The Western Part of Scotland Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Western Part of Scotland - Assignment Example Apart from these two rocks, alkali basalt or dikes are also scattered in this part and dates 66 ±0.4Ma.The mid-latitude regions ranging from 250m   to 350m is covered by all categories of rocks, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. These include orthogneiss, psammite, trondhjemite, polite, amphibolites and spinifex komatiite dating 800,000,000 million years ago.   The lower regions (below 250m) mainly consist of pebbly sandstone, conglomerate sandstone, limestone, white sandstone and pegmatite dikes dating about 180,000,000 years ago.   The highest point of this place lies on the eastern part and it slopes towards the western region. Where ÃŽ » is decay constant = 1.42 X 10-11 yr-1 and t is age in years. The equation takes the form y = mx + c where eÃŽ »t-1 is equal to the gradient. Rearranging gives t = Ln(1.005689) à · 1.42 X 10-11 yr-1 4.00 X 108 years

Secondary Sjögren’s Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Secondary Sjà ¶gren’s Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis Secondary Sjà ¶gren’s Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity – a case of severe dry eyes Authors: Dina Christina Janse van Rensburg, MD1, 2 Catharina Cornelia Grant, PhD1, 2 Audrey Jansen van Rensburg, MSc1,2 Pieter Roelof Cronjà ¨, FC Ophth, MBChB3 Thelani Catharina Grant, BSc Agric (Hons)1, 2 Abstract Patients with Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome present with a wide range of clinical manifestations that carries a high rate of morbidity and mortality with increased risk of lymphoma development. Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome is either a primary disorder, or secondary to other autoimmune disorders e.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Due to the multiple aspects of the disease and the similarity of the symptoms to other diseases, diagnosis and management of Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome is challenging. Among the symptoms, Sjà ¶gren syndrome typically presents with dry eyes that may result in severe ocular surface disorders such as persistent epithelial defects, and conventional dry eye therapy is often unsuccessful in controlling ocular signs and symptoms. We highlight the rare case of a 50 year old woman whom despite well controlled RA disease activity still manifested with severe secondary Sjà ¶grens syndrome. It was only after autologous serum was applied as a last resort that her ocular s ymptoms improved. Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, dry eyes, Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome, autologous serum, inflammation Introduction Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease affecting the exocrine glands. A lymphocytic infiltration in the salivary and lacrymal glands results in reduced secretion, leading to continual dryness of the mouth and eyes.1-3 SS may manifest as a primary disease presenting as a single entity, or secondary in combination with other autoimmune disorders.4 The prevalence of secondary SS relates predominantly to RA5 and associates with increased disease acivity.6 It may present with a systemic component, including painful joints, dry and itchy sunlight sensitive skin, irritable bowel, liver problems and extreme tiredness. Because of the many possible clinical pictures of SS it is a challenging diagnosis to make and may therefore go undiagnosed for many years after the onset of symptoms.3,7-9 Dryness symptoms are amplified in patients with RA, it increases with age and are associated with the severity of illness, relating to worse outcomes measures of the disease. Appr oximately 25% RA patients presents with keratoconjunctivitis sicca as the most prevailing and frequent ocular complication.5,10 Several therapies have been identified that inhibit inflammatory mediators and mechanisms in dry eye disease, however the treatment of persistent epithelial defects and severe ocular dryness by means of topical tear replacement often proofs inadequate.11 In this case study we report a RA patient who regardless of well controlled treatment with a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor, still developed severe secondary SS. Autologous serum drops offered significant improvement of her extreme ocular surface inflammation and symptoms, when all other treatment modalities failed. Case Report A 50 year old Caucasian woman was diagnosed with RA. During the course of the illness she was treated with methotrexate, folic acid, meloxicam, prednisone, sulfasalazine and leflunomide. Seven years post RA diagnosis and despite well controlled disease on adalimumab, methotrexate and folic acid, her eyes became extremely dry and highly sensitive to light. This dryness caused severe, constant discomfort and visual blurring, rendering her partially incapacitated, even though her corrected vision was still normal at 6/6. She had to wear sunglasses indoors and could not drive independently. On examination of her corneas the various findings confirmed the severity of her dry eyes. These included a tear breakup time of 5 seconds bilaterally, mucus filaments, punctuate corneal straining and an almost non-existing tear meniscus indicating very little tear secretion. Evidence of previous (healed) peripheral ulcerative keratitis could be seen on the medial aspect of both corneas. These symptoms lead to the diagnosis of Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome. She was treated with all possible modalities including punctum plugs and multitudes of topical medication including Cyclosporine A, with no apparent improvement. A decision was made to attempt an eye drop prepared from autologous serum. Her condition improved remarkably in the year since she started the serum. Discussion Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome was first described by the eye specialist Hendrik Sjà ¶gren in 1933. It presents with a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia, keratoconjunctivitis sicca(dry eyes, in part known as Sicca syndrome), xerostomia (dry mouth), skin lesions, lymphoproliferative disorders, neurologic involvement, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, rhinitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis.3,9,12 In view of the wide range of severe systemic manifestations of the disease patients are often characterised with higher morbidity and mortality, which are mainly related to an enhanced probability to develop lymphoma.3,13 Most patients with SS are middle-aged women, and symptoms mostly occur with the accompaniment of, but not exclusively to, RA.3,12 Recently literature differentiates between two main types of the disease: The glandular (exocrine gland-localised) form that affects mainly the quality of life of the patient, and the systemic syndrome type which display extraglandular manifestations that may lead to lymphoma.3 The glandular phenomenon includes ocular symptoms (dry eyes, xerophthalmia) and oral involvement (dry mouth, xerostomia, caries and candidiasis).3 Extraglandular manifestations consist of musculoskeletal indications, Raynaud’s phenomenon, renal, liver and neurological involvement, vasculitis and haematologic manifestations.3,13 Diagnosis Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome is difficult to diagnose due to the multiple aspects of the syndrome, and similarity to the symptoms caused by other diseases.3,7,8 SS is a slow progressing disorder, and on average may take approximately 5 years from the onset of symptoms before the correct diagnosis is reached.8 Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome is strongly suggested in patients who present with both signs and symptoms of oral and ocular dryness and who test positive to the diagnostic criteria. From clinical experience it was found that if a patient does not suffer from both dry eyes and dry mouth, it is necessary to exclude further causes of the dry eyes by means of differential diagnoses.13 A series of tests in the diagnosis of Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome are outlined in Table 1. These criteria consider dryness symptoms, changes in salivary and lacrimal gland function, and systemic findings.8 Table 1. Tests and criteria used to diagnose Sjà ¶gren’s Syndrome8 Treatment The aim of treatment for dry eyes is mainly to provide relief of symptoms and to prevent corneal epitheliopathy. Management of the disease currently includes artificial tears, topical secretagogues, local immunomodulatory drops, lachrymal duct occlusion and hypotonic hyaluronic acid drops in the treatment of dry eyes.3 Different methods of treatment that may be used independently or in combination with tear supplements include systemic immunoactive drugs and calcineurin inhibitors, topical corticosteroids and topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.3 Patients with dry eyes normally respond well to these treatments that focus on optimising the ocular surface environment. Some patients, however, present with more serious ocular surface disorders, that do not react to conventional treatment, which may lead to severe visual impairment.14,15 Fujita et al.10 drew attention to the exceptionally high incidence of dry eyes in patients with RA. Their conclusions are that although RA patients with SS present with systemic effects on dry eyes, there seems to be other local factors independently of the systemic process, that disturbs the ocular surface and control the severity of dry eyes in RA patients.5,16 Due to the many local elements active in dry eyes it calls for improved new therapeutic agents for managing dry eyes without making use of systemic agents.5 The various factors that contribute to a healthy ocular surface include an adequate blink reflex, normal tear production and healthy adnexae.14 Typically tears contain epitheliotrophic factors including growth factors, vitamins and fibronectin that are of vital importance to the ocular epithelial health.15 These factors support the viability, proliferation and migration of ocular surface epithelial cells.15 They are not found in pharmaceutical tear substitutes, but do however occur in blood serum. Clinical cohort studies have reported the successful useof epitheliotrophic factors in autologous serum drops to improve severe cases of dry eyes where other conventional treatments fall short.14,15 Autologous serum drops was first described in 1984 as a substitute constituent free of potentially harmful substances17 applied as unpreserved artificial tears.15 It is believed that the epitheliotrophic factors in the serum are the rationale behind its success in the treatment of extremely dry eyes.15 The use of autologous serum eye drops may in many cases be a last resort of treatment for SS patients who have not responded well to conventional tear replacement therapy. Even though the preparation thereof is costly and complex, it proofs a clinically effective treatment in ocular surface diseases.3,11 Being non-allergenic with biochemical properties akin to normal tears,3,18 it benefits the conjunctival epithelium supplementing essential vitamins, fibronectin, anti-proteases and growth factors. This may stimulate its proliferation and repair,11 and play an important role in the integrity of the cornea and conjunctiva.3,11 Autologous serum appears to be more effective in resistant cases. It may also play an essential role adjunct to therapy in other ophthalmological conditions as seen in chemical injuries of the ocular surface. Conclusion Sjà ¶gren’s syndrome may cause marked disability in patients suffering from the disease, especially when secondary to RA. In this case study, despite optimal control with a TNF inhibitor the patient still presented with SS and suffered from severe xerophthalmia. All treatment modalities had failed and as a last alternative autologous eye serum was instituted. This significantly improved the severe dry eyes and persistent epithelial defects and enabled her to live a normal life. Consent Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report. A copy of the written consent is available for review. References 1.Shiel W. What is rheumatoid arthritis?. 4/24/2014; Available at: http://www.medicinenet.com/rheumatoid_arthritis/article.htm. Accessed June 26, 2014. 2.Antero DC, Parra AGM, Miyazaki FH, Gehlen M, Skare TL. Secondary Sjà ¶grens syndrome and disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis. Rev.Assoc.Med.Bras. 2011 05/20;57(3):319-322. 3.Vitali C, Palombi G, Cataleta P. Treating Sjà ¶grens Syndrome: Insights for the Clinician. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis 2010 06;2(3):155-166. 4.Patel R, Shahane A. The epidemiology of Sjà ¶grens syndrome. Clin Epidemiol 2014 07/30;6:247-255. 5.Lemp MA. Dry eye (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca), rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjà ¶grens syndrome. Am.J.Ophthalmol. 2005 11;140(5):898-899. 6.Fox RI. Sjà ¶grens syndrome. Lancet 2005 07/23;366(9482):321-331. 7.Mayo Clinic. Diseases and Conditions: Sjogrens syndrome tests and diagnosis. Jul. 08, 2014; Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sjogrens-syndrome/basics/tests-diagnosis/con-20020275. Accessed June 25, 2014. 8.Sjà ¶gren’s Syndrome Foundation. Diagnosis about Sjà ¶grens Syndrome. 2014; Available at: http://www.sjogrens.org/home/ about-sjogrens-syndrome/diagnosis. Accessed June 26, 2014. 9.Kruszka P, OBrian R,J. Diagnosis and management of Sjà ¶gren syndrome. Am.Fam.Physician 2009 03/15;79(6):465-470. 10.Fujita M, Igarashi T, Kurai T, Sakane M, Yoshino S, Takahashi H. Correlation between dry eye and rheumatoid arthritis activity. Am.J.Ophthalmol. 2005 11;140(5):808-813. 11.Cho YK, Huang W, Kim GY, Lim BS. Comparison of autologous serum eye drops with different diluents. Curr.Eye Res. 2013 01;38(1):9-17. 12.ELLMAN P, Weber FP, Goodier T. A contribution to the pathology of Sjà ¶grens disease. QJM 1951;20(1):33-42. 13.Kassan SS, Moutsopoulos HM. Clinical manifestations and early diagnosis of Sjà ¶gren syndrome. Arch.Intern.Med. 2004 06/28;164(12):1275-1284. 14.Noble BA, Loh RSK, MacLennan S, Pesudovs K, Reynolds A, Bridges LR, et al. Comparison of autologous serum eye drops with conventional therapy in a randomised controlled crossover trial for ocular surface disease. Br.J.Ophthalmol. 2004 05;88(5):647-652. 15.Geerling G, Maclennan S, Hartwig D. Autologous serum eye drops for ocular surface disorders. Br.J.Ophthalmol. 2004 11;88(11):1467-1474. 16.Villani E, Galimberti D, Del Papa N, Nucci P, Ratiglia R. Inflammation in dry eye associated with rheumatoid arthritis: cytokine and in vivo confocal microscopy study. Innate Immun 2013;19(4):420-427. 17.Fox RI, Chan R, Michelson JB, Belmont JB, Michelson PE. Beneficial effect of artificial tears made with autologous serum in patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Arthritis Rheum. 1984 04;27(4):459-461. 18.Quinto GG, Campos M, Behrens A. Autologous serum for ocular surface diseases. Arq.Bras.Oftalmol. 2008 11/20;71(6):47-54. 1

Alexander Graham Bell :: essays research papers

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell is a name of great significance in American history today. A skillful inventor and generous philanthropist, he astounded the world with his intuitive ideas that proved to be both innovative and extremely practical in the latter half of the 19th century. Most notable, of course, are Bell's work in developing the telephone and his venerable life-long endeavor to educate the deaf. Originally, his only wish was to help deaf people overcome their difficulty in learning verbal communication, and later was pushed into researching the possibility of a device that could transmit the human voice electronically over a distance. After building his first working telephone model, Bell's fame spread quickly as people in America and around the world began to realize the awesome potential this wonderfully fascinating new device held in store for society (Brinkley 481). His telephone an instant success and already a burgeoning industry, A. G. Bell decided to turn his attention back to assisting the deaf and following other creative ideas including the development of a metal detector, an electric probe which was used by many surgeons before the X ray was invented, a device having the same purpose as today's iron lung, and also a method of locating icebergs by detecting echoes from them. With his many inventions (especially the insanely popular and universally applied telephone), his efforts to educate the deaf, and the founding and financing of the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf (now called the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf), Alexander Graham Bell has become a very important historical figure indeed (Berstein 9). Perhaps a key factor in Bell's successful life was his invigorating background. His family and his education definitely had a deep influence on his career. Born in Scotland, his mother was a painter and an accomplished musician, his father a teacher of the deaf and speech textbook writer. His father invented "Visible Speech," a code of symbols which indicated the position of the throat, tongue, and lips in making sounds. These symbols helped guide the deaf in learning to speak. His grandfather, also named Alexander Bell, had similarly specialized in good speech. He acted for several years and later gave dramatic readings from Shakespeare. Young Alexander Graham Bell had a great talent for music. He played by ear from infancy, and received a musical education. Later, Bell and his two brothers assisted their father in public demonstrations in Visible Speech, beginning in 1862. He also enrolled as a student-teacher at Weston House, a boys' school, where he taught music and speech in exchange for

Rise of Global economy

The BBS was thus a Joint management of new economic and political order. Countries under the BBS embraced Capitalist ideologies and systems. It also enhanced the influence and prestige of US. To sum up, the BBS catalysts economic integration and led to the rise of Macs, which is another factor. NC The Macs set up different manufacturing bases In different countries. The Macs were Important In spreading economic links of globalization and helped the US to expand its global reach to more countries, hence increasing US strength and influence.The Macs created globally-integrated enterprises and brought skills and technology, Fids and expertise to the rest of the world. It thus helped to industrialized economies and helped the world to progress together. USA role Dominant global power in political, economic, ideological aspects. Politically, it asserted political presence and dominated International organizations Like ON, MIFF and the World Bank to enforce a Capitalist system which eventu ally helped the world o progress economically as a whole.Economically, since USA was the least affected country by WWW, it was able to provide aid through monetary policies like the Dodge Plan to help Japan. The Aqua's stable currency also provided a peg to stabilize other currencies. Regionalism Europe wanted to create unified regional bloc to act as a counter-balance to Aqua's dominance. It also allowed for greater specialization and expansion of markets. European coal and steel community 1950 France and Germany, later on the rest of he European countries, except Britain.Common Market Treaty 1958 called for reduction of tariffs and barriers Mixed Economies Combination of Capitalist free market systems and socialist communist systems Combined efficiency and enterprise of private sector and foresight and resources of government. Achieved 10th prosperity and equality Global spread of mixed economy model Japan second largest economy after US and West Germany rebuilt after 5 years Brit ain National Health Service Four Asian tigers 7% growth per annum

A research on lyndon johnson and the great society Essay

Lyndon Baines Johnson, also known as the LBJ, had a vision of a Great Society for his fellow citizens that led him to become the 36th president of United States of America. The humble beginnings of Lyndon were not to be regarded as full of luxuries and paradise travels as he felt the anguish of the poor and socially disadvantaged people and saw the pinch of rural poverty. Before he slided into presidency, earning money for the family constituted his youth that made him surged deeped into compassion for the impoverished people and pursuit for a great society. The main theme of the origins of the legendary LBJ was the rise from social and economic ills and finding ways to instigate change in the mainstream society of America where he was actually isolated from. According to LBJ, â€Å"When I was young, poverty was so common we did not know it had a name†. Though he was socially accustomed to think that he would have to deal with poverty and isolation from refinement, Lyndon came to a realization that he was â€Å"special- a young man destined for exceptional things†. Eager to fulfill his destiny and inspired to solve poverty, Lyndon struggled to have a decent yet competitive education with the support of his humble parents, Sam Ealy Johnson Jr. , a farmer and politician, and Rebekah Baines Johnson, a journalist. Solving poverty might be the factor that fueled his political dreams, but it was his father who greatly influenced him in his political actions. His father was a man of ambition and integrity as a legislator serving two terms in 1904. His father was regarded as the agrarian liberal or populist who â€Å"would not allow himself to be bought by lobbyists who dominated the proceedings†. Rebekah Baines’s line of descent as a journalist had equipped Lyndon with a deep â€Å"sense of inherited superiority. † The parents were astonished in Lyndon’s youth that was full of revelations and inklings about his future in the field of politics. As a gifted child and empowered by the praises and encouragement from his family, Lyndon went to local public schools, graduating from high school in 11924. After his graduation, Lyndon spent three uyears traveling around and applying for odd jobs before finally landing at the Southwest Texas State Teachers College that later became the Texas State University-San Marcos. It was in his college days that he gave out â€Å"concern, friendship, and benevolent support. † Lyndon said, â€Å" Some men want power simply to strut around the world and to hear the tune of the ‘Hail to the Chief’ while others want it simply to build prestige, to collect antiques and to buy prertty things-well, I wanted power to give things to people, all sorts of things to all sorts of people, especially the poor and the blacks. † Known as the embodiment of the great Texan spirit of self-denial, conservation, and service, Lydon became a popular figure at the university not in terms of academic performance. This event led to a career milestone for Lyndon. Lyndon’s career before the presidency was in education. He started as a teacher at the Welhausen Elementary School where he showed the children â€Å"a sense of importance most of them had never known before. † He moved to the Sam Houston High School before landing up a job in the congress as a secretary to a US congressman from the Fourteenth District in Texas in 1931. In this, Lyndon became more empowered to pursue his ambition. He became the Director of National Youth Administration that greatly addressed the â€Å"concern of Roosevelt’s New Deal to save a generation of young people from ignorance, unemployment, and enduring hardship. † Undaunted by the economic depression, he was elected to House of Representatives and campaigned successfully on a New Deal platform with the help of his wife Claudia Taylor. He joined the Navy for a brief period as lieutenant commander and won a Silver Star in the South Pacific. After serving six terms in the House, he was elected to the senate in 1948. In the 1960, Lyndon became John F. Kennedy’s running mate and sworn in as Vice President. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, Lyndon sworn in as the President of the United States. A. Foreign and Domestic Policies Several politicians and critics of the LBJ presidency were at one in stating that the administration, together with its foreign and domestic policies, had its peaks and valleys. During the first year of the LBJ administration, the president saw many impressions bestowed upon him as he entirely devoted much effort and time on â€Å"vital domestic matters, both the tax cut and the civil rights law. † Impressions at this time said that the president might not be interested in foreign policies because of LBJ’s adept focus on the real needs of Americans. LBJ was like a domestic politician who could not care less about external affairs. He said, â€Å"Foreigners are not like the folks I’m used to. † After establishing a new civil rights bill and tax cuts, LBJ urged the nation to unite as one in creating a â€Å"Great Society, a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals and than the quantity of their goods. † The domestic policies of LBJ were concentrated on issues such as â€Å"civil rights, social welfare, anti-poverty programs, and labor. † The LBJ administration made a great deal about education, Medicare, urban renewal, conservation of the environment, health, voting rights, prevention of crime and delinquency and an amendment to the Social Security Act. The LBJ presidency also made explorations of space with three astronauts successfully orbiting the moon in December 1968. The administration also sought to fight the inevitable crisis from Vietnam that forced the president to impose budget cuts on domestic policies so that he would be able to push through with the foreign and defense policies. The LBJ policies pointing to Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Latin America â€Å"were bound up with the war in Vietnam. † Despite his efforts to stop the Communist war and reach an agreement, the war continued. Heated debate arose with the president’s decision to limit the bombing in North Vietnam in order to instigate negotiations. There are critics who said that the great foreign policy failure of the administration was its treatment to Vietnam. Following his firm stance on Communist Aggression, LBJ was convinced to gove Vietnam limited help. He said that he â€Å"would not permit the independent nations of the East to be swallowed up by the Communist conquest, but it would not mean sending American boys 9 or 10,000 miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves. † To show firmness and decisiveness, LBJ ordered only retaliatory attacks to the aggressive North Vietnam and launched â€Å"Rolling Thunder†, a sustained bombing campaign to Vietnam. According to LBJ, â€Å"the key to peacemaking was to arrange a settlement that both preserved South Vietnam as an independent state for the foreseeable future and the quickest possible American exit from a war the country by 1968 no longer wished to fight. † Such assumption suggested that LBJ was â€Å"torn between an honorable exit and his desire to not to be the first president to lose a foreign war. † B. The Decision Not to Run for Re-Election When LBJ commanded to limit the bombing of Vietnam, he paired such action with a decision to withdraw from the re-election so that he might find some time for the quest for peace with no interruptions coming from politics. LBJ came to realization that he would not allow the presidency to be involved in any partisan movements which had infiltrated the United States since the advent of the Vietnam war. His policy of military escalation and the US participation in the war had overshadowed his popular standing and he was not able to establish real concessions for the peacemaking process. After his decision, the Vietnam aggression dragged on. By withdrawing from the re-election, â€Å"the administration found it difficult to act decisively,† LBJ’s decision not to run in the reelection was the outcome of his discernment in which he had to go through with his failing political instincts. Prior to his announcement, LBJ had to endure the criticisms which came with the rapid involvement of the US in the Vietnam war, racial tension in the American soil leading to widespread civil riots in the 1960s and the flaws of the Great Society movements. The flawed policies and programs of the LBJ administration led to Republican gains in the 1966 election and dwindled the hopes of Lyndon to further his participation in the Congress. It was in this turbulent period that antiwar candidate Senator Eugene McCarthy gained momentum to head the â€Å"dump Johnson† movement within the Democratic Party. The failure of his actions made it impossible for LBJ â€Å"to leave the White House without attracting hostile protesters. † 1968 had been dubbed as the â€Å"year everything went wrong† for the LBJ administration. II. Political Climate A. The Dominance of the Democratic Party LBJ made his congressional district in Texas as his foundation in his pursuit for a national role in the Democratic Party. He was â€Å"frustrated with the bureaucratic inertia and lack of innovation in fundraising by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Democratic National Committee (DNC). † It was in this frustration that he developed a finite and negative impression of the national party committees that greatly influenced his leadership to the political party. His support to the Democratic Party saw him finding ways on how to finance hundreds of congressional particularly those who have a good of winning and satisfying their requests. As a congressional campaign manager for the House, his vigorous fundraising strategies to support the candidates earned him the respect and support coming from FDR and the other congressmen whom he helped to win. When FDR asked LBJ the result of the campaign, LBJ replied that the Democratic Party would not lose. He says to FDR that â€Å"We’re not going to lose, we’re going to gain. † Now that the House was run by literate Democrats, what FDR had started, including the Social Security (FICA) Program would soon see radical change. During his presidency, LBJ took the Social Security Program from independent trust fund and transferred it to the General fund in order for the Congress to spend it on valuable measures such as in the enactment and foreign and defense policies pointing to the unending war in Vietnam. LBJ’s military escalation policy to Vietnam failed and his domestic policies on civil war and racial tension became undone which had shattered the Democratically-controlled House and Senate. These dark moments became the finest hour of Republicans. B. â€Å"The Johnson Treatment† Lyndon was renowned for his arm twisting of influential politicians in order to pursure legislation. He became famous for his authoritative glance and powers of persuasion, dispensing them with what became popular as the â€Å"Johnson Treatment†. Such coinage was used to describe the domineering personality of LBJ who tend to impose physical size and initimidation in order to advance what he had to say. Lyndon once said, â€Å" I do understand power, whatever else may be said about me, I know where to look for it and I know how to use. † One of the key elements in Lyndon’s leadership and power was his use of the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† that was an eclecic mix of flattery, gentle pleading, logic, and threats. He was able to strategically utilize the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† in the way he gained full control of the Democratic Policy Committee, managed relations within the senate, maintained connections with the Republicans and the Liberals who supported civil rights for the African Americans, solidified control under his leadership, and established a coup when he was still a majority leader convincing the Senate to increase public spending on housing sector. It was in this coup that the he became a master politician or the master of the Senate because of his display of single-mindedness, skill and attention to details. But LBJ’s art of persuading and use of intimidation was no match against the revolutionary nationalists such as Gamal Abdel Nasser who said, â€Å"the West if the enemy, while the Soviets are kindred spirits and purveyors of weapons unobtainable elsewhere. † The â€Å"Johnson Treatment† failed to instill a positive effect on Nasser who continually resisted American policies and â€Å"denounced American imperialism in Congo. † LBJ deeply shocked with the unveiling of the â€Å"Blueprint for the Liberation of Palestine† accompanied by Nasser statement that the only way to liberation was Arab revolutionary action. The failure of the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† was equally defined by LBJ’s unsuccessful leadership to pull the United States out of the quagmire of the Vietnam war. The failure of the â€Å"Johnson Treatment† was viewed by the Americans as the failure of his policies toward Vietnam. The solution to the Vietnam unrest was one of the goals of the three presidents before LBJ and just like them, the LBJ sought to determine how to prevent the North Vietnamese Communists from acquiring South Vietnam that the US supported. C. The Civil Rights Movement Reformation of the civil rights proved to be the greatest challenge to LBJ’s majority leadership and to his presidency later on. In the mind of LBJ, the civil rights issue â€Å"was a fundamental prerequisite to strengthening the American voice abroad. † LBJ sought to â€Å"mount a social revolution in civil rights and the extension of the welfare state. † His policies on alleviating poverty and upholding rights were aiming at demonstrating that â€Å"he was a president who could rise above politics to serve the national interest. † The reform in the civil rights in the US started from a small-scale demonstrations before key players, movements, leaders and organizations finally constructed a vivid change. LBJ was one of the key leaders in bringing change. The turbulent period of the 1940s and the early 1950s was attributable to the â€Å"white southerners who controlled Congress and engineered the defeat of six civil rights bills. † The white group opposed the integration with blacks and â€Å"argued that individual states should have the right to manage their own affairs. † They used states’ rights in order to promote segregation, â€Å"a system of laws that required African Americans to be separated from the whites. † As such caused a significant backlash that came in the forms of protests and racial violence in the middle of the 1950s as African Americans continued to push harder for equal rights. The period was made more turbulent with the enactment of the Jim Crow laws that reinforced segregation. The Jim Crow laws banned African American students from going to educational institutions with white students and also prevented blacks from going to swimming pools, hotels and other establishments where there were whites. Jim Crow laws prohibited African Americans from voting and denied them many opportunities which were only provided for the whites. Then came Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. , who led the civil rights protests until his death by assassination in 1968. Harder violence was pushed through with the struck down of segregation in schools. As a southerner who had accustomed himself to the separation of blacks and whites thoroughout his career, LBJ â€Å"seemed to be an unreliable advocate of civil rights statute. † He supported civil rights but he was aware that the â€Å"pushing for a strong bill would anger many Democrats in the South. † As a compromise, LBJ â€Å"worked out a deal with southerners to pass a weakened bill and convinced liberal western membbers to pass it in exchange for support for a dam they wanted built. † The bill became the first civil rights legislation enacted by the Congress in 82 years and LBJ took all the credit for it. The Civil Rights Act was proposed by the President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and quickly became a controversial issue. The Civil Rights Act would guarantee African Americans with freedom to vote, to go to places of public accommodation, and with equal opportunity in employment. Although the Congress did not approve of Kennedy’s initiative, a stronger version of the bill was eventually approved with the constant urging of Kennedy’s successor, LBJ. On July 2, 1964, LBJ signed the bill into law and soon became the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that gave the federal law enforcement agencies the authority to stop and prevent racial violence and discrimination in voting, employment and in the utilization of public facilities. III. The Great Society A. Civil Rights The Great Society domestic programs of LBJ were aiming at two creating social reforms for the elimination of poverty and racial discrimination. One of legacies of the Great Society programs was translating some of the needs and demands of the civil rights movement into law. During the LBJ presidency, four civil rights acts had secured their passage in Congress. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 stopped job discrimination and the segregation in the use of public facilities. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminates the â€Å"use of literacy requirements and other methods to keep African Americans from voting. † In LBJ’s pursuit for the Great Society, he also gave the nation urban renewal programs, housing subsidies, tax cuts, Traffic Highway Safety Act, National Commission on Product Safety, and environment beautification programs. B. War on Poverty LBJ was determined to â€Å"promote economic growth and commit the nation to a ‘war on poverty. ‘† The war on poverty was deemed as the most ambitious and controversial part of the Great Society. Headed by Sargent Shriver, the war on poverty promised to improve Americans’ standard of living. LBJ said to Shriver, â€Å"You make this thing work. Appoint all the committees you want to, confer with everybody. † LBJ continued, â€Å"This is number one on the domestic front. Next to peace in the world, this is the most important. † The unconditional war on poverty implemented by LBJ was confronted with resistance from the 88th Congress that later on granted â€Å"$947. 5 million in 1964 for the antipoverty program. † The centerpiece of the antipoverty program was the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 that LBJ signed on August 22, 1964 and established the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). The anti-poverty program included the Job Corps and Neighborhood Corps, food stamp program, rent subsidies for moderate and low-income families, a youth employment initiative, and other antipoverty efforts. The initiative lessened the poverty rate in the US from â€Å"22. 4 percent in the late 1950s to 11. 1 percent in 1973. † C. Medicare/Medicaid Medicare was included in the package that was the extension of the War on Poverty. Representative Hale Boggs said that during LBJ presidency, â€Å"the Congress passed more bills than had ever been passed in all the rest of history of the country together. † Included in the passed bills was a Medicare bill that aim â€Å"to provide health care for the nation’s elderly and health benefits for the poor† The Great Society effort federally financed the training for doctors and nurses, establishment of mental heath centers and health facilities focusing on heart problems, cancer and stroke. The Social Security Act of 1965 was passed by Congress to render federal funding for the medical costs of the elderly. This legislation was opposed by the American Medical Association but overcame such opposition to the idea of socialized medicine or public health care and connecting payments with the private health insurance companies. Welfare recipients regardless of age obtained health benefits by the Medicaid program established on July 30, 1965 under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. D. Education LBJ said that he â€Å"no longer can afford second-class education for children who know that they have the right to be first-class citizens. † In fulfilling this aim, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was signed into law on April 1965. The legislation federally funded public schools to help them obtain educational materials and start special education programs to institutions with large number of low-income children. It pursued Head Start, a program initially worked on by the OEO. The Head Start program provided comprehensive aid to the field of education, healthcare, and parent involvement initiatives to low-income children and families. Other programs of LBJ included â€Å"school breakfast programs, Teacher Corps Act of 1965, Adult Education Act of 1968, and the Educational Opportunity Act of 1968. † E. Arts One of the significant contributions of the Great Society effort was the promotion of the arts and humanities. LBJ said, â€Å"The happy relationship between the arts and politics which has characterized our long history I think reached culmination tonight. † LBJ was successful in formalizing federal aid for public radio and television stations, arts institution and higher education. LBJ signed the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities into law that later on established both the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities as separate agencies. He also gave attention on the need for the noncommercial education television in society that paved the way for the enactment of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. The law led to the creation of the Public Broadcasting Service and the National Public Radio. National centers and arts facilities also received federal funding during the presidency of LBJ. IV. The Success of LBJ Administration LBJ’s presidency is greatly remembered for the â€Å"Great Society† programs that aimed to improve the quality of living of Americans. The domestic policies enacted by the Congress during the time of LBJ played significant roles in the lives of Americans who were caught up with the loss of Kennedy, violence and economic ills. LBJ gave light to his people by promising them better and healthy living. One of main goals of the Great Society was to eliminate poverty. LBJ showed determination in reaching the promised land of Great Society by urging Americans to rebuild their cities, eliminate urban decay, and attain a renewed sense of community. In order to help his people, LBJ established a list of laws which promoted racial equality, qquaality education, healthcare, and lowered poverty rate. Many of LBJ’s programs â€Å"made great strides in improving the lives of ordinary Americans. † Some of the laws created impact on the political direction of the nation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave voice to African Americans while the Civil Rights Act of 1964 freed African Americans from violence, racial prejudice and social inequality. The result of the war on poverty was promising enough as the poverty rate of the nation dwindled from â€Å"22. 4 percent in the late 1950’s to 11. 1 percent in 1973. † Antipoverty programs of LBJ created millions of jobs, increase in salary and wages and in business profits, and decrease in unemployment rate. Promising results were also seen in the field of education and healthcare as federal funding continued to help citizens exploit what the administration had to offer. Medicare and Medicaid were made to render medical insurance for the elderly and to the poor people. Funding for heathcare benefits continued while the availability of Medicare and Medicaid widened. Support for the arts and culture was also evident. V. The Failure of LBJ Administration Unfortunately, â€Å"LBJ had promised the impoverished much more than he could deliver. † There were many citizens whocame to realize that the administration had just an â€Å"overly optimistic prediction that did not come true. † Resulting from disappointment were black power and violence in the streets which showed the anguish of the nation. African Americans started to lose faith in LBJ and began to demand immediate change. The backlash of LBJ’s antisegregation efforts began to incite arguments within the southerners while the American people urged the government not to gift black rioters with federal programs. The anger over the desegragation policy of LBJ weakened the Democratic Party and LBJ’s base of power. LBJ’s foreign policy dilemmas stirred antiwar protests along with civil unrest. Demonstrations concerning the involvement of the United States in Vietnam began to undercut LBJ’s presidency. The people complained that the involvement of the nation in the Vietnam war â€Å"took money and attention away from the needed domestic programs. † The people accused Lbj of turning the Vietnam war into national obsession making his War on Poverty nothing more like a skirmish. The presidency of LBJ was equally defined by his Great Society programs and the nation’s entanglement in the Vietnam war. Problems in the foreign policies of Lbj started from the cold war between the US and the Soviet Union. The conflict was that the Soviet Union and Korea were supporting the commkunist forces in northern Vietnam while the United States was in support of the South Vietnam government. Despite complaints, LBJ pushed through with the Vietnam War fearing that losing South Vietnam would wreak havoc on his political career. VI. Conclusion The administration of LBJ was defined by the successes and failures of foreign and domestic policies. During his stay at the White House, he pursued Kennedy’s civil rights bill and tax cuts. He promised to promote better living for the Americans though his Great Society programs. But as he was doing well in putting America in the promised land of a Great Society, Vietnma War was intensifying. Later on, antiwar protests and civil violence gained momentum as American casualties increased in Vietnam. It was evident that LBJ could care less about hearing his people and his presidency was all about between him, his instincts, and his advisers. The failure of his foreign policy in the Vietnam war became the measurement of his entire political career. The dilemma was that LBJ considered the Vietnam War as an inherited course instead of treating it as his job as an influential leader. It could be observed that LBJ was an indecisive leader with no firm stance on foreign policies. To make matter worst, the indecisive president was surrounded with political advisers who were not united and binded with the same aim. It was in the topic of Vietnam War that he was not able to fully utilize his â€Å"Johnson Treatment† to the advantage of American people. Even though the issue in Vietnam War dominated the entire career of LBJ, it was good to know that his Great Society programs were successful. Such programs were only overshadowed by the riots and violence and the public’s demand for more than what LBJ could give. The Vietnam War was just one of the flaws of the Great Society programs since the domestic policies were connected with the foreign ones. The Great Society programs produced favorable results while their negative impact to the world came from the opposition that was not supportive of LBJ’s presidency. BIBLIOGRAPHY Brands, H. W. The Foreign Policies of Lyndon Johnson: Beyond Vietnam. Texas: A&M University Press, 1999. Dallek, Robert. Lyndon B. Johnson: Portrait of a President. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Gold, Susan Dudley. Presidents and Their Times: Lyndon B. Johnson. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2009. Savage, Sean J. JFK, LBJ, and the Democratic Party. New York: State University of New York, 2004. Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Lyndon Johnson and Europe: In the Shadow of Vietnam. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2003.

India and Rampant Piracy Essay Example

India and Rampant Piracy Essay Example India and Rampant Piracy Essay India and Rampant Piracy Essay â€Å"PIRACY AND FILM INDUSTRY IN INDIA† (With special reference to Tollywood) A presentation submitted in partial fulfillment of the Masters Degree (M. Sc) in Visual communication By GUNNA KARTHIK DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION ANDHRA LOYOLA COLLEGE Vijayawada (2010-2011) CONTENTS Research Topic Introduction Review of Literature Research Hypothesis Research Objectives Research Questions Research Methodology Scope of the Study Tentative chapterisation Reference and Bibliography RESEARCH TOPIC: â€Å"PIRACY AND FILM INDUSTRY IN INDIA† (With special reference to Tollywood) INTRODUCTION Indian film industry film piracy The Rs 3,000-crore Hindi film industry loses nearly Rs 1,000 crore annually to piracy. Tollywood Making an Important Ingredient in the Bollywood Industry In India, this is the largest revenue generating industry. Piracy cost Bollywood Nearly 1. 8 million jobs and contributed $6. 2 billion to the Indian economy in 2008. The Industry Today Currently, T ollywood produces around 150 films annually, with approximately three films produced per week. There are also several TV channels dedicated solely for the showing of Telugu movies. pic] Types of Movie Theft 1. CAMCORDER THEFT 2. PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) THEFT 3. STREAMING THEFT 4. OPTICAL DISC THEFT 5. THEATRICAL PRINT THEFT 6. SCREENER THEFT 7. SIGNAL THEFT 8. BROADCAST THEFT 9. ILLEGAL PUBLIC PERFORMANCE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Release of movie DVDs into market parallels to theatrical release will reduce the extent of piracy in India. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Indian producers lose heavy some due to piracy. The producers of the three films have suffered a loss of Rs. 10 crore each due to the pirated VCDs of the films making their way into the market the ery next day. Bollywood Piracy: Fighting Technology with Technology. We are all aware of the rampant piracy affecting Bollywood but the scene of crime seems to have shifted to cyberspace in the recent past. Tollywood unhappy. Keshav Reddy, coordi nator of the anti-video piracy cell of Tollywood, asked the Tamil Nadu government to crack down on 400 video shops in Burma Bazaar of Chennai which are pirating Telugu movies even before their release as the piracy is causing a loss of Rs 50 crore to the Telugu film industry annually. Moreover, India is one of the largest users of cyber lockers in the world. ? On average, 8. 2% of visitors to the top ten cyber lockers worldwide are located in India and the country makes up 11. 8% of visitors to the top ten cyber locker link sites. ? Hindi films are the most widely available domestic Indian content with most down loaders in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. ? The recent film â€Å"Kaminey† is estimated to have been downloaded just over 350,000 times on Bit Torrent with around two? thirds of those down loaders located in India. Telugu films are mostly downloaded in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. ? Over 88% of down loaders of four Telugu films on Bit Torrent were located in India. CASE STU DY Dabangg: Record Breaking Piracy Within 15 hours of its release in India, over 50 websites were showing the entire movie of Dabangg. In 24 hours the numbers were over 200. When we did our view and download count at the end of Sunday, 72 hours after the movie had released, we were taken aback by the final tally after crunching the numbers – over 150,000 downloads in high-conservative assessment. In terms of dollar value at a 10 dollars ticket price, it is 1. 5 million dollars (US) in the first 72 hours that has been lost. In Indian Rupees it comes to approximately – 6. 8 Crores, an amount that could easily finance a couple of movies. It becomes the largest value of piracy in the first three days of a Hindi movie’s release, as per our knowledge and records. Movies Compression and Conversion Invention of video compression formats; it is possible to fit an entire movie on CD, with near TV quality. In years past, downloading a movie that is 1300 MB in size over a 28. modem would have taken many days or even weeks. But with the introduction of high speed internet technology into the home, such as DSL and Cable Modems, and with the possibility to compress a movie down to 300 MB or less, it only takes minutes or hours to download a full movie. There are 4 common video compression techniques: Divx Real Video Asf Mpeg Tollywood Fights Back Yalamanchili Ravi Chands hunge r strike against piracy. Film piracy continues unabated That film piracy is thriving in Andhra Pradesh is no secret. And, it will continue to flourish despite police raiding video parlours so many times and seizing thousands of pirated film CDs. Chiranjeevi requests Goonda Act against Film Piracy in AP He spoke in assembly about this and said â€Å"A producer who spends 25 crores on his movie will have his heart broken when he sees his movie in a 3-in-1 DVD for Rs. 25 on street. There are no strict rules against piracy in AP and we should implement something like Goonda act in Tamil Nadu which controls piracy strictly†. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To study the extent of piracy of films in India To study the impacts of piracy of films on film industry in India To study the behaviour of audience who use piracy films To study the influential factors behind the piracy of films in India RESEARCH QUESTIONS SCOPE OF THE STUDY This study will be in unique in nature as very study has been done so far. As film has become part and partial of human life, a through research is required pertaining to the ind ustry. The current research will try to assess the extent of piracy and its suggestive solutions. The researcher will try to focus the practice of piracy relating to Tollywood industry. The research is carried in the limited geography (i. e. ) Vijayawada and association of the findings to India is susceptible. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY TENTATIVE CHAPTERISATION Chapter I: Introduction Chapter II: Review of literature Chapter III: Understanding Piracy and Films in India Chapter IV: Critical Analysis of Piracy in India -Reference to Tollywood industry Chapter V: Findings Solutions Recommendations Chapter VI: Reference and Bibliography REFERENCE and BIBILOGRAPHY – A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE Nilesh Zacharias Ashni Parekh THANK YOU G. KARTHIK NMVC-20

The risk of malnutrition Essays

The risk of malnutrition Essays The risk of malnutrition Essay The risk of malnutrition Essay Introduction The most of import issue with for the Great Horn of Africa ( GHA ) states is the equal supply of sufficient nutrient. Poor conditions and struggle are some of the factors that cause the nutrient insecurity. Increase in planetary nutrient monetary values besides cause more weakening in nutrient security which increases the hazard of malnutrition. The purpose of this essay is to discourse how addition in nutrient monetary values in general affects lessening in nutrient security in the GHA and increase the hazard of malnutrition of the people in those states of GHA. The United States Agency for International Developments ( USAID ) defined nutrient security based upon the one adopted at the 1996 World Food Summit. This defines nutrient security as all people, at all times holding physical and economic entree to sufficient, safe and alimentary nutrient that meets their dietetic demands and nutrient penchants for an active and healthy life , ( Riely et al. , 1999, FAO, 2006 ) . Food entree, use, nutrient handiness and stableness are the four key elements ( FAO, 2006 ) . These four key elements province that there ever sufficient sum of nutrient, quality of nutrient has to be kept same even it is imported or produced, to fix nutrient and consume nutrient in a alimentary and hygienic mode equal tools or pecuniary resources for its acquisition is needed, and non to lose all these elements the hazard should ever be low. Otherwise, if any of these elements has some lacks so nutrient security will diminish. The states that are portion of GHA which has suffered from long term nutrient insecurity are Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Dijibouti, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, parts of the Central African Republic ( CAR ) and the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ) . These states faced nutrient insecurities at critical degree and have required external nutrient aid for at least 10 or more old ages during the period 1988-2005. However, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan and DRC faced nutrient insecurities for the full continuance of this period or more ( FAO, 2006 ) . The causes of nutrient insecurity There were still some annihilating factors refering with the nutrient security in the GHA part. First of all, fickle and drought rainfalls combined with deforestation have ruined dirt quality in decreased harvest outputs and grazing land for croping animate beings ( Riely et al. , 1999 ) . The rainfall was below the norm in many parts of GHA bespeaking moderate to badly dry conditions in Somalia, some parts of Kenya, south-eastern Ethiopia and Dijibouti between February to September 2008 ( FEWS_Net, 2008a, FEWS_Net, 2008b, FEWS_Net, 2008c ) . Less sum of rainfall caused to the dirt wet degrees to drop and this affected corn harvest to neglect in some parts of GHA. Political instability and armed struggle are some of the causes that make it hard to get down and go on to administer nutrient to the people in a market substructure mode ( Riely et al. , 1999 ) . As an illustration, between 1991 and 2000, since Somalia has nt got a functioning authorities, it has merely recognized a transi tional national authorities after approximately a decennary involved in internal struggle ( Bureau_of_African_Affairs, 2010 ) . After all these happened, the figure of internally displaced people who can non work and depend on external nutrient assistance increased to 980,000. Due to some internal supplanting doing the post-election ferociousness in 2008, around 257,000 people had nutrient insecurity issues ( FEWS_Net, 2008d ) . All of these factors when they are combined affect people to obtain adequate nutrient in their ain economic system and force them to international assistance and markets. Food handiness and nutrient entree depend on the cost of nutrient. Since the production capacity degrees are lower, the GHA part is a net importer of nutrient particularly cereals from international markets ( IFRC, 2008 ) . In add-on to this, monetary values of cereal including rice and corn additions in the period from 2006 to 2008.