Organisational Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Organisational Change - Assignment Example In most cases, the process of change is met by some sort of resistance because employees tend to uncertain about the new concept being introduced as its outcomes tend to be uncertain (Pardo del Val & Maartinez Fuentes n.d, p. 5). Change should be a gradual process that should focus on having all team members on board, but those that seek to maintain the status quo are usually outshined by the same. John Kotter, a leading thinker in management, asserts that an eight step model is the surest way for leading changes in an organisation with a high chance that the organisation that applies it assured of success. The eight step model will be discussed later within the paper so as to capture an in-depth analysis of the same. Resistance within an organisational setting is something that a leader should anticipate, meaning that being prepared for this is likely to influence the speed of implementing the changes desired. Once change has been implemented, managing it becomes the next task as poor management of change is likely to foster undesired results. In essence, the need to implement change results from the aspect of globalisation and new technology innovations made every day that seek to make business practices be more effective, which is what every business organisation seeks to achieve (Aquinas 2010, p. 244). The implication of this is that organisations should operate at their l ocal level but apply international strategies so that their products and services can go global which a concept that McDonalds understood well (Vignali 2001, p. 98). With this, the essay will delve into the perspectives of John Kotter on change, the three schools of thought on change and their relevance today. In an organisational setting, change management refers to the process of helping individuals and teams within an organisation to transition towards the future that that the organisation desires (Burgess 2004, p. 169). According to many, change tends to be deliberate and

Human Resource Management Overview in Health Care Research Paper

Human Resource Management Overview in Health Care - Research Paper Example In this regard, past literature review can be helpful for healthcare human resource managers to manage their roles efficiently with the ever changing focus. The literature related to resource-based view (RBV) of companies reviews the level of employees’ knowledge, expertise, and capabilities along with their motivation and loyalty to be inseparable with the human capital of companies. More than that, formal and informal communications among employees and between employees and the company are recognized to be associated with social capital of companies. As per the Resource Based View (RBV), focus has changed from outside factors of competitive advantage to inside company resources, which has added legitimacy to the human resource’s claim that people are strategically significant to company success (Sadatsafavi & Walewski, 2013). The criticality of human resources in producing a long-lasting competitive advantage is necessary for the strategic leadership and management. O bserving human capital through the lens of RBV reveals the importance of human capital for creating competitive advantages as it is mostly the company’s most distinct resource and the means employed for creating and managing it could be complicated. It shifts and offers equal significance to human resource management system as a tool for creating competitive advantage from human capital. ... The behavioral arrangements provide sufficient inducements to the workforce, along with the built environment to add to the varied list of human resource management tools for increasing the criticality and distinctiveness of the mechanism from which the human capital pool of the company is created. Additionally, the principles of RBV indicate that the value generated by a rare, distinct, and complicated resource pool cannot be copied for reproduction by the competitors (Sadatsafavi & Walewski, 2013). When discussing human resource for health, decentralization of power and resources is important but more than that, it is the challenge to set answerability procedures in place of those who take decisions and act, irrespective of the matter what rank they hold. Human resource management, quality and equity of staffing cannot change for the better if decentralization policies are not there to check accountability. Equally important are innovations in capacity building of all actors in fra ming efficient incentive measures (Lodenstein and Dao, 2011). Evaluate Three to Five (3-5) Functions of Human Resource Management in Terms of their Level of Support to the Health Care Field, and then select which One You Believe is the Primary Function in Furthering the Health Care Field Some major functions of human resource management that add to the healthcare field include use of technology, which is going to increase in future in healthcare. The increasing focus on technology is going to impact job profiles of employees. It would heighten the role of leadership to adapt to the changed environment. It is general opinion that good leadership helps in creating a better job environment with reducing retention issues and employees’ crunch (Berardino et al.,

Reflective Portfolio of an Occupational Therapist

Reflective Portfolio of an Occupational Therapist Reflective Portfolio and Continuing Professional Development Portfolio The HCPC defines a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio as: ‘A range of learning activities through which health professionals maintain and develop throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to practise safely, effectively and legally within their evolving scope of practice’. (Allied Health Professions project) Put simply, a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio is a way for professionals to continue to learn and develop throughout their careers so they keep their skills and knowledge up to date and are able to work safely, legally and effectively within social services or the private sector. Alsop (2000) recognises that there is a wide range of benefits of CPD. By keeping a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio it helps to encourage a higher standard of personal professional performance. It demonstrates a commitment from the healthcare professional to ensure the best practice is given as well as demonstrating a dedicated commitment to service users. Continuing Professional Development Portfolio requires some specific documents. For example a CPD portfolio requires a fully up-to-date Curriculum Vitae and a personal statement with a summary of current work and how your CPD improved the quality of your work and the benefits you have provided to your service users. As well as the basic necessities there are a variety of things that could be beneficial to include in ones Continuing Professional Development Portfolio such as informative hand-outs or articles that have impacted upon your understanding of Occupational Therapy or examples of your skills applied to your current situation. Another key aspect of keeping a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio is to have regular reflections of your objective practices and assessments. By turning ones experiences of practice into a written form of documentation it will help each individual identify and support their learning outcomes and learning needs. It also helps to have a wide ra nge of learning activities including peer review/feedback and group projects. As well as peer feedback from group work it would also be beneficial to include feedback on assignments from professors, illustrating how your learning has developed, and your practice has improved. The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (COT, 2010) specifies the requirements of an Occupational Therapist in relation to keeping a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio. It states that all Occupational Therapists must continue to keep a CPD portfolio that may be audited by the HCPC every five years. Each professional must make sure that their CPD Portfolio shows a variety of different kinds of activities and that each activity is relevant to their line of work. Each CPD portfolio should aim to improve the quality of work you produce, and ensure that each healthcare professional is able to practice safely and effectively within their scope of practice as well as being able to practise within the legal and ethical boundaries of each varying profession. For example an Occupational Therapist because they have such a holistic approach to their care would need to be aware of the impact of culture, equality and diversity on their practice (HCPC 2013) With each health care prof essional updating their Continuing Professional Development Portfolio they will be able to draw on up to date and appropriate knowledge and skills to inform their practice decisions and to help them understand the need to establish and maintain a safe practice environment. However a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio is not just kept by Occupational Therapist’s but are required from the entire multidisciplinary team A multidisciplinary team (MDT) is composed of members from different healthcare professions with specialised skills and expertise. This is beneficial to the patients because when professionals from a range of disciplines with different but complementary skills, knowledge and experience work together they are able to deliver comprehensive healthcare aimed at providing the best possible outcome for the physical and psychosocial needs of a patient and their carers. Multidisciplinary care occurs due to the fact that a patient needs may change with time and treatment. Since the team has such a diverse range of professions to call upon for a patients care the structure of the team may also change to meet these needs. There are many health care professions that make up a multidisciplinary team ranging from District Nurses, Physiotherapist, Doctors, Speech and Language Therapists and of course Occupational Therapists The role of an Occupational Therapist can provide many benefits within the multidisciplinary team. Their specific training allows them to hold the distinctive role of understanding a patient’s medical, physical and psychological state and the impact that their disability or injury might be imposing on their lives. It also helps that occupational therapists are able to address an individual’s broader goals that will help a patient integrate with their local community and reduce depression and participate in the activities that are important to them. Essentially Occupational Therapists prove to be instrumental in combined teams as they are able to understand both the health and social care context of a client. The Occupational Therapists have a unique opportunity to link various professionals dealing with a clients care. They can act as the cohesive agent to maximise the effectiveness of a team. They have involvement in working with both health and social care and return to work schemes. Unlike the rest of the multidisciplinary team Occupational Therapists’ provide a client centred approach to their practice, they look at the person as a whole so involving the clients occupation, their environment and their spirituality into their treatment. ‘The occupational therapist values individual experience, cultural diversity, religious beliefs and lifestyle diversity in their clients. The expression of these values means that occupational therapy is essentially a flexible process in which the therapist listens to the client in order to understand and respond to their individual needs, values, interests and aspirations. For intervention to be integrated into the life and context of the individual, the family and carers, it must be culturally sensitive and culturally relevant.’ (Creek 2003, p29). This client centred approach is also greatly aided by the fact that occupational therapists have an extensive knowledge and understanding of the equipment and adaptations that are a major part of healthcare services (Rabiee and Glendinning 2010). This makes Occupational Therapists a valuable part of the MDT for the government as they drastically help reduce the cost of care for some clients. A recent study which explored the relationship between provision of correct equipment from an Occupational Therapist and the reduction on care package costs and residential care found that on average the cost of an eight week care package was dropped by over  £60,000 (Hill. S (2007). This was because housing adaptations made by the Occupational Therapist greatly reduced the need for daily visits and reduced or even in some cases removed the costs for home care this ultimately brought savings in that ranged from  £1,200 to  £29,000 a year. (Heywood and Turner.2007). Ultimately the setting up of supplementary moving and handling equipment by the occupational therapists reduces the need for two carers to assist the patients with their personal care. In Somerset, of the 125 services users who were assessed; 37% of them are now only assisted by one carer instead of two, with savings of  £270,000 achieved. The average initial investment in equipment was  £763 per service user (Mi ckel 2010). This additional money saving shows that the Occupational Therapists are a cost effective and highly efficient members of the multidisciplinary team, who can provide holistic, well rounded care to each individual patient. As well as all members of the multidisciplinary team having to keep a Continuing Professional Development Portfolio they must also keep reflection folders. Reflection can be defined as a framework through which professionals can explore all issues involved in clinical practice to them it is a means of enabling practitioners to theorise about practice and thus enable theory to emerge from practice. Schà ¶n (1983) presents the idea that there are two types of reflection: Firstly there is reflection in action this is when the professional’s instinctive actions are reflected upon, whilst they are carrying it out the actions or assessment, and altered as necessary whilst in the situation. Secondly there is reflection on action this is when we as professionals step back from the performance and reflect on that action at a later time and date. Many different professionals have presented different models of reflection for healthcare practitioners to follow, ranging from Graham Gibbs, Christopher Johns and John Driscoll. Graham Gibbs developed his reflective cycle (Gibbs 1988) based upon each stage of David A. Kolb’s experiential cycle (Kolb 1984). He suggested how a full structured analysis of a situation could take place using prompt questions at each stage. It is probably the most cited model by health care professionals but does not contain the number or depth of prompt questions contained in some other models Description In this section, the professionals need to explain what they were reflecting on. This means that they need to include background information, such as what it is they were reflecting on and tell the reader who was involved. It’s important to remember to keep the information provided relevant, to-the-point and most importantly confidential. Feelings In this section the professional needs to discuss their feelings and thoughts about the experience. They need to consider questions such as: How did you feel at the time? What did you think at the time? What did you think about the incident afterwards? Here they are able to discuss their emotions honestly. Evaluation-For the evaluation, the professionals need to discuss how well the event went. Including factors such as: How they reacted to the situation at hand, and how did other people react to the same situation? What was good and what was bad about the experience? Analysis- In the analysis, one needs to consider what might have helped or hindered the event at the time. The professional also has the opportunity here to compare the experience with the literature they have read. Conclusion- In the conclusion, it is important for the professional to acknowledge: whether they could have done anything else; what has been learned from the experience; consider whether they could you have responded in a different way. If the experience was positive it is important to discuss whether the same actions would be undertaken to ensure the same positive outcomes next time. At the same time considering if there is anything that could have been change a to improve things even further. If the incident was negative then you need to reflect on how this could have been avoided and what needs to be done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I chose Gibbs’ model of reflection to use in my own assignment, because I found that the structure was easy to follow, and was laid out clearly. The instructions were simple and sequential. In addition to this the model was easy to apply to my assessments and my clients. Applying the Model to an Assessment performed on Placement. For confidentiality reasons during this reflection the client will take the pseudonym of Mrs Jones who was a seventy five year old woman and my educator will go by the pseudonym of Mrs Smith. Description In this section I will be reflecting upon a washing and dressing assessment with Mrs Jones that took place on the ward before her returning home. Mrs Jones was in hospital for several months after suffering a fall at home. Mrs Jones lived at home by herself in a two storey house, with three bedrooms but with a downstairs toilet and bathroom. Involved in this assessment were myself, Mrs Jones and Mrs Smith. The assessment took place on the ward in a small wash room and toilet. After her fall Mrs Jones had been using a Zimmer frame to walk around the hospital ward. Feelings As this was my first assessment on my own naturally I was incredibly nervous. Throughout the entire assessment I was worried that I was going to make a wrong choice or a poor decision. Throughout the assessment I was also conscious about trying to impress my educator, so actually I could be guilty of focussing more upon impressing my educator than focussing on the patient. However after the assessment had finished I did feel that it had been a success! Mrs Jones had performed well proving that she was capable of washing and dressing herself with minimal assistance from myself or from Mrs Smith. This ultimately proved that she was ready to return home. Evaluation- During the assessment I felt that I remained calm and collected and managed to keep my nerves under control. However looking back on the assessment and after a discussion with Mrs Smith, I feel like I could have been a bit firmer with Mrs Jones. For when she kept asking to sit down and rest during the assessment I would let her whereas Mrs Smith said that she would had encouraged Mrs Jones to keep going. Stating that since being on the ward Mrs Jones had become used to the nurses doing everything for her and that whilst she was with us I would need to learn to differentiate between Mr Jones genuine need for help, for example when she needed help washing the top of her back and when she was being lazy and trying to get me to do things for her. However Mrs Smith said that being firm but fair with clients would become much easier with age and experience. Analysis- During this assessment I also learnt to give the physical environment much more thought before starting a washing and dressing assessment. The cubical wash room was quite small and I failed to take into consideration that during the assessment I would have to manoeuvre myself, Mrs Jones and Mrs Jones’ Zimmer frame around the toilet, shower and wash hand basin. I should have realised that I should have entered the wash room first in order to have full access to all the facilities, however I politely followed Mrs Jones into the bathroom, but then had the difficulty of moving round Mrs Jones and her Zimmer frame in order to move on with the assessment. A greater awareness of the physical environment would have enabled me to pre-empt this inconvenience. Conclusion- In conclusion I feel that the assessment was a positive experience for both myself and Mrs Jones. In order to replicate the same positive experience for both parties, I need to remain confident and emphatic to my clients, whilst ensuring I am realistic with their abilities. The fact that I remained in an energetic and encouraging mood help lift the spirits of Mrs Jones, and inspired her to keep going in the assessment even when she claimed she didn’t want to. I found that the mood of the Occupational Therapist can quite often transfer to the patient, so remaining positive whilst in front of the client is essential to a beneficial and successful assessment. Reflecting on all of my assessments whilst on my placement helped me identify my future learning needs. I realised that there is still plenty of room for me to grow and develop not only as a professional but also as a person. Mrs Smith and all of the clients helped me understand that to grow as a professional I need to continue to build therapeutic and respectful relationships with my clients. Although a strong rapport with patients is essential at the same time I need to learn to distance myself emotionally from my clients and to continue to remain professional. For a few times on placement and during initial assessments I found myself becoming emotionally attached to my clients, viewing them as if they were a family member, my grandparents for example. In order to become a better professional I need to learn to differentiate sympathy and empathy for my clients. Once I have managed this it will be easier for me to learn to find the balance between firm and fair when assessing my eld erly clients, and only ask them to do what was realistically achievable. The final learning need that I was able to identify from my multiple written reflections, and from my reflection discussions with Mrs Smith was that as a professional I need to learn to be more confident when in charge of an assessment, but this will be something that will continue to develop and grow with age and experience. In assessing a client’s needs and appropriate course of treatment I need to consider which methods will best help achieve the desired outcome. Experience will help develop my ability to determine realistic targets and reflection will enable me to create a portfolio of these methods to achieve those targets. A record of good and effective practices such as exchanges with other Occupational Therapists can only serve to enhance my professional development. References (Allied Health Professions project), ‘Demonstrating competence through CPD’, 2002. Alsop, A. 2000. Continuing Professional Development: A Guidefor Therapists. London: Blackwell Science. COT- College of Occupational Therapists 2010. Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. London. College of Occupational Therapists. Creek J (2003) Occupational therapy defined as a complex intervention. London: College of Occupational Therapists Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit. HCPC Health and Care Professions Council 2013.Standards of proficiency for occupational therapists. London. Health Care professions council Heywood F and Turner L (2007) Better outcomes, lower costs: implications for health and Dsocial care budgets of investment in housing adaptations, improvements and equipment: a review of the evidence. London: Stationery Office. Hill S (2007) Independent living: equipment cost savings. [Research report identified through the COT Killer Facts Database]. Mickel, A (2010) A ticking timebomb. Occupational Therapy News [OTnews], 18(5), 38-39 Nottingham University: Reflection Models online accessed 25/04/2014 http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/sonet/rlos/placs/critical_reflection/models/gibbs_model.html Rabiee P, Glendinning C (2010) The organisation and content of home care re-ablement services. (Research Works 2010-01). York: University of York, Social Policy Research Unit. Schà ¶n D.A. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. Aldershot. Arena

Estrangement in Joseph Conrads Amy Foster and in Rebecca Wests The Re

Estrangement in Joseph Conrad's Amy Foster and in Rebecca West's The Return of the Soldier The concept of male estrangement in an alien environment is portrayed in both Joseph Conrad’s short story, Amy Foster, as well as in Rebecca West’s book, The Return of the Soldier. First, there are adverse reactions to the male protagonists’ placement in their environments. The reactions vary between the protagonists and the people they come into contact with. Second, there are similarities and differences between the way the two authors chose to explore the situations presented. Third, both protagonists handle their estrangement differently. It is hard to behave appropriately when you are among peculiar customs. It seems ironic that in both instances, the protagonist has reached the alien environment from violent circumstances. In Amy Foster, the main character, Yanko Goorall, falls victim to a shipwreck, leaving him stranded in a mysterious land. For instance, Conrad writes: â€Å"†¦he was a castaway†¦washed ashore here in a storm. And for him†¦England was an undiscovered country† (Conrad 140). Upon arrival, he was desperate and in need of shelter and sustenance, causing him to appear as though he was behaving erratically. â€Å"The driver of Mr. Bradley’s milk-cart made no secret of it that he had lashed with his whip at a hairy sort of gipsy fellow who, jumping at a turn of the road†¦made a snatch at the pony’s bridle† (Conrad 145). This is justified by the narrator who claims: â€Å"Maybe that in his desperate endeavours to get help, and in his need to get in touch with some one, the poor devil had tried to stop the cart† (Con rad 145). Although Yanko had appeared to be behaving oddly, his behaviors were also responded to in a rather harsh f... ... from his present life, back to a time when he was safe and happy. In conclusion, the idea of male estrangement in an alien environment is examined in both Joseph Conrad’s fabulous short story, Amy Foster, as well as in Rebecca West’s sad tale, The Return of the Soldier. First, various reactions occur. There are the reactions to the protagonists as well as the reactions of the protagonists. Second, the authors chose to explore different situations. Despite this fact, there are a few similarities in both situations. Third, each protagonist explores his situation differently. One runs from his past, his eyes gleaming with a brighter future. The other openly embraces his past, while rejecting his present life and hoping for a second chance. There is no easy way of going about it, and it is interesting how similar yet different both of these adventures are.

A Book Review of Native Son by Richard Wright

Strong interest in Wright's life, his work, and his influence continues in the 1980s and 1990s, although with not quite the same emphasis as in the preceding four decades. The focus of attention has shifted somewhat, with studies of Wright's political vision diminishing and analyses of his craftsmanship and literary sources increasing.The great majority of scholars and critics during this period are in general agreement about the centrality of Wright's position in African-American letters and his great importance in American and modern traditions, although some reappraisal of a negative sort has also developed, especially among those expressing dissatisfaction with Wright's portrayal of female characters.And with the publication in 1991 of the Library of America editions of Wright's major work, the critical response to Wright has entered an important new phase in which fundamental questions are now being raised about which texts are the most authentic representations of Wright's actu al intentions and which texts are highest in literary quality.Wright's achievement in Native Son was not only to project the experience of American black people, in all its raw brutality but also to form it into a rich, coherent, balanced vision of life. Wright attracted in some ways to Western culture because of its tradition of Enlightenment rationalism that promises political freedom to oppressed people. Wright was deeply suspicious of other aspects of the West, especially its history of racism.Although characters like Bigger Thomas are initially described as alienated from both self and community, they experience genuine selfhood and become a participant in the life of the spirit by establishing kinship with others. I envision Bigger Thomas as caught between these two opposite qualities of Western culture, for he is both victimized by Western racism and also achieves selfhood in a very Western way through â€Å"revolutionary will, individualism and self consciousness† (p. 311).The slum conditions of the South Side so vividly portrayed in Native Son had been the daily reality of a decade in Wright life ( 1927- 1937). He had lived in a cramped and dirty flat with his aunt, mother, and brother. He had visited hundreds of similar dwellings while working as an insurance agent.The details of the Chicago environment in the novel have a verisimilitude that is almost photographic. The â€Å"Ernie's Kitchen Shack† of the novel, located at Forty-Seventh Street and Indiana Avenue, for example, is a slight disguise for an actual restaurant called â€Å"The Chicken Shack,† 4647 Indiana Avenue, of which one Ernie Henderson was owner. Similar documentary accuracy is observed throughout the book.Wright drives his story forward at a furious yet skillfully controlled pace. The full drama is unfolded in just about two weeks. There is first of all the prophetic killing of a rat in the room where Bigger, his mother, his sister and his brother live in quarre ling, desperate squalor.Then Bigger, who has a bad name as a braggart living by shady devices, goes out to meet the poolroom gang environment provides. He plans a hold-up he is afraid to carry out. To hide his cowardice he terrorizes one of his friends.You see his character. That is the point. Wright is champion of a race, not defender of an individual wrongdoer. Bigger gets a job as chauffeur in the house of Mr. Dalton, who is a philanthropist toward Negroes and owner of many Negro tenements. Mary Dalton, the daughter of the house, and her friend Jan, a supernally noble radical, make him drink with them. Through an accident, Bigger kills Mary Dalton.That is the first murder. There is a gruesome dismemberment to hide the crime. Bigger thinks of demanding money, and makes his girl, Bessie, help him. His crime is discovered. After that there is the flight, the second murder, deliberate and brutal, the manhunt spreading terror over the whole South Side, then the spectacular capture and the day of reckoning in court for all concerned.Apart from the ideas that give it volume, force and scope, Native Son has some magnificently realized scenes: in the early part, where Bigger, a stranger and afraid, as Houseman said, in a world he never made, gropes for freedom from the walls that hold him; in the flight across the roofs and the stand high over the world, in the jail where processions of people come to see him, at the inquest and in the howling mob outside the court.The measure in which it shakes a community is the measure of its effectiveness.

Affording EU Homes

The ever rising housing demand in Europe, and indeed all over the world is forcing countries to develop measures ensuring that all people across income lines get decent accommodation.Being among basis human rights, states are obligated to develop and maintain systems that consistently help citizens with their housing needs. In this regard, individual EU countries are under, the Union supposed to ensure that the basis human right of hosing is provided, failure of which could lead to disciplinary action from the secretariat as well as ridicule from other members.However, the question whether the Brussels should have a say in member country housing policy has been rising and consistently debated at national and regional level. As a contribution to this debate, this paper shall investigate whether the European Union as a body has a part to play in national hosing policy development; it shall be argued that Brussels has no role to play at the national level. However, Brussels should provi de guidelines and targets to be followed by individual member countries.The paper shall pass Italy's decentralization and Localization of housing problems as the best framework that EU should copy.   The concluding part would reiterate on important points made in the paper.Brussels' Role in National Housing PolicyCurrent arrangement at the regional levels have national governments take control of their nation's housing policies (Priemus, 2006, p. 1). This ensures that individual countries develop and maintain policies that are in line with national demand. In addition, countries are able to wither through business cycles affecting their industries without affecting other nations.Having each country take care of housing policies further mean that member countries are able to see and learn for best practices used in different nations. This diversity of policies are hard for EU officials to manage, which explains why national governments should continue taking the center stage.Despit e the independence of national governments in managing their countries' housing markets, it has been reported that the European Union has been slowly making inroads into the management of the sector, a matter that many countries are not very comfortable-with (Priemus, 2006, p. 1). The EU comes into the management circle in the name of streamlining housing industry in the entire region. One route that is consistently used by the EU is the pretext of assuring that social aspects of housing are met by all members.That is, members of the community without abilities to provide themselves with shelter are considered and equally attended. Due to the need of providing shelter for all in the region, EU authorities have been pushing national governments to adopt a single approach to the issue. This however requires minimal state intervention and increased role of the European Union in running of housing affairs in the region.The loss of national control of the housing market is not being take n lightly by European governments and the electorates. One reason being that the sector is seen as so vital such that the state and local stakeholders have to be involved with day to day running of the industry.National governments should less be involved in the management of housing industry as is in Italy, which means that even the EU should stay clear of housing. Reason: the one-size-fits-all policy of development would not be effective in meeting housing goals than the policy of decentralization (Eurofound, 2006, p. 7).ReferencesEyk, H. (2002). EU & Housing. Amsterdam. Housing Ministry.Eurofound, (2006). Social Dimensions of EU Housing. Dublin: Eurofound.Longo, G. (2006). Coupling Localization and Urbanization of Housing in Italy.   Ljubljana:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ENHR.Premus, H. (2006). EU and National Housing Systems. Ljubljana: ENHR.Toa, A. (2007). Italian Housing Policy. Roma: University of Roma.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy †Biology Research Paper

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy – Biology Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Biology Research Paper Imagine being a parent and discovering that your child won’t be able to walk by the age of 12 and wont live past the age of 20. This has become a reality for many parents as they find out that their child has a form of muscular dystrophy. This particular type of muscular dystrophy is referred to as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which is a genetically inherited disorder that is the most common and severe of all muscular dystrophies. It is found in 1 of every 3,500 males and is characterized by progressive muscle wasting. It is caused by the lack of dystrophin, which is a protein found in the cell membrane of muscles. One early clinical sign of the disease is the child showing a late start in walking and sometimes they are referred to as a late bloomer. Usually when the child walks they have a waddling motion and sometimes they walk up on their toes. Usually, hypertrophy, or enlarging of the muscles, especially in the calves is noticed. However, the hypertrophy is actually caused by adipose (fat) tissue, which replaces the muscle tissue. Another clinical sign of DMD is small amounts of mental retardation or learning disabilities. Although this is not apparent until the child is older, it is a common pattern that is found in children with DMD. There have been many studies done to determine what exactly causes the mental retardation. Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy is a recessive genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of the protein dystrophin, which is found in muscle cells. This disorder is usually only found in males. It has very rarely been found in females because they have two X chromosomes and the disease is recessive. They pass it on to one half of their sons and to one half of their daughters who become carriers. In the possibility that the male with DMD reproduces, his sons would not be infected however is daughters would be 100% carriers of the disease. Even though DMD is present from the initial stages of fetal development, physical signs are not present until 18 months to 4 years of age. In addition to the clinical signs mentioned above, a child with DMD is unable to climb or pull itself up from the floor. Between the ages 3 and 7, a child with DMD may show signs of improvement, but that is due to natural growth and development. In school they start to fall behind in being able to keep up with their peers in physical activity. This sometimes leads to them being called clumsy or lazy. When the child is around 9 years, the disease starts to progress rapidly and by age 12, they can no longer walk on their own. In the late stages, a significant loss of muscle tissue is noticeable. There may also be an increase of the curvature of the spine. When they are brought to the doctor, a series of tests are done to determine the problem. When a biopsy is done, the doctors find that the muscle tissue has hypertrophied with adipose tissue. Short ly after the cells have become full of adipose tissue they die. Unlike other tissues of the body, muscle and nerve tissues cannot reproduce. An individual is born with a specific amount of muscle and nerve cells. Once they die, they cannot be regenerated. This is bad news for people with DMD and they usually die around the age of 20 due to the diaphragm or heart muscle degenerating. There are several ways to test for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The first is a blood test, called the serum creatine kinase test, looking for an increased amount of creatine kinase. Normally there is only a small amount of creatine kinase in the bloodstream. All muscles produce creatine kinase and release small amounts, however when the muscle cells tear from contracting, the creatine kinase leaks into the bloodstream. The second test that could be done is an electromyopathy test. This involves putting a small needle in the skin and recording the pattern of electricity. When muscles contract, there is an electric current flowing through the tissue. The third way to test for the disease is a muscle biopsy. In this process a piece of muscle is removed and examined under the microscope. When the cells are seen as enlarged and filled with adipose tissue then the disease is prevalent. Or another sign is if the muscle cells are dead. The last way to test is direct DNA testing. While the c hild is still in the womb it can be tested for the disease by doing an amniocentesis. In this procedure, fluid and fetal cells are taken out from the amniotic layer that surrounds the fetus. Then the cells are checked for a defect or genetic mutation in the DNA. At this time, there are many research studies being done to try and find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Unfortunately, a definite cure has not been found yet. Even though there is no cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, there are places people with disease can go to get help. There are several Support Groups out there to help people with DMD. The Muscular Dystrophy Association or MDA is probably the largest support group. They offer financial and emotional support as well as a vast information site for all of the different muscular dystrophies. They fund research projects that are aimed at finding a cure for the diseases and they also publish their own bimonthly magazine called â€Å"Quest.† They can be found on the Internet at www.mdausa.org. Another support group is The Parent Project for Muscular Dystrophy Research. Like the MDA, they also support families with DMD and fund research projects. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a severe form of muscular dystrophy that causes progressive muscle degeneration. Its main cause is the lack of the protein dystrophy that is necessary for the muscles to function properly. It is tough for the victims and their families because there is no definite cure and they usually don’t live past the age of 20. Hopefully in the future, technology will enable researchers to be able to find a cure that will be a 100 percent effective when used. Until that time comes, all DMD victims can do is wait and hope. + Research Papers on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - Biology Research PaperPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenGenetic EngineeringThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesStandardized TestingThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementHip-Hop is ArtResearch Process Part One