Discuss the potential role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of Essay - 1

Discuss the potential role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of inflammatory diseases - Essay Example Human beings require polyunsaturated fatty acids for survival. This may come in the form of Omega 3 or Omega 6. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and Omega 6 fatty acids often compete with one another in the body even though Omega 3 has more beneficial health benefits than the latter. Most western diets contain more Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3. It is for this reason that when compared to their Eastern counterparts, Westerners have high incidences of inflammatory disorders. Eskimos have little to no reports of autoimmune and inflammation-related disorders owing to their omega 3- rich diet. The latter community consumes plenty of sea food, which is a reliable source of Omega 3. The western diet currently lacks stipulated levels of omega 3. Most of it is dominated by omega 6 in ratios of 15 to 1 instead of 1:1 (Simopoulos, 2006). Evolution necessitates a relatively high amount of omega 3 in the diet but commercial and cultural patterns contradict this pattern. Omega 3 works to reduce inflammation in the body through a series of actions. As a soon a person takes fish or eats fish, the EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid- an Omega 3 PUFA) minimises the release of prostaglandin metabolites. It also reduces the level of strong platelet aggregators in the blood. This causes the minimisation of leukotreine, which induces inflammation in the body. Furthermore, the acid also works by increasing the level of weak platelet aggregators (Simopoulos, 2006). Once a person increases their consumption of fish oil, they tend to report decreased levels of cholesterol as well as low amounts of triglycerides. These confer anti-inflammatory benefits to the host. EPAs in the body work to replace omega 6 acid in all cells of the body. However, particular attention is given to liver cells, monocytes, erythrocytes, neutrophils and platelets. Cell

Ethnic group Essay Example for Free

Ethnic group Essay Race in America is one of those subjects that scholars rarely broach and are heavily criticized for these omissions by their constituents. For this reason, the subject of race and urbanization felt a proper choice for this final paper. Following, we will incorporate data from multiple sources including Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, a novel that examines the harrowing trials of different groups in Afghanistan and what happens to the ones lucky enough to escape the violence of their homeland into the safety net of American soil; in an attempt to show the inalienable link between race and urbanization. This discussion on urbanization and race in American will also include a brief discussion on classism. Classism is a part of the structural organization of society that can be measured as part of the contributing factors to the socioeconomic divisiveness experienced in this urbanized world. Some argue that gentrification, in all of its wonders is class based. Others argue it more a matter of ethnicity and race, both may be correct. Nevertheless, the issue of race, as aforementioned should be granted a closer look. By examining the ideas and experiences of anthropologists and sociologists past and present this paper will attempt to specify on how classism, racism, and urbanization are connected. Growing Cities and Ghettos The Industrial Revolution sparked an enormous wave of migrants and immigrants into American cities creating an urban ecology. Chapter 3 of the Giddens et. al. text, describes the social movement from Gemeinschaft to Gesellschaft; from a community based ideology in society to a more individualized world. Afghanistan is an agriculturally based society. Urbanization is a global process that draws people away from rural areas and into the cities. Once in those cities, people tend to gravitate to areas that are inhabited by people of their same cultural fabric. In discussing theories of urbanization, gentrification and displacement, John Bentacur (2010) in Gentrification and Community Fabric in Chicago points out how people are drawn to areas that have a cultural/ethnic connectivity, â€Å"immigrants with different characteristics compete for space until they get accommodated with alike others in locations that correspond to their competitive strengths† (p 384). In the novel, The Kite Runner, Amir and his father make the arduous migration from Kabul, Afghanistan to Fremont, California. Their low income neighborhood of Fremont is ethnically diverse but with a notable concentration of Afghani residents. It makes sense that when people leave their countries of origin to settle in a new place, they will be drawn to people and areas that are familiar to them. Even with familiarity problems arise, urban studies reveal several difficulties that plague densely populated urban neighborhoods; poverty, crime and dilapidated conditions to name a few. In Afghanistan Baba, Amir’s father, was rich and even wielded some power for being a respected business man and serving the community by creating an orphanage that would later be destroyed by the Taliban regime. In America, there would be no such accolades to speak of for their family. In fact, they would live in a type of poverty, they had never experienced nor hardly imagined. They would experience the existence that many black Americans face with no end in sight. A growing world population combined with globalization and the heightened mobility that comes with it has led to the creation of cities and a scramble for affordable housing. Gentrification also known as ‘urban regeneration’ or ‘re-urbanization’ is the process that happens in a community when it becomes urbanized and consists of the higher income families moving into lower income areas. During this process demographic changes are notable; in America, gentrification is notably marked by white families moving into black neighborhoods. Race and Ethnicity America is a multicultural nation. Our history of slavery created the black and white groups and the immigrant populations from around the world contributes to a high variety of culture and ethnic background. The macro-sociological issue of race and ethnicity has been the source of much debate and discussion. The reason for this is that the issue of race has been the root cause of social and political turmoil. Douglas Massey and Nancy Denton provide the backdrop in history when segregation by race was created in America in their book American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass. Massey and Denton edify that racial segregation was not always a fact of life in American society and that in fact; blacks and whites lived in close proximity to each other, albeit in the alley ways of the big homes occupied by their white neighbors, â€Å"industrialization in the north unleashed a set of social, economic and technological changes that dramatically altered the urban environment in ways that promoted segregation between social groups† (1993:19-26). Urbanization and technological advancement (causing blacks in the south to migrate to northern cities by the tens of thousands) would be the foundation for residential segregation where blacks and other minorities would be relegated to the outskirts of town. Black ghettos would remain isolated from society in a manner that was rarely, experienced by the European immigrants that came to this country during industrialization. Blacks and later, Latinos, would be destined to live isolated and neglected from social organizations and deprived from many of the benefits enjoyed by white communities with little hope of escape, â€Å"not only was the segregation of European ethnic groups lower, it was also temporary. Whereas Europeans isolation indices began to drop shortly after 1920, the spatial isolation characteristics of blacks had become a permanent feature of the residential structure of large American cities by 1940† (Massey and Denton 1993:57). In America, race and ethnicity is more clearly defined than in places like Afghanistan. According to data gathered from the PBS News Hour website, Afghanistan has nine different ethnic groups that reside in different territories of the country. They have fought and continue to fight civil wars, over culture (religion), legislative power and territory. Afghanistan and the U. S. are similar in their historical oppression of one ethnic group over another. In Afghanistan, the Pashtun/Sunni have for a long time ruled the land and claimed dominion over the Hazara/Shites. The Hazara group can be considered the equivalent to the Black demographic in America where historically they were the slave class, but are currently represented in government. Statistics In a rapidly modernizing world, Afghanistan is among the severely underdeveloped countries of the Middle East. As previously mentioned, Afghanistan is a multiethnic/multifaith, agriculturally based democracy, with a history of violence. And it perhaps it is this history, in addition to deep religious belief systems that have kept this land from joining the rest of the modern world. In reviewing the Millennium Development Goals indicators, data collected by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), I reviewed several indicators that point to the fact that Afghanistan has a long road ahead. Afghanistan is making slow but sure progress trying to bring itself into a socially, politically and economically stable place. The first indicator measured the number of underweight children less than 59 months. The UNSD defines this indicator as a high number of moderately to severely underweight children, â€Å"whose weights for age are less than two standard deviations†. According to the report a healthy population will have 2. 3 percent of their children in this category. In 2004, 32. 9 percent of Afghanistan’s children were reportedly underweight, compared to 44. 9 percent in 1997. This indicator points to the poverty level and lack of nourishment recorded within a seven year period in Afghanistan. A second indicator measures women’s rights and representation in government. This indicator is defined as, â€Å"the portion of seats held by women in national parliament† increased from 3. 7 percent in 1990 to 27. 3 percent in 2006. The measurement was sustained through 2012 at 27. 7 percent. More work needs to be done and educating the population should be the place to start. Theological Link The Modernization Theory discussed in the text looks to explain the underdevelopment of countries like Afghanistan. Marx worried about capitalism and the effects it had on the lower-class population and thereby, the democratic process. Marx’s Conflict Theory dictates that societies are ruled by a small group of elite that create social order for the larger population. In this, we have the creation of divisions by class (division of labor), a central topic of discourse since the beginning of industrialized times. The French Revolution of 1787 (also known as the revolt of the bourgeois or middle-class society) creating capitalism and thereby usurping government power from monarchs. Karl Marx hated democracy. â€Å"Democracy is the road to socialism† (Karl Marx) Capitalism created tensions between the working and bourgeois classes. Summary Race and urbanization are indivisibly linked. Marxism and Class Conflict is the most applicable theory of today’s society. Considering the current events and status of world order, it is undeniable; capitalism continues to be the most powerful ideology in the world. The United States is a powerful country and the way it retains power is by unwaveringly maintaining capitalistic ideology and participating in global conflict around the world in defense of this ideology, â€Å"power, ideology, and conflict are always closely connected† (Giddens 2012:20). Societies are based on trust and these trusts are broken by the people that create and uphold unjust rules for the population of color and the poor. Works Cited Betancur, John. 2010. â€Å"Gentrification and community fabric in Chicago. † Urban Studies Journal Foundation. Sage 48(2): 383 407. Retrieved from http://usj. sagepub. com/content/48/2/383 Giddens, Anthony, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Applebaum and Deborah Carr. 2012. â€Å"Introduction to sociology. † New York: W. W. Norton and Company. Eighth ed. , pp. 15-78. Massey, Douglas and Nancy A. Denton. 1993. â€Å"The construction of the ghetto. † Pp 17-59 in American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making for the Underclass. Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://ereserve. baruch. cuny. edu. remote. baruch. cuny. edu/eres/coursepage. aspx? cid=3155page=docs United Nations Statistics Division. (1991-2011) [Table Data on Gender Parity Index in Primary Enrollment retrieved November 5, 2012. ] Millenium Development Goals Indicators. Retrieved from http://mdgs. un. org/unsd/mdg/Metadata. aspx? IndicatorId=0SeriesId=559 United Nations Statistics Division. (1991-2011) [Table Data on Gender Parity Index in Primary Enrollment retrieved November 5, 2012. ] Millenium Development Goals Indicators. Retrieved from http://mdgs. un. org/unsd/mdg/Metadata. aspx? IndicatorId=0SeriesId=557.

Psychoanalysis :: Psychoanalytic Theory and Methods

Psychoanalysis is a system of psychology originated by the Viennese physician Sigmund FREUD in the 1890's and then further developed by himself, his students, and other followers. It consists of three kinds of related activities: (1) a method for research into the human mind, especially inner experiences such as thoughts, feelings, emotions, fantasies, and dreams; (2) a systematic accumulation of a body of knowledge about the mind; and (3) a method for the treatment of psychological or emotional disorders. Psychoanalysis began with the discovery that HYSTERIA, an illness with physical symptoms that occurred in a completely healthy physical body--such as a numbness or paralysis of a limb or a loss of voice or a blindness--could be caused by unconscious wishes or forgotten memories. (Hysteria is now commonly referred to as conversion disorder.) The French neurologist Jean Martin CHARCOT tried to rid the mind of undesirable thoughts through hypnotic suggestion, but without lasting success. Josef Breuer, a Viennese physician, achieved better results by letting Anna O., a young woman patient, try to empty her mind by just telling him all of her thoughts and feelings. Freud refined Breuer's method by conceptualizing theories about it and, using these theories, telling his patients through interpretations what was going on inside the unconscious part of their minds, thus making the unconscious become conscious. Many hysterias were cured this way, and in 1895, Breuer and Freud published their findings and theories in Studies in Hysteria. CLASSIC PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY Traditional psychoanalytical theory states that all human beings are born with instinctual drives that are constantly active even though a person is usually not conscious of thus being driven. Two drives--one for sexual pleasure, called libido, the other called aggression--motivate and propel most behavior. In the infant, the libido first manifests itself by making sucking an activity with pleasurable sensations in the mouth. Later similar pleasures are experienced in the anus during bowel movements, and finally these erotically tinged pleasures are experienced when the sexual organ is manipulated. Thus psychosexual development progresses from the oral through the anal to the phallic stage. (Phallic, in psychoanalytic theory, refers to both male and female sexual organs.) During the height of the phallic phase, about ages three to six, these libidinous drives focus on the parent of the opposite sex and lend an erotic cast to the relation between mother and son or between father and daughter, the so-called Oedipus COMPLEX. However, most societies strongly disapprove of these sexual interests of children. A TABOO on incest rules universally. Parents, therefore, influence children to push such pleasurable sensations and thoughts out of their conscious minds into the unconscious by a process called repression.

Precautionary Measures for Genetically Modified Foods Essay

Genetically modified (GM) foods, a fairly recent development that came about from research in genetic engineering, pose a potential threat to human and environmental health. The basis of genetically modifying foods is the transferal of desirable genetic traits of plants to an agricultural crop. Genetic modification creates crops that are resistant to herbicides or can repel insects. Genetic modification also makes growing crops easier and allows for higher production rates. Anytime genetically altered crops are consumed by humans, the GM crops should be subjected to rigorous testing to assure that it is safe for human consumption and safe for the environment. When it comes to the environment and human safety, one cannot be too cautious. Some say that further safety testing of GM foods is not necessary because there is no evidence of GM foods being unsafe (Cockburn 2002). The truth is that the public does not yet trust that genetically modified foods are completely safe (Harlander 2002). The only way to convince the public that GM foods are safe and to create a market for GM foods is to perform further safety tests, such as a human study or controlled experiments. I propose that you fund this necessary and fundamental testing to ensure that GM foods are safe for the environment and for human consumption in order to help create a market for this life-improving product. Genetically modified crops were first commercially introduced in the United States in 1996; and by 2001 24% of the corn, 63% of the soybeans, and 64% of the cotton being grown in the U. S. were genetically modified varieties (Harlander 2002). Through genetic engineering, scientists have created varieties of crops that are insect-resistant, virus resistant, and herbicide tolerant. These qualities allow for improved yield and reduced use of potentially dangerous pesticides, as well as improved weed control reduced crop injury, reduction in foreign matter, reduced fuel use, and significant reduction in soil erosion. All of these consequences seem to be beneficial for the human race and the environment. It is important to prove to the public that GM foods are safe so that such a beneficial technology will not be under-utilized. In the United States, three government agencies are involved in the approval of genetically modified crops. These three agencies are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (Harlander 2002). These agencies are responsible for ensuring that the GM crops are safe for the environment and for human consumption. More specifically, the USDA ensures that the GM crops are safe to grow, the EPA makes sure that the GM crops are safe for the environment, and the FDA ensures that the products are safe to eat (Harlander 2002). The three agencies put the genetically modified crops through rigorous environmental and food safety assessments before they can be commercialized. However, Susan Harlander reminds the scientific community â€Å"an effective food safety evaluation system minimizes risk, but it is important to remember that food is not inherently safe† (2002). Tampering with the genetics of a crop increases the possibility of that crop being dangerous to the environment or to human health. Bettie Sue Masters, PhD, states, â€Å"All evidence to date indicates that any breeding technique that alters a plant or animal, whether by genetic engineering or other methods, has the potential to create unintended changes in the quality or amounts of food components that could harm health† (qtd. in Panasevich 2004). It is highly likely that this lack of inherent safety is a reason why the public is so cautious about the acceptance of GM foods. The key to diminishing the public’s fear of GM foods is to extend the safety evaluation process. Consumers have two main concerns about genetically modified foods: first, that GM foods are unsafe to eat; and second, that their cultivation will harm the environment (Gasson 2001). Currently the most widely used safety evaluation process is called substantial equivalence. Michael Gasson and Derek Burke discuss substantial equivalence: Substantial equivalence recognizes the fact that conventional foods have been eaten by many people over a long period of time and have an established and accepted level of safety. Genetic modification involves the introduction of a limited amount of change and substantial equivalence uses a comparative approach to reveal both intended and unintended differences between a genetically modified (GM) food and its conventional counterpart. (Gasson 2002) If the genetically modified food is substantially equivalent to, or similar to, it’s conventional counterpart, then it is generally regarded as safe. Thus far substantial equivalence has been effective, but as genetically modified foods become more and more complex there is no guarantee that this method will continue its success. More in-depth testing is required to ensure the safety of future GM foods. Genetically modified crops should be tested on living subjects in addition to applying the substantial equivalence method. Animals or human volunteers are essential in proving the safety of the genetically modified crops already approved by the FDA, EPA, and USDA, in addition to the GM crops to be introduced in the future. The risk of harm to a living being would be low as the GM food would have already passed the substantial equivalence test before being consumed. Long term testing would be able to prove that there are no mal-effects resulting from the consumption of GM foods. While long term testing may seem unappealing, it is a small price to pay for improving the quality of life for a nation. The public’s concern extends beyond the effects of GM crops after human consumption all the way to GM crops’ effects on the environment. Many environmentalists as well as non-affiliated persons think that genetically modified crops have a negative effect on the environment. Traits meant only for agricultural crops can be transferred to other plants through pollination; traits, like being herbicide tolerant or virus-resistant, which would diminish natural and artificial checks and balances on plants (Guebert 2004). The best way to ensure that the GM crops will not harm the environment is to perform experiments and further safety assessments. Convincing the public that genetically modified crops are safe for the environment is pivotal towards creating a market for GM foods and in turn improving quality of life. The testing and assessing of the safety of GM foods that I propose will be divided into two categories: the safety of genetically modified crops for the environment; and the safety of GM foods for human consumption. The testing of the safety of GM crops for the environment must be performed under controlled conditions. Our testing will take place in a greenhouse, where any negative effects will be contained and kept away from the environment. All genetically modified crops would be tested for two factors: whether or not the trait is likely to be passed on to other plants; and what nutrients in the soil the GM crop depletes and how fast it does so. These two factors are essential in proving the safety of genetically modified crops for the environment. If a GM crop passed traits, such as herbicide tolerance or virus-resistance, on to other plant species, it could potentially change the ability of that species to survive and thrive and wreak havoc on the delicate balance of the ecosystem. This risk of upsetting the ecosystem frightens would-be GM food consumers from supporting the industry. In order to test the ability of the genetically modified crop to pass on its genes to another species of plant, it would be planted for two growing seasons in the presence of varying plant species found around the agricultural United States. The soil will be tested for nutrients before and after each growing season in order to keep track of the nutrient depletion rate. Any genetically modified crop that depleted the soil of essential nutrients at an abnormally fast rate would be rejected. A genetically modified crop’s failure to pass any of the tests or assessments would not be approved, thereby leaving no reason for the public to fear for the safety of the environment on account of the GM foods on the market. To test the safety of GM foods for human consumption, a comparative study must be performed. In order for the study to be effective and result in usable data, several hundred human volunteers will need to participate. The volunteers will be divided into two groups. The first group will be asked to incorporate a specific genetically modified food into their everyday diet. The second group will be asked to incorporate the conventional counterpart of the same GM food into their diet. The study will last for 2 months with the participants receiving weekly physicals to check for any changes in health. A change in negative change in health in a number participant from group one, the group consuming a GM food, would indicate that the genetically modified food is playing a role in the deterioration. The GM food in question would then either be taken off of the market or subjected to further testing, depending on the extent of the data acquired from the study. With this study in place, consumers would feel much more comfortable purchasing, and creating a market for, genetically modified foods. By proving that genetically modified foods are safe for human consumption and for the environment, we are proving to the public that there is no cause for fear. In the absence of fear, consumers will no longer object to buying GM foods resulting in a market for genetically modified foods. The increase in demand for GM foods will result in more research and development and bring advances in GM technology. Genetically modified foods have the potential to improve the quality of life of people all over the world, and it would be a shame to let this technology go to waste. If you give us this grant, there will be numerous benefits that can come from our work. Please consider the well-being of the people that will be helped by our work while you are making your decision. Thank you. Works Cited Cockburn A. Assuring the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods: the importance of an holistic, integrative approach. J Biotechnol. 2002; 98 (1): 79-106. Harlander SK. Safety assessments and public concern for genetically modified food products: the American view. Toxicol Pathol. 2002; 30 (1): 132-134. Gasson M, Burke D. Scientific perspectives on regulating the safety of genetically modified foods. Nat Rev Genet. 2001; 2 (3): 217-222. Guebert A, Cousins D. Welcome to the world of unintended consequences. Farmers Weekly 2004; 141 (9): 64. Panasevich CL. Risk assessment urged for genetically modified foods. Nation’s Health. 2004; 34 (7): 25.

Corporate Social Responsibility †McDonald’s Essay

McDonald is one of the most renowned fast food restaurants across the globe. The vision of McDonald’s was coined by Ronal McDonald who identified the need of its target audiences and tailor made the products as per them. The organization has established a value proposition for the target audience on the basis of a penetration pricing strategy that has appealed to the people in almost every country. Being a tough competitor to many fast food retailing giants such as the Burger King, KFC etc, the organization has implemented an adaptation approach for every country that it enters. This implies that McDonald is willing to change its product portfolio and other strategies as per the expectations of the customers in the newly entered market. This allows McDonalds to create a link with the target audience 1 McDonald and synchronize with their taste and preferences. For instance, when McDonalds entered the Indian markets in 1996 with its famous beef burger, it never expected that the Indian people will boycott the product because of their cultural norms and tradition. This forced the company to re-evaluate its strategies and introduce a new product â€Å"Aloo tikki† burger (Burger with potato stuffing) which was in line with the Indian sentiments. â€Å"Aloo tikki† has been one of the most preferred snacks for the Indian markets. Although it is not at all a healthy product but still it is in the taste and preferences of the customers. Therefore, the product was customized according to the customers. In the Australian market, the organization has even changed its brand name recently and is opening its outlets by a new nick name ‘Macca’. This is the extent of the adaptation strategy that the world has witnessed. Previously no organization has taken the initiative of changing its brand name to appeal to the target audience but McDonald has undertaken the same only to create a relationship with the target audience. The notion of corporate social responsibility has gained a lot of popularity in the recent past because of the increasing involvement of the organizations in the day to day life of the people. The concept states that an organization also has a lot of responsibilities towards its stakeholders that includes its employees, customers, suppliers, banks, financial institutions, government and the society on a whole. Therefore, the organizations should not undertake any activity that goes against the interest of the society. In fact, every organization should undertake activities that create some kind of welfare for the entire society. For instance, many organizations goes to the backward areas and provide free medical checkup for the people, distributes medicines, provides education to the children, spreads awareness regarding the women empowerment etc. All this constitutes of the corporate social responsibility activities of an organization. This also helps an organization in creating positive brand image in the 2 McDonald minds and hearts of the target audiences because they might feel high of an organization and its activities. However, in the last few years, a lot many social groups and institutions have doubted the ethics of the company and have clearly stated that McDonald does not follow the concept of corporate social responsibility. This is mainly because the organization has been introducing numerous products in the market that are harmful for the health of the customers and increases the obesity level in them. In anticipation of higher profits, many a times, the organization might not follow the ethical code of conduct that might affect their sustainability in the near future. The same has been talked about McDonald’s because its products are just for the profits of the company and has a negative impact on the obesity level of the consumers. It is a very transparent fact that obesity has become a major problem across the globe and the same should be controlled in order to have a healthy life. However, many experts and doctors have identified obesity, blood pressure and diabetes as some of the rising problems amongst the Americans and amongst the people across the globe. Not only obesity gives rise to several serious diseases in a human body but it might also affect the confidence level of an individual. This is the main reason because of which many experts have imposed serious allegations against the corporate social responsibility of McDonald’s. In this reference a lawsuit was also filed on McDonald’s in the year 2003 when an obese man named ‘Ceaser Barber’ filed suit against McDonald’s for the unhealthy products that it sells that has led to high level of obesity. However, the judge denied the law suit and McDonald’s was relieved of the case. However, in another case McDonald was considered as guilty and unethical when Stella Lieback spilled coffee (purchased from McDonalds) on her pelvic area and filed a case against the company for selling such hot coffee. The court of law found the company guilty because the lady had suffered a three sixty degree burn. 3 McDonald Nevertheless, keeping the above discussion into consideration, I must state that the concept of corporate social responsibility does not states that the organizations can not develop a product portfolio as per the needs of the target audiences. McDonald’s has rightly identified the needs of the customers and have developed these products as per their taste and preferences. Since it is the need of the customers, it cannot be ignored by an organization manufacturing the similar product lines. The key concept of marketing states that an organization has to understand the needs of the target audience and develop the products to satisfy the unsatisfied needs (Azad, 2011). The same task is being followed by the organization. The competing brands such as Burger King, KFC, Domino’s, Pizza hut and many others are also manufacturing the fast food items as per the taste of the target audiences. Therefore, McDonald’s also has to remain in the competition for obtaining a sustained growth in the market place. Above all, McDonald’s is not forcing any individual to purchase the product. It is the free will of the target audience to purchase the product from the organization and consume the same. If the consumers have deep respect for the organization’s effort in the past few decades and have a liking towards its product, the same cannot be categorized as unethical or against the concept of corporate social responsibility. As a consumer I have deep knowledge about the product that McDonald’s sell and its impact on the health of the consumers. The law of many countries states about the provision of ‘caveat emptor’ which means let the buyer beware of the products or services that they buy. This implies that the consumers are themselves aware of the products and if they are purchasing it with free will, the organization cannot be held responsible for it. In a nutshell, I feel that corporate social responsibility does not mentions anything in black and white in reference to the product’s quality. It just states in broad that the organization should not go against the interest of the society. McDonald’s, by no means, is going against the society. Rather the organization is undertaking a genuine attempt to serve to the needs and 4 McDonald wants of the target audience (Sharma, 2012). This should be appreciated by the stakeholders to encourage the efforts from McDonald’s in the future. I would like to conclude that there cannot be a universal standard for developing the product. It is highly dependent from situation to situation and should not be blamed on corporate social responsibility of the organization. References Azad, P. (2011). Marketing Management. APH publications Sharma, S. (2012). McDonald’s strategic management.

The United Nations and Global Security †Political Science Essay

The United Nations and Global Security – Political Science Essay Free Online Research Papers The United Nations and Global Security Political Science Essay The question on whether the UN can provide adequate framework and tools in dealing with global security concerns, presents the complexity of the immense number of variables to be considered. The United Nations have been created according to the realists’ power-politics principles and has progressively covered economic, social and environmental fields. The recent protest at Seattle in December 1999, and in Washington D.C in April this year, showed that the potential impact of globalisation on a very wide range of contemporary social, political, cultural and economic relationships. It represents an issue of considerable importance to the conduct of the international system and the UN, addressing a sustainable human development and the promotion and protection of international human rights. After the fall of the Soviet Union, more than 90 armed-conflicts took place in more than 60 countries, involving more than 60 governments. This means that a third of the States members of the United Nations have been involved in a war in the last ten years. In Rwanda and in the Balkans, we have witnessed atrocities of a horrible and deadly magnitude. In many regions, the exploitation of ethnic and cultural divisions is fostering instability, strangling growth, slowing or stopping reforms and creating refugees and deaths. Even though it can be extremely difficult to identify the deepest roots of these conflicts, there are a series of trends and common points that show the changing of potential threats at global level. The United Nations have shown its limits at Decision-Making level, both with inequalities in composition of the Security Council and deficiencies in power of the General Assembly (it detains only marginal responsibility in security matters), and because of its dependence on finance provided by its members. (Countries, such as US have used the â€Å"weapon† of not paying the supposed fees as tool for influencing the Organisation. At present days, the UN needs to be reformed, the majority of the States, if not all, agree on it. But people disagree sharply on what kind of reform is needed and for what purpose. NGO leaders aim for a more democratic UN, with greater openness and accountability. Delegates favour reforms that follow the realist national interests and promote national power. Idealists offer plans for a greatly expanded body that would reduce State sovereignty, whilst conservatives push for a downsized UN with sharply reduced powers . The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in its public documents reported that world-wide instability and the increased use of violence for political purposes would continue into the 21st century and these external phenomena will pose, in future, pressure on States and threats on public safety of their citizens . In the first part of this study we will analyse the changes in structure and security matters of the international system after the end of the Cold War and the new threats the UN will be facing in the 21st century. Once done that, we will point at the discussions for reforms of the UN in the last four years and the point 2 of the Millennium Declaration with Kofi Annan’s suggestions. The reform process of the UN and the question on whether it can be an adequate organisation to pursue global security implies a positive approach, as the consequences of its failure will fall on the whole International community. The post Cold war period has seen important changes in the structure of the international system: the step from an ideological bipolarity of the East-West confrontation to a no-ideological multi-polarity has brought to a decrease in importance of military alliances (crisis of identity of NATO and disappearance of the Warsaw Pact) The end of nuclear monopoly of the five recognised powers (China, US, USSR, France, UK) has experienced a dramatic illegal spreading of nuclear components and expertise from the former Soviet Union (Bielorussia, Kazakistan, Ukraine) and from some communist countries (China, North Korea) to several different buyers (countries, terrorist groups). Japan, United States and Europe play the role of world’s superpowers in terms of science, information technology, industry, finance and communication while there is a rise in importance of macro-regional alliances regrouped around recognised, or not recognised economic blocks (MERCOSUR, NAFTA and South Africa, Brazil, India, China). The break of the ideological cohesion of the confrontation capitalism/communism has lead to a new rise of different kinds of identity (race, religion, ethnicity), with different social structures, which, at times threaten the configuration of particular States (Yugoslavia) The explosion within states of wars between ethnic and religious groups results particularly difficult to be addressed. For many countries, the change from interstate to intrastate conflict has increased the danger for the non-combatants. â€Å"At the beginning of the twentieth century between 85 and 90 percent of war deaths were military†¦At the end of the twentieth century, about three quarters of war deaths are civilians† . â€Å"Civilians are no longer just victims of war today – they are regarded as instrument of war. Starving, terrorising, murdering, raping civilians- all that is seen as legitimate† . Ethnic cleansing has been attempted recently in Chechnya, East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, in conditions described by the former head of Medecins sans Frontieres as â€Å"a new age of barbarism† In addition to that, according to the Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Causes of Human Rights Violations (PIOOM) , the number of Low Intensity Conflict (between 100 and 1000 deaths per year) and Violent Political Conflicts (less than 100 deaths per year) has increased sharply during the past five years. (Respectively from 31 in 1995/96 to 77 in 1999/00 and from 44 to 151 for the same period. Armed conflicts generally occur in the world’s poorest countries, nullifying any chance of improving the already low standards of living. The deliberated destruction of crops or the posing of landmines for strategic purposes can drive into famine (Ethiopia, Eritrea) or impossibility to cultivate vast areas or no access to clean water with the consequent spread of diseases. In some cases, governments are not strong enough to provide Law and Order within their territory to their citizens. This can provide a basis of impunity for criminal organisations dealing with drugs, children and women prostitution, expired medical drugs, (mass destruction, chemical and light) weapons smuggling, that will then influence the global market and the rich Nations. Intra-continental power struggles can also present environment threats. For example, nuclear and missile testing in India and Pakistan, as intensification of the dispute over Kashmir, as well as the ongoing modernisation of China’s military forces and its commitment to use force to recover Taiwan, if necessary. The political instability of a part of that region could seriously damage the whole international community. As tensions and conflicts within States rise, the number of displaced peoples as well as political and religious refugees will also grow, bringing with it social, economic, political and, therefore, security challenges. The globalisation of the world economy can create immense tensions both with and within states, which can pose a serious threat in a long term. Globalisation tends to be selective, jerarchical and leave behind not only entire parts of the globe (Sub-Saharan Africa), but also regions within developed countries. Finance sector liberalisation has opened borders to the free flow of capital (but not free flow of people, for which the visa is needed), so that an estimated $1.5 trillion in world currency markets is been moved. However, 90% of this amount is speculative and benefit mainly the giant hedge funds and banks. These short-term capitals, as Asia found during the financial crisis of 1997, can fly out of a country in a relatively short time and with little warning. This process limits the power of states to protect neither their economy nor their currencies from international speculators. Thanks to the liberal â€Å"contribution† of Reagan and Tatcher in the past two decades, states are facing the impossibility/inability to retain control over their national policies, eroding their in fields traditionally under their direct control: welfare, education†¦ With a quarter of the World’s people (some 1.4 billion) in deep poverty and nearly the same number malnourished and lacking in the most basic health care, the neoliberal system is highly unstable. Currency speculation has created a series of deep crises such as Mexico 1995 and Asian Tigers 1997. The most important factor of the crisis of the modern Sovereign States comes, according to Levi , from the internal contradiction between the national dimension of the State and the internationalisation of production, which, in turn is the consequence of an evolution in the mode of production, based on scientific revolution. The United Nations The Preamble of the UN Charter states that the organisation is â€Å"to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.† Art. 55 says: â€Å"With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations.† the United Nations shall promote â€Å"higher standard of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and development† as well as †solutions of international economic, social, health, related problems† , as well as (recently) global environmental threats. The founder members (mainly USA, France and England) hoped to create an international structure that could avoid the problems of the League of Nations and the chaos that followed WWI. They believed that, through Keynesian policies of intervention in the world economy, they could deliver a better life-condition to people and so, improving their security . The purposes of the organisation are declared in UN Charter and its structure consists of a Security Council of five permanent members (China, France, Russia, UK and US) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two years term, a General Assembly, a secretary general and a Secretariat, an Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice and a Trusteeship Council. Connected to the United Nations there are several specialised agencies and bodies: Food and Agriculture Org. (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Labour Organisation, the World Health Org (WHO) and so on. Among them, there are also organisations, whose contribute to a better life quality of the people can be questioned: the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the WTO. The assumptions on which the rules of WTO are based are grossly unfair. Those rules also reflect an agenda that serves only to promote dominant corporatist interests that already monopolise the arena of international trade If one could say that the principles are agreed by all states, the practices and, at times the goals, have failed to address common threats to security through a unified action. There has been difficulty in reaching and implementing decisions and â€Å"there has been a tendency on the part of the major powers to dominate the economic institutions as well as the Council, rendering it as an institution for the imposition of the will of the strong upon the weak, of the large over the small, and the rich over the poor† While the developed nations have a monopoly of seven permanent and non-permanent seats in the Council of 15 members, the vast majority of developing countries have to share the seven non-permanent seats. Among 185 members of the United Nations, 79 have not served in the Council. The five permanent members along with ten rotating member states do not constitute a representative, legitimate or authoritative voice for a United Nations of 185 . The current permanent membership comes from events that shaped the organisation five decades ago and the political and strategic basis to hold this position no longer exists. Specifically, Britain and France are no longer global powers and therefore any reform should introduce a new balance according to the international realities of today. There are several proposals for reforms. The first proposal consists in giving a permanent seat to Germany and Japan (which are among the biggest contributors). The second is in favour of an enlargement of the Security Council to 5 new members (Germany, Japan, and one state respectively from Africa, Asia and Latin America) without any veto power and an increase of the number of the non-permanent members. The last proposal (presented by Italy) is based on the creation of 10 â€Å"semi-permanent† seats that would cover the main world regions. The common point of these proposals would be to widen the composition of the Security Council to the strongest states that would, in turn, represents as well the interests of the smaller states belonging to the same region (ex. Germany and Benelux, Japan and Philippines). The veto power also creates a sharp disagreement. The right of veto was accorded to a realist view. The main assumption was that one of the Superpowers could stop a resolution or an action (except from particular cases such as the case of one of the member being involved in a dispute) that was in contrast with its national interests, and in doing so, preventing the dispute to escalate to threat international security. Eliminating the veto power looks impossible because any permanent member can block the proposal and, in some cases, blocking any discussion dealing with it (double veto). The failure of the member states, especially the United States, to fulfil their duties in founding the Organisation (for several reasons, strategic, economic and political) has had a particularly severe impact on the solvency of the United Nations. This crisis has been aggravated by what appear to be a â€Å"double standards† of intervention among some of the permanent member countries. (Rwanda, Yugoslavia) â€Å"Some critics were concerned that the concept of â€Å"humanitarian intervention† could become a cover for gratuitous interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. Others felt that it might encourage secessionist movements deliberately to provoke governments into committing gross violations of human rights in order to trigger external interventions that would aid their cause.† However, the respect for basic Human Rights, in accordance to the principles of the UN Charter, could elevate the quality of life of all people, regardless their race, colour or religion. Our world will be as safe as we will decide it to be The United Nations Charter, for its character of multilateral international Treaty is unique in world affairs and can be described as a real World Constitution. Environmental and political threats, nuclear and biological pollution, massive killings and cleansing have been seen in this century like never before. Globalisation has incremented the inequalities with and within states, the gap between rich and poor is increasing and religious and ethnic extremism have seen a new rise. Global diseases such as HIV are spreading all over the world, but are the poorest countries to pay most and while one part of the world is experiencing the IT era, other parts are approaching the industrial revolution. The United Nations alone are not able to meet these challenges. They affect the entire international community, and they require that all nations sincerely act in accord to the spirit of the Charter. Without a strong and effective Organisation, the whole international community will find immeasurably more difficult to meet these challenges and the consequences will fall on the whole community. The emergence of several new states since the creation of UN shows that the tendency is toward an ever-increasing fragmentation â€Å"Whether the world’s peoples have such an organisation at their disposal depends ultimately, now as in the past, on the commitment of their governments to it. Now, as then, the Member States are the very foundation of the United Nations and its will can traduce in action in the right direction† . Research Papers on The United Nations and Global Security - Political Science EssayAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Relationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfBringing Democracy to Africa

Calculating a Confidence Interval for a Mean

Calculating a Confidence Interval for a Mean Inferential statistics concerns the process of beginning with a statistical sample and then arriving at the value of a population parameter that is unknown. The unknown value is not determined directly. Rather we end up with an estimate that falls into a range of values. This range is known in mathematical terms an interval of real numbers and is specifically referred to as a confidence interval. Confidence intervals are all similar to one another in a few ways. Two-sided confidence intervals all have the same form: Estimate  ± Margin of Error Similarities in confidence intervals also extend to the steps used to calculate confidence intervals. We will examine how to determine a two-sided confidence interval for a population mean when the population standard deviation is unknown. An underlying assumption is that we are sampling from a normally distributed population. Process for Confidence Interval for Mean With an Unknown Sigma We will work through a list of steps required to find our desired confidence interval. Although all of the steps are important, the first one is particularly so: Check Conditions: Begin by making sure that the conditions for our confidence interval have been met. We assume that the value of the population standard deviation, denoted by the Greek letter sigma ÏÆ', is unknown and that we are working with a normal distribution. We can relax the assumption that we have a normal distribution as long as our sample is large enough and has no outliers or extreme skewness.Calculate Estimate: We estimate our population parameter, in this case, the population mean, by use of a statistic, in this case, the sample mean. This involves forming a simple random sample from our population. Sometimes we can suppose that our sample is a simple random sample, even if it does not meet the strict definition.Critical Value: We obtain the critical value t* that correspond with our confidence level. These values are found by consulting a table of t-scores or by using the software. If we use a table, we will need to know the number of degrees of freedom. The number of degrees of freedom is one less than the number of individuals in our sample. Margin of Error: Calculate the margin of error t*s /√n, where n is the size of the simple random sample that we formed and s is the sample standard deviation, which we obtain from our statistical sample.Conclude: Finish by putting together the estimate and margin of error. This can be expressed as either Estimate  ± Margin of Error or as Estimate - Margin of Error to Estimate Margin of Error. In the statement of our confidence interval it is important to indicate the level of confidence. This is just as much a part of our confidence interval as numbers for the estimate and margin of error. Example To see how we can construct a confidence interval, we will work through an example. Suppose we know that the heights of a specific species of pea plants are normally distributed. A simple random sample of 30 pea plants has a mean height of 12 inches with a sample standard deviation of 2 inches. What is a 90% confidence interval for the mean height for the entire population of pea plants? We will work through the steps that were outlined above: Check Conditions: The conditions have been met as the population standard deviation is unknown and we are dealing with a normal distribution.Calculate Estimate: We have been told that we have a simple random sample of 30 pea plants. The mean height for this sample is 12 inches, so this is our estimate.Critical Value: Our sample has a size of 30, and so there are 29 degrees of freedom. The critical value for confidence level of 90% is given by t* 1.699.Margin of Error: Now we use the margin of error formula and obtain a margin of error of t*s /√n (1.699)(2) /√(30) 0.620.Conclude: We conclude by putting everything together. A 90% confidence interval for the population’s mean height score is 12  ± 0.62 inches. Alternatively, we could state this confidence interval as 11.38 inches to 12.62 inches. Practical Considerations Confidence intervals of the above type are more realistic than other types that can be encountered in a statistics course. It is very rare to know the population standard deviation but not know the population mean. Here we assume that we do not know either of these population parameters.

Scaffolding - A Instructional Strategy of Instructional Delivery for Special Education

Scaffolding - A Instructional Strategy of Instructional Delivery for Special Education Definition: Scaffolding is a word, like chunking, that describes how instruction is planned and delivered to students receiving special education services. All instruction is built on prior knowledge and students with disabilities often come without the same skill set or prior knowledge as their typical peers. A teacher is challenged to find the childs strengths and build on them to teach the important skills that will lead them either to academic or functional success. Often students with disabilities will not have the skill set their same aged peers have, and will need to have the components scaffolded to help them move on to an age appropriate set of academic skills.   A child who hasnt learned to write a multiple paragraph report may need to start at sentences, move on to a graphic organizer for a paragraph.   Once they can find the information and words they need, they may be ready to learn how to organizer their own paragraph.   Once one, then multiple paragraphs.   One of my autistic students with little independent language had strong counting skills. We used touch math as a way to teach him addition and subtraction, scaffolding on his strength in letter recognition, counting and memory of rote tasks.   He was able to do multiple addition and then subtraction problems without regrouping once he mastered the algorithms.   Ã‚   Alternate Spellings: Scaffold, Scaffolding, Scaffolded Examples Example 1 - Math: In order for Mrs. Stanley to help Roger learn the plane figures in geometry, she built on his interest in dot to dots. By repeatedly connecting the lettered vertices of the triangle, rectangle, square, rhombus, and other polygons, Roger was able remember both the names and criteria for each of the plane figures. Example 2 - Writing: Clarence is good at spelling and likes to write words he had memorized.    His teacher started to use that interest by creating graphic organizers where he could choose words for his sentences.   Next, his teacher finds out Clarences interests beyond electronic games.   Clarence loves African animals.   The teacher shows Clarence how to search for pictures of favorite animals and download them as jpegs.   Then Clarence learns how to place the pictures in a publishing program and add a caption.Once Clarence has found his favorite animals, the teacher will create a   note book.   Then he will guide Clarence how to do a web search to find facts about the animals on a fact sheet:   What kind of animal? (mammal, fish, bird, reptile, etc.)   What do they eat?   Where are they on the food chain?   A predator or grazer?   After Clarence has collected lots of information on the fact sheets, the teacher will provide a graphic organizer with the topic sentences for each paragraph in a graphic organizer.   Clarence will use the skill he gained f rom the first level of the scaffold (writing a sentence in a template/graphic organizer) to writing about each animal of interest.   Publish. Clarence drops pictures into the text and creates a book.   Spring for color printing, maybe even binding.

Different and expectations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Different and expectations - Essay Example Mr Papandreou had excellent educational background and he was the son of one of the most important Greek political leaders: George Papandreou (Wilsford 361). In other words, family history and educational status seem to be important qualities of a leader in Greece. In addition, the ability to secure the territorial status of the country is considered as a critical characteristic of a Greek leader (Koliopoulos and Veremes 270). In Persia, people seem to have different expectations from their leaders. Indeed, in the particular country a leader is expected to be powerful. In the specific case, the word power is related rather to ‘privilege than to force and cruelty’ (Prastacos et al. 202). Using this power a Persian leader is able to keep the communication with his followers at quite high level; such leader can easily promote changes and take initiatives without having to face the resistance from his followers (Prastacos et al. 202). Integrity is another key quality of Persian leaders (Prastacos et al. 202). Integrity, as related to Persian leadership, means that the leader needs to be trustworthy and honest (Prastacos et al. 202). In other words, for people in Persia communication and ethical behavior are critical expectations, when referring to leaders. In China, the expectations of people from leaders seem to be highly differentiated: Chinese leaders are expected to be fully aware of their country’s historical and cultural background and to promote local ethics and traditions at the highest possible level (Lu 160). The promotion of guanxi not only in regard to the public sector but also to the private sector, meaning especially the foreign enterprises operating in China, is also a key expectation from Chinese leaders (Kessler and Wong-MingJi 303). According to the above in each society people have different expectations from their leader. These expectations reflect each society’s culture and ethics

Shortfalls and Benefits of Vegetarian Diet Essay - 1

Shortfalls and Benefits of Vegetarian Diet - Essay Example In this light, differences are bound to occur, thus, the need for this paper to compare and analyze the differences between the movie and the book. In the book, Bruno’s father is portrayed as a man with a strong personality and character with little to compromise in order to fulfill Nazi ambition. This is seen with his promotion to the position of a commandant, which prompted that he and his family migrate to Auschwitz for work purposes. In this place, he is a senior officer in the Nazi movement who is in charge of the detention camp where the Jews, enemies of the Germans based on the German conception, were tortured and exterminated by burning. However, the film portrays Bruno’s father as a different character altogether in light of his concerns and attitudes towards the paper. This is bearing in mind that the film focuses on a number of aspects aimed at bringing him out as a better man than the book does. In this case, Bruno’s father is featured as a family man and parent whose values are well laid when he is opposed to the concept of raising his two children close to the detention center. This is portrayed with the constant arguments that arise between him and his wife where he argues the reason that the children have to grow is because; he is there for work purposes. ... This is also shown in her arguments with her husband on how to raise their children in such an environment near the detention camp. This is especially considering how naive, impressionable, and perceptive the two youngsters are, and for this reason, she suggests that they move back to Berlin for the sake of raising their two children. On the other hand, the movie portrays her as being the emotional parent, who shares in the concerns for her children and those of the Jews in the concentration camps. This is seen with the sympathy she shows towards the Jews in the concentration camps and conditions, and the plight that they have to face. This is as opposed to her role in the book where the concern lies only in children and not the Jews. For this reason, the film differs from the book in that the film draws the emotion and reaction of the audience, in relation to the ethics of that which the Germans do to the Jews in the concentration camps. These appeals to the audience by making it ap pear as a disgusting deed and the level of wrongdoing questioning the moral and social thinking of the Germans. The other difference featured between the books and the film is in the details behind the facts found in the book and those found in the film. In relation to this, the book portrays the age of the two children, Shmuel and Bruno, as being aged nine years, while, the film differs. The film labels the two youngsters as being at the eight years, which is a difference of one year, which is uncalled for or whose role cannot be perceived to influence the two entities. The only difference might only be in the portrayal may be in the concept of naivety and innocence, which is more pronounced in the film than the book. This is shown by the fact that they cannot discern

Motivation for Learning Foreign Language Research Paper

Motivation for Learning Foreign Language - Research Paper Example Motivation to learn a foreign can also be defined as â€Å"complex of constructs, involving both effort and desire, as well as a favorable attitude toward learning the language at hand† (Winke, 2005, p3). In other words, the learner is encouraged to learn a foreign language because of the underlying factors such as integration into the society using the language. Motivation in learning a foreign language happens when the learners find importance in learning the language of the society they live in. The learners use the language to exchange opinions, and express their thoughts with each other and thus, increasing their urge to learn the language autonomously and continuously. Types of Motivation Motivation can be categorized into integrative motivation and instrumental motivation. Integrative motivation is defined as the learner’s orientation towards learning second language (L2). Successful students in learning a foreign language tend to be those who admire people that speak the target language, like their culture and have the urge of integrating or becoming familiar with the society using the language. When an individual becomes a resident of a certain community that makes use of the target language in its daily interactions, integrative motivation becomes the key element in developing the level of language proficiency. It becomes mandatory for the individual to function socially within the community and becoming one of its members (Norris-Holt, 2001). On the other hand, instrumental motivation is characterized by the need to gain something concrete or practical from the learning of a second language. The goal of acquiring second language in instrumental motivation is utilitarian, for instance, meeting the necessities for university or school graduation, application for a job, reading technical material, attaining higher social status, translation work, or request for high pay based on the language ability. Instrumental motivation is common in in stances where the acquisition of a second language is not important for the learner’s social integration into the society (Norris-Holt, 2001). Both instrumental and integrative motivations are important elements for success but it has been found that integrative motivation sustains long-term success in the learning of a second language. Research shows that integrative motivation is important in the formal learning setting or environment. It is important to note that both instrumental and integrative motivations are not necessarily mutually limited. Learners rarely choose one type of motivation when studying a second language. Instead, the learners combine both orientations. For instance, international students living in the United States learn English for academic reasons and at the same time, they desire to become incorporated with the culture and the people of the country. Motivation is an essential factor in second language achievement. Thus, it is crucial to determine the combination and form of motivation that helps in the effective acquisition of a foreign language (Norris-Holt, 2001). Gardner’s Socio-Educational Model The model identifies factors that are interrelated in learning a second language. It is important to note that motivation to learn a second language is one variable and when combined with other factors, it influences the learner’s success. The work of Gardner focuses on foreign language acquisition in a language classroom. The model tries to interconnect four characteristics of second language

W 10 Employment Impact-Discussion- environmental Essay

W 10 Employment Impact-Discussion- environmental - Essay Example n that arises is whether environmental conservation will result in net loss or gain or no change in the total number of jobs creation in a given country, Environmental improvement deals with both technological as well as green environment. Therefore, when technological environment improvement, it proportionally lowers the chances of job creation as in; it does replace human manual work to machine era. As a result, this eliminates the possibility of providing a wide spectrum for human job environment. On the contrary, when green environment is improved, it in returns gives rise to jobs in any country. For instance, if high carbon economy is lowered to the low-carbon economy, this will alternatively increase the chances of having more jobs. Evidently, the research done by â€Å"national environmental program† has it that, if green environment is improved it will rise the number of jobs. Statistically,15 to 60n million of jobs will be created if green environment is emphasized, in the near future as says Juan Somavia. In conclusion, basing to the environment improvement (whether technological or green environment) leads to either net gain in a job or net loss. Technological improvement does replace human manual work to machine work hence discouraging net total job gain. On the other hand, green environment improvement encourages net total gain in job creation in any country. To curb it all, I do concur that gain, loss or stagnation of total jobs in a country and the job, is based on the specific environmental

Abortion, Choice and a Right Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Abortion, Choice and a Right - Research Paper Example The often contentious national discussion concerning legalized abortion is emotional and divisive. Politicians must declare themselves â€Å"pro-choice† or â€Å"pro-life† while campaigning for office. The debate has lasted for several decades and will continue for the foreseeable future. To properly examine the subject, the opposing viewpoints including the legal, medical and moral aspects must be argued with similar determination. Abortion is a multi-faceted subject and both sides of the issue present credible, thought-provoking arguments. It’s up to each person to parse through the scientific and legal aspects of the issue and decide for themselves based on what they deem to be morally acceptable. The enormity and complexity of the issue demand that all voting citizens understand both points of view and attempt to consider the issue with minimal biases to make a decision those best suits their intellect and moral comfort zone as well. This paper presents the p ro-choice and right-to-life view positions, both of which are compelling then concludes that legal abortions should remain legal and safe. It’s an election year meaning the abortion debate is again a main focus of the national dialogue and during this election cycle birth control, an issue widely considered decided two generations ago has found its way into the discussion. Women’s right to make decisions regarding their body versus moral considerations remains a hot topic and is essentially another science versus religion debate. Pro-choice advocates, the civil right and science side of the debate argue that laws which force women to give birth to an unwanted child conflict the principle of liberty defined by the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, such restrictive and intrusive laws are contradictory to any definition of compassion and decency.  

W 10 Employment Impact-Discussion- environmental Essay

W 10 Employment Impact-Discussion- environmental - Essay Example n that arises is whether environmental conservation will result in net loss or gain or no change in the total number of jobs creation in a given country, Environmental improvement deals with both technological as well as green environment. Therefore, when technological environment improvement, it proportionally lowers the chances of job creation as in; it does replace human manual work to machine era. As a result, this eliminates the possibility of providing a wide spectrum for human job environment. On the contrary, when green environment is improved, it in returns gives rise to jobs in any country. For instance, if high carbon economy is lowered to the low-carbon economy, this will alternatively increase the chances of having more jobs. Evidently, the research done by â€Å"national environmental program† has it that, if green environment is improved it will rise the number of jobs. Statistically,15 to 60n million of jobs will be created if green environment is emphasized, in the near future as says Juan Somavia. In conclusion, basing to the environment improvement (whether technological or green environment) leads to either net gain in a job or net loss. Technological improvement does replace human manual work to machine work hence discouraging net total job gain. On the other hand, green environment improvement encourages net total gain in job creation in any country. To curb it all, I do concur that gain, loss or stagnation of total jobs in a country and the job, is based on the specific environmental

Corruption in Spain Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Corruption in Spain - Article Example The article "Corruption in Spain" talks about the corruption situation in Spain involving Princess Cristina de Borbon, sister of Spain’s King and a former board member of Noos institute, and her husband who was the chair of Noos Institute. It is alleged that Princess Cristina's husband and his business partner used the consultancy and organization of tourism and sports banner together with their connections to obtain public contracts, which they overcharged. They stowed away the money in offshore accounts and other privately owned companies. Between 2003 and 2006, Urdangarin and Diego Torres, his former partner siphoned millions through Noor. In addition, it is alleged that Urdangarin and Christina used their company Aizoon to launder funds from their government. They obtained lucrative public contracts without bidding but used their royal connections to do so. Her silence involvement comes from the fact that she was a board member of Noor and a co-owner of Aizoon, a private company which she jointly owned with her husband, therefore, there is no way that Urdangarin would have committed the alleged crime without her knowledge. Similarly, Aizoon has the history of constantly changing its legal domicile. This together with the numerous links that it has with Noos is not a coincidence. The case is historic not only for Spain as a country but also for the entire Europe as it stresses the respect for and the independence of Spain’s judicial system.

Journal on Note Taking Essay Example for Free

Journal on Note Taking Essay Lecture notes play an important role in preparing for examinations, as it may ensure the success of students. Many students do not have adequate note-taking skills, and this contribute a lot to the creation of incomplete and unrelated notes (Kiewra, 2002). Researchers suggest that the act of note-taking can engage students in learning tasks and deepen their understanding and ability to apply new material (Katayama Crooks, 2003). Note-taking offers three important premises for university students. First, the act of note-taking may have an influence on the encoding function of the brain, which engages the learner’s attention and subsequently moves the information into long-term memory. Secondly, note-taking will make the students less dependent on their instructor’s notes, as they contain personally meaningful information that might help in the recall process. Thirdly, it may help students with learning difficulties. To begin with, note-taking is essential to the student’s academic success (Kiewra Benton, 1988; Titsworth, 2001). In taking notes, students relate lecture topics to their own background knowledge, which in turn may increase their comprehension of the topic, and eventually synthesises with the recall of the material presented (Brazeau, 2006; Castello Monereo, 2005; DiVesta Gray, 1972). It has been proven that students that are successful have a predisposition to go back to their lecture notes as an essential part of their preparation for examinations. This, therefore, point to one premise, as noted by Kiewra Benton, 1988 and Titsworth, 2001, that it is very much essential for the academic success of students. Such importance, however, reveals a negative side, which can be founded on the student’s inadequacy in inculcating adequate note-taking skills. This drawback often results in the student coming into possession of incomplete and unrelated notes (Kiewra, 2002). Observations reveal how in lecture settings, they record only between 11-70% of the important information delivered (Anderson Armbruster, 1991; Kiewra, 1985). Such a dismal insight may validate presumption that students with learning difficulties be in worse position, when they record even less information (Boyle, 2007; Kirby, Silvesni, Allingham, Parrila, La Pave, 2008; Suritsky Hughes, 1991; Vogel, 1982). These are the premise which makes note-taking a very important aspect of study life for university students, without which they may be staring at clear and present danger of failure. To remedy this, it is essential for students with disabilities to be truthful to themselves and inform the authorities during the university admission stage. To this end, at least in the United States, such handicap would be addressed through the granting of accommodation under the law, i.e. the Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990 as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 1973. Such clauses as entrenched in the laws saw from 2003 to 2004, 11.3% of undergraduates in the U.S. in notifying of their disability or requirement for special learning (Katsiyannis, Zhang, Landmark, Reber, 2009). For students in such categories, their lot would be made much easier through being allowed extra latitude on time during examinations, as well as do their tests distraction-free (Wilhelm, 2003). The idea that underscores this is to help make things easier for the capability-challenged students. However, it has been noted that on paper this may be a good remedy, but since not all students would be honest about their inadequacies in learning, the exact number of students requiring is difficult to determine. Although, at the elementary and secondary level different requirements are applied for different learning abilities, it has been found to be absent in higher education (Scott, McGuire Shaw, 2003). Filling this necessary void at the university level may help a great deal in, which at the core is the inculcation of the all-important note-taking skills ((Einstein, Morris, Smith, 1985; Gettinger Seibert, 2002; Simmons, 2006; Suritsky Hughes, 1991). Also, by addressing this, it may help lecturers to customise according to the needs of the different categories of learners. The review in the journal shows the two phases, which reveals the ability in note taking among university students and the difficulties faced by students with disabilities and its link to proper note-taking.

Agricultural Climate Adaptation: Pakistan Wheat Industry

Agricultural Climate Adaptation: Pakistan Wheat Industry Agricultural Climate Adaptation plan:  A Case Study of Pakistan wheat industry Lubna Naz 1.0  Introduction 1.1 Global warming as a result of climate change is projecting higher temperature and unpredicted rainfall pattern coupled with extreme events like flash floods and storm. This never seen before phenomena would be a threat to mankind in all sphere of life if no appropriate actions are taken. As elaborated in the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of IPCC (2007), the average temperature of the globe has risen to 0.6 °C between the year 1901 to 2000 and will projected to increase more by 1.8-3.4  °C by the end of this century. 1.2 Agriculture among the various sector of the economy of Pakistan is considered to be the most fragile sector to the unexpected changes in the climate that not only affect the amount of its production and quality but also put pressure on the availability of natural resources needed for the development of agriculture sector. Concurrently, wheat being an important agricultural industry for the economy of Pakistan is not spared from the effects of climate change. As a matter of concern, it is fundamental for all associates of the industry together with policy and decision makers to work out an adaptation strategy on how to overcome the negative impact of climate change and continue to remain a competitive sector. Successful and effective adaptation measures will need both strategic and tactical approach that based on best practices to cope with the adverse effect of climate change. Furthermore, an efficient screening and monitoring will also be needed in order to have better evaluatio n of the adapted practices that whether they are effective in controlling and minimizing the unfortunate impact of climate change. 1.3 The rise in temperature, unpredicted rainfall coupled with the increase intensity of extreme events such as drought and stress all have significant impact on the wheat industry in Pakistan. High Rainfall results in flood, waterlogged condition and hail damage that negatively affect the wheat production. As a consequence, infestation of insect, pest and diseases outbreaks and result in severe damage and in some cases even complete crop loss. Similarly, increase in temperature also negatively affects the yield of the wheat and cause major economic loss in Pakistan. As reported by Rasul et al. (2011) the rise in temperature greatly reduced the wheat yield in Pakistan particularly at sowing time and grain filling period. Furthermore, Rawson and Macpherson (2000) also reported that wheat crop destroyed faster in waterlogged conditions and as a consequence seedlings of wheat die within two days and thus resulted in low yield. Apart from the low yield other identified impact of climate change on wheat industry is decrease in GDP, decrease in foreign exchange, effect policy making, penalties by buyer; for unable to supply the required amount of wheat grains, difficulty in transportation, outspread of insect and pest, affect the livelihood of the farmers and as consequence disturb the economy of the country. Many potential adaption measures such as crop management practices, new varieties, crop rotation and water management are used in wheat industry in Pakistan. However, these practices need to be customized, improve or incorporated in different ways to cope with the adverse effect of climate change. 2.0 Adaptation plan Appropriate adaptation plan is required in the wheat industry to minimize and prevent the damage caused by the adverse effect of climate change and increase the production and yield of the crop. Well planned and early adaptation strategies will not only save cost of production and cultivation techniques but in long term save millions of lives that depend on agriculture sector for their livelihood and employment. The adaptation strategies are needed at all levels of administration like local, regional and national. Therefore the objective of this paper is to set up an adaptation and mitigation plan for wheat industry in Pakistan to eradicate or minimize the challenges caused by high temperature, unpredicted rainfall and extreme weather condition. 2.1 Government involvement Pakistan is signatory to 15 Multilateral Environmental Agreements which is mainly related to climate change, biodiversity and rehabilitation. On the basis of its international commitments, Pakistan established a number of policies, projects and framework to reduce the environmental hazards such as National Disaster management Authority, Global Change Impact Study Centre and Task Force on Climate Change. However, the country is still in the hunt for further international assistance and support (khan et al. 2013). The government of Pakistan together with all the agencies involved should focus on capacity building, circulation of funds and technology, research for agriculture development, institution and framework and therefore, develop effective adaptation strategies and policies to reduce the vulnerability of wheat industry regarding changes in climate. 2.2New breeding program 2.2.1As describe earlier, temperature and rainfall both has devastating effect on wheat grain yield in Pakistan. Successful and productive plant breeding program is needed to be adapted to enhance the production and yield. The temperature is projected to increase in the northern areas of Pakistan coupled with high rainfall, in such area slow maturing cultivars having greater heat requirement should be planted that have positive effect on the photosynthetic activity of wheat. However, the region with the high temperature and decrease rainfall (arid and semi arid plains of Pakistan) the wheat cultivars having early flowering characteristics with wide row spacing should be sown as this will allow grain formation in cooler part of the year (Van Ittersum et al. 2003). Moreover, seed with good crop establishment, early hybrid vigour, responsive to increase in carbon dioxide concentration and ability to retain flower in windy and hot climate is needed to be planted (Richards 2002). Iqbal et al. (2009) also reported that crop varieties resistant to high temperature and of short duration should be planted in order to minimize the adverse impact of high temperature. 2.2.2 High temperature is expected to reduce the risk of frost and increase the grain yield. Therefore, wheat should be sown earlier so that plant can set up the grain formation in the cooler period when there is low risk of frost (Howden et al. 1999). Iqbal et al. (2009) also reported that alternative sowing dates should be used to avoid the adverse impact of high temperature on the crop at the time of sowing or other sensitive growth stages. 2.1.3 The climate change favours the infestation of insect, pest and diseases which lowered the yield of the crop. The best measure is to use integrated pest management strategy and Area Wide Management that is the coordination of the farmers and the policy makers of the entire areas. Furthermore, the use of genetically modified crop resistant to peat and disease should be introduced and cultural practices need to be modified such as mixed cropping and crop rotation to reduce the spread of disease (Stokes Howden 2008).Pakistan Agricultural research and development sector is focusing on all these strategies and development of new varieties of wheat to reduce the risk of climate change. 2.3Crop rotation and management Various crop management practices can be used to reduce the risk of the wheat crop to environmental hazards. Such as in case of heavy rainfall the growers need to adapt the zero tillage practices so as to have greater infiltration. Avoid compaction of the soil by farm, machines, human and livestock traffic (Easterling et al, 2007). However, in poor rainfall areas of Pakistan wide rows and skip row planting should be practiced to increase the yield and stability of the wheat. Hammer et al. (1996) reported that the timing, variety of the crop and rate of fertilizer application should be based on the seasonal rainfall and available soil moisture and nutrient content of the soil. Furthermore, use of modern agriculture technology like laser land levelling and crop diversification should also be included into consideration. 2.4  Milling quality 2.4.1 Wheat grain contain high level of protein content such as durum wheat but increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere negatively affect protein content and hence reduce its flour quality. However, the reduction depend on the choice of cultivar selected and amount of nitrogen fertiliser applied (Rogers et al, 1998). To maintain the nitrogen content of the wheat grain, increase use of leguminous crop or increase use of nitrogen fertilizer need to be adopted (Hayman and Alston 1999). The growers should continuously monitor the nitrogen content of the paddock and should be well aware of the nitrogen management in the cropping system. Furthermore, nitrogen leaching, poor crop vigour, high rainfall during grain filling all contribute to decrease in protein content of the grain. Appropriate breeding program and effective policies is needed to enhance the quality of the harvest. 2.4.2 During the past 60 years there has been tremendous increase in flour mills in Pakistan. Starting with 19 flour mills, currently, 915 mills are working in Pakistan. It is therefore proposed that instead of having too many flour mills, only few huge mills should be accomplished which will positively affect the economy of the country. 2.5land and Water resource Management 2.5.1 Water is enormously important for agriculture sector of Pakistan and it economy, which depends on the scarce natural resources. The agricultural sector of Pakistan mainly depends on Indus river system (IRS) for 90% of its irrigation (Piracha and Majeed 2011). However, this natural resource is getting scarce with the time and proper water management practices should be reformed under the prevalence of climate change. According to Sayed (2008), the National Water Policy of the country has made a transparent and rational institutional framework policy to meet the demands of the twenty first century. Moreover, the Integrated Water Management Approach is also implemented based that is based on the utilization of both surface and ground water. The author also mentions that reallocation of water at the provincial level by balancing water availability to cropping system is one of the important task of the National Water Policy. Furthermore, according to Iqbal et al. (2009) present irri gation system of Pakistan need be customised to maximise the water use efficiency and appropriate irrigation technology should be used. Furthermore, the author also mentions that alteration in row spacing and the use of drought tolerant varieties need to be used to minimize the loss of water. The construction of small dams and checks on the Indus River and its tributaries would increase storage of water and decrease the severity of floods. 2.5.2  The unpredicted rainfall, rise in temperature and carbon dioxide concentration negative affect the composition of soil. The loss of nutrient such is phosphorus and nitrogen through surface runoff and leaching negatively affect the growth of the wheat. As reported by Hayman and Alston 1999 proper amount of nitrogen fertilizer should be added to the paddock in order to have good crop establishment. Moreover, proper soil management practices should be adopted to minimise the risk of surface runoff and leaching. 2.6  Transport infrastructure Hike in temperature as well as increase intensity and frequency of extreme events such as heavy rain, snowfall and flood have substantial impact on the transport infrastructure of Pakistan and cause severe destruction of railways, roads, shipping and airports. Effective adaptation measures should be taken to increase the resilience of infrastructure and this could be done by two ways. The first one is to construct the new infrastructure according to the magnitude and sensitivity of the particular area to the present and future predicted climate. Secondly the existing infrastructure should be made more resistant to changing climate by retrofitting and continues monitoring and maintenance. 2.7  Seasonal weather forecast As reported by Iqbal et al. (2009) the advance seasonal forecast is one of the best options to take appropriate adaptive measures. Furthermore, Crimp et al. (2006) also elaborated that â€Å"using climate information (seasonal forecast) in conjunction with system analysis producer can significantly reduce various risks†. On the basis of weather forecast, farmers need to adopt different operations. Such as if forecast is about the drier weather the farmers need to apply split application of some of nitrogen fertilizer to ensure good planting, and also maximize no till area. But if the forecast is about wetter season then farmers should sow the wheat earlier and apply fungicide to minimize the effect of leaf disease of wheat (Meinke and Hochman, 2000). 2.8  Disaster risk reduction Unpredicted pattern of monsoon rain and melting of glacier due to rise in temperature increase the level of water in the Indus Delta of Pakistan and subsequently these phenomena result in flooding. Effective strategic plan is required to maintain the continuous and balance water flow in the river and to meet the future demands of the society. As reported by sheikh et al. (2008) expansion of the natural reservoir capacity is needed in order to decrease the risk of flooding and drought and to address the consequent decrease in the river flow after all glacier have been melted. Moreover, the authors also mention that the reservoir should also be expanded in order provide the minimum water flow to the sea to prevent the intrusion of the water into the Indus delta region and to meet the future needs of the water. 2.9  Economy and Financial institution 2.9.1 As stated earlier, Pakistan economy largely depends on agriculture sector and wheat is the main staple crop of the country. The decrease in yield and quality of wheat has negative impact on the economy of Pakistan. In order to minimise the burden on the economy of Pakistan, development of new policies and appropriate measures to be implemented that could help in eradicating the hazards and catching the positive effects of climate. 2.9.2 Loan policies of financial institution can greatly limit the option for the growers to adjust farm management practices in light of change. These financial institutions may have to change their policies according to the needs of the farmer and predicted changes in the environment. Moreover, they should support and educate the farmers about onward selling and play constructive role the industry. 3.0  Barriers to adaptation strategies 3.1 Pakistan being an agriculture country is extremely vulnerable to climate change. However, Pakistan does not have the proper monitoring and screening system for the prediction of extreme events like flood, storm or changes in the climate that makes the development of short term adaptation strategies and mitigation measures immensely difficult. Although several weather station are working in different parts of the countries, but still due to the diverse topography some significant region are left uncovered (Climate Risk Adaptation Profile 2011). Moreover, the existing findings proposed that Karakorum glacier are expanding but these finding are based on the restrictive information of glacier snouts and suggest that loss of mass in Karakorum glacier reduce the quality and availability of water. As reported by to Sheik et al. (2008), there is a lack of current knowledge and evaluation techniques on the effect of climate change on the Hindu Kush region and lack of understanding and mod el assessment of glacier melting pattern and flow of water in Indus River. All these need to be address in order to have better evaluation of the problem. Moreover, the Hunza river basin has no meteorological station that severely constraint the utilization of Model River flows under climate change. References Piracha, A., and Majeed, Z. (2011). Water Use in Pakistan’s Agricultural Sector: Water Conservation under the Changed Climatic Conditions. International Journal of Water Resources and Arid Environments 1(3): 170-179. Climate Risk and Adaptation country profile. (2011). Vulnerability, risk reduction and adaptation to climate change Pakistan. Global facility for disaster reduction and recovery. Crimp S, Gaydon D, Howden M, Hall, C, Poulton P, Hochman Z. (2006) Managing Natural Resource Issues in a Variable and Changing Climate. Final Report to Land and Water Australia, Managing Climate Variability Program. pp86. Easterling, W.E., Aggarwal,P.K., Batima,P., Brander,K.M,. Erda, L., Howden, S.M., Kirilenko, A., Morton, J., Soussana,J.F., Schmidhuber, J., and Tubiello, F.N.(2007): Food, fibre and forest products. Climate Change 2007. Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Hammer, G.L., Holzworth, D.P. and Stone, R. (1996) The value of skill in seasonal forecasting to wheat crop management in a region with high climatic variability. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 47: 717-737. Howden, S.M., Reyenga, P.J., and Meinke, H. (1999) Global Change Impacts on Australian Wheat Cropping. Report to the Australian Greenhouse Office. CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology Working Paper 99/04, Canberra, pp121. IPCC (2007): Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), Climate Change 2007, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Iqbal, M.M., Arif, Goherr, M. A., and Khan, A. M. (2009). Climate-change aspersions on food security of Pakistan. A scientific journal of COMSATS – SCIENCE VISION. Vol.15 (1). Khan, F., Ahmad, A, and Atta-ur-Rehman. (2013). Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development (TAMD) in Pakistan. Appraisal and Design Phase Report. Meinke, H. and Hochman, Z. 2000. Using seasonal climate forecasts to manage dryland crops in northern Australia. In: Hammer, G.L., Nicholls, N., Mitchell C. (eds.) Applications of seasonal climate forecasting in agriculture and natural ecosystems: The Australian experience. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, p 149-165. Rasul, G., Chaudhry, Q. Z., Mahmood, A., and Hyder, K. W. (2011). Effect of Temperature Rise on Crop Growth Productivity. pakistan journal of meteorology, 8 (15). Rawson, H. M., and Macpherson, H. G. (2000). Irrigated Wheat: Managing Your Crop. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. pp 27-28. Rogers,G.S., Gras P.W., Batey I.L., Milham P.J., Payne, L., and Conroy, J.P. (1998) The influence of atmospheric CO2 concentration on the protein, starch and mixing properties of wheat flour. Aust J Plant Physiology 25:387-393. Richards, R.A. (2002). Current and emerging environmental challenges in Australian agriculture- the role of plant breeding. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53, 881-892. Sheikh, M. M., Iqbal, M. M., Ali, G., and Khan, A. M. (2008). Global warming in the context of Pakistan: major concerns and remedial strategies. Symposium on â€Å"Changing Environmental Pattern and its impact with Special Focus on Pakistan†. Stokes, C.J., and Howden, S.M. (2008). An overview of climate change adaptation in Australian primary industries – impacts, options and priorities. Report prepared for the National Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries. Sayed, A.H. (2008). Climate change and its realities for Pakistan. Manager Policy, Freshwater World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan. Symposium on â€Å"Changing Environmental Pattern and its impact with Special Focus on Pakistan†. van Ittersum, M.K., Howden, S.M., Asseng, S. (2003) Sensitivity of productivity and deep drainage of wheat cropping systems in a Mediterranean environment to changes in CO2, temperature and precipitation, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 97:255-273.