Mental Illness among Homeless in London Borough of Tower Hamlet

Abstract: The aim of the essay plan at hand was to outline the mental health issues that are being faced by the homeless population in the UK, with specific references to the borough of Tower Hamlets. The plan covered the main contextual factors and determinants of the urban health issue, the main implications and public consequences of the issue in both the City of London in general and the UK, and offered an outline for the critique of current interventions to combat the issue. The plan concluded with speculated recommendations and conclusions for the extended essay. 1 Introduction London, United Kingdom is host to over 10,000 homeless members of society with common afflictions including mental illness, drug and alcohol issues and health concerns (Story et al, 2007). This number of specific homeless far exceeds other national indigent populations making it unique throughout the UK. Alongside the establishment of pervasive symptoms among the population rests the requirement of continuous evaluation of caregivers in order to maintain proper public support structures. The borough of Tower Hamlets has been identified as an area of historic and on-going homelessness as it is a highly deprived area of East London. Deprivation and severe poverty has been identified as one of the most significant determinants of physical and mental health (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). Combined with a lack of public or private methods of remedy, many homeless have no feasible alternative to living in the streets. In accord, Tower Hamlets has a soaring prevalenc e of these determining factors, which encourage the development of mental health problems among the afflicted population. Further, poor living conditions have the potential to add to the stress experienced by some individuals, which in turn leads to a form of sickness (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). As a result of this evaluation, homelessness has been identified as a significant aspect of poor mental health in this borough (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). It has been suggested that mental health issues may actually be a leading factor in the onset of homelessness, where the stresses of homelessness further exacerbate existing psychological issues. At every level of assessment surrounding the mental health of the indigent population of Tower Hamlets, there is a continuous need to re-evaluate and adjust policy in order to address the rising concerns. 2 Rationales Epidemiological data shows that common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression have been found to be over twice as high, and psychosis has been found to be fifty to one hundred times more prevalent in the homeless (Bassuk et al, 1986). This illustrates the clear need to identify the factors that drive these persons to these stages. Further, with such a high number needing sustained medical attention in order to move away from the homeless issue, there is the perception of public burden, which adds to the need to find an effective method of addressing the issue (Wright, 2014). The lack of adequate research in this area of mental stability and determinants reveals the shallow depths of current knowledge, requiring the undertaking of modern reviews in order to accurately assess the next step. Another key rationale is the need to address common social issues including drug and alcohol abuse in the homeless (Dunne et al, 2013). Whether as a result of being homeless or the co nsequence of abuse, drugs and alcohol dependency are established factors that are common throughout the indigent population (Wright, 2014). This commonality has been wrongly cited as the prevalent determinant in the homeless condition, with many persons not finding the drugs or alcohol until after experiencing the loss of becoming homeless (Wright, 2014). Yet, the prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse has been found to be widespread within the homeless community (Fazel et al, 2008) thus the essay will aim to shed light upon this aspect of substance abuse as among the largest contributing factors to homelessness. This focus on elements that are considered determinant in the creation of the homeless population will enable a relevant series of recommendations that are aimed at reducing the phenomenon. Further, this essay also aims to provide further insight to how the statistics were found to be markedly higher in the borough of Tower Hamlets than the proportion across other London boro ughs all together than the proportion across other London boroughs all together (NHS Tower Hamlets, 2011). With a defined rise in the factors impacting the homeless in this area, it becomes essential to identify the primary components. Alongside the benefit that the local population will derive from this exercise will be the potential for this experience to translate into other social areas that will assist in developing long term solutions to pressing issues. In order to fully explore the goals of this essay; gender, ethnicity and the age aspect of homelessness will be discussed, as there are marked differences between genders and races in regard to the issues faced in homelessness (Wright, 2014). As with each outside element including financial standing and health, the disparity between the sexes in the homeless population requires investigation. For example, single men between the ages of 25-44 have been identified as the most common demographic group associated with homelessness (Hwang, 2001), yet children have also been found at a high risk of facing homelessness, accompanied by a high risk of developing mental health issues (Tischler et al, 2002). While the presence of the homeless conditions in these two demographics may withstand scrutiny, the question of how this condition arose creates the opportunity to avoid it. Further, with a sustained outreach to those in peril of becoming homeless before the fact, there is opportunity for developing past the hardship, making this study crucial (Buckman et al, 2013). In order to properly assess the societal position and expectations of the homeless, this essay will assess what is considered among the highest concerns among members of this population (Iversen et al, 2011). Despite the contention that specific determinants play a role in the indigent condition, others argue that it is the perception of adverse social conditions on the part of the person that serve to keep the person in the homeless state. With correlations among the indigent and common belief such as the desire for work and affordable housing, there are foundations for building a path to a more sustainable form of living for many currently in the homeless condition (Fitzpatrick et al, 2013). This is an indication of the importance of considering not only the external conditions associated with the homeless, mental health and drug abuse, but there must be a corresponding effort to address the internal perceptions held by these individuals. The situation for those living rough is int ensified when substance misuse is co-morbidly present with existing mental health problems (Rees, 2009). This combination of conditions is credited with sustaining the homeless condition, making the opportunity to rise above the stage complex and unlikely (Dunne et al, 2012). It is the perception of lack prospects and potential that is credited with keeping many individuals in the indigent state. Among the homeless male versus the general public, there is a higher association with illnesses including schizophrenia by a 50% v 34%, personality disorders 37% v. 11%, substance dependence issues 74%5 v. 19% further increasing the need to study and identify the specific factors surrounding this ratio (Dunne et al, 2012). These statistics indicate the much of the mental disorders are amplified in conjunction with the homeless population which raises another area of concern; where the individuals afflicted as result of becoming homeless or did they become homeless as a result of becoming il lThis critical consideration will add to the assessment of determinants and the manner in which they work to keep the indigent population on the rise (Wright, 2014). In accord, the essay aims to discuss how the borough of Tower Hamlets has been identified as having the highest mental health needs in the UK, with over 45% of the population of the borough claiming incapacity benefit due to their ill mental health. This very high rate indicates the presence of a set of conditions that are expected to be identifiable, adding to the appeal of this study. As the literature confirms that mental illness is a significant urban health issue accompanied by crucial repercussions such as homelessness, the essay will aim to highlight the ways in which this issue relates to the London borough of Tower Hamlets. As the results are directly relevant to those in the Tower Hamlets, many other indigent populations exhibit similar conditions, which this study will assist to illuminate. 3 Urban Context and Determinants The literature surrounding homelessness and mental health indicates that factors in the urban context play a major role in the development of this urban health issue (Fitzpatrick et al, 2012). This is an indication that this area of research is not only necessary but vital to the effort to sustain and improve the state of the homeless population. Determinants such as poverty, exclusion, attainment and wellbeing all hold significant implications for homelessness (Frankish, Hwang & Quantz, 2005). Elements that are cited to aid in the determination homeless population causation include the lack of general or low strata employment opportunities (Fitzpatricket al, 2013). This perception of no means to find work is compounded by ill health and the absence of health care. As those in the poorer classes fall sick, there is a trend to allow this sickness to become overriding, thereby adding to the detrimental factors surrounding a persons living situation (Dawson et al, 2013). Outside social factors can have distinct impact on the determinants surrounding the homeless populations. With natural disasters and war placing many of these individuals in the homeless situations due to associated factors, there is a need to quantify each new social influence in order to minimize the harmful impact. Feeding directly into the homeless epidemic and the mentally unstable is the common lack of disability services that will have the resources to aid them (Wright, 2014). This scenario of inadequate infrastructure only adds support to the contention that each new determinant in the homeless cycle increases the likelihood that the person will not be able to escape the condition. With evidence supporting the position that it becomes harder to function in day to day society the longer a person remains indigent, there is a clear and present time factor that must be added to the determinants of the homeless (Wright, 2014). Additional factors such as difficulties in maintaining secure and good quality accommodation due to mental illness will also be discussed in the essay as contributors to homelessness (Breaky, 1992). Determinants to the homeless condition have been attributed to the high rate of substance abuse and addiction among the indigent population (Wright, 2014). This is an indicati on that there is truth to the argument that many people choose their addictions over a place to live comfortably. Further, this very aspect is magnified by the lack of affordable, quality housing in many areas (Buckman et al, 2013). With no avenue to find a roof, the drive to work towards making their life better has a trend of stalling as these determinant continue to hold the person back. This essay endeavours to shed light on recent changes to government policy, such as reforms in welfare support and social housing, the recession, and government cuts to public services in the UK had impacted those who were most vulnerable to homelessness. Each shift in public policy and perception has the potential to add or detract from the living situation of the indigent population (Wright, 2014). Yet, in many cases, available opportunities are overlooked due to the fact that the persons in question have no means to become acquainted with the policies. Individuals with mental health problems h ave faced considerable difficulties due to these changes such as understanding when they need to claim the benefits, how the new benefits work, and uncertainty about how the changes will affect their circumstances (Wright, 2014). Many times, the very complex nature of the policy or regulation diminishes the effectiveness of the intent by reducing access. As a further example of this issue raising modern concern, in some cases, individuals may also face difficulty getting access to, and using a computer to claim their benefits online (Dawson et al, 2013). These common issues that highlight the high risk of the mentally ill facing homelessness due to financial hardship and provide a possible explanation as to why there is such a high degree of mental illness among the homeless. Due to the fact that registration to a GP generally requires proof of a home address, homeless people are more likely to access healthcare through emergency services (Crisis & MORI, 2002). This creates many iss ues including access, payment, sustained care and exacerbated social expense. Further, this poses problems on both the individual and the general population as the individual may not receive the health advice and respect that they deserve for reasons such as the emergency department only being intended for emergency health conditions, and due to social stigma around homelessness; such as the homeless may be associated with mental ill health, substance abuse and lack of hygiene (Riley, Harding, Underwood & Carter, 2003). It is a common trend among the homeless to face a lack of insurance and the unwillingness to visit the doctor aside from the direst of circumstance. These factors have been cited as contributors of poor physical and psychological wellbeing which the homeless individual faces when trying to access public health care, which only serve to compound the homeless condition (Wright, 2014). In many cases social pressure to avoid using the medical services, serves to drive th e homeless even further from finding quality care, only serve to further add to the issue. A final determinant to be discussed in this essay is the cost of this urban health issue faced by the National health services, which in turn is passed on to the larger national population (Dunne et al, 2012). In many cases the variance of social support has changed alongside the political views of the ruling establishment. This condition causes many fits and starts to any existing system, which in turn serve to slow down both effective outreach and long-term strategy. Cost has the potential to become an overbearing feature of any policy creation effort (Dunne et al, 2012). In some cases the zeal to reduce the public budget for these issues is weighed against the need to devote time and resources to this part of the population (Fitzpatrick et al, 2013). With a common lack of representation among the law makers, the lower classes have often suffered the lack of finance and social support that is required to implement any effective strategy. Modern evidence shows that mental illness fo r the NHS is costly as it is the largest cause of disability in the UK. Social and informal care for the mentally ill is costing ?22.5 billion, where 13.8% of the national budget is spent on mental health (National Mental Health, 2012). This is a defining motivation for lawmakers on any side of the aisle to find a method of addressing the issue. Statistics also show that ?77 billion a year was being spent on welfare benefits for mental illnesses in 2009 (National Mental Health, 2012). This is a trend of rising cost that will only be reversed through study and relevant and considered implement of infrastructure. The lack of a coordinated strategy to reduce the homeless issue only creates a potential for the issue to become intractable and even harder to combat (Wright, 2014). The impact of these costs on the national economy was damaging, increasing national debts thus affecting the general population through increases in tax, public services, and as previously mentioned, cuts to nat ional healthcare (National Mental Health, 2012). This issue touches each person in society in a direct manner, meaning that with the easing of homeless condition there will be a corresponding easing of social pressure of the whole of society. Therefore it is necessary for these determinants to be discussed as contributing factors to the urban health issue. 4 Conclusions and Recommendations The aim of this paper is to critique strategies such as the Tower Hamlets Homelessness Statement 2013 to 2017, the Homelessness Act and other interventions that tackle homelessness and mental illness as separate entities (Crisis, 2009). This review of material will create the opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses in the approaches that could in turn be amended. Further, this review will provide a basis for long term strategy based on the continuous need to refine public policy in order to reduce the burden on society as a whole (Wright, 2014). Yet, in every case the solution must be both ethical and motivated by the desire to enhance the homeless population’s potential to achieve stability. The recommendations that will evolve as a result of this study will involve coordinated treatment programs (Coldwell & Bender, 2007) such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), which aim to serve psychiatric outpatients whose mental illness causes serious functioning difficulties in aspects of life including work, social relationships, residential independence, money management, and physical health and wellness, all of which can have an impact on housing status (Dixon, 2000). Other possible avenues designed to create options including community housing initiatives, political action through policy reform, enhancing current infrastructure such as Habitat for Humanity and the National Coalition for the Homeless. This consideration of a wide range of evidence creates a variety of opportunities to explore and address the issues facing the modern homeless population (Iversen et al, 2011). It is expected that this study will conclude that the ACT is an effective measure in combating the co re issues which lead to and maintain homelessness, and aim to recommend that government funding should be utilised to promote programs such as ACT which will make lasting changes in the homeless community. Further, there is an expectation that there will be a combination of past and prior factors that have contributed to the homeless population and that it will require a well-rounded intervention method in order to provide better prospects. In the end, the base goal of this essay is to provide potential paths for further research which will in turn work to alleviate the dismal conditions associated with the indigent condition. 4 References Bassuk, E.L., Rubin, L. & Lauriat. A.S. (1986). Characteristics of sheltered homeless families. American Journal of Public Health. 76(9). 1097-1101. Breaky, W.R. (1992). Mental Health Services for Homeless People. pp101-107. Cited in: Homelessness: A National Perspective. Eds. Robertson, M.J. & Greenblatt, M. (1992). Buckman, J., Forbes, H., Clayton, T., Jones, M., Jones, N., Greenberg, N., Sundin, J., Hull, L., Wessely, S. and Fear, N. (2013). Early Service leavers: a study of the factors associated with premature separation from the UK Armed Forces and the mental health of those that leave early. The European Journal of Public Health, 23(3), pp.410–415.Coldwell, C.M. & Bender, W.S. (2007). The Effectiveness of Assertive Community Treatment for Homeless Populations With Severe Mental Illness: A Meta-Analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 164(3). 393-399.Communities and Local Government. (2009). Rough Sleeping England – Total Street Count. Retrieved from: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120919132719/http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleeping2009 Accessed: 17th February 2014 Crisis & MORI. (2002). Critical condition: Homeless people’s access to GPs. London. Dawson, A., Jackson, D. and Cleary, M. (2013). Mothering on the margins: Homeless women with an SUD and complex mental health co-morbidities. Issues in mental health nursing, 34(4), pp.288–293. Dixon, L. (2000). Assertive community treatment: Twenty-five years of cold. Psychiatric Services, 51, 759-765. Dunne, E., Duggan, M. and O’Mahony, J. (2012). Mental health services for homeless: patient profile and factors associated with suicide and homicide. Mental health. Fazel, S; Khosla, V; Doll, H; Geddes, J (2008). â€Å"The Prevalence of Mental Disorders among the Homeless in Western Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis†. PLoS Med 5 (12). doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050225 Fitzpatrick, S., Bramley, G. and Johnsen, S. (2013). Pathways into multiple exclusion homelessness in seven UK cities. Urban Studies, 50(1), pp.148–168. Frankish, C.J., Hwang, S.W. & Quantz, D. (2005). Homelessness and Health in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2(96). 23-29. Hwang, S.W. (2001). Homelessness and health. CMAJ. 164(2). 229–233. Iversen, A., van Staden, L., Hughes, J., Greenberg, N., Hotopf, M., Rona, R., Thornicroft, G., National Mental Health. (2012). Development Unit. Factfile 3. The costs of mental ill health. Retrieved from: http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/nmhdu-factfile-3.pdf Accessed: 16th February 2014 NHS Tower Hamlets. (2011). Homelessness: Factsheet. Tower Hamlets Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2010 ­2011 . Retrieved from: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=f8390127-f61d-491b-8323-cea75d92a228&version=1. Accessed: 16th February 2014 Riley, A.J., Harding, G., Underwood, M.R., Carter, Y.H. (2003). Homelessness: a problem for primary careBritish Journal of General Practice. 473-479. Tischler, V., Vostanis, P., Bellerby, T. & Cumella, S. (2002). Evaluation of a mental health outreach service for homeless families. Arch Dis Child. 86. 158–163. Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group. (August 2013). Mental Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Tower Hamlets. Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board. Tower Hamlets Homelessness Statement. (2013). 2013 to 2017 Consultation Draft. Retrieved from: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/851900/868_housing_strategy_and_polic/homelessness_strategy.aspx Accessed: 17th February 2014 Rees, S. (2009). Mental Ill Health in the Adult Single Homeless Population: A review of the literature. Crisis, PHRU. Retrieved from: http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Mental%20health%20literature%20review.pdf. Accessed: 16th February 2014 Story, A., Murad, S., Roberts, W., Verheyen, M. & Hayward, A.C. (2007). Tuberculosis in London: the importance of homelessness, problem drug use and prison. Thorax. 62(8). 667-671. Wessely, S. and Fear, N. (2011). The stigma of mental health problems and other barriers to care in the UK Armed Forces. BMC health services research, 11(1), p.31. Wright, J. (2014). Health needs of the homeless. InnovAiT: Education and inspiration for general practice, 7(2), pp.91–98. Mental Illness Among Homeless In London Borough Of Tower Hamlet Abstract: The aim of the essay plan at hand was to outline the mental health issues that are being faced by the homeless population in the UK, with specific references to the borough of Tower Hamlets. The plan covered the main contextual factors and determinants of the urban health issue, the main implications and public consequences of the issue in both the City of London in general and the UK, and offered an outline for the critique of current interventions to combat the issue. The plan concluded with speculated recommendations and conclusions for the extended essay. Introduction: Where 10,000 of the UK’s homeless population can be found in London (Story, Murad, Roberts, Verheyen & Hayward, 2007), mental health issues have been established as prevalent among the homeless in specific urban areas in the city of London. The borough of Tower Hamlets has been identified as an area of historic and ongoing homelessness as it is a highly deprived area of East London. Deprivation and severe poverty has been identified as one of the most significant determinants of physical and mental health (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). In accord, Tower Hamlets has a soaring prevalence of these determining factors, which encourage the development of mental health problems. Thus, homelessness has been identified as a significant aspect of poor mental health in this borough (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). It has been suggested that mental health issues may actually be a leading factor in the onset of homelessness, where the stresse s of homelessness further exacerbate existing psychological issues. Rationale: Epidemiological data shows that common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression have been found to be over twice as high, and psychosis has been found to be fifty to one hundred times more prevalent in the homeless (Bassuk, Rubin & Lauriat, 1986). A local audit in East London has shown that serious mental illness is more prevalent in the black rather than the white population (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). The prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse has been found to be widespread within the homeless community (Fazel, Khosla, Doll, Geddes, 2008) thus the essay will aim to shed light upon this aspect of substance abuse as the largest contributing factor to homelessness. The essay will also aim to provide further insight to how the statistics were found to be markedly higher in the borough of Tower Hamlets than the proportion across other London boroughs all together (alcohol 26%, drugs 36%) (NHS Tower Hamlets, 2011). Furthermore, the gender, ethnicit y and age aspect of homelessness will be discussed, as there are marked differences between genders and races in regard to the issues faced in homelessness. For example, single men between the ages of 25-44 have been identified as the most common demographic group associated with homelessness (Hwang, 2001), yet children have also been found at a high risk of facing homelessness, accompanied by a high risk of developing mental health issues (Tischler, Vostanis, Bellerby & Cumella, 2002). The situation for those living rough is intensified when substance misuse is co-morbidly present with existing mental health problems (Rees, 2009). In accord, the essay aims to discuss how the borough of Tower Hamlets has been identified as having the highest mental health needs in the UK, with over 45% of the population of the borough claiming incapacity benefit due to their ill mental health. Furthermore, certain groups such as rough sleepers, domestic violence victims, sex workers and ex offenders are at a higher risk of homelessness and 70% of these individuals will be likely to have a mental health condition (Tower Hamlets Homelessness Statement, 2013). As the literature confirms that mental illness is a significant urban health issue among the population of Tower Hamlet accompanied by crucial repercussions such as homelessness, the essay will aim to highlight the ways in which this issue relates to the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Urban Context and Determinants: The literature surrounding homelessness and mental health indicates that factors in the urban context play a major role in the development of this urban health issue. The essay will endeavour to discuss determinants such as poverty, exclusion, attainment and wellbeing, which all hold significant implications for homelessness (Frankish, Hwang & Quantz, 2005). Long term unemployment and overcrowded households have played a major role in the development of mental illnesses, and have even lead to homelessness (NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, 2013). Additional factors such as difficulties in maintaining secure and good quality accommodation due to mental illness will also be discussed in the essay as contributors to homelessness (Breaky, 1992). Moreover, light will also be shed on recent changes to government policy, such as reforms in welfare support and social housing, the recession, and government cuts to public services in the UK, and their impact on those who were mos t vulnerable to homelessness. Individuals with mental health problems have inevitably faced considerable difficulties due to these changes such as understanding when they need to claim the benefits, how the new benefits work, and uncertainty about how the changes will affect their circumstances. In some cases, individuals may also face difficulty getting access to, and using a computer to claim their benefits online (Crisis & MORI, 2002). These issues highlight the high risk of the mentally ill facing homelessness due to financial hardship, and provide an explanation to why there is mental illness among the homeless. Due to the fact that registration to a GP generally requires proof of a home address, homeless people are more likely to access healthcare through emergency services (Crisis & MORI, 2002). This poses problems on both the individual and the general population as the individual may not receive the health advice and respect that they deserve for reasons such as the emergen cy department only being intended for emergency health conditions, and due to social stigma around homelessness; such as the homeless may be associated with mental ill health, substance abuse and lack of hygiene (Riley, Harding, Underwood & Carter, 2003). These factors will be discussed as contributors of poor physical and psychological wellbeing which the homeless individual faces when trying to access public health care. Moreover, the waiting time in emergency departments will affect both the individual and the general public as the individual may not want to seek medical help due to long waiting hours and discrimination, and the general public may have to wait longer to be seen for an emergency due to homeless individuals being seen for general health concerns. Another factor that is aimed to be discussed in the essay is the cost of this urban health issue faced by the National health services. Evidence shows that mental illness for the NHS is costly as it is the largest cause of disability in the UK. Social and informal care for the mentally ill is costing ?22.5 billion, where 13.8% of the national budget is spent on mental health (National Mental Health, 2012). Statistics also show that ?77 billion a year was being spent on welfare benefits for mental illnesses in 2009. The impact of these costs on the national economy was damaging, increasing national debts thus affecting the general population through increases in tax, public services, and as previously mentioned, cuts to national healthcare. Therefore these determinants will also be discussed as contributing factors to the urban health issue. Strategies & Interventions for Critique; Speculated Recommendations & Conclusions: The aim of the paper will be to critique strategies such as the Tower Hamlets Homelessness Statement 2013 to 2017, the Homelessness Act and other interventions that tackle homelessness and mental illness as separate entities (Crisis, 2009). The recommendations I will make will involve coordinated treatment programs (Coldwell & Bender, 2007) such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), which aim to serve psychiatric outpatients whose mental illness causes serious functioning difficulties in aspects of life including work, social relationships, residential independence, money management, and physical health and wellness, all of which can have an impact on housing status (Dixon, 2000). I expect to conclude that ACT is an effective measure in combating the core issues which lead to and maintain homelessness, and aim to recommend that government funding should be utilised to promote programs such as ACT which will make lasting changes in the homeless community. References Bassuk, E.L., Rubin, L. & Lauriat. A.S. (1986). Characteristics of sheltered homeless families. American Journal of Public Health. 76(9). 1097-1101. Breaky, W.R. (1992). Mental Health Services for Homeless People. pp101-107. Cited in: Homelessness: A National Perspective. Eds. Robertson, M.J. & Greenblatt, M. (1992). Coldwell, C.M. & Bender, W.S. (2007). The Effectiveness of Assertive Community Treatment for Homeless Populations With Severe Mental Illness: A Meta-Analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 164(3). 393-399. Communities and Local Government. (2009). Rough Sleeping England – Total Street Count. Retrieved from: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120919132719/http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleeping2009 Accessed: 17th February 2014 Crisis & MORI. (2002). Critical condition: Homeless people’s access to GPs. London. Dixon, L. (2000). Assertive community treatment: Twenty-five years of cold. Psychiatric Services, 51, 759-765. Fazel, S; Khosla, V; Doll, H; Geddes, J (2008). â€Å"The Prevalence of Mental Disorders among the Homeless in Western Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis†. PLoS Med 5 (12). doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050225 Frankish, C.J., Hwang, S.W. & Quantz, D. (2005). Homelessness and Health in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2(96). 23-29. Hwang, S.W. (2001). Homelessness and health. CMAJ. 164(2). 229–233. National Mental Health. (2012). Development Unit. Factfile 3. The costs of mental ill health. Retrieved from: http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/nmhdu-factfile-3.pdf Accessed: 16th February 2014 NHS Tower Hamlets. (2011). Homelessness: Factsheet. Tower Hamlets Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2010 ­2011 . Retrieved from: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=f8390127-f61d-491b-8323-cea75d92a228&version=1. Accessed: 16th February 2014 Riley, A.J., Harding, G., Underwood, M.R., Carter, Y.H. (2003). Homelessness: a problem for primary careBritish Journal of General Practice. 473-479. Tischler, V., Vostanis, P., Bellerby, T. & Cumella, S. (2002). Evaluation of a mental health outreach service for homeless families. Arch Dis Child. 86. 158–163. Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group. (August 2013). Mental Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Tower Hamlets. Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board. Retrieved from: http://www.towerhamletsccg.nhs.uk/Get_Involved/Tower%20Hamlets%20Mental%20Health%20Joint%20Strategic%20Needs%20Assessment%20Part%20One%20-%20Population%20Needs.pdf Accessed: 17th February 2014 Tower Hamlets Homelessness Statement. (2013). 2013 to 2017 Consultation Draft. Retrieved from: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/851900/868_housing_strategy_and_polic/homelessness_strategy.aspx Accessed: 17th February 2014 Rees, S. (2009). Mental Ill Health in the Adult Single Homeless Population: A review of the literature. Crisis, PHRU. Retrieved from: http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Mental%20health%20literature%20review.pdf. Accessed: 16th February 2014 Story, A., Murad, S., Roberts, W., Verheyen, M. & Hayward, A.C. (2007). Tuberculosis in London: the importance of homelessness, problem drug use and prison. Thorax. 62(8). 667-671.

Roper Logan

The model of nursing that I will use for this assignment was originally developed by Roper in 1976. It was then added and updated in 1980, 1981 and 1983 by Roper, Logan & Tierney. The Roper (1996) model offers a framework for nurses so they can check credit is taken into account when undertaking any nursing care plan.There are four main stages of the nursing process as identified by Yaura & Walsh (1978) †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Assessment†¢Planning,†¢Implementation†¢EvaluationDuring any assessment the nurse’s goal is to determine what the patient can & can not do and link that to the activities of daily living (ADL). They will also take into consideration any environmental factors that might affect the individual and their ability to carry out ADLs.The objective in this model of nursing is to be able to identify the patient’s individual needs & lifestyle, and to make a decision on any potential problems related to carrying out ADLs for that person. This model of nur sing has been used in a number of different settings the 12 activities of daily living are related to basic human needs. The 12 activities are:†¢ Maintain a safe environment†¢ Communication†¢ Breathing†¢ Eating & drinking†¢ Mobilisation†¢ Working & playing†¢ Elimination†¢ Washing & Dressing†¢ Controlling Temperature†¢ Expressing sexuality†¢ Sleeping†¢ DyingIn order to maintain patient confidentiality and for the purpose of this assignment, certain personal details of the essay (Care Plan) have been omitted, such as patient name. This is done in accordance with nursing midwifery code of professional conduct (2007) guidelines so I shall use an alias name in the essay (Care Plan) and the patient shall be referred to as Mrs Cullan.In this assignment I shall look at how I, as a student nurse, can make a care plan in relation to one of the 12 activities of daily living. I shall focus on communication for this assignment.Mrs Culla n was a patient, coming into a day procedure unit for cataract extraction surgery, and I followed the patient from admission, into theatre and then into recovery. The patient involved is a 78 year old female; she is a widow and lives alone but has relatives who live near her. She has worn glasses since she was a young girl but lately she has noticed difficulty  reading & watching TV, this was in despite of the fact that she had received a new lens prescription. Mrs Cullan also found that she had to stop driving at nig†¦

Supercuts’ Market Segmentation

All of our target market segments are either of American, Canadian, British, or Puerto Rican nationality and come from lower to middle social classes. Segment 1: 18-50 years old men Supercuts have identified several target market segments that will be pursued. The largest market segment (65%1) are male customers aged between 18 and 50 years old who want to have a current look at an affordable price in a convenient location. These mostly urban area citizens are usually in hurry and aren't too picky with the design of their hair cut. These customers come to the salon on average every two weeks to let their hair cut.They hardly ever buy hair products from the company. Estimate of market size: 42. 3 million (32 million for US only) Support requirements: Supercuts have reasonable prices and have a lot of salons which are located in strip malls to maximize visibility and convenience. With the company, no appointments are necessary so a customer can get his hair done whenever he has few min utes of free time. Positioning statement: â€Å"Quick and fashionable haircut will move you faster on your way to success. † How to reach the segment: * Promotion via email, newsletters * Billboards on freeways, in malls Articles or advertisements in newspapers, magazines * Free haircut events in the malls * Reference rewards Price sensitivity: Because they are coming from lower or middle income category, the customers could be sensitive if the prices rise. However, if the company is loyal to them and they become long-time customers, they will most likely remain with Supercuts because to find a new good salon would take too much effort and time which these men don’t have. Segment 2: Parents of 3-13 years old children Another segment of their target market would be parents of usually younger children, between 3-13 years old.These parents want to get a cute haircut for their children. They require fast service for good price. They expect to bring their kids, get the hair cut done in 5 minutes, and leave. Children don’t like waiting. They require action or entertainment otherwise they will get bored and they will start crying or misbehave. What the parents are looking for is a nice hairdresser who will talk to the child, or who will give them a toy to play while she/he will be working on the child’s haircut. By this both the hairdresser and the parent will avoid stress from having to make the child calmer when he/she doesn’t want to get haircut.Going to hairdresser with a child should be from now a pleasant situation where a parent can relax with a cup of coffee and magazine in the hands, and doesn’t have to feel any negative feelings, inconvenience, or stress. Regarding necessity of getting a haircut, little boys usually need it once in a month or two, girl from two months to a year depending on the haircut. Estimate of market size: 33. 5 million (25 million for US only) Support requirements: Company’s priorities a re to be fast and convenient for an affordable price which will catch the attention of many parents.Hairdressers are very talkative and nice so children will not feel afraid of getting a haircut with them. Supercuts’ staff is trying to build loyalty with their little customers so when they grow up they continue using their services. Positioning Statement: â€Å"With us you can tranquilly drink your cup of coffee while we will be taking care of your child. † How to reach the segment: * TV commercials, advertisements in magazines * Billboards on freeways, in malls * Advertisements directly to mail box Free haircut events for children at elementary and middle schools, sporting ; extracurricular events while having parents present * Reference rewards Price sensitivity: Parents appreciate the convenience of having a stress-free salon visit with their child more than possibly higher prices. On the other hand, Supercuts still must consider the families’ lower or middle class background. Segment 3: Busy parents Third segment would be mothers or fathers with children requiring a lot of attention, especially employed parents for who time is money and who have to take care of their children at the same time, no matter if it is the man or oman taking care. They need to find few minutes in their busy schedule and get a new haircut for themselves. More than for complicated designs, they are looking for an easy haircut. At the same time, they still want to look chic. Estimate of market size: 29 million (23. 5 million for US only) Support requirements: Supercuts’ benefits are an easy access, parking, and the salon’s proximity to other big stores or supermarkets like Wal-Mart and Target. Customers can get their fast haircuts and do household shopping at once.From another point of view, Supercuts are known for staying on top of hairstyle trends, therefore the popularity of these salons increased by the interest of customers who would like to l ook fashionable. Keeping up with the changing trends is essential to the company. â€Å"We added ‘Supercolor’ quick color services since so many customers are now interested in getting highlights† says Alan Storry, the vice president of  Franchise  Development for Regis Corp. 2 At Supercuts, the staff often offer free samples of hair products which especially a lot of women appreciates. Positioning Statement: â€Å"Look chic in less than 20 minutes. How to reach the segment: * Promotion via email, SMS * Advertisements and discount cards in magazines, newspapers * Billboards on freeways, in malls * Reference rewards Price sensitivity: Lower prices are expected for this segment, but it might differ from family to family. Some families have a lot of children therefore they cannot afford getting expensive haircuts, some families have just one child, so even though the parents can still be really busy, they could pay for their haircut a bit more. Sources: 1 http: //www. wikinvest. com/stock/Regis_(RGS)/Supercuts 2 http://www. bison. com/profile_Supercuts_06012007

Role of The Nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Role of The Nurse - Essay Example According to the study a nineteen year old was presented in a dazed and confused state to the emergency ward, as a result of an automobile accident. Physical and radiological examination suggested that there was internal abdominal haemorrhage that would require immediate surgical intervention. The teenager refused treatment and wanted to go home. The emergency physician instructed the emergency nurse to get the boy readied for surgery and the formality of the consent form could be dealt with later.. The emergency nurse refused saying that there were legal and ethical issues involved. The consent form was not a formality, but reflected the dignity of the patient.From this paper it is clear that  the emergency nurse did act as an advocate for the young boy. Patient advocacy by nursing professionals has the tendency to enhance inter-professional conflicts in healthcare and yet, as advocacy is an integral part of nursing, the nursing professional has to stand up for these rights of the patient and expect support from the healthcare system.  From an administrative and legal perspective beneficence is subject to autonomy in other words the patient needs to be convinced that the treatment procedures are in the individuals best interests and be a part of the decision making process and hence the need for informed consent. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code is evolving, with the NMC code 2006 expected in 2008. Till then the NMC code of 2004 continues to be effective.  

Occupy Wall Street Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Occupy Wall Street - Essay Example the 1%) has been challenged by the widespread Occupy movement, causing a social disruption. This presents a climate of tension that serves as an opportunity for Apple to capitalize on the dissenting market by altering their brand strategy to gain an appropriate association with the new ideology. The current electronic rebel/technologically superior image of the company is almost ideal for the current climate, but the company will need to identify directly with the movement or face being placed in the unpopular â€Å"big business† category. Apple’s offerings are already linked with the youth/pop culture through their current strategy, so they may promote their part in contributing to the development by making communication more accessible. This approach would be utilizing a media myth (that electronic devices make communication easier to use and obtain) as well brand assets. The Apple brand is also well connected to the notion of deviance by way of another myth. Using Apple’s products was once considered a very rare occurrence, and they have managed to continue this rebel image throughout their immense success. Identifying the brand with rebellion offers the company another direct path to connecting with the Occupy movement by building from a myth and already established company resources. In the end, the Occupy movement may prove to be less impacting that originally assessed, and companies may be faced with the consequences of any major changes to brand strategies that took place solely because of the event. Since they theoretically do not have to change a lot, Apple’s current brand strategies have the company well positioned to capitalize on the popularity of the movement while absorbing little to no loss should the Occupy phenomenon fizzle in

ASSIGNMENT ( The judiciary as a referee ) Essay

ASSIGNMENT ( The judiciary as a referee ) - Essay Example It plays the role of a neutral arbiter, or a referee in any dispute before it, by applying the law as it is to the facts before it. The judiciary is vested with the powers to interpret the law. The Supreme Court is the court of last resort as far as interpretation of the law is concerned. The duty of the court is to interpret the statute law from parliament, to affect the purpose and intention of the parliament. The judiciary cannot make law. If the parliament is not satisfied with the way the court interprets the law, it can make law to quash the court’s interpretation. As a referee, it is the judiciary’s role to determine who should do what, or which state of affairs should prevail in any dispute that is presented before it, that is, it makes decisions. In essence, it arbitrates disputes that arise over facts and law. In doing so, the judiciary should apply the law, and should not let the personal opinion of individual judges or their bias to influence the outcome of the court. Everyone should be treated equally before the law, and it should act without fear or favour. The New Zealand legal system is an adversarial one and, therefore, the judge’s duty is just to hear cases presented by both sides, and plays minimal role as far as evidence adducing is concerned. To add, they should not make law or policy that should be a reserve of the parliament. ... In doing so, the court can never question the validity of the Acts that have been passed by parliament. The court has jurisdiction to look into administrative decisions of public officials to ensure that they observe the law. The courts role is to ensure that the public officers execute their mandate in good faith, without malice, and pursuant to the law. In R v Somerset County Council, ex parte Fewings [1995] 1 All ER 513, 524, stated that any action taken by a public official must be justified by a positive law. The court also has a duty to enforce and uphold personal liberty and human rights that are enshrined in the law: to wit the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 and the Magna Carta 1215, which still applies in New Zealand. Therefore, it is the courts duty to enforce human rights and to prevent the government from abrogating human rights. In Attorney General V Chapman [2011] NZSC 110, the court held that the bill of rights does not apply to the judges in discharge of their du ties. It relied on the common law protections under the judicial immunity to render New Zealand Bill of Rights’ remedies available for breach of rights by the New Zealand judges nugatory. Nevertheless, the judiciary, as a referee, it should not make laws. In essence it does, through the doctrine of precedence. For instance, the court in Fitzgerald v Muldoon [1976] 2 NZLR 615), made a decision that is considered to be part of the constitutional law. In this case, the court held that the Prime Minister had no powers to suspend law. He stated that sentiments made by the Prime Minister to that effect were contrary to the bills of right of 1688 that prohibited public authorities from suspending the law.

Accounting Disclosures In Context Of Corporate Governance Coursework

Accounting Disclosures In Context Of Corporate Governance - Coursework Example Firstly, the framework of corporate governance should ensure that timely and accurate disclosures are made on all material matters. These matters relate to the financial situation of a company, its performance, ownership, and governance. This principle ensures that an entity will disclose all material information in its financial statements that will be used by shareholders or prospective clients to make decisions. Secondly, the corporate governance framework should ensure the strategic guidance of the company, the effective monitoring of management by the board and the board's accountability to the shareholders. This means that management will always be on their toes to ensure that the operations of the company are well coordinated since the board of directors monitors them. Hence, appropriate disclosures are likely to be made due to the oversight role of the board. In conclusion, the attempts that have been made to improve accounting disclosures have been beneficial to the business world. According to Oppermann, this is because; various stakeholders have attained their goals through appropriate disclosures. Through corporate governance, managers have taken more responsibility and accountability in their roles in businesses as well as the board of directors. In overall, the public has gained more confidence in financial information published by companies, as they are aware that disclosures have been made guided by corporate governance principles and the accounting standards.

The Benefits of NAFTA and CAFTA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Benefits of NAFTA and CAFTA - Essay Example Farmers, workers and manufacturers benefit from the reduction of arbitrary and discriminatory trade rules, while consumers enjoy lower prices and more choices. By strengthening the rules and procedures governing trade and investment on this continent, the NAFTA has allowed trade and investment flows in North America to skyrocket. According to figures of the International Monetary Fund, total trade among the three NAFTA countries has more than doubled, passing from US$306 billion in 1993 to almost US$621 billion in 2002. That's US$1.2 million every minute. NAFTA has been a huge success for the U.S. and its NAFTA partners. It has helped Americans work smarter, earn more and increase purchasing power. It has contributed to more trade, higher productivity, better jobs, and higher wages. In ten years of NAFTA, total trade among the three countries has more than doubled, from $306 billion to $621 billion in 2003. That's $1.7 billion in trade every day. U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico gre w from $142 billion to $263 billion in NAFTA's first ten years. And Mexican exports to the U.S. grew 242 percent, improving lives and reducing poverty in Mexico. The DR-CAFTA, the treaty originally encompassed the United States and the Central American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Then in 2005, the Dominican Republic joined the negotiations, and treaty became known as DR-CAFTA. The CAFTA-DR is the second largest U.S. export market in Latin America, behind only Mexico, buying more than $16 billion in U.S. exports. Successful CAFTA-DR implementation is critical to the broader U.S. policy goals for the Americas of strengthening democratic governance, expanding economic opportunity, and investing in people. CAFTA would require market liberalization for the majority of goods and services in Central America. In return, the U.S. has promised increased market access for certain sectors in Central America, including textiles and a limited increase in sugar quotas. To add, CAFTA is important to the DR-CAFTA countries' own businesses, enabling them to increase productivity and increasing the skills of millions of workers as new foreign businesses and new technologies enter their economies. With higher skills, workers will be more valuable and earn more money, increasing their living standards. As living standards rise and people enjoy better lives, their interest in preserving these benefits also increases. Because they have more to lose from a crisis, they strive to preserve peace and stability. As a result, the likelihood of civil conflict decreases. At the same time, the improved domestic situation reduces the incentives to leave home in search of a better life elsewhere.According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1997) more workers in more firms in more countries derive their livelihood from cross-border trade and investment activity. Trade and investment have become major engines of growth in developed and developing countries alike. The volume of world merchandise trade is today about sixteen times what it was in 1950, a period during which the value of w orld output increased by a factor of 5.5. The period since 1950 saw a near doubling, from 8 to 15 per cent, of the ratio of world merchandise exports to global production. Most remarkable has been the

Visi a place of worship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visi a place of worship - Essay Example I had the chance for this reason to visit the Greater Baltimore Temple located in Finksburg, Maryland not once but twice. My first visitation to the Greater Baltimore Temple was on the occasion of the Divali celebration (or Diwali as the poster at the temple said). For the Hindus, Diwali iss marked as most respectable festival and holy of the year, and it’s usually celebrated for five days. After my first visit, I was notified by the staff that there was going to be a traditional Hindu marriage on Saturday. I came back with the intention of observing the event and to carefully study on the building structure and the deities’ statutes since it was crowded (during the Divali). This paper is focused on my reflection from what I observed on my visitation to the Greater Baltimore Temple. According to the website of the temple, â€Å"In the early 1990s, several dedicated members of the Hindu-Jain community felt the need for a place of worship and to preserve our heritage for future generations† (Elfenbein, pg. 18). During my second visit, I had the opportunity to ask the elderly members in the temple some of my main concerns. For them, the temple not only serves as the worshiping place for the Hindu, but also as the meeting place for the Indian immigrants in the Washington D.C. and the Baltimore areas. Being an international student from India; therefore, I also share the same feeling like that of the Indian immigrant. For someone visiting United States from outside, she or he is most likely to appreciate the ordinary things/events that happen in her/his home and tends to form a community that represents one’s identity. During my visitation I had the chance to talk to young Indian parents about the relationship of the temple and their children. Since ch ildren are the third generation of the Indian immigrant, they are already fit in and influenced by the culture of the

Analyse the dramatic Essay Example for Free

Analyse the dramatic Essay Analyse the dramatic importance of the end of act one of  A View from the Bridge  Aurther Miller is play writer of A View from the Bridge who uses a range of technique to illustrate the importance of the play, such as stage directions and language.  At the end of act 1, Miller creates an atmosphere that Alfieri is weak where he says I was so powerless indicating that even a lawyer who should be confident on what to do, was clueless. Further to this there is a suspense tension on what will happen next, where Alfieri visits an old lady to question about the fate of Eddie Carbone. The last statement of Alfieri after his discussion with the lady ends with, And so I waited here which gives a sense to the audience that Alfieri himself fears that a disaster will happen and so we are curious and anxious to find out.  In the next part of the extract, it opens up as they are a big ecstatic family, as normally Catherine boosts about Rodolfo about what he did. They went to Africa once. On a fishing boat (Eddie Glances at her) its true Eddie representing Eddie doesnt really want to know what they did. As the family talk about what the 2 submarines, Rodolfo doest want to contribute in the conversation therefore he sits near Catherine while she is reading a magazine On stage while they were Talking about fishing boats Eddie especially concentrates on what Marco says and replies back to him in a very quick speed, Marco: sardines. Eddie: sure. (laughing) how are you gonna catch sardines on a hook? Seeing that the 2 boys were having an argument. Beatrice steps in and tries to change the subject.  The mood and atmosphere is very cheerful as Catherine goes on about Rodolfos adventure. Eddie then jokes about that they paint oranges to make them look like oranges Marco then reacts to eddies joke thinking that he is telling the truth. Rodolfo is helping his brother by changing the subject lemons are green there becomes a conflict between Rodolfo and Eddie .he therefore reveals his ignorance for Christ sake

Extraction of Essential Oils Using Steam Distillation

Extraction of Essential Oils Using Steam Distillation Acknowledging about the importance of plants and its medicinal value research work is being done on the plant material. There are also over 200 references to aromatics, incense and ointments in the Old and New Testaments; Frankincense, Myrrh, Galbanum, Cinnamon, Cassia, Rosemary, Hyssop and Spikenard are noted for being used for anointing rituals and healing of the sick. Research has confirmed centuries of practical use of essential oils, and we now know that the fragrant pharmacy contains compounds with an extremely broad range of biochemical effects. The oils normally bear the name of the plant species from which they are derived. Essential oils are so termed as they are believed to represent the very essence of odor and flavor. The recovery of essential oil (the value added product) from the raw botanical starting material is very important since the quality of the oil is greatly influenced during this step. There are a variety of methods for obtaining volatile oils from plants. S team distillation method is found to be one of the promising techniques for the extraction of essential oil from plants as reputable distiller will preserve the original qualities of the plant and is being done in Clevenger apparatus. Analysis of Essential oil is done Gas Chromatography which gives us some indications of the quality and authenticity of the oil. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Essential oils contain highly volatile substances that are isolated by a physical method or process from plants of a single botanical species. The oils normally bear the name of the plant species from which they are derived. Essential oils are so termed as they are believed to represent the very essence of odor and flavor. Essential oil plants and culinary herbs include a broad range of plant species that are used for their aromatic value as flavorings in foods and beverages and as fragrances in pharmaceutical and industrial products. Essential oils derive from aromatic plants of many genera distributed worldwide. Oils are used in the embalming process, in medicine and in purification rituals. There are also over 200 references to aromatics, incense and ointments in the Old and New Testaments. Research has confirmed centuries of practical use of Essential Oils, and we now know that the fragrant pharmacy contains compounds with an extremely broad range of biochemical effects. There are about three hundred essential oils in general use today by professional practitioners. Continual bombardment of viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal contamination occurs in our body. Essential oils are a great benefit to help protect our bodies and homes from this onslaught of pathogens. Immune system needs support and these essential oils can give the required endorsement. [1] Steam distillation is used in the extraction of Essential Oil from the plant material. It is a special type of distillation or a separation process for temperature sensitive materials like oils, resins, hydrocarbons, etc. which are insoluble in water and may decompose at their boiling point. The fundamental nature of steam distillation is that it enables a compound or mixture of compounds to be distilled at a temperature substantially below that of the boiling point(s) of the individual constituent(s). Essential Oil contains components with boiling points up to 200 °C or higher temperatures. In the presence of steam or boiling water, however, these substances are volatilized at a temperature close to 100 °C, at atmospheric pressure. [2] Analysis of Essential Oil is done by using Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometer. The qualitative and quantitative analysis is done to know the constituents in the oil and the percentage of components present in the oil respectively, by doing so we can know the purity of that particular oil. [3] CHAPTER 2:  LITERATURE REVIEW It is estimated that there are 250,000 to 500,000 species of plants on Earth. A relatively small percentage (1 to 10%) of these is used as foods by both humans and other animal species. It is possible that even more are used for medicinal purposes (Moerman, D. E. 1996). Moerman (1996) reported that while 625 species of plants have been used by various Native American groups as food, 2,564 have found use as drugs. According to his calculations, this leaves approximately 18,000 species of plants which were used for neither food nor drugs. [4] Plant oils and extracts have been used for a wide variety of purposes for many thousands of years (Jones 1996). These purposes vary from the use of rosewood and cedar wood in perfumery, to flavoring drinks with lime, fennel or juniper berry oil, and the application of lemongrass oil for the preservation of stored food crops. In particular, the antimicrobial activity of plant oils and extracts has formed the basis of many applications, including raw and processed food preservation, pharmaceuticals, alternative medicine and natural therapies. Since ancient times, herbs and their essential oils have been known for their varying degrees of antimicrobial activity. More recently, medicinal plant extracts were developed and proposed for use in food as natural antimicrobials. 2.1 DEFINITION: An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the oil of the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. Oil is essential in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant. [5] Essential oils are frequently referred to as the life force of plants. These essential oils are extracted from flowers, leaves, stems, roots, seeds, bark, and fruit rinds. The amount of essential oils found in these plants can be anywhere from 0.01 percent to 10 percent of the total. These oils have potent antimicrobial factors, having wide range of therapeutic constituents. These oils are often used for their flavor and their therapeutic or odoriferous properties, in a wide selection of products such as foods, medicine, and cosmetics. Only pure oils contain a full spectrum of compounds that cheap imitations simply cannot duplicate. [5] 2.2 CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF ESSENTIAL OILS: An Essential Oil contains more than 200 chemical components, but some are many times more complex. Essential oils consist of chemical compounds which have hydrogen, carbon and oxygen as their building blocks. They can be essentially classified into two groups: Volatile fraction: Essential oil constituting of 90-95% of the oil in weight, containing the monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, as well as their oxygenated derivatives along with aliphatic aldehydes, alcohols, and esters. Nonvolatile residue: This comprises 1-10% of the oil, containing hydrocarbons, fatty acids, sterols, carotenoids, waxes, and flavonoids. However the properties of these components can change. For example, the components from the oils extracted from plants can change according to how, when and where these plants are grown and harvested. [6] The constituents can be again subdivided into 2 groups, such as the hydrocarbons which are made up of mostly terpenes and the oxygenated compounds which are mainly alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, phenols and oxides. Some of the common components are listed below along with their properties. Alcohols: Alcohols are generally considered safe and have a very low or totally absent toxic reaction in the body or on the skin and so can be used on children. They are extremely useful due to their antiviral, antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Alcohols are present either as a free compound or combined with a terpene or ester and are found in ylang -ylang and lavender as linalool, geraniol in geranium and palmarosa and citronellol found in rose, lemon and eucalyptus. Other alcohols include menthol, nerol and benzyl alcohol. Alderhydes: Alderhydes are found in lemon-scented oils such as Melissa, lemon verbena, citronella etc. and include citral, citronellal and neral. They generally have sedative qualities with specific antiseptic properties. Other known alderhydes include benzaldehyde, cinnamic alderhyde and perillaldehyde. Essential oils containing alderhydes are helpful in treating inflammation, Candida and viral infections. [6] Hydrocarbon: Building blocks of Essential Oil are hydrogen and carbon. Basic Hydrocarbon found in plants is isoprene having the following structure. (Isoprene) Terpenes: These components generally have names ending with ene. Some of them are limonene, pinene, piperene, camphene etc. These components act as an antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral and bactericidal. These are further categorized into monoterpene, sesquiterpene and diterpenes. When two of the isoprene units are joined head to tail, the result is a monoterpene, when three are joined, its a sesquiterpene and similarly four linked isoprene units are diterpenes. Monoterpene [C10H16]: Monoterpene are naturally occurring compounds, the majority being unsaturated hydrocarbons (C10).But some of their oxygenated derivatives such as alcohols, Ketones, and carboxylic acids known as monoterpenoids. (Limonene) (Menthol) Two isoprene units are present in these branched-chain C10 hydrocarbons and are widely distributed in nature with more than 400 naturally occurring monoterpenes. Moreover, besides being linear derivatives (Geraniol, Citronellol), the monoterpenes can be cyclic molecules (Menthol Monocyclic; Camphor bicyclic; Pinenes (ÃŽÂ ± and ÃŽÂ ²) Pine genera as well. Thujone (a monoterpene) is the toxic agent found in Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) from which the liqueur absinthe, is made. Borneol and camphor are two common monoterpenes. Borneol, derived from pine oil is used as a disinfectant and deodorant. Camphor is used as a counterirritant, anesthetic, expectorant, and antipruritic, among many other uses. Sesquiterpene: Sesquiterpenes are biogenetically derived from farensyl pyrophosphate and in structure may be linear, monocyclic or bicyclic. They constitute a very large group of secondary metabolites, some having been shown to be stress compounds formed as a result of disease or injury. These are having properties like anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, analgesic and anti-allergic. Sesquiterpene Lactones: These are available as farnesene in chamomile and lavender. They not only have proved to be of interest from chemical and chemotaxonomic point of view, but also possess many antitumor, anti-leukemia, cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities. Chemically the compounds can be classified according to their carboxylic skeletons; thus, guaianolides, pseudoguaianolides, eudesmanolides, eremophilanolides, xanthanolides, etc. can be derived from the germacranolides. Structural features of all these compounds are associated with much of the biological activity. For example beta-caryophyllene in basil and black pepper Diterpenes: Isoprene has been an integral part in most of the components as there are four isoprene units in Diterpenes. By Stem Distillation method we cannot detect Diterpenes as this molecule is too heavy to allow for evaporation, so it is rarely found in distilled Essential Oils. Diterpenes occur in all plant families and consist of compounds having a C20 skeleton. There are about 2500 known Diterpenes that belong to 20 major structural types. Derivatives of Diterpenes are plant hormones Gibberellins and phytol occurring as a side chain on chlorophyll. The biosynthesis occurs in plastids and interestingly mixtures of monoterpenes and diterpenes are the major constituents of plant resins. In a similar manner to monoterpenes, Diterpenes arise from metabolism of geranyl geranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). Therapeutically Diterpenes have limited importance and are used in certain sedatives (coughs) as well as in antispasmodics and anxiolytics. Alcohols: Naturally Alcohols exist either as a free compound or combined with a terpenes or ester. When terpenes are attached to an oxygen atom, and hydrogen atom, the result is an alcohol. When the terpene is monoterpene, the resulting alcohol is called a monoterpenol. Alcohols are not and are suitable to body or skin. Therefore, they are considered safe to use. Some of these properties are anti-septic, anti-viral, bactericidal and germicidal. Some of the examples are linalool found in ylang-ylang and lavender, geraniol in geranium and rose and nerol in neroli. Aldehydes: Aldehyde containing Essential Oils are effective in treating candida and other fungal infections. Some of these properties are anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, anti-viral, bactericidal, disinfectant, and sedative. Aldehydes are present as citral in lemon, Citronellal in lemongrass, lemon balm and citrus eucalyptus. Acids: Generally Organic acids are found in very small quantities in their free state within Essential Oils. Plant acids act as components or buffer systems to control acidity. These also act anti-inflammatory. Examples are cinnamic and benzoic acid in benzoin, Citric and lactic. Esters: Esters are formed through the reaction of alcohols with acids. Essential oils containing esters are used for their soothing, balancing effects. Because of the presence of alcohol, they are effective antimicrobial agents. Medicinally, esters are characterized as antifungal and sedative, with a balancing action on the nervous system. They generally are free from precautions with the exception of methyl salicylate found in birch and wintergreen which is toxic within the system. Examples are linlyl acetate in bergamot and lavender and Geranyl formate in geranium. Ketones: Ketones found in plants are used for upper respiratory complaints. They assist the flow of mucus and ease congestion. Essential oils containing ketones are beneficial for promoting wound healing and encouraging the formation of scar tissue. Ketones are (not always) very toxic. The most toxic ketone is Thujone found in mugwort, sage, tansy, thuja and wormwood oils. Other toxic ketones found in essential oils are pulegone in pennyroyal, and pinocamphone in hyssops. Some non-toxic ketones are jasmone in jasmine oil, fenchone in fennel oil, carvone in spearmint and dill oil and menthone in peppermint oil. Lactones: Lactones are known to be particularly effective for their anti-inflammatory action, possibly by their role in the reduction of prostaglandin synthesis and expectorant actions. Lactones have an even stronger expectorant action than ketones. [Previous thesis] 2.3 ADVANTAGES OF ESSENTIAL OIL: AROMATHERAPHY: Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a persons mood, cognitive function or health. Science has discovered that our sense of smell plays a significant role in our overall health. Since ancient times Essential Oils have been used in medicine because of their medicinal properties, for example some oils have antiseptic properties. In addition, many have an uplifting effect on the mind, though different essential oils have different properties. Working of Essential Oil in Aromatherapy: when Essential Oil is inhaled it goes directly from olfactory system to limbic system of the brain. Brain responds to the particular scent affecting our emotions and chemical balance. Essential Oils also absorbed by the skin and carried throughout the body via the circulatory system to reach all internal organs. We can be benefited by choosing carefully the desired and suitable oils which can promote overall health. Benefits depend upon the unique nature of each persons response to an aromatic stimulus. [1] Importance of Essential Oil in pharmaceutics: Essential Oils have versatile applications in pharmaceutics. Some of the applications are listed below. Antiseptics: The antiseptic properties of Essential Oil make them active against wide range of bacteria as on antibiotic resistant strains. In addition to this they are also against fungi and yeasts. The most common sources of essential oils used as antiseptics are: Cinnamon, Thyme, Clover, Eucalyptus, Culin savory, Lavender. Citral, geraniol, linalool and thymol are much more potent than phenol. [1] Expectorants and diuretics: When used externally, essential oils like (Lessence de terebenthine) increase microcirculation and provide a slight local anesthetic action. Till now, essential oils are used in a number of ointments, cream and gels, whereby they are known to be very effective in relieving sprains and other articular pains. Oral administration of essential oils like eucalyptus or pin oils, stimulate ciliated epithelial cells to secrete mucus. On the renal system, these are known to increase vasodilation and in consequence bring about a diuretic effect. Spasmolytic and sedative: Essential oils from the Umbellifereae family, Mentha species and verbena are reputed to decrease or eliminate gastrointestinal spasms. These essential oils increase secretion of gastric juices. In other cases, they are known to be effective against insomnia. METHODS OF EXTRACTION: The following are the methods of extraction of Essential Oil and their drawbacks. 2.4.1 Solvent-Extraction: In the Solvent-Extraction method of Essential Oils recovery, an extracting unit is loaded with perforated trays of essential oil plant material and repeatedly washed with the solvent. A hydrocarbon solvent is used for extraction. All the extractable material from the plant is dissolved in the solvent. This includes highly volatile aroma molecules as well as non-aroma waxes and pigments. The extract is distilled to recover the solvent for future use. The waxy mass that remains is known as the concrete. The concentrated concretes are further processed to remove the waxy materials which dilute the pure essential oil. To prepare the absolute from the concrete, the waxy concrete is warmed and stirred with alcohol (ethanol). During the heating and stirring process the concrete breaks up into minute globules. Since the aroma molecules are more soluble in alcohol than the waxes, an efficient separation of the two results. This is not considered the best method for extraction as the solvents can leave a small amount of residue behind which could cause allergies and effect the immune system. 2.4.2 Maceration: Maceration actually creates more of infused oil rather than an Essential Oil. Plant matter is soaked in vegetable oil, heated and strained at which point it can be used for massage. This method is not desirable because it changes the composition of oil. 2.4.2 Cold Pressing: This method is used to extract the Essential Oils from citrus rinds such as orange, lemon, grapefruit and bergamot. This method involves the simple pressing of the rind at about 120 degrees F to extract the oil. The rinds are separated from the fruit, are ground or chopped and are then pressed. The result is a watery mixture of essential oil and liquid which will separate given time. Little alteration from the oils original state occurs these citrus oils retain their bright, fresh, uplifting aromas like that of smelling a wonderfully ripe fruit. The drawback of this method is, oils extracted using this method have a relatively short shelf life. 2.4.3 Effleurage: This is one of the traditional ways of extracting oil from flowers. The process involves layering fat over the flower petals. After the fat has absorbed the essential oils, alcohol is used to separate and extract the oils from the fat. The alcohol is then evaporated and the Essential Oil is collected. 2.4.4 Super Critical CO2 Extraction: Supercritical CO2 extraction (SCO2) involves carbon dioxide heated to 87 degrees F and pumped through the plant material at around 8,000 psi, under these conditions; the carbon dioxide is likened to a dense fog or vapor. With release of the pressure in either process, the carbon dioxide escapes in its gaseous form, leaving the Essential Oil behind. The usual method of extraction is through steam distillation. After extraction, the properties of a good quality essential oil should be as close as possible to the essence of the original plant. The key to a good essential oil is through low pressure and low temperature processing. High temperatures, rapid processing and the use of solvents alter the molecular structure, will destroy the therapeutic value and alter the fragrance. 2.4.5 Turbo Distillation Extraction: Turbo distillation is suitable for hard-to-extract or coarse plant material, such as bark, roots, and seeds. In this process, the plants soak in water and steam is circulated through this plant and water mixture. Throughout the entire process, the same water is continually recycled through the plant material. This method allows faster extraction of essential oils from hard-to-extract plant materials. Dr.A.Sahoo et al have studied that Steam Distillation is a special type of distillation or a separation process for temperature sensitive materials like oils, resins, hydrocarbons, etc. which are insoluble in water and may decompose at their boiling point. The temperature of the steam must be high enough to vaporize the oil present, yet not so high that it destroys the plants or burns the essential oils. The experiment has been carried out for the extraction of oil from Eucalyptus which has high essential oil content. Such Eucalyptus essential oil, which have been used as perfume and chemical raw materials for a long time, are now been studied as renewable sources of energy. G. Anitescu et al have studied that ripe fruits of Coriander sativum L. were extracted by steam distillation and by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), using CO2 in a two-stage separation system. An inexpensive thermal expansion procedure for supercritical fluid delivery has been developed. The identification of components was performed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC ±MS). The percentage composition of the 40 identified compounds was compared with the composition of commercial coriander oil extracted by hydro distillation. Roy Teranishi et al have studied that system combines steam distillation and liquid-liquid extraction to recover volatiles from fats and oils. Oil is pumped in at the top of a spinning-band distillation column, in which the oil is heated to100 C and spread to a thin film. As the oil film drops down to the pot, steam, which is introduced at the bottom, travels upward to strip the volatiles from the oil. The steam distillate is extracted in a liquid-liquid extractor incorporated in the system, and the extracted water is recycled as steam. Stripped oil in the pot serves as a liquid seal to force steam up the column. The level of the oil in the pot is maintained automatically by an overflow system. Many liters of oil can be pumped through this system to be stripped of volatiles by steam. The volatiles can be isolated easily from the small amount of solvent recycled in the liquid-liquid extractor. Referring to the above literature review, it was found that Steam Distillation method is an appropriate and economical method for extraction of Essential Oil. 2.4.6 Extraction of Essential Oils Using Steam distillation Method: Steam distillation is a special type of distillation or a separation process for temperature sensitive materials like oils, resins, hydrocarbons, etc. which are insoluble in water and may decompose at their boiling point. The fundamental nature of steam distillation is that it enables a compound or mixture of compounds to be distilled at a temperature substantially below that of the boiling point(s) of the individual constituent(s). Essential oils contain substances with boiling points up to 200 °C or higher temperatures. In the presence of steam or boiling water, however, these substances are volatilized at a temperature close to 100 °C, at atmospheric pressure. Fresh, or sometimes dried, botanical material is placed in the plant chamber of the still and the steam is allows to pass through the herb material under pressure which softens the cells and allows the Essential Oil to escape in vapor form. The temperature of the steam must be high enough to vaporize the oil present, yet not so high that it destroys the plants or burns the Essential Oils.  Besides the steam tiny droplets of Essential Oil evaporates and travel through a tube into the stills condensation chamber. Here Essential Oil vapors condense with the steam.   The essential oil forms a film on the surface of the water.  To separate the Essential Oil from the water, the film is then decanted or skimmed off the top.  The remaining water, a byproduct of distillation, is called floral water, distillate, or hydrosol. It retains many of the therapeutic properties of the plant, making it valuable in skin care for facial mists and toners (A solution containing chemicals that can c hange the color of a photographic  print).   In certain situations, floral water may be preferable to be pure essential oil, such as when treating a sensitive individual or a child, or when a more diluted treatment is required. Rose hydrosol, for example, is commonly used for its mild antiseptic and soothing properties, as well as its pleasing floral aroma. A number of factors determine the final quality of a steam distilled essential oil. Apart from the plant material, most important are time, temperature and pressure, and the quality of the distillation equipment. Essential oils are very complex products. Each is made up of many, sometimes hundreds, of distinct molecules which come together to form the oils aroma and therapeutic properties. Some of these molecules are fairly delicate structures which can be altered or destroyed by adverse environmental conditions. So, much like a fine meal is more flavorful when made with patience, most oils benefit from a long, slow cooking process. It is possible that longer distillation times may give more complete oil. It is also possible however, that longer distillation time may lead to the accumulation of more artifacts than normal. This may have a curious effect of appearing to improving the odor, as sometimes when materials that have a larger number of components are sniffed, the perception i s often of slightly increased sophistication, added fullness and character, and possibly, and extra pleasantness. Advantages of using Steam Distillation: The advantage of Steam Distillation is that it is a relatively cheap process to operate at a basic level, and the properties of oils produced by this method are not altered. As steam reduces the boiling point of a particular component of the oil, it never decomposes in this method. This method apart from being economical, it is also relatively faster than other methods. CHAPTER 3:  EXPERIMENTAL WORK 3.1 Experimental Setup: The schematic diagram of experimental setup is shown below. The experiment was conducted in a Clevengers Apparatus. Apparatus consist of one round bottom flask of 1000ml which is connected with another two way round flask which holds raw material. The top flask is connected with condenser through the connecter. The separating funnel is used for the separation of essential oil and water. 3.2 Experimental Procedure: Fresh leaves (rosemary) or bark (cinnamon) are cut into pieces less than 2 X 2 cm within half a day after collection and 150-200 g boiled with 500 ml of distilled water in a Clevenger apparatus until oil distillation ceased after 5-6 h. The volume of essential oils was determined from a calibrated trap. The essential oils in the distillate were dried over anhydrous Na2SO4 and kept in the freezer. 3.3 Analysis of Essential Oils: Analysis of Essential Oil was done using Gas Chromatography with Mass spectrometer to know the composition of oil and to the quantity of each composition. 3.3.1 Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is a method that combines the features of gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Applications of GC-MS include drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, explosives investigation, and identification of unknown samples. Additionally, it can identify trace elements in materials that were previously thought to have disintegrated beyond identification. [7] Instrumentation: The GC-MS is composed of two major building blocks: the gas chromatograph and the mass spectrometer. The gas chromatograph utilizes a capillary column which depends on the columns dimensions (length, diameter, film thickness) as well as the phase properties (e.g. 5% phenyl polysiloxane). The difference in the chemical properties between different molecules in a mixture will separate the molecules as the sample travels the length of the column. The molecules take different amounts of time (called the retention time) to come out of (elute from) the gas chromatograph, and this allows the mass spectrometer downstream to capture, ionize, accelerate, deflect, and detect the ionized molecules separately. The mass spectrometer does this by breaking each molecule into ionized fragments and detecting these fragments using their mass to charge ratio. These two components, used together, allow a much finer degree of substance identification than either unit used separately. It is not possible to make an accurate identification of a particular molecule by gas chromatography or mass spectrometry alone. The mass spectrometry process normally requires a very pure sample while gas chromatography using a traditional detector (e.g. Flame Ionization Detector) detects multiple molecules that happen to take the same amount of time to travel through the column (i.e. have the same retention time) which results in two or more molecules to co-elute. Sometimes two different molecules can also have a similar pattern of ionized fragments in a mass spectrometer (mass spectrum). Combining the two processes makes it extremely unlikely that two different molecules will behave in the same way in both a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer. Therefore when an identifying mass spectrum appears at a characteristic retention time in a GC-MS analysis, it typically lends to increased certainty that the analyte of interest is in the sample. [7] 3.4 Experimental Observation: Experiment had been conducted using different plant materials at different temperatures and time of heating, keeping pressure constant (atmospheric pressure). CHAPTER 4:  RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Inferences: Volume of Essential Oil obtained from a particular plant material was different for different temperatures and at a particular temperature for different time of heating. Volume of Essential Oil obtained is less in comparison to hydrosol of the same plant material. Its variation along with temperature and time of heating is shown in graphs drawn below. 4.1.1 Graph showing variation of Volume of Essential Oil against Temperature, obtained from Orange peels. From the graph we can observe that volume of Essential Oil obtained from orange peels is almost increasing linearly with Temperature, if we ignore the slight decline in volume at 900C. The decline may be due to leakage of vapor during Steam Distillation or because of improper decantation. 4.1.2 Graph showing variation of Volume of Essential Oil against Temperature, obtained from Eucalyptus leaves. From the above graph we can observe that volume of Essential Oil obtained is negligible before the components of the oil reach to their boiling

what we ought to eat :: essays research papers

Christine Cuomo spoke about many interesting topics on what we ought to eat. She presented a very good argument on how eating meet is what we should no be eating and that rather more healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables are better for us in several ways and for many reasons. Christine is an ethics professor at the University of Cincinnati and during here presentation she made arguments that were somewhat controversial about what people ought to eat and what they shouldn’t ought to eat; and why. Even though some of here argument were controversial she seemed to put her perspective in very understandable ways that even those against her position would still enjoy hearing what she has to say. She is a vegetarian but is not one to force the idea on you, and she still eats cheese and drink milk. She talks about how animals are slaughtered for food and its not fair to them. She presents an argument on how butchers treat animals horribly and even though they are a source fo r our food they is no reason for animal brutality. During the presentation there was a picture of a high pile of pigs slaughtered. The picture was quite grossum and didn’t need much words to tell the story. Animals are just treated very violently as if they have no type of feeling for pain. This is not right. Personally I would like to see animals treated better before they are slaughtered because they have feelings of pain just as we do. I wish more people, including myself, can have the will power to stop eating meet to send a message to their butchers and factories that are displaying such animal brutality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being a vegetarian is tuff, especially if your from a nonvegeatarian family. However, Christine made her argument not only how meatless foods are good, but how simply eating less is a good start. Its hard to ask someone to top eating meet but it’s a nice gesture to try to eat less. Eating less helps, less animals will be needed to food and maybe a message will be sent to those who practice brutal ways on animals. One interesting point was that animal eat a lot. And its better for the world to have them dead then alive and eating more. This is not a right way to think. Animals were put on this earth by the same supreme being that put us on this earth.

Ephedrine: The Weight Loss Wonder Drug? Essay -- Health Diet Papers

Ephedrine: The Weight Loss Wonder Drug An increasing number of people are using products to enhance their diets. A recent estimate indicates, â€Å"Americans are spending some $6 billion annually on nutritional supplements, and the market is growing by 20% every year† (Zahn, 1997). Of these supplements, the increase in herbal remedy use is most dramatic. Zahn holds that the increase can be attributed to the widely held belief that herbal substances are healthy and harmless because of their natural origins (1997). Unfortunately, research on these supplements, herbal or otherwise, has not transmitted to the public as quickly as the diet enhancers themselves. The phenomenon leaves many consumers misguided by skewed advertising and uninformed about the potential risks involved in ingesting these seemingly harmless, over the counter substances. The following is an attempt to look at one particular herbal supplement, Ma-Huang (active ingredient, ephedrine), more critically. THE CLAIMS: What is MaHuang? MaHuang is an herbal supplement found in products such as Metabolife and SoBeTrim, which claim to stimulate weight loss. It is available in the form of a pill, a powder, or a liquid and is often used in combination with other drugs such as caffeine and aspirin. In addition to being used in weight loss supplements, MaHuang is also promoted as â€Å"natural ecstasy† (Theoharides, 1997) and is often abused under this guise. MaHuang as â€Å"herbal ecstasy† is also called ultimate X-phoria or Cloud 9 (Zahn, 1997). What does Ma-Huang (Ephedrine) claim to do? Produces euphoria ! (White, et al 1997) & (Zahn, 1997) Enchances energy levels ! (Zahn, 1997) http:/... ...tp://www.gethuge.net/xen3.htm Bruno, A., Nolte, K.B., and Chapin, J. (1997). Stroke associated with ephedrine use. Neurology, 43, 1313-1316. Carek and Dickerson (1999). Current Concepts in the Pharmachological Management of Obesity. Drugs, 57(6), 883-904. Kreiger, D.R., Daly, P.A., Dulloo, A.G., Ransil, B.J., Young, J.B., Landsberg, L. (1990). Ephedrine, Caffeine and Aspirin Promote Weight Loss in Obese Subjects. Trans Associations of American Physicians, 103, 307-12. Theoharides, T.C. (1997). Sudden Death of a Healthy College Student Related to Ephedrine Toxicity from a Ma Huang – Containing Drink. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 17(5), 437-8. Zahn, K.A., Raymond, L. L., Purssell, R.A. (1997). Cardiovascular Toxicity after ingestion of Herbal Ecstacy. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 17(2), 289-291.

Borgmann’s Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life :: Philosophy Religion Essays

Borgmann’s Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate Borgmann’s theory of focal things in application to Tai Chi, as well as propose the opposition to it with an exercise machine as a device in the context of Borgmann’s Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life. In addition, I will try to argue that the resolution to the bifurcation between things and devices is a specific kind of equilibrium. First, Tai Chi, the old Chinese art that is a culmination of martial art and a form of exercise for both body and mind, fits into Borgmann’s definition of a focal thing. He states that focal things are â€Å"inconspicuous and humble,† â€Å"scattered and of yesterday,† and they â€Å"flourish at the margins of public attention,† (199). Tai Chi is humble, in that its chief focus is not self-defense, but a fortification of the body’s general well-being. It is inconspicuous because it is not something that people boast about, and it is not something which is as widely known of; while at the same time being something which is practiced by many, in small groups, or in privacy, or at hours during which the technological world is quiet. Thus, it is also scattered, as it is practiced by people al lover the world, and in the most mundane of times and places. Tai Chi is of yesterday, as it is an art which has its origins hundreds of years ago, and only t hose who have come to a maturity of thought within them see the true value in it and have the patience to do it. The practice is not glamorized by the entertainment industry, and is not a high point of controversial debate. It is not in the focus of the media, and so it is at the margins of public attention. Also, Borgmann goes further to say that things â€Å"neither rival nor deny technology,† and that they â€Å"attain a new splendor in today’s technological context,† (200). So too, the art of Tai Chi does not impose a new system of rules for technology to function under, and so does not rival it. It has no statement to the negativity of technology, in which it does not deny it. The practice â€Å"attains a new splendor in today’s technological context,† in that it provides respite from a technologically stressful existence, and promotes one’s well-being (200).

Racial Preference Essay

In this article, Whites Swim in Racial Preference, Tim Wise discusses the racial inequality in our society. As a whole, we want to believe that our culture is fair and just in racial terms. We would like to believe racial preference is a thing of the past, however, it is very much current. Discrimination has existed for decades but I believe that African-Americans got the bitter end of the stick. In the 1960’s, black people got treated like they weren’t even human beings. â€Å"A full time black male worker in 2003 makes less in real dollar terms than similar white men were earning in 1967.† (Wise, 2003) Obviously, the racial preference has not faded so much as society would like to believe. African-Americans struggled when it came to trying to take care of their family and becoming a citizen. The inequality seemed as if it was becoming norm in the 60’s. Blacks weren’t even given the chance to prove themselves, simply because their complexion was a little darker than whites. As stated in the article, whites have much more of an advantage when it comes to today’s culture. Whites are given more opportunities in life, which in return leads them to be more successful. Tim Wise used the example of University of Michigan providing 20 additional points to students with low-income families regardless of race. Seems fair, right? It seems fair until you total it all up and in the end whites are the ones with more points. It isn’t even given a second thought because whites were raised to believe that their accomplishments are because of their actions and not because they grew up in a system that was set up for them to achieve in. Yes, Affirmative Action happened, but in the end it still benefitted whites more than any other race. Races such as Arabs and Muslims get looked down upon ever since 9/11 and that lessens their success in society. Blacks get perceived as dangerous and reckless. Whites still have the upper leg in many things in society such as politics and jobs.