Overview of Pediatrics Malignancies

Overview of Pediatrics Malignancies Muhammad Tahir Saleem I am rotated in the pediatric hematology and oncology ward for clinical practicum as part of the Masters of Nursing (MSc.N) program. Hematology is the branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and related to blood and its functional abnormalities including anemia, polycythemia and hemophilia and all bleeding disorders (Brunner and Suddarths, 2010). Oncology is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the cancer in the body (Brunner and Suddarths, 2010). Since human body is composed of cells so the cancer originates from abnormally occurring cells in the body (Porth Matfin, 2009). There are many definition of the word cancer in medicine, but whatever the way of defining cancer is adopted, the definition should incorporate two properties: uncontrollable growth of cells originating from normal tissues, and property of killing of host by means of using components of surrounding tissues or by spreading to other organs (metastases) to other organ and sys tems of the human body (Itano Taoka, 2005). Some experts define cancer as the autonomous growth of the body cells that is unresponsive to the physiological growth-control mechanism of the body which is responsible for homogenous development of all body organs normally. Other have define cancer as a condition in which normally growing cells lose their structure, appearance and functioning (shoib book). The cells also lose their self-destructive ability (apoptosis) to die after certain period of time as they do normally (e.g. red blood cells die after 120 days) and the cells tend to live longer and at times become immortal and disturb the functions of other normal cells. There are certain terminologies that are frequently referred to the set of events occurred during the pathogenesis of cancer. These terminologies are dysplasia, metaplasia and anaplasia. Dysplasia is a disruption in the size, appearance, and arrangement of cells and tissues (Porth Matfin, 2009). Dysplasia is abnormal tissue development but not yet cancerous. Dysplastic changes frequently occur in the mucosal lining of the mouth, nose, intestine and cervix where the cells keep on going under cellular multiplication, differentiation, organization and replacement of new cells (Porth Matfin, 2009). The epithelial lining of elementary canal (mouth to anus) completely changes in three days. So it is the frequent site of papilloma formation as a result of dysplastic changes. The epithelial lining of the mouth of cervix also changes as a result of dysplastic changes due to human papilloma virus (Porth Matfin, 2009). Dysplasia is also present in chronic inflammatory and proliferative lesio ns, and it is recognized as part of a developmental phase of many cancers. Metaplasia is the substitution of one cell type with another cell type, for example in smokers ciliated columnar bronchial epithelium is replaced by non-ciliated squamous epithelium due to the constant exposure of smoke to the bronchus (Porth Matfin, 2009). Metaplasia is also considered as the developmental phase in many neoplasms. Anaplasia is the structural change and cellular appearance and inability to perform the normal functions of a cell. This stage of cellular changes is known as cancerous (Porth Matfin, 2009). Anaplastic cells resemble the undifferentiated primitive cells that have not developed specialized structure and functioning typical of their tissue of origin. In other words, the newly formed tissue from muscle cell or nerve cell, for example ,remain in the premature state as a result of anaplastic changes and do not perform its original functions. The degree of anaplasia may differ from one type of cancer cells to other type of cancers from poorly differentiated to undifferentiated cells; sometimes the tumor cells are so undifferentiated that it is not possible to decide the tissue from which the cancer cells are originated (Porth Matfin, 2009). Here, the terms hyperplasia and hypertrophy are worth mentioning. Hyperplasia and hypertrophy are normal physiological responses. Hyperplasia is defined as an increase in the cellular count in a tissue or organ causing an increase in the size of that organ, whereas hypertrophy is the increase in the size of cells not the number (Porth Matfin, 2009). Neither hypertrophy, nor the hyperplasia is the synonym of tumor growth. Hyperplasia is induced by know stimuli and it is a controlled process and it stops as the stimuli is removed. One example of stimuli induced hyperplasia is the increase in the size and number of cells of uterus in pregnancy under the influence estrogen for accommodation of developing embryo. The uterus comes to normal state after the stimuli of estrogen is gone after delivery. In addition, hyperplasia may also serve a useful role in the body, for example breast tissue undergoes hyperplastic changes after pregnancy for production of milk or re-forming the liver with structurally typical hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy. Abnormal cancerous development follows none of these usual physiological rules or purposes (Porth Matfin, 2009). However, cancerous cells may eventually employ the hyperplasia in its pathogenesis pathways. Because, hyperplasia and dysplasia often fall into the development of many tumors by months or years, timely identification and proper treatment at this early stage in the pathological process may help to prevent malignancies (Porth Matfin, 2009). For example, the Papanicolaou Smear (or pap smear) allows pathologists to distinguish between normal, dysplastic or cancerous cells. The pap-smear is a technique that allows early detection of the cervical cancer and it has enormously reduced the morbidity and mortality of cervical cancer. Pathologically, tumors can be classified into benign and malignant. The word benign means kind, gentle or caring and suggests that such tumor are harmless. These tumors are mostly encapsulated by well defined fibrous cover that separates the mass from surrounding tissues. A benign tumor, neither invade surrounding tissue nor metastasizes. These tumor exhibit lesser degree of anaplasia and grow slowly. Recurrence is very rare after surgical removal in benign tumors. The benign tumors are named by adding suffix -oma in the name of tissue they are originating in. For example, Lipoma, Adenoma, fibroma and papilloma are some of the example of adding suffix –oma in the type of origin of tumor (Itano Taoka, 2005). Whereas, malignant tumors usually infiltrate or invade surrounding tissues, these tumors are not encapsulated, genetically instable and with greater degree of anaplasia from the tissue of origin. They grow autonomously with no control of body homogenous development. The fo llowing table compares the properties of benign and malignant tumors (Itano Taoka, 2005). Difference Between Benign and Malignant Tumor Characteristic Benign Tumor Malignant Tumor Structure and differentiation Typical of tissue of origin Atypical of tissue origin Rate of growth Usually slow May be slow, rapid, very rapid Progression Slowly progressive (may remain stationary; may regress): rarely fatal if treated Usually progressive, almost always fatal if untreated Mode of growth Expansion with capsule Local infiltration and/or metastasis to distant sites Tissue destruction None Common, ulceration and necrosis Recurrence Rare Common Prognosis Fatal only if surgically inaccessible Fatal if uncontrolled (untreated) Core Curriculum of Oncology Nursing. St. Louis, Messori: Elsevier; 2005 Cancer can also be characterized in two types on the basis of structure, solid tumor and cancer of the blood. Cancer of the blood and lymphatic systems are mostly leukemia and lymphomas, where as solid tumors are originating in the organ like central nervous system, kidneys, eyes, bones and in soft tissues. Childhood malignancies mostly originate in blood, bone marrow and in lymphatic systems. Cancer of genitourinary system, respiratory system, and caner of digestive system are rare in children as the statistics furnished by the cancer research organization UK, 2012 (www.cancerresearch.org). The incidence chart of the childhood cancers is as follows: The incidence chart of the childhood cancers Cancer Type Incidence Leukemia 34% CNS tumors 23% Lymphoma 11% Neuroblastoma 6% Renal tumor (e.g. Wilm’s tumor) 6% Soft tissue sarcomas 6% Bone tumors 5% Retinoblastoma 3% Epithelial neoplasms 3% Germ cell tumors 2% Liver Tumors 1% Oxford handbook of Pediatric hematology and oncology, 2010. A brief description of pediatric cancers is given below. Leukemia Leukemia is the cancer that affects the cell lining of white blood cells. White blood cells are of tow type; granulocytes (Lymphoid cell) and agranulocytes (Myeloid cell). Lymphoid cells are further subdivided in B-cell Lymphocytes and T-Cell Lymphocytes, whereas, myeloid cells are of three types, Neutrophils, Basophils and Eosinophil (Porth Matfin, 2009). Leukemia is further sub divided into acute and chronic; acute leukemia are termed when the anaplastic changes occurred in the pre matured leukocytes that has just transformed from the stem cells in the bone marrow, whereas, chromic leukemias’ are termed when the anaplastic changes occur in more matured stage or adult leukocytes. The four types of leukemias are as follows Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Acute Myeloid Leukemia Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia accounts for 80-90% among all types of leukemia in childhood. AML accounts for 15% and CML 5% (Itano Taoka, 2005). Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is further subdivided incidence wise according to cell linage involved as elaborated by Moore and Hurvitz (2008). Pre B-cell 70% T-Cell 15-25% B-Cell 15% Treatment of acute leukemia involves induction for complete remission, followed by intensification and maintenance therapy. Prophylaxis to the CNS is done by Intra-thecal (IT) chemo administration. Standard treatment for ALL leads to long term remission in more than 85% of cases. Induction therapy employs Vincristine, Prednisone, and L-Asparagenase +/- Danurubicin (depending upon risk satisfaction) Intensification; all induction medicine with the inclusion of CNS prophylaxis Maintenance therapy includes oral Mercaptopurin (6MP) with methotrexate (MTX) weekly for two to three years Many patients in the chemo-pediatrics receive monthly intra-thecal (IT) pulses of Vincristine with prednisolone/dexa as part of maintenance. One or two cycles of a re-induction regimen were often added but not in contemporary practice (Moore Hurvitz, 2008). Good prognostic factors for ALL: WBC Bad Prognostic factors for ALL: WBC>50,000/uL, age10years, Other poor prognostic factors are massive organomegaly, CNS involvement at diagnosis, medaistinal mass and failure to achieve remission by day 14 to 28 of induction, with presence of Philadelphia chromosome. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) AML requires intensive chemotherapy followed by hemotopotic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation if a suitable matched related donor is available. Five years survivals for these patients are more than 85% with good prognosis (Bailey Skinner, 2010). Lymphomas Hodgkin and Non Hodgkin Lymphomas: Lymphomas are the tumor of lymphocytes (B T cells) that originate in the lymph tissue that is fixed to organs and lymph nodes not in peripheral circulation. As in the case of leukemias, lymphomas also involved both B-cell and T-cell lymphocytes but they are confined to the lymph nodes or other lymphatic organs not the peripheral blood. They typically presents with a solid mass in a lymph node, spleen, bone marrow and in any organ. Other than lymph tissue, they may present in tonsils, skin, brain, bowel and bone. Lymphomas are closely related to lymphoid leukemias that involves the circulating lymphatic cells. Lymphomas are better controlled by treating with chemotherapy. Five years survivals for these pediatric lymphoma patients are more than 90% with good prognosis (Itano Taoka, 2005). Brain tumors These are of four types, depending upon the type of cells from where the tumor is initiating. Gliomas, Appendimomas, Meduloblastomas, and Schewanomas are some of the types of central nervous system tumors (CNS). Some CNS tumors are associated with high mortality and respond poorly chemo. Cranio-spinal radiation is often employed as part of the treatment regimen for older kids but radiation is deferred in children age less than 3 years due to the chance of fibrosis of growing skull bones and vertebral bones; however radiation is avoided in most of the younger children (Bailey Skinner, 2010). Tumor of the renal system Wilm’s tumor is tumor of renal system. Histological name of the cancer is nephroblastoma. It needs radiation and chemo both for the eradication of disease. Size of the tumor is reduced by using chemo and radiation. After the shrinkage of renal tumor, surgery proved to be beneficial. Three years survival is 75% in patients of nephroblastoma (Bailey Skinner, 2010). Soft tissue tumors Soft tissue tumors originate from connective tissue of cartilage and bone forming fibrous tissue, smooth muscles, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, fat tissue, synovial tissue, and peripheral nerves. The most common type of soft tissue tumor in childhood is rhebdomysarcoma. Rhabdomyosarcoma: It originates form the striated muscle tissue. It most commonly originates in head and neck area. Only 15% presents outside of the head and neck region. It is treated with chemo and radiation therapy. The prognosis of this cancer is good if treatment is started at early stage (Bailey Skinner, 2010). Retinoblastoma Retina is nervous tissue. Retina is only neuronal tissue that is visible through the naked eye. The tumor that arises from it also primitive neuronal ectodermic stem cells that were remain undifferentiated in fetal life and present like tumor in the very first years of life. Most patient get die due to extension of these neuronal tumors to CNS through optic nerve. In localized tumor survival is 100% but in metastatic tumor the survival ratio decrease. As described by Bailey and Skinner, (2010) many chemotherapeutic agents are used in treatment of retinoblastoma e.g. Vincristine, Actinomycin D, cyclopahsmamide, and doxorubicin. Germ Cell Tumors This tumor arises from primitive stem cells of the fetal life that remained immature during fetal development and were not able to fully develop (differentiate) to mature cells of the organs. Human embryo develops from the three layers of the germ cells. These layers are ectoderm (outermost), mesoderm (middle layer) and endoderm (innermost). Ectoderm develops into skin, sweat glands and nervous system, mesoderm develop into bones flesh, blood vessels and lymphoid tissue whereas, endoderm develop into genitourinary, gastrointestinal and respiratory system. Germ cell tumor arises from the immature stem cells that were left undifferentiated in the fetal life. This tumor has good prognosis in early diagnosis (Langhorne, Fulton Otto, 2007). The rotation in pediatric oncology ward is challenging as well as exciting. The nurses here have to be extra conscious about all care related issues. Building rapport with the children is paramount to the effective nursing care of them. Childhood cancers are rare but children diagnosed with cancer may develop subtle anti social behavior during the long term therapy of the disease. This makes nurses to be equipped with extra psychosocial adaptation with children. As chemotherapy is widely used as the treatment modality besides surgery and radiation therapy, hence, pediatric population is vulnerable more than the adult in developing disease/treatment related debilitating symptoms like febrile neutropenia and tumor lysis syndrome . Parents’ education is paramount in adhering to the treatment regimen and prevention of nutropenia. Many patients came in pediatric oncology ward for port-a-cath needle insertion and dressing of PICC line. Nurses are meticulously involved in caring abou t the patients. Helping the physician in safely administration of intrathecal medication (IT) is also the job of nurses. The rotation bringing new horizons of learning and I am learning a lot about pediatric cancer care a lot. Reference: Moore, T.B. Hurvitz, C.G.H. (2008). In Cassiato,D.A. Territo, M.C. (2008). Manual of clinical oncology. 6th Ede. Philadelphia: LWW. Ch 18. Pp 397-408. Childhood cancer incidence: Retrieved from: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/childhoodcancer/ Site last updated 14/11/2012. Bailey.S, Skinner, R.(2010).Oxford specialist handbook of pediatric hematology and oncology. Oxford university press. Porth, C.M, Matfin, G., (2009). Pathophysiology concept of altered health. Ed 8th. Philadelphia: LWW. Ch 5. Pp. 95-98. Langhorne, M.E, Fulton, J.S, Otto, S.E., (2007). Oncology Nursing. Ed 5th. St Louis, Messori: Mosbay. Ch3. P3. Itano, J. K, Taoka, K. N. (2005). Core Curriculum of Oncology Nursing. St. Louis, Messori: Elsevier. Ch 20. Pp 443.

Fashionably Loud :: essays research papers

Do you choose what you wear or does the media choose it for you? I am one of the million Americans who struggle with keeping up with the new trends of the season. The media works their hardest to try to persuade us into buying new things for our home, work, and family. The media today is the largest advertisements money can buy and many large companies spend millions of dollars for a one-minute commercial on one of the major stations. Television and Magazine elaborate not only on what to wear and when to wear it but also on what others are wearing such as movie stars, models, music artists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Television, one of the largest media world, gives us the â€Å"gossip† on who is wearing what and what is fashionable for the season. Television shows like Entertainment Tonight, The National Inquirer TV, and Fashion TV are few of the shows that give us information on new trends for all different types of people and in all different countries. Television commercials give us the backbone we need to fall into all the schemes for selling. Designers such as Calvin Klein, Levi’s and many others try to catch our eye with their cool and crazy commercials. Television influences the way we shop. It accents to each and every one of our wardrobes with telling us what is hot and what is not. Teenagers, especially, give a lot of their attention to these television programs and try to be just like the models on the runway. The commercials try to target the younger generation because they will have them in the palm of their hands for the rest of their lives. Also t hey are easily influenced by Television with the billions of dollars spent on advertisements they have them trapped. Hearing all this, the way these television programs have influence my life is that I love to be in style, as they say. I love to keep up with all the new trends of the season. Since I was a little girl I always had someone to look up to considering my sister was eight years older than I was, I found myself always wanting to be older and always wanting to look and dress just like her and her friends. Also I used to watch all those shows that had to do with modeling and clothing, another example of these shows is House of Style that used to air on MTV.

Argument for the Use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (Cras) Essay

Argument for the use of consensual relationship agreements (CRAs) in my current (or future) workplace Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) is a contract that both employees involved a romantic relationship sign to acknowledge that their relationship is voluntary and that they will abide by the policies of the company regarding anti-harassment and anti-discrimination. (Hellriegel & Slocum ,2011). Office romance should be addressed in a more constructive and professional way just like behaviors such as attendance, dress codes, and non-disclosure agreements. If one can argue that it is perfectly acceptable for employees with personal challenges (such as death in the family, childbirth, sick family member) to receive assistance and, support in the form of personal time-off from work then it must be reasonable for other employees who become romantically involved to get some type of support from their employers. The risks of office romance can better be mitigated if the risk factors are known and managed. So, for example, lawsuits from employees who claim they were coerced into an office romance and disadvantaged by it would be avoided because employees signed the CRAs of their own volition. Allegations from other employees of real or imagined favoritism from a supervisor to a subordinate with whom he or she is romantically involved would be averted because HR would have already taken steps to ensure this does not happen. By creating a mechanism which provides specific and detailed guidelines for professional workplace behavior, HR professionals are able to educate and caution employees about appropriate or inappropriate workplace etiquettes. Privacy issues or lack thereof, as related to dating in the workplace would also be appropriately addressed with the employees involved so they cannot claim that were unfairly treated. Another compelling reason why one should argue for CRAs in their workplaces is that in light of the legal ramifications of the rights of employees in the workplace, CRAs become an expedient and prudent way to protect the interest of an organization and simultaneously provide safe and meaningful ways for employees to freely explore and express their sentiments for others who might feel the same way. Organizations spend a lot of time and resources on strategic planning and forecasting. The purpose of such planning is to position the organization to accomplish two major goals: stay abreast with, or ahead of, the competitive marketplace and change current processes and approaches that are not yielding desired, or expected results. These are proactive steps to assure progress and success. CRAs facilitate and enhance such strategic plans by staying ahead of a changing workplace in the modern age and ensuring that valuable human resources will not be lost and thereby jeopardize more important organizational goals and objectives. CRAs provide a framework for responsible behavior by employees, particularly, supervisors. It fosters a win-win work environment for employees who happen to be romantically involved with each other and for employers to provide guidance and direction for appropriate workplace behavioral expectations. By bringing the relationship into the open the employees involved would not feel pressure to go to great lengths to hide their relationship and could focus on being productive. Conversely, these employees would become pre-occupied with finding ways to hide their relationships if the company did not encourage workplace romance. Create a counter argument against the use of CRAs in your current (or future) workplace. Office romance must be forbidden in the workplace because it simply raises too many avoidable issues in the workplace. By its very nature, office romance predisposes employees involved to compromise their rational objective behaviors because their non-objective emotional senses tend to dominate their thoughts and actions. Romantic relationships are the result of spontaneous human behavior; they are not preconceived and therefore cannot be regulated or contained by contracts. Making CRAs a condition for employment is also not a good idea because, over time, the restrictions become unbearable and the parties involved find out that they are better off in different organizations where their actions and whereabouts will no longer be scrutinized by an assigned HR person. CRAs are tantamount to indirect employment agreement in that they indirectly impose restrictions on the individuals involved in the relationship and seek to protect the interest of the organization at the expense of the people who happen to be emotionally attracted to each other and choose to express those sentiments in an open and liberating way. CRAs simply become ineffective tools because the employees who even agree to sign them often find ways to secretly engage in behaviors that result in lapses in judgment because they are emotionally charged. In many respects, CRAs are intrusive and inherently designed to discourage workplace romance. By their very nature they put restrictions on a human behavior that is designed to be spontaneous and natural. Organizations are not equipped to handle issues of the heart and neither should they start now. Organizations need to focus on what they do best, increasing shareholder value and accomplishing other strategic goals and objectives. Discuss the ethical principles involved in the use of CRAs. There are many perspectives and convictions about what is, or is not ethical. However, there are no universally accepted principles and rules for resolving all ethical issues (Hellriegel & Slocum ,2011). In a country with such great freedom of expression, one can only imagine the diversity of opinions and positions regarding the factors that drive people’s decisions and formulate their ethics. The range of such factors is as wide as the differences in people and this is reflected in the diversity of ethical principles. However, for the purposes of this paper only a handful of relevant ethics based principles – Utilitarian, Professional Standards, Disclosure and Distributive principles will be considered: Utilitarian principle focuses on the magnitude, extent and impact of harm versus good of decisions that are made. The final decision is predicated on the weight of good versus bad – the greatest good for the greatest number (Hellriegel & Slocum , 2011). On the basis of this principle, CRAs are believed to generate more good than harm for those who choose to engage in office romance. Disclosure Principle – This principle focuses on how most people in society will react to the details of a decision when it becomes public knowledge. Most organizations take social responsibility very seriously and will do their very best to garner positive public image. Consequently CRAs are viewed favorably by such organizations. Distributive Principle – This principle is predicated on fairness. The thrust of CRAs is a win-win arrangement for both the organization and the individual because most organizations generally perceive CRAs to be fair. Create at least one (1) other option besides CRAs that would address workplace romances. The only other option for workplace romances that may be plausible is for the organization to develop a set of policies based on the organization interest principle which focuses on the basis of what is good for the organization (Hellriegel & Slocum , 2011). With this option, employees are expected to disclose any potential or actual conflict interest to the human resource professional within the organization. Conflict of interest covers a broad range of behaviors; however, this paper will focus on personal conflict of interest which stresses zero tolerance for discrimination and sexual harassment. This alternative approach to workplace romances would requires that an employee may not supervise someone with whom they have a close personal relationship such as anyone in their family, household or someone with whom they have or had a romantic relationship or other close personal relationship. Additionally, if one were to supervise someone even indirectly with whom they had one of the relationships described above, one must disclose the relationship promptly. Any acts of discrimination, sexual harassment or other harassment based on race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation would be addressed under a zero tolerance policy.

Mass Shootings and Related Issues of Race and Gender

Mass Shootings and Related Issues of Race and Gender â€Å"Sick,† â€Å"twisted,† â€Å"disturbed,† â€Å"psychotic,† â€Å"mentally ill,† â€Å"psychopath,† â€Å"acted alone.† These words  are familiar to anyone who pays attention to news accounts of mass shootings carried out by white males over the last three decades. Trouble is, none of these guys- Eliot Rodger, Adam Lanza, James Holmes, Jared Loughner, Anders Breivik in Norway, among others- really acted alone. While news accounts typically frame mass shootings by white males as the work of  deranged individuals, the actions of these  men and boys are expressive of widely held patriarchal and white supremacist beliefs. They are the manifestation of  a sick society. The  shooters who left digital trails have made it clear that their actions were prompted by their perceived loss of power and status in society. They felt slighted by women who do not obey them and their desires, by people of color and queer folks who have fought for, earned, and defended their civil rights, and by a society that doesn’t afford them the respect and place they believe they deserve by accident of their race and gender. They are the product of a changed and ever-changing social context in which historic forms of power and domination are being slowly but loudly destabilized, and of a society that socializes them to believe that this is wrong, and that they deserve to be in positions of power. Demographic Shifts in the U.S. and Anomie Among White Men​ Writing in 1897, sociologist Émile Durkheim popularized a theoretical concept that can be  usefully applied to understanding how this perceived problem of individuals is actually a social problem. Anomie, Durkheim explained, is a condition that results when the values and expectations of an individual do not match those that predominate in society. When an individual experiences anomie, they feel disconnected from their society; they feel destabilized. Anomie, per Durkheim, is a state of social derangement. Applying the theory of anomie to the phenomenon of white male shooters throws into relief the conditions of social derangement experienced by boys and men who take such action. White males, especially those with economic privilege relative to others, have historically lived at the top of the power hierarchy in the United States. They hold power in terms of their gender, their race, sometimes their class, and often, their sexuality. But, in today’s social context in which patriarchy, heteronormativity, white supremacy, and economic power have been destabilized by various social movements, legislation, and paradigm shifts in popular consciousness, their power over others is waning. With it, so too is their historically unjustly inflated social status. The Violent Death Grip of Patriarchy and White Supremacy This is not to say that patriarchy, heteronormativity, white supremacy, and economic control by white men are things of the past. These forms of domination live today in a wide variety of attitudes, values, beliefs, and practices. The actions of white male shooters make it fatally clear that the ideologies that undergird these forms of oppression are not only alive, but thriving today. They are expressed in their most overt and terrifying forms in the Youtube videos, chat logs, conversations, and manifestos of Anders Breivik, Elliot Rodger, and Jared Loughner, among others. They were expressed with violence and hatred in a rash of hate crimes against women, people of color, LGBT people, and immigrants following the 2016 presidential election. In this social context of anomie, shooting others is a desperate attempt to reclaim norms lost. It is an assertion of power that has been destabilized by the changing nature of society, its norms, and its values. Yet, the actions of white male shooters are couched within the larger social problem of a troubled masculinity that transcends race. Viewed through a wider lens, the connections between shootings perpetrated by white males and other forms of violent masculine expression, like street harassment, gendered and sexualized violence, hate crimes, gang violence, and white separatist and nationalist movements become clear. Society Needs Masculinity Rooted in Respect and Care for Others A social problem like this requires a social solution. Background checks and reforms to gun laws might reduce gun violence, but they will not stop other forms of violence that stem from a social sickness. Alleviating the social sickness of racism, and the gendered and heterosexist norms of patriarchy  is work that must be done collectively by all of us. We, as a society, must reconfigure what masculinity means, and cast off the dangerous values and expectations that we socialize boys to hold and express in their behavior. Curing this social sickness requires a new masculinity detached from notions of superiority, dominance, control, and compliance of others. It requires what the writers at Rad Dad advocate for in their call for a Feminist Fathers’ Day: a masculinity premised on respect and care for others.

Failed Product

Failed Product Introduction Analysis of the history of corporations highlights the presence of products introduced in the market, which are discredited by the clientele. This makes it fundamental to phase out the product from the corporation’s product line. The following piece identifies a failed product, describes its tendencies and deduces the reasons for failure. Finally, it presents recommendations that the company ought to embrace through implementing diverse change initiatives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Failed Product specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Identification and description of failed product A case of a failed product incorporates McDonald’s Arch Deluxe, which was launched in 1996. It is a sophisticated burger, which seeks to cater for an adult audience with its different ingredients (Kincheloe, 2002). The Arch Deluxe has a soft buttery bun on top, which is above the mustard. It equally encompasses the mayonnaise sauce followed by two â€Å"fresh lettuce leaves and slivered Spanish onions† (Kincheloe, 2002). After that, there is smocked bacon above the ripe tomato slice and a slice of American cheese. The sandwiching process encompasses the above constituents, cooked beef and fancy tomato ketchup. Why company and product failed According to Rogers (1995), the five stages critical in a product’s development incorporate, â€Å"knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation†. He argues that the tipping point originates from diffusion theory, which is a set of generalizations that aid the spread of innovations within a social change process. Further, there are suggestions that the masses often oppose change meaning that companies should prepare for resistance and the means of addressing them upon the introduction of a new product. In the knowledge stage, individuals learned about the new idea. There was a need to embrace longer life expectanc ies and cater for an old market. The feeling that the company’s focus was on children alone, made a significant contribution to the creation of the idea. The presence of the adult market encouraged McDonald’s company to introduce a new range of burgers; thus, initiating the identification process. There was the creation of a new line of sandwiches instead of changing the menu. The creation entailed extra funds to make the idea a success. Before introducing the sandwiches, the adult market was not consulted to determine the reception of the arc deluxe burger (Kincheloe, 2002). Finally, the burger recorded some of the poorest sales in history, attributable to the mentioned reasons. The persuasion stage involves forming opinions and attitudes about new ideas developed in the first stage. The company engaged its staff to envision the formed idea. As such, McDonald formed a favorable attitude and tasked its executive top chef Andrew Selvaggo to create the designed burger. T he created burger was so big that it stood out. However, it failed since people noticed that it had many calories, which could be harmful to their health.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Individuals engage in activities that suggest their adoption of the idea under the decision stage. The company’s management made a choice to address an adult oriented market. The launch of the deluxe arch burger saw the company spend $100 million on the advert that Fallon McElligolt, a Minneapolis advertising agent initiated. This adoption of the burger idea is among the most expensive campaigns in history. However, the expensive advert turned off customers who termed it unconventional. Instead of concentrating on food quality in the advert, it featured young children complaining about the burger. The children discouraged sales of the burger because people are not used to su ch adverts. They refer to it as a rebel advert, which introduces negativity of the company’s products. The implementation stage involves individuals putting new ideas to use. Lastly, there is gathering of positive feedback about ideas and reversing previous decisions based on negative feedback. After the negative feedback from the adult market, the burger was gradually eliminated from the American market. High prices and caloric contents of the burger contributed to the flop of the product because most people care about their health. Recommendation In order to make positive change, the company ought to have enhanced the following ideologies. It should have tasked a professional team to research on market aspects to curb possible flopping of the product. As such, McDonald’s should have engaged in an extensive market investigation. This would enable the company determine if the adult marketplace would embrace the Arch Deluxe Burger idea. In the research, the discovery th at adults considered the burger unhealthy would have been evident. A different low calorie burger that could draw little resistant ought to have been created. In addition, the commercials should have avoided using children because the target group was adults. Rogers’s theory argues that an innovation ought to be introduced to individuals who easily use an invention to offer positive reactions. Adults enjoying the deluxe burger would be an appropriate model for the advert. This would ensure positive reaction to early adopters of the new burger. According to Haig (2011), management in companies should be aware that people do not always embrace change. Additionally, there must be appropriate channels to introduce change in organizations. It is difficult for people to accept innovations, so McDonald needed to learn how to introduce the new burgers in the market. People should have been prepared early for the launch of the burger. As such, they would not complain so much on the ch anges made on the burger. Prices of commodities must always be fair if they are to register sales in any market because people will always resist high prices. McDonald’s company ought to set a convenient price for the burger for it to sell. A lower introductory price would sell the â€Å"Arch Deluxe Burger† because people would be enthusiastic to try something new at an affordable price. Indeed, no one would complain of high prices.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Failed Product specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When founding and implementing new ideas like the â€Å"Arch Deluxe Burger†, consultation with individuals who command the food industry must exist. An individual whose opinion on food is highly regarded is more appropriate in the burger advertisement instead of complaining children. Furthermore, hiring nutritionists to give facts on healthy eating thus propose the burger to adults who wa nted to eat healthy leads to high sales. McDonald’s would register more sales because people would be convinced that the burger was healthy. Conclusion According to Wallach (1995), managers must never think for their clients or forcefully impose changes. Instead, customers should establish their preference through selected media. Improper decisions and lack of proper research have facilitated the failure of products that were highly anticipated. McDonalds made this mistake with their highly publicized â€Å"Arch Deluxe burger† that became a major flop. There was an assumption by MacDonald’s management that grown people would embrace the adult burger. This incensed the public making them reject their productions thus causing embarrassment. Companies should properly evaluate a product or innovation before releasing it for purchase. Poorly researched products can have negative repercussions on the clientele and encourage lawsuits that may be expensive. Therefore, i t is prudent for corporations to introduce quality products to their customers. References Haig, M. (2011).Brand Failures: The Truth about the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of  All Time. London, LDN: Kogan Page Publishers Kincheloe, L. (2002). The sign of the burger: McDonalds and the culture of power. Pennsylvania, PA: Temple University Press Rogers, M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations, New York, NY: The Free Press. Wallach, B. (2005). Understanding the cultural landscape. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Physics134 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Physics134 - Coursework Example The Ministry in charge of energy conservation established standards of energy consumption for the sector. The Chinese government has also established fees and tax rebate system for low energy buildings to encourage constructions. Under the feebate system, one either pays a fee or receives a rebate when one connects to electric system or gas. The amount received or paid relies on the size of the subscription of the efficiency of the building. Efficient buildings receive a rebate while inefficient buildings pay a fee. The system is politically attractive and cost neutral. This model is workable for the United States, and can help in conserving energy in the construction sector. it is a desirable approach for the United States due to the energy conservation benefits, its political desirability, and cost neutrality. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) improves cars’ average fuel economy. It has been a successful program to a greater extent because some of its auto manufacturing set goals has been met. CAF has managed to regulate fuel economy with its strict fuel economy standards. The major purpose of CAF is to reduce consumption of energy through increasing the cars’ fuel economy. CAF in collaboration with NHTSA improves the country’s energy security. Compared to a tax added gasoline purchased at the pump, CAF standards are still effective. This is because the fuel economy rises as CAF standards increase. However, using tax added gasoline purchased at the pump would mean that the prices of gasoline increase. This will, in the long-run, increase the average fuel economy of the passenger car fleet. Due to the energy consumption, the increasing fuel economy would drive the gasoline price down. Therefore, CAF standards prevail over tax added gasoline purchased at the pumps. CAFÉ standards, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_Average_Fuel_Economy http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/04/business/energy-environment/04mileage.html

Older Adulthood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Older Adulthood - Essay Example This means that some diseases and health defects associated with old age can be prevented or at least reduced if proper care is taken. I will advocate for routine medical checkup for me and my friends so that these many complications are avoided in future. For example, it has come to my attention that avoiding exposure to environmental toxins and other hazards and also getting faster access to healthcare can avoid these complications. For a successful transition into old age, I will from now henceforth advice those with old age to accept the change, be sociable and also employ spiritual faith. Older adults require religious support and spiritual nourishment to enable them cope as I have just realized. Another way of coping is by keeping old and retired people busy by volunteering. This enable them overcome depression associated with old age, widowhood or caring for a sick partner. Having family members visit the old is refreshing to them (Kail and Cavanaugh 519). Old people are sometimes neglected or abused. This is not good as they require as minimum stress as possible. I have a changed opinion about old age, and will from now on emphasize on love and care for the old people. From this class, I have learnt of better ways of caring for and helping the older people. I have also gained an insight that can enable me advice old people into successful transition to old age. Plus, it has changed my view on old age. Old is