate production of NO [4, 22, 23]; thus predisposing the endothelium to the development of atheromas. Interestingly, in response to initial atheroma formation, the arteries often dilate, causing outward remodeling of the vessel for this accommodation [4]; however if this remodeling is insufficient, the blood flow is impaired, thus causing ischemia [4]. Several physical and chemical factors are responsible for affecting normal endothelial function. Some common factors discussed previously include diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, age, diet, and physical inactivity. However, more importantly are the physiological factors: i) impairment of the permeable barrier, ii) release of inflammatory cytokines, iii) increase transcription of cell-surface adhesion molecules, iv) altered release of vasoactive substances (PGI2 and NO), and v) interference with normal anti-thrombotic properties [7]. Commonly, endothelial dysfunction is characterized by the reduction of vasodilators NO and PGI2, and the increase of various endothelial derived contracting factors [23, 24]. This impairment may also predispose the vessels to vasospasm [22]. This decrease in NO bioavailability is thought to cause a decreased level of expression of endothelial cell NO synthetase (eNOS) [21], thus reducing the likelihood of vasodilation from occurring. Apart from its vasodilatory role, NO is also responsible for resisting inflammatory activation of endothelial functions such as expression of the adhesion molecule VCAM-1 [5]. NO has also appeared to exert anti-inflammatory action at the level of gene expression by interfering with nuclear factor kappa B (NFÃŽ ºB), which is important in regulating numerous genes involved in inflammatory responses [5]; these inflammatory responses will be discussed later on. The other common vasodilator, PGI2 is also reduced during endothelial dysfunction. PGI2 is a major product of vascular cyclooxygenase (COX) and is considered a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation [20]. Like NO, PGI2 is an endothelial derived product which is often produced in response to shear stress (commonly caused by blood flow) and hypoxia [20]. By understanding the other roles NO and PGI2 play within the endothelium, we can see that a decrease in one or the other ultimately leads to dysfunction and disruption of the endothelium. As a result of vasodilator reduction, the endothelium often synthesizes and releases EDCFs causing endothelial constriction. The major constrictors include superoxide anions (which act by scavenging NO – thus further reducing NO levels), thromboxane A2, endothelin-1, AII, and ÃŽ ±-adrenergic factors [20]. Unlike the vasodilators, the vasoconstrictors utilize two signaling pathways. The ÃŽ ± 1-adrenergic receptor signaling pathways utilize the same G-coupled pathway as the vasodilators (discussed previously) however instead of cGMP; it ut ilizes cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) [1]. The other constrictors including thromboxane A2, endothelin-1 and AII utilize the cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathway; where the activated kinase acts as a trigger for various physiological effects, including increased contractile activity on the arterioles [1]. The overall progression of atherosclerotic plaque formation is best illustrated in Figure 1, which showcases multiple events that are simultaneously triggered by endothelial dysfunction. Apart from the imbalance of vasoactivators, endothelial dysfunction is responsible for initiating two other separate pathways that also participate in the progression of plaque formation and growth. Lipoprotein entry is the next initial stage in atherogenesis. This is then followed by the modification and entry of lipoproteins, the recruitment of leukocytes, and the migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Overall this â€Å"evolutionary† process best represents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques within the vessels. Lipoprotein Entry and Modification: Lipid accumulation is another major manifestation of the vascular response to injury, and is accelerated by the entry and modification of lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are composed of both lipids and proteins, and help transport water-insoluble fats throughout the bloodstream [7, 25]. The lipid core is surrounded by hydrophilic phospholipids, free cholesterol and apoliporoteins; where the protein portion has a charged group, aimed outwards to attack water molecules, thus making the lipoproteins soluble in the plasma of the blood [26, 27]. In total, there are five major classes of lipoproteins: the chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins (VLDLs), intermediate low density lipoproteins (ILDLs), low density lipoproteins (LDLs), and the high density lipoproteins (HDLs). The chylomicrons provide the primary means of transport of dietary lipids, while the VLDLs, ILDLs, LDLs, and HDLs function to transport endogenous lipids [16, 25]. Of the lipoproteins, the LDLs are of most interest. Inter estingly high LDL levels often correlate closely with atherosclerosis development, whereas high HDL levels protect against atherosclerosis; the HDL protection is thought to be related to its ability to transport lipids away from the peripheral tissues back to the liver for disposal [7]. A key component to the accumulation of lipids is due to the endothelial dysfunction, which causes a loss of selective permeability and barrier function. This ineffective permeability allows for the entry of LDLs into the intima lining of the vessels [7, 16]. The highly elevated circulating levels of LDLs are colloquially referred to as having hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, or dyslipidemia [7, 25-27]. In either case, once the LDL has entered the intima of the vessel, the LDL starts accumulating in the subendothelial space by binding to components of the extracellular matrix, the proteoglycans; lipolytic and lysosomal enzymes also play a role in lipid accumulation [27]. Importantly, statins lower circulating cholesterol levels by indirectly inhibiting HMG CoA-reductase (rate limiting enzyme required for endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis [16]. This results in the decrease of intracellular cholesterol levels, which leads to the activation of SREBP, upregulation of LDL receptors, and the clearance from plasma degradation of LDL; thus reducing circulating LDL levels [16]. When the lipid accumulation increases the residence time that the LDL occupies within the vessel wall, it allows more time for lipoprotein modification [7]; which appears to play a key role in the continued progression of the atherosclerotic plaque. Often, endothelial cell dysfunction leads to the altered expression of lipoprotein receptors used to internalize and modify various lipoproteins [14]. These changes usually occur via oxidative modifications. The oxidative modification hypothesis (figure 2) focuses on the concept that LDLs in their native state are often not atherogenic [27]. It is believed, however, that LDLs are modified chemically by the endothelial cells [26] and are readily internalized by macrophages (formation of the foam cell) via the ‘scavenger-receptor’ pathway [27]. Essentially the â€Å"trapped† LDL within the subendothelial space is oxidized by the resident vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages. As a result t