Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Economy - Essay Example The second qualification for a commodity into the category of common resource is non-excludability, whereby it should not be possible to exclude a person from the consumption of such goods (Hochenberry 152). In the case of the American bison, the consumption of each unit of the bison serves to preclude other individuals from consumption. This is because, when the hunters kill the bison for commercial purposes, for example selling their meat, it precludes other people from using the same resource, since the bison are no longer available. The continuous hunting and killing of the bison will mean that at time will come when the bison get extinct and thus unavailable for consumption by the rest of the society. Therefore, the action of the hunters serves to preclude the rest of the society from consuming that resource, which the society is not restricted from using (Kang and Zhou 138). Additionally, the American bison fits in the category of common resources, since they do not pass the ex cludability criteria. The excludability criteria require that it is possible to exclude a person from the consumption of a good or a resource (Hochenberry 154). However, considering that the American bison were natural resources which were roaming on the North American grassland in the 1800s, no one could exclude any person from using such resources. Therefore, the American bison fits into the category of the common resource. ... However, after the 1800s, the number of v declined sharply, to a point that they almost became extinct (Lott 72). Whenever the forces of demand and supply are not equal, there tend to develop some pressure in the market place, where either the goods in the market will go to waste because their supply is high than the quantities demanded, or there will occur a shortage of such commodities, on the event that the demand is higher than the supply (Hochenberry 151). This situation can be rescued by adjusting the supply of goods, if the resource used in the production of such commodities is renewable, or it will lead to extinction of the commodity in the market, if the resources applied to produce the commodity are not renewable. In the case of the American bison, several factors played a role in causing their near extinction. First, the American bison were hunted by the American Indians who were living in the plains of North America prior to the 1800s (Lott 77). Considering that the India n hunters were targeting the American bison purely for food purposes, the rate of hunting was lower, than the rate of reproduction and growth of the American bison. However, in the periods after 1800s, professional hunters entered the field of hunting the American bison for a combination of commercial hunting and slaughter purposes. This meant that rate of killing the American bison was high, compared to the rate at which they were multiplying. The applicable economic concept in this case is that, the forces of demand were higher than the forces of supply (Kang and Zhou 141). Considering that the demand for the American bison for commercial and slaughter purposes was higher than the supply; which is accounted for by the rate of their

Secondary Malignancies in Pediatric Population

Secondary Malignancies in Pediatric Population Secondary malignancies in pediatric population: a case series and literature review Introduction Advances in medical care therapies and early diagnosis has fulfilled the hope for normal life expectancy in many cancerous patients with a 5 year survival rate for at least 75% in childhood (1). Although expecting 70% long-term survive in children with diagnosed cancer, 60-70% of them will develop a consequential disability by the primary cancer treatment as a cost(2). Development of second cancer (a new cancer following the first after a complete treatment , whether the onset is in childhood or as an adult, however histologically different from the origin) is a grieving expected side- effect embracing 6% of all diagnosed cancers in Unites states (3), as a result of the carcinogenic effects of chemotherapy drugs and radiation on both normal and cancerous cells (4). When major risk factors for developing the secondary malignancies in childhood survivors such as the primary origin, early diagnosis , onset age, duration of therapy , dose received and familial history of the cancer are c onsidered , radiation associated solid tumors as well as hematologic malignancies account for the most probable types in secondary cancers (5-8). Despite the excellent prognosis for long-term survival in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, retinoblastoma and Hodgkin lymphoma , radiation associated secondary solid tumors almost covers two-thirds of all cases in long term (4, 9, 10). The increased risk of the incidence persists for at least 30 years after the primary treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma (11). Chemotherapy agents, such as alkylating agents have been proposed to play role in secondary cancers incidence. Although studies in field of secondary cancers and their relationship with administered treatment protocols have been a field of interest for researchers, data regarding this topic is rather inconclusive because of variety of factors involved (12, 13). In present case series study, a series of pediatric secondary malignancies with different primary cancers and subsequent treatment protocol are presented. Methods: In this case series study, 11 samples were selected retrospectively from patients attending at Mahak Pediatric Cancer Treatment and Research Center (Tehran, Iran) from 2007 to 2016, who were diagnosed with a secondary cancer. All a patients had been already diagnosed with a primary cancer and had received standard treatment protocol of primary cancer. Clinical information was obtained by the authors or provided by referring physicians. Using patients records, past medical history, type of primary and secondary cancer including method of diagnosis, cumulative doses of cytotoxic drugs and treatment outcome was extracted. In case of any missing records, patients were contacted to acquire required data. All patients had already undergone required diagnostic modalities to diagnose malignancies properly. A literature search in Ovid, Medline and PubMed was carried out using the terms secondary cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to provide enough material to discuss findings. A medical in formation scientist performed the literature retrieval and the initial screening of relevant studies. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16. Quantitative data was expressed as mean  ± standard deviation and frequency (percentage). Case history Patients primary malignancies type and administered therapy are shown in Table 1. Patients Secondary cancer type and features of therapy administered is shown in Table 2. Patients No.1 was a 15 years old girl, who presented with pain in buttocks when she was 4 years old, then following bone marrow biopsy. She was first diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. During 1 year of treatment, She underwent VAC/IE (vincristine (VCR) + doxorubicin (ADR) + cyclophosphamide (CPA) alternating with ifosfamide (IF) + etoposide) regimen. This treatment protocol led to complete remission. After 1 year, during a routine laboratory test, elevated levels of white blood cell was detected. Following flow-cytometry and cytogenetic studies, pre-B cell precursor ALL diagnosis was confirmed, which was associated with central nervous system involvement according to lumbar puncture examination. During 3 years, she was administered with X regimen. Also, complete CNS prophylaxis protocol was also administered. Complete remission was confirmed for her after treatment. During 6 years of follow-up, she has not had any signs of relapse. Patient No.2 was a 12 years old boy, who attended clinic presenting with balance disorder. Following 24-hour urine catecholamine test and MIBG scan neuroblastoma diagnosis was made. He underwent OPEC regimen (vincristine, cisplatin, etoposide and cyclophosphamide) and daunorubicin, which led to remission. When he was 6 years old, in a routine laboratory test, elevated white blood cells were detected. Flow-cytometry studies indicated ALL(L1), so the patient was administered with standard regimen and intrathecal chemotherapy. This treatment led to complete remission. During 2 years of follow-up patients has no sign of relapse. Patient No.3 was a 14 year old, who had first presented with headache. Following imaging, meduloblastoma diagnosis was made. After 10 months of chemotherapy and radiation, patient had complete remission. Patient had a history of heart failure. Two years later, an elevated white blood cells were detected in complete blood count. Flow-cytometry studies revealed non-M3 AML. Despite chemotherapy, patient was expired after 12 days of treatment initiation. Patients No.4 was 12 years old girl, who presented with intermittent coughs. So, bronchoscopy was performed, which revealed small cell lung tumor. She underwent 4 months of chemotherapy , radiotherapy and pulmonary lobectomy. During this period, when she had been receiving chemotherapy for 3 months, she presented altered level of consciousness. Following lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid flowcytometry AML diagnosis was made. She underwent CNS prophylaxis. Despite 3 months of treatment, patient was expired. Patient No.5 is a 21 year old girl, who first presented with right sided pre-orbital swelling when she was 12 years old. Following biopsy, histiocytosis X diagnosis was made. After treatment she was in complete remission, but two years later a brain CT scan revealed signs of disease relapse. when 15 years old, due to the elevated white blood cells count and flow-cytometry AML(M1) diagnosis was made. Although patient underwent 2 years of chemotherapy, she did not continue the treatment process, so she was lost to follow-up. Patient No.6 is a 13 year old girl, who was first diagnosed with retinoblastoma when she was 4 months old. She underwent VEC (vincristine+etoposide+carboplatin) chemotherapy protocol and radiotherapy. Enucleation was performed for both eyes when she was 2 years old. At last, patient had complete remission. When she was 11 years old, she attended clinic with right-sided face pain. After biopsy, osteosarcoma diagnosis was made. She underwent MAP protocol (High-dose methotrexate, cisplatin, and doxorubicin), ifosfamide and etoposide for 40 weeks. After complete remission, she has had no sign of relapse so far. Patient No.7 is a 12 years old boy, who was first diagnosed with actrocytoma grade II-III shown as a supratentorial mass in brain imaging which was confirmed by biopsy. Then, patient underwent PCV (lomustine + procarbazine + vincristine) plus temozolomide protocol and radiotherapy. After 6 courses of chemotherapy, patients underwent gross total resection of tumor. One year after complete remission, patient presented with backache. Biopsy indicated gliosarcoma. So far patient has undergone radiotherapy and surgery, also he is still going through chemotherapy. Based on the literature review, Discussion Based on information from the U.S. Surveillance Epidemiology, about 16 percent of cancers are in persons with a prior history of cancer. It is thought that the main point behind this phenomenon is that patients after treatment of cancer, patients live long enough to have second cancer (14). But as matter of fact, the cancer experience does not finish as treatment does. Cancer and the administered treatment (including radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, hormonal therapy, and newer drug therapies) can affect almost every aspect of an individuals life. Besides, not considering the secondary cancers as a part of natural incidences of time course, secondary cancers might be due to the treatments received by the patients at time of primary cancer treatment (15). Most of the therapies used in cancer, aim at destroying cancerous cells by affecting their genetic structures, but in therapy process normal cell are also involved just as malignant cells. This involvement will consequently lead to a poptosis, mutation or recovery. Mutations are tried to be minimized by the corrective mechanisms defined in cells and immune system (16). When these mechanisms fail a newly established malignancy is unavoidable. Current study presents 7 patients with secondary cancers (5 hematological malignancies, 1 osteosarcoma and 1 gliosarcoma). All secondary malignancies in current study had mesanchymal components, also both localized secondary malignancies (gliosarcoma and osteosarcoma) were in previous radiotherapy field. Vincristine, etopside and alkylating agents (such as ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide) were the most used cytotoxic drugs. Both patients No.3 and 4 who were expired, had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Based on the literature review, alkylating agents such as ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide are know of mainstays of treatments for hematologic malignancies, solid tumors and preconditioning regiments for hematologic stem cell transplantation, but it has been shown that they are important risk factors for development of secondary malignancies as they increase in the relative risk for a secondary malignancy of 1.5-2.5 (17-21). Especially, exposure to alkylating agents has been associated with an increased risk hematologic malignancies development, often referred to as therapy-related acute myelogenous leukemia (22, 23). Therapy-related AML seems to have an onset within 5-7 years after therapy for primary cancer, and this risk appears to increase further with the concomitant use of epipodophyllotoxins such as etopside (24). In present case series, patients No. 1,2 and 4 had also received a combination of alkylating agents and etopside, which could have been a major risk factor for the se condary malignancy. In a study by Bhatia et al. investigating Therapy-related myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukemia after Ewing sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone, it was concluded that exposure to ifosfamide from 90 to 140 g/m2, cyclophosphamide from 9.6 to 17.6 g/m2, and doxorubicin from 375 to 450 mg/m2 increased the risk of tharapy related myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukemia significantly (25). Patient No. 1 had also received doxorubicin, ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide , but the cumulative doses were not that much of what Bhatia et al.(25) mentioned. In a study by Granowetter et al. about comparing dose-Intensified with standard chemotherapy for non-metastatic Ewing sarcoma, it was concluded that dose escalation of alkylating agents do not improve the outcome for patients with Ewing sarcoma of bone or soft tissue (25). So, by taking this into account, more cautious approaches should be chosen when deciding about chemotherapy doses, especially alkylating agents. Topoisomerase II inhibitors as another well-known chemotherapeutic agents are widely used treatment of pediatric malignancies. This category includes anthracyclines (e.g. doxorubicin) , anthracenediones as well as epipodophyllotoxins (e.g. etoposide and tenoposide)(26). Therapy related AMLs due to topoisomerase II inhibitors are known as an entity of therapy and incidence varies in literature, but has been reported as high as 9% (27-29). In contrast to the latency period after exposure to alkylating agents which was about 5-7 years, therapy related AMLs after topoisomerase II exposures have a more early onset, usually within 2-3 years after primary malignancy chemotherapy (24). In present case series, the time interval between secondary AMLs and primary therapy were less than 2 years, which is less than what mentioned for alkylating agents and topoisomerase II inhibitors; this might be due to the combination of these categories in our therapy protocols. Based on studies, the most eff ective agents against secondary hematologic malignancies due to top topoisomerase II inhibitors are cytarabine, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, docetazel, mitoxantrone, gemcitabine, mitomycin C, etoposide, teniposide, topotecan, triethylnemelamine, and vinblastine (30-32). Also, in present case series, following agents were used for secondary malignancy chemotherapy. Ionizing radiation as a standard of care for many pediatric malignancies is used in many conditions such as CNS malignancies, Hodgkins lymphoma, solid tumors and as part of preconditioning regimens for hematologic stem cell transplantation (33). Carcinogen role of ionizing radiation is reported in detail in the literature. According to The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, ionizing radiation exposure was accompanied with a relative risk of developing secondary malignancy of 2.7, and was also the strongest independent risk factor for secondary malignancy development (34). In a study based on German Childhood Cancer Registry, it was concluded that ionizing radiation after adjustment for various chemotherapy was associated with an odds ratio of developing a secondary malignancy at 2.05 (35). For the development of secondary malignancy after radiation the latency period is typically 10-15 years after primary treatment is typically 10-15 years after primary treatment (36). Common secondary malignancies seen in pediatric population with prior cancer history include bone tumors, breast and thyroid carcinoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and benign CNS tumors. These tumors are often associated with previously irradiated treatment region (4, 37-39); in present case series, patients No. 3, 4, 6 and 7 had received radiotherapy, and in patients No. 6 and 7 had the secondary malignancies where the prior field of radiotherapy was, although incidence of these malignancies are far less than the latency period mentioned. Radiotherapy is the most important therapeutic modality in the treatment of many primary CNS tumors, so this have brought secondary malignancies as an undeniable component of this modality (40). In a study by Packer et al. studying survival and secondary tumors in children with medulloblastoma receiving radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, reported on 359 children with medulloblastoma treated with 2,340 cGy of craniospinal radiation with 5,580 cGy of posterior fossa radiotherapy and chemotherapy, also it was reported that 5 percent of patients developed a secondary malignancy, with a majority of them being highly aggressive gliomas. The median time to a secondary malignancy was 5.8 years, with an estimated cumulative incidence rate at 5 and 10 years of 1.1 percent and 4.2% percent, respectively (41); similar to this study, in present case series, patient No. 7 who had undergone radiotherapy due to astrocytoma, developed gliosarcoma as the secondary tumor. Fortunately this patients is currently under treatment and his condition is improving. Conclusion Present case series study, presented a series of patients with secondary neoplasms with their administered cumulative doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Considering this , these information might lead to a more cautious approach in selecting chemotherapy and radiotherapy protocols. Further studies should focus on comparing different treatment protocols with adequate follow-up period not also to evaluate treatment efficacy, but to assess long term consequences. Also, studies with more detailed treatment protocol of patients with secondary malignancies should be performed to make a more precise conclusion. References: 1.Bhatia S, Sklar C. Second cancers in survivors of childhood cancer. Nature Reviews Cancer. 2002;2(2):124-32. 2.Hall EJ. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy, protons, and the risk of second cancers. International Journal of Radiation Oncology* Biology* Physics. 2006;65(1):1-7. 3.Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2015. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians. 2015;65(1):5-29. 4.Schneider U, Lomax A, Lombriser N. Comparative risk assessment of secondary cancer incidence after treatment of Hodgkins disease with photon and proton radiation. Radiation research. 2000;154(4):382-8. 5.Henderson TO, Rajaraman P, Stovall M, Constine LS, Olive A, Smith SA, et al. Risk factors associated with secondary sarcomas in childhood cancer survivors: a report from the childhood cancer survivor study. International Journal of Radiation Oncology* Biology* Physics. 2012;84(1):224-30. 6.Ng AK, Bernardo MP, Weller E, Backstrand K, Silver B, Marcus KC, et al. Second malignancy after Hodgkin disease treated with radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy: long-term risks and risk factors. Blood. 2002;100(6):1989-96. 7.Tarella C, Passera R, Magni M, Benedetti F, Rossi A, Gueli A, et al. Risk factors for the development of secondary malignancy after high-dose chemotherapy and autograft, with or without rituximab: a 20-year retrospective follow-up study in patients with lymphoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2010:JCO. 2010.28. 9777. 8.Neglia JP, Friedman DL, Yasui Y, Mertens AC, Hammond S, Stovall M, et al. Second malignant neoplasms in five-year survivors of childhood cancer: childhood cancer survivor study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2001;93(8):618-29. 9.Kleinerman RA, Tucker MA, Tarone RE, Abramson DH, Seddon JM, Stovall M, et al. Risk of new cancers after radiotherapy in long-term survivors of retinoblastoma: an extended follow-up. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2005;23(10):2272-9. 10.Miralbell R, Lomax A, Cella L, Schneider U. Potential reduction of the incidence of radiation-induced second cancers by using proton beams in the treatment of pediatric tumors. International Journal of Radiation Oncology* Biology* Physics. 2002;54(3):824-9. 11.Tward JD, Wendland MM, Shrieve DC, Szabo A, Gaffney DK. The risk of secondary malignancies over 30 years after the treatment of nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Hodgkin lymphoma. Cancer. 2006;107(1):108-15. 12.Travis LB, Gospodarowicz M, Curtis RE, Aileen Clarke E, Andersson M, Glimelius B, et al. Lung Cancer Following Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy for Hodgkins Disease. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2002;94(3):182-92. 13.Veiga LHS, Bhatti P, Ronckers CM, Sigurdson AJ, Stovall M, Smith SA, et al. Chemotherapy and Thyroid Cancer Risk: A Report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. 2012;21(1):92-101. 14.Andrykowski MA. Physical and mental health status of survivors of multiple cancer diagnoses. Cancer. 2012;118(14):3645-53. 15.Boffetta P, Kaldor JM. Secondary malignancies following cancer chemotherapy. Acta Oncologica. 1994;33(6):591-8. 16.Obeid M, Panaretakis T, Tesniere A, Joza N, Tufi R, Apetoh L, et al. Leveraging the immune system during chemotherapy: moving calreticulin to the cell surface converts apoptotic death from silent to immunogenic. Cancer Research. 2007;67(17):7941-4. 17.Mertens AC, Liu Q, Neglia JP, Wasilewski K, Leisenring W, Armstrong GT, et al. Cause-Specific Late Mortality Among 5-Year Survivors of Childhood Cancer: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2008;100(19):1368-79. 18.Hawkins MM, Wilson LMK, Burton HS, Potok MH, Winter DL, Marsden HB, et al. Radiotherapy, alkylating agents, and risk of bone cancer after childhood cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 1996;88(5):270-8. 19.Christiansen DH, Andersen MK, Pedersen-Bjergaard J. Mutations of AML1 are common in therapy-related myelodysplasia following therapy with alkylating agents and are significantly associated with deletion or loss of chromosome arm 7q and with subsequent leukemic transformation. Blood. 2004;104(5):1474-81. 20.Davies SM. Therapyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ related leukemia associated with alkylating agents. Medical and pediatric oncology. 2001;36(5):536-40. 21.Pedersen-Bjergaard J. Insights into leukemogenesis from therapy-related leukemia. New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;352(15):1591-4. 22.Schoch C, Kern W, Schnittger S, Hiddemann W, Haferlach T. Karyotype is an independent prognostic parameter in therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML): an analysis of 93 patients with t-AML in comparison to 1091 patients with de novo AML. Leukemia. 2004;18(1):120-5. 23.Linassier C, Barin C, Calais G, Letortorec S, Bremond J-L, Delain M, et al. Early secondary acute myelogenous leukemia in breast cancer patients after treatment with mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil and radiation therapy. Annals of oncology. 2000;11(10):1289-94. 24.Hijiya N, Ness KK, Ribeiro RC, Hudson MM. Acute leukemia as a secondary malignancy in children and adolescents: current findings and issues. Cancer. 2009;115(1):23-35. 25.Bhatia S, Krailo MD, Chen Z, Burden L, Askin FB, Dickman PS, et al. Therapy-related myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukemia after Ewing sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone: a report from the Childrens Oncology Group. Blood. 2007;109(1):46-51. 26.Hande KR. Topoisomerase II inhibitors. update on cancer therapeutics. 2008;3(1):13-26. 27.Hijiya N, Hudson MM, Lensing S, Zacher M, Onciu M, Behm FG, et al. Cumulative incidence of secondary neoplasms as a first event after childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Jama. 2007;297(11):1207-15. 28.Pui CH, Relling MV. Topoisomerase II inhibitorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ related acute myeloid leukaemia. British journal of haematology. 2000;109(1):13-23. 29.Ezoe S. Secondary leukemia associated with the anti-cancer agent, etoposide, a topoisomerase II inhibitor. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2012;9(7):2444-53. 30.Hoeksema KA, Jayanthan A, Cooper T, Gore L, Trippett T, Boklan J, et al. Systematic in-vitro evaluation of the NCI/NIH Developmental Therapeutics Program Approved Oncology Drug Set for the identification of a candidate drug repertoire for MLL-rearranged leukemia. Onco Targets Ther. 2011;4:149-68. 31.De Boer J, Walf-Vorderwà ¼lbecke V, Williams O. In focus: MLL-rearranged leukemia. Leukemia. 2013;27(6):1224-8. 32.Bernt KM, Armstrong SA. Targeting epigenetic programs in MLL-rearranged leukemias. ASH Education Program Book. 2011;2011(1):354-60. 33.Brenner DJ, Doll R, Goodhead DT, Hall EJ, Land CE, Little JB, et al. Cancer risks attributable to low doses of ionizing radiation: assessing what we really know. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2003;100(24):13761-6. 34.Friedman DL, Whitton J, Leisenring W, Mertens AC, Hammond S, Stovall M, et al. Subsequent neoplasms in 5-year survivors of childhood cancer: the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2010;102(14):1083-95. 35.Kaatsch P, Reinisch I, Spix C, Berthold F, Janka-Schaub G, Mergenthaler A, et al. Case-control study on the therapy of childhood cancer and the occurrence of second malignant neoplasms in Germany. Cancer causes control. 2009;20(6):965-80. 36.Goldsby R, Burke C, Nagarajan R, Zhou T, Chen Z, Marina N, et al. Second solid malignancies among children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with malignant bone tumors after 1976. Cancer. 2008;113(9):2597-604. 37.Constine LS, Tarbell N, Hudson MM, Schwartz C, Fisher SG, Muhs AG, et al. Subsequent malignancies in children treated for Hodgkins disease: associations with gender and radiation dose. International Journal of Radiation Oncology* Biology* Physics. 2008;72(1):24-33. 38.Kry SF, Salehpour M, Followill DS, Stovall M, Kuban DA, White RA, et al. The calculated risk of fatal secondary malignancies from intensity-modulated radiation therapy. International Journal of Radiation Oncology* Biology* Physics. 2005;62(4):1195-203. 39.Werner-Wasik M, Swann RS, Bradley J, Graham M, Emami B, Purdy J, et al. Increasing tumor volume is predictive of poor overall and progression-free survival: Secondary analysis of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 93-11 phase I-II radiation dose-escalation study in patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology* Biology* Physics. 2008;70(2):385-90. 40.Soussain C, Ricard D, Fike JR, Mazeron J-J, Psimaras D, Delattre J-Y. CNS complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The Lancet. 2009;374(9701):1639-51. 41.Packer RJ, Zhou T, Holmes E, Vezina G, Gajjar A. Survival and secondary tumors in children with medulloblastoma receiving radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy: results of Childrens Oncology Group trial A9961. Neuro-Oncology. 2012. Table 1- Primary malignancies, administered cytotoxic and radiation therapies administered to patients . Patient No. Primary malignancy Age at diagnosis Treatment duration Chemotherapy (cumulative doses) Radiotherapy (cumulative doses) 1 Ewing sarcoma 4 y/o 1 year VCR 9.9 mg VP16 3630 mg IF 55 gr ADR 140 mg CPA 7 gr 2 Neuroblastoma 18 mo. 22 mo. VCR 9 mg CPA 3.5 gr VP16 400 mg ADR 60 mg Cisplatin 160 mg 3 Meduloblastoma 10 10 months VCR 24 mg CCNU 320 mg 360 Gy and 180 Gy (posterior fossa) 4 Small round cell tumor 12 4 months VCR 12 mg IF 60 gr VP16 3.9 gr 8 Gy 5 Histiocytosis X 12 1 year Vinblastine 135 mg 6 Retinoblastoma 4 mo. 14 months VCR 14 mg VP16 700 mg Carboplatin 3.5 gr 60 Gy 7 Astrocytoma 2 months 6 months months<

Marx’s Alienation of Labour Essay -- Karl Marx Labour Essays

Marx’s Alienation of Labour There is deep substance and many common themes that arose throughout Marx’s career as a philosopher and political thinker. A common expressed notion throughout his and Fredrick Engels work consists of contempt for the industrial capitalist society that was growing around him during the industrial revolution. Capitalism according to Marx is a â€Å"social system with inherent exploitation and injustice†. (Pappenheim, p. 81) It is a social system, which intrinsically hinders all of its participants and specifically debilitates the working class. Though some within the capitalist system may benefit with greater monetary gain and general acquisition of wealth, the structure of the system is bound to alienate all its participants. This paper intends to evaluate Karl Marx’s theory of alienated labour. In doing so it will demonstrate how capitalism both a century and a half ago, and to this very day, produces and also perpetuates alienation within the work environment. Though Marx’s theory of alienation is not without its flaws, the fundamental backbone to his theory is still relevant to this day. A critical element is to take Marx’s basic premises of alienation into context and realize that the capitalist world has evolved tremendously since Marx’s work during the early years of Industrial Revolution. Marx’s concept of alienation can be defined as â€Å"the distortion of human nature that is caused by the domination of the worker by the ‘alien will’ of the capitalist† estrangement (Ritzer, p. 55). A key element to his theory of alienation focuses on the individual’s experience of feeling powerlessness when they fail to realize their own human potential, which in turn causes false consciousness. His theory is based upon his dialectics and on the totality of reciprocal relationships to nature and to other individuals within society, which are motivated and perpetuated by the need for material things. Marx’ theoretical concept of alienation was forged during his transition from the Critique of Hegel to the Critique of Economic philosophy. It was during this time that the issues of labour and class became central to his theories. In Marx’s early writing’s, specifically ‘The Economic Philosophical Manuscript’ written in 1844, he presented the types of alienation which where interdependent and rooted in the productive labour of capitalism.... ...f Maryland. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Baltimore, MD., 2000. Alienation and the Social System edited Finifter, W., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, 1972. Joachim, I., Alienation: From Marx to Modern Sociology; A Macrosociological Analysis, Allyn & Bacon, Boston, MA., 1971. Pappenheim, F., ‘The Alienation of Modern Man; An Interpretation Based On Marx and Tonnies’, New York, New York., Modern Reader, 1967. Marx, Karl, & Engels, Fredrich, The Communist Manifesto, Bantam Books, New York, New York, 1992. Marx, Karl, ‘Economic & Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844’, Marx - Engels Collected Works Volume 3: Karl Marx Internet Archive, Progress Publishers, 1932. Retrieved from [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/preface.htm] & [http://csf.colorado.edu/psn/marx/archive/1844-epm/1st.html] Kuhn, Rick, ‘Introductions to Marxism’, retrieved from [http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/intros.html] KARL MARX – ALIENATION [http://acme.highpoint.edu/~rramke/Marx-A.html] The Alienation of Labor, retrieved from [http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/MODERN/ALIEN.HTM] Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, Copyright 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation.

Black & Economic Structure

1) Malcolm X spent much of his life fighting for equal rights for African Americans. Like others, Malcolm suffered from discrimination, economic suppression, and violent acts at the hands of the whites. Throughout his life, he could not escape the atmosphere of racial prejudices, as it existed everywhere from his welfare agencies to school and his family relationships. Although some form of equality exists today, many African Americans males are still continuously trying to establish themselves in society. As a young boy Malcolm participated in activities where he experienced little freedom. Malcolm was ranked number one in his class and elected class president, which shows that the school system allowed him to succeed to an extent. Malcolm had a dream of becoming a lawyer, but his English teacher quickly rejected his dream and told him he should become a carpenter, which demonstrated that whites were willing to allow black success only to a certain degree. Malcolm eventually came to an understanding that white society allowed progression when doing so did not threaten the established order of white society. Throughout his life Malcolm was seen as a â€Å"pet, mascot, and pink poodle,† which excluded him from society. He was a black student in a predominantly white school who was like a poodle in a family. He was seen as a submissive creature that represented no real threat to anyone. He was portrayed as white society’s model for how blacks should act, but white society didn’t see him as a human being in his own right. Malcolm realized that no level of accomplishment or esteem would break down the essential barrier to his acceptance and success in society. White oppression stripped him of the power and independence a normal man would experience. Although Malcolm experienced great amounts of discrimination, he was still able to succeed and become Minister Malcolm X and lead many civil rights events. In society today, the prototypical black male experience in America is extremely comparable to the life of Malcolm X. Most black men are looked down on because of the various stereotypes that exist in our society today. Many believe that if black men aren’t athletes or rappers, or if they aren’t washing dishes or waiting tables, they have no purpose in society other than being seen as inferior. Each and every day a black man experiences discrimination, but the black men who have goals and aspirations will be the ones who will make a difference like Malcolm X did. Malcolm lived through a rough time, but he still managed to make it as can every other black man in the world. ) Like Malcolm X, Washington too envied the lives of white dues to the simple fact that there was absolutely no limit placed on his or her dreams and aspirations. During his years of adolescence, Washington was very aware of what it meant to be a black man in a white society. With this knowledge, Washington was very optimistic and assured himself that whatever dreams or goals he would accomplish would be the result of hard work and persistence. Washington wrote, â€Å"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. Out of the hard and unusual struggle through which he is compelled to pass, he gets a strength, a confidence, that one misses whose pathway is comparatively smooth by reason of birth and race. † (Washington, 1901, p 39). Washington believed that if blacks strove to be impressive and distinctive they would be accepted in society. He believed that being black or any race other than the majority was an advantage because there was a better chance of achievement due to the fact that one would constantly try to overcome any obstacles. He believed that through proof, blacks would be connected with the white society. Alongside assisting African Americans in attaining economic success, Washington also had accomplishments in the field of education, in becoming the first black educator at the Tuskegee Institute. Washington was very concerned about forming connections within both the black and white communities, and achieved his goal. I believe his argument is still valid for those who actually want to make something of themselves in life and are willing to go above and beyond in doing so. Unfortunately black males are not always hardworking and persistent in trying to accomplish a goal. They tend to take the easy way out, and in doing so end up with the mediocre jobs unless they are playing professional sports or apart of an entertainment industry. Like Washington said success comes with overcoming obstacles, and I do not think blacks are willing to overcome the many obstacles they would have to face in order to become established. With the many stereotypes of black men, I do not think success would be as easy for the black man because they are already looked down upon from the beginning. ) In recent years, terms such as crisis, at-risk, insignificant, and endangered have been used with increasing regularity to describe the troubles and conditions of black males. The grounds for using such harsh descriptions of conditions that black males face is provided by a broad range of social and economic indicators, all of which point to the undeniable fact that large numbers o f individuals who fall within these two social categories, black and male, are in deep trouble. Many perceive black men as being violent and aggressive law breakers regardless of their true nature. It doesn't stop there. Some stereotypes of Blacks include being arrogant, athletic, devious, dirty, dishonest, drug addicts, incompetent, inferior, lazy, unintelligent, noisy, passive, poor, primitive, untrustworthy, and violent, and â€Å"having rhythm. † Some black men have some of the same goals and aspirations as the white man, but they too have a deep fear of rejection due to the discrimination they continue to experience in their daily lives. When the black man continuously gets rejected he is eventually going to subject himself to activities just to make ends meet, or he is going to start to believe the stereotypes set out for him. When you have a large group of black men in a society that rejects them, they are going to feel like they have no chance at success, and therefore they will feel like they have nothing to lose. With nothing to look forward to, they are going to unconsciously want to destroy their surroundings. Throughout Malcolm’s he was seen as inferior, and eventually began to feel more like a â€Å"mascot† or pet than a human being equal to those around him. Malcolm had dreams of becoming a lawyer, but his teacher instead told him he should be a carpenter. One of his Malcolm’s teachers laughs at him and tells the class that â€Å"though the slaves have been freed, black people are still lazy and dumb. † When an adult says something like that to a child, the child is more than likely going to believe the teacher and begin to think of him or herself as being lazy and dumb. If a child begins to believe this negative stereotype, their performance in school could be effected, and cause them to drop out. If they drop out they may begin to deal drugs or commit robberies and end up in jail. Dealing drugs or being incarcerated is the perception whites have for blacks today. Media also has a negative effect on portrayal when it comes to representing an entire race of people. No two people are exactly alike no matter what race they come from so there is no way one film can represent all peoples. Unfortunately, many people believe that a certain depiction of black people characterizes all black people, which is certainly not the case. This is very dangerous because this perpetuates stereotyping and discrimination. Any form of media, whether it be a film, TV show, etc. , black males tend to play the role of the poor black man who lives in poverty and usually belongs to a gang. He usually has no goals, and has a mediocre job if he has one at all. They usually dress in baggy jeans with long shirts or â€Å"hoodies† and wear timberlands or sneakers. In media, blacks aren’t usually portrayed positively, and even if they were, many wouldn’t believe that is how blacks really live their lives. For example, In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Banks family is very well off, but many wouldn’t believe that all blacks are well off because 95% of the time blacks are being potrayed as being a threat to society. 4) LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton shows the disadvantaged life of residents living in the Mississippi Delta. The documentary shows how living in poverty and the lack of education still effects the lives of many living in Mississippi even though slavery has been over now for hundreds of years. The main character, Laura Lee (LaLee) Wallace, was an illiterate 62-year-old woman who had been living all her life in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. She had one surviving son, nine daughters, 38 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. On a daily basis she encountered many difficulties from raising her grandchildren to receiving news about her son continuously being put in jail. LaLee received $494 from her disability benefits and sold home cooked meals to workers at the cotton factory to make more money to keep the children clothed and fed. In the movie LaLee said, â€Å"I cry sometime, I pray sometime, I sing sometime. † LaLee and her grandchildren struggled each day in trying to take care of each other. The images of barefoot children playing on abandoned cars outside dilapidated motor homes, and of families who get water for drinking and washing by filling plastic jugs from a hose were unbelievable because it took you back to the times of slavery when slaves really had to wash themselves with dirty water or walk around barefoot. One of LaLee’s grandchildren, nicknamed Granny was a very attentive and intelligent in school, but her grades began to fall due to the fact that she had household chores and had to care for her younger cousins or siblings which left little time for education. Paralleling LaLee's struggle was Reggie Barnes, the superintendent of the West Tallahatchie schools, who continuously struggled in trying to raise school standards, bring in qualified teachers and obtain school supplies. If Barnes failed to raise the school from its current Level 1 status to a Level 2, the state of Mississippi has threatened to take over. Barnes and his faculty opposed this because they knew the state would not address the special needs of the children. With the illiteracy of the parents of the families of the children the children most likely will never be able to get a great education which will leave them illiterate when they get older. In LaLee’s family the cycle of living in poverty and lacking education is evident, which makes it seem like slavery still exists to this day.

Corporate Governance and Business Ethics

It is quite interesting to note that, academic research in business ethics was a totally distinct discipline from research in corporate governance, and the application of the word ‘ethics' was uncommon in available research on corporate governance. The chief responsibility of corporate governance was understood to be safeguarding the benefits of the shareholders. Because of the severance between ownership and management, and the incapability of the independent owners to supervise the performances of those managers, a possibility was available for vital strategic decisions to be taken which would advantageous for the managers to a more larger extent compared to the owners. For example, takeovers not related to the organization's core competence outcome in a bigger corporation, however, it does not result in a more profitable company all the time. Certainly, research has proved that extremely increased extent of isolated diversification normally resulted in lower profits. (Corporate Governance and Ethics) Till the greater part of 1990s, nevertheless, remuneration of executives was normally settled to a greater degree by the magnitude of the company compared to by what profits the company is earning. Therefore, unconnected takeovers will openly and instantly be advantageous for the upper-level managers, however may really be unfavorable in case of the stockholders. In the latter part of 1980s and initial stages of 1990s, when numerous mid and lower ranked employees in America were trimmed down, huge remuneration of the CEOs and the application of other methods which exclusively are advantageous to top level managers started to be talked about in greater detail and also in non-business news publications. Even in this present era, Fortune, Business Week, and The Wall Street Journal report about the yearly surveys of remuneration of CEOs and bonuses. The matters which are normally implicated as the active crusade of the shareholder which started during the 1990s, which culminated in increased appreciation on the part of the investors regarding good corporate governance. In case the citizens might lose confidence in the business due to extensive substandard corporate governance, the outcome could be that the common investor will search for scope other than the stock market. Episodes, in the bygone few years have displayed that an existence has been found about a deep bonding between business ethics and corporate governance. The activities of a company's top executives impact the lives of several people, not merely shareholders. The arena of corporate governance is appreciating that it is stakeholders, not merely shareholders, whose privileges should be safeguarded. (Corporate Governance and Ethics) The position of U. S. corporations was a vital point in time in which a growing amount of scams have impaired their standing as socially accountable entities. (Center for Corporate Governance and Ethics) The Enron debacle has impacted not just the assets of its shareholders, but also even the fate of its staff, and also the Houston community in which it was situated. The domino effects of Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco, and other scandals at high places are witnessed presently in the stock market, our country and the employment prospects of our fresh graduates passing out of colleges, and maybe the most enduring in its detriment – in public skepticism, disbelief, and antipathy with the business community. (Corporate Governance and Ethics) The trust among investors was at its nadir, leading in persistent confusion in the financial markets and a smothering of economic turnaround. Center for Corporate Governance and Ethics) Considerable sums of invested monies vanished because of accusations of misappropriation at the corporate level and misuse at the internal level. The accusations of scams and a broad discernment of doubt and indecision were unswervingly hindering the capability of enterprises to fight, create fresh jobs and better our economy. (Corporate Governance: Codes of Ethics to Guide Corporate Conduct) Overseas investors were taking a cautious approach prior to feeling certain that their investments are secure with the U. S. companies. (Center for Corporate Governance and Ethics) The question remains whether an encouraging result is present of these latest episodes. Efficient corporate governance is something which is based on a fundamental set of ethical principles which steer the actions of the company, regarding the decision to launch a new product or collect new capital. It sets up a scaffold for efficiently evaluating risk and finding out and preventing scam and misuse by the internal employees of the corporate. I believe that some of the encouraging results of these latest episodes are which the common American is very aware in the present era regarding corporate governance -although the word is not used by them. I consider that we will be witnessing that in the coming years, communities will expect ethical behavior from companies, be resolute that corporate governance show the commendable values of the company, and that the society reward the people who are idols of excellence and penalize those who flout their wishes. Moreover, I expect that each one of is more aware that ethics is an extremely compelling component of any business proportion. (Corporate Governance and Ethics) There is a universal consensus by the management, regulators, and investor regarding the urgency of a heightened importance on ethics and a better examination of business governance. Endeavors are currently concentrated on developing organizational structures and a legal structure of confirmation and maintaining equilibrium, which are just, ethical, although typified by economic competence. Understanding the enlarged urgency for modifiable management practices and governance systems to bring back confidence in the securities market, the U. S. Congress enacted the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Through the provisions of the Act, it was made compulsory for setting up of separate corporate Board of Directors, establishment of independent audit and nomination committees, and solving of disagreement of interest among the management and other stakeholders in firms, denotes necessity of separate auditors, and accords more rigorous accounting information disclosure norms. Latest and proposed Securities and Exchange Commission rules are there, national stock exchange listing needs, and across the board fresh acts that passed by both sides of Congress, accented by President Bush, building new structures for the governance of the accounting industry as also enticement to manage deception in the shape of strict punishments for corporate delinquency. Even though these needs are mostly aimed at publicly traded businesses and other government controlled industries, these novel regulations must cause management and Boards of Directors, regardless of public or privately held businesses to heed to the demand for corporate reform earnestly by setting up or once again finding out their code of ethics of the company. Corporate Governance: Codes of Ethics to Guide Corporate Conduct) The indecisive efficacy of any fresh regulatory code; its possible expenses of implementation, and the restrictions of automatic remedial market mechanisms, call for building of institutions which ease the realization and execution of the law efficiently and in planned fortitude. These types of institutions must even suggest pioneering governance practices and build increasing apparent and easily supervised codes of ethics together with stringent disclosure needs. Center for Corporate Governance and Ethics) Return on equity is very crucial, but at the same time performing business without restoring to short-cuts is also important. Shareholders activism is important, but at the same time eagerness by the shareholders to allow management to perform its duty is also vital. Cautious notice to firm rules and methods is valuable, but concurrently is the capability to be resilient and keen to change long-standing regulations and processes. Permitting a company to gain from the network of acquaintances of staff is vital, however side by side is averting of circumstances wherein people believe that the company's decisions are arrived not on the merits, rather depending on the basis of contacts. (Ethics and Corporate Governance: Is There One Best Way? ) Every profitable enterprise wants to flourish and therefore require skilled senior management. But skilled management never implies that that sole decisive factor is awareness regarding the functioning of the business and the capability to augment earnings, growth and profits. Competent management must even instill a custom of truthfulness and ethical conduct. The Board of Directors and management must fix a right ethical pretext in case of every employee, across the hierarchy of the organization. An efficient code of ethics or code of conduct is something which is espoused by the Board of Directors and routinely evaluated and reinstated by the Board. A Code of Ethics must fix the values of the company like the leadership, responsibility, honesty, and dedication and it is not the end of it. (Corporate Governance: Codes of Ethics to Guide Corporate Conduct) In case of beginners, codes of conduct must deal with working conditions, personnel enrichment and training, and disagreements of interest. In order to be genuinely effectual, a code of ethics must be included into employee training across the company and used as an instrument for assisting worker feeling on expected conduct. It must be supervised at every stage to find out if the ideals are really executed across the company. A lot of companies with ethics programs have persisted to sustain hue legal cost for litigation based on unethical conduct of its employees due to gaps in supervising and implementing an ethical code of conduct. The ongoing engagement of every staff as also service by Board members must partly be resolved by every person espousing, enforcing and behaving themselves as per a suitable ethical code of conduct. (Corporate Governance: Codes of Ethics to Guide Corporate Conduct) To conclude, corporate governance guidelines and ethics are developing fast. Investors are calling for increased standards as also other stakeholders. Those companies who do not possess appropriate corporate governance and ethics processes endanger themselves to serious harm to their standing, criminal/ legal action and authoritarian punishments.

The Children We See, But Dont See In the Foster Care System Professor Ramos Blog

The Children We See, But Dont See In the Foster Care System Gwenyth Witkowski Engl-101-04 The Children We See, But Don’t See In the Foster Care System The foster care system as it exists today, is inadequate for meeting the needs of the children it is intending to serve. In theory, foster care sounds like the next best option if parents are incapable of taking care of their children, whether it be due to mental illness, drug abuse, physical abuse, or even poverty. This, however, is unfortunately not always the case. More often than not, children who are removed from their homes are placed in foster care, or group homes. Both can be equally as damaging when the appropriate assistance is not received. The incredible importance of understanding the problems associated with the foster care system cannot be underestimated.   As a society, we must find solutions to these problems so that children who have already been through some awful experiences can be cared for appropriately, and not be further harmed by the very system that is supposed to help them. This is important not only for the children, but it is a reflection of the kind of society we have created. Do we value all of our members, or just the ones who can vote or pay money? Research indicates that children who have spent time in the foster care system have higher levels of problems such as low educational attainment, physical abuse, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, involvement in the juvenile justice system, running away, and homelessness. While these are social problems that affect other people who have not been in the foster care system, the rates for foster children are higher. Is there something about the system itself that is creating these problems, or does it have to do with early childhood trauma from abusive or neglecting parents, or is it from the trauma of being separated from parents that they love? The youth who are placed in foster care are significantly more vulnerable than those placed in group homes due to the fact that their foster parents are not supervised on a daily basis by others. And in almost every case involving the maltreatment of children in the foster care system, the foster parents were at fault (Morton, 207). While maltreatment is not always going to be at the hands of non-relative foster parents, it is more likely. When a foster youth is abused by their caregiver, typically one of the biggest signs to their case worker that there’s a problem, is their grades. This, however isn’t always enough to warrant a different placement. In another small study, 11 participants discussed their abuse while in the foster care system, and how difficult it was for them to receive help. You may ask â€Å"why don’t they just call the police? How about taking photos of any injuries or contacting their social worker?† These apparently obvious solutions do not always work, because all of them were in fact attempted by a few children in this study, yet they were sent back to their abusive placement. In this study, a girl named Tanya was being sexually abused in her placement. Yet despite being abused, she did her best to maintain her grades, giving her social worker no reason to question the safety of her environment. After being placed in multiple homes, enduring abuse in all of them, Tanya was severely traumatized. She was abused to the point where she didn’t begin speaking until she was six, developing her own form of sign language, enabling her to communicate with her sister and foster parents (Morton, 217).   Another girl named Emily, who was actually being physically abused by a family member, wasn’t removed for a year and a half, even after documenting her abuse with photos, as well as attempting to call law enforcement. It wasn’t until she walked around with a fractured cheekbone that she was taken aw ay (Morton, 218). Roberto, Dianna, Jennifer, Emily, Tanya, Byron: these were just some of the participants in the study who shared their abuse. Not only are these children affected physically, but they typically won’t perform well in class, and they become angry, as well as distrusting and more likely to run away. While it seems understandable that a child who is being abused will leave their placement, why leave and be on their own? And what happens when they leave? There is a multitude of reasons that lead to foster youth leaving their placement. Among those are abuse, neglect, abandonment, involvement in the juvenile justice system, and painful family conflict (Crossland, Dunlap, 1699). It was found in a study that collected data from 14,282 youth, that age and gender were in fact key risk factors that were associated with running (Crossland, Dunlap, 1699). The youth aged from 15-17 were more likely to run away than those under 15, but of those who ran away, 90% ran from home for the first time when they were at least 12. Girls were far more likely than boys to run away. It was also discovered that the probability of youth running away was the highest in the first few months of placement in the foster care system. When the youth do run away, the ramifications are severe. They will more than likely miss school time, if they haven’t dropped out, and they are at risk of becoming victims of sexual assault, abusing drugs, and taking part in criminal activity. They also fail to gain an employment history which damages their chances of finding a suitable place to live. This will in fact lead to homelessness (Crossland, Dunlap, 1699). Low educational attainment is a problem for many youths in the United States, but this is especially the case for foster children. A study was done (Hunter, 2014) involving 1,266 foster care youths in order to predict their academic attainment. This study found that those placed with a certified relative did better academically than those placed with non-relatives, benefiting from many opportunities because of their connections with their family. These youths not only performed better academically, but their self-esteem and confidence were significantly higher than those who were placed with non-relatives, making it easier for them to build trusting relationships with peers and teachers. The children placed with non-relatives were less likely to succeed. With some it was due to physical, sexual or mental abuse, which creates psychological problems that impair social functioning. For others, the lack of success was more than likely due to the fact that many of the foster parents, yout hs, and even social workers were not as knowledgeable of all of the resources that they have at their disposal. Said resources often go underutilized because not very many people know about the programs offered in their area (Hunter, 23). In addition to low educational attainment, youth in the foster care system are more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system than others. â€Å"Consequently, nearly half of all youths who age-out are arrested after they transition from foster care at age 21† (Osei, et. al, p. 34). Taking all the different types of foster care into consideration, of the three main types (traditional foster care, therapeutic foster care, and group care), therapeutic foster care seemed to prevent the largest number of crimes due to the increased counseling. Therapeutic foster care settings are typically smaller, with more staff on site to help the foster youths manage any problems they’re having. It is indeed important to find the most appropriate placement for at-risk youth to help them avoid entering the criminal justice system (Osei, et. al, pp. 43-44). As if the prior problems aren’t enough, teen pregnancy among the youth in the foster care system has proved to be an obstacle that prevents these young people from achieving their educational and employment goals. â€Å"†¦teen girls in foster care are two and a half times more likely than those not in the system to experience a pregnancy by age 19† (Bilchik, Wilson-Simmons, p. 16). It’s acknowledged that being removed from their homes and not forming any important connections with others to â€Å"anchor† themselves, can in fact result in early pregnancies due to a lack of guidance. These early pregnancies can result in the youth born to these young mothers being put into the foster care system themselves. Without the help and support that they need, young females in the foster care system will continue to suffer from this very difficult problem, along with the repercussions due to their already disadvantaged state (Bilchik, Wilson-Simmons, p. 17). This report has covered five major problems within the foster care system: abuse, running away, low educational attainment, involvement in the juvenile justice or criminal justice system, and teen pregnancy. Much research is being conducted on these and other problems, and some of the researchers have pointed to potential solutions not discussed in this paper with social scientific evidence that could support the development of evidence-based programs for foster youth to help solve these problems. It would seem that all we have to do is implement these solutions. However, foster care is notoriously underfunded, and local, state, and federal government agencies lack the resources to try these effective solutions. What is called for at this time is the political will among our elected officials to prioritize the needs of our most vulnerable population: children without parental care. Bilchik, Shay and Wilson-Simmons, Renà ©. Preventing Teen Pregnancy among Youth in Foster Care. Policy Practice (19426828), vol. 68, no. 2, Apr. 2010, p. 16. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=f5hAN=49179396site=ehost-live Bilchik and Wilson-Simmons discuss one of the biggest problems that female youth in the foster care system face, presenting us with opportunities and preventative measures to take in order to avoid early pregnancies in the future. They discuss further what can lead to teen pregnancies among the youth in the foster care system. I will include this in my research report to illustrate yet another problem troubling the foster care system. Crossland, K. Dunlap, G. J. â€Å"Running Away from Foster Care: What Do We Know and What Do We Do?† Journal of Child and Family Studies, Springer Science+Business Media New York. Vol. 24, no. 6, June 2015, pp. 1697-1706. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=102426799site=ehost-live This article provides the audience with a detailed explanation as to what motivates the youth in the foster care system to run away from their current placement(s), how running is defined within the foster care system, as well as the ramifications of doing so. It will also touch on potential strategies to decrease how often the children run. I am going to use this in my report in order to help my audience as well as myself better understand why the youth placed in the foster care system feel the need to leave their place of residence at all. I am confident in the reliability of my source due to the fact that it is published by a company that is known for peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities and technical and medical publishing. Hunter, Dana R., et al. Understanding Correlates of Higher Educational Attainment among Foster Care Youths. Child Welfare, vol. 93, no. 5, Sept. 2014, p. 9. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=f5hAN=122411384site=ehost-live The article by Dana Hunter (and others) is a study done on a little over 1,200 youths in the foster care system, involving the academic success rates of children placed in the care of family members versus those who were not. This study was done in the context of social capitol theory, demonstrating that social capitol plays a role in educational attainment. This will be used in my article in order to draw attention to the importance of the caregiver in charge of the youth within the foster care system. This article is reliable because it is a child welfare journal. Morton, Brenda. Seeking Safety, Finding Abuse: Stories from Foster Youth on Maltrestment and Its Impact on Academic Achievement.† Child Youth Services, vol. 36, no. 3, Jul-Sep2015, pp. 205-225. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=110072124site=ehost-live This article by Brenda Morton focuses on the maltreatment of youth in the foster care system, and the effect that it has on their academic careers. She also goes over the rate at which the youth within the foster care system drop out of school, and the emotional and behavioral challenges that come with the trauma and abuse that they’ve endured. This will help in my research report, as it goes hand in hand with why the children who are being mistreated are less likely to remain at their out-of-home care placements. This article is reliable in the way that it was published by a global publishing company, which publishes academic books, journals about the humanities and social sciences. Osei, Gershon, et al. Delinquency and Crime Prevention: Overview of Research Comparing Treatment Foster Care and Group Care. Child Youth Care Forum, vol. 45, no. 1, Feb. 2016, pp. 33-46. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=112260689site=ehost-live The article by Gershon Osei (and others) discusses a small study that was done involving youth in the foster care system from ages 10-18. It explores the potential solutions to higher delinquency rates in the youth. I will use this article in my report to provide the audience with an understanding of what could potentially help youth in the system, should we put in the time and man power needed to avoid any children being overlooked or neglected in any way. This article is reliable because this is the same company that publishes peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities, and technical and medical studies. https://unsplash.com/search/photos/children

Shareholder Activism Essay The WritePass Journal

Shareholder Activism Essay Introduction Shareholder Activism Essay Can shareholder activism actually deliver the desired change?IntroductionShareholder activism – the Theoretical PerspectiveLegal BasisExamples of Shareholder ActivismAnalysis and ConclusionsReferencesRelated Can shareholder activism actually deliver the desired change? Introduction The increasing awareness of shareholders and their level of importance to the modern organisation have raised multiple questions as to the potential role which shareholders can play in influencing the decision making of the management team and their willingness to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. Where shareholders have an impact to any degree, this is referred to as shareholder activism and is largely described as being the role that shareholders play in dominating the decisions made by management teams (Bainbridge, 1995). Whilst it is readily accepted that shareholders own the company, whereas directors manage the company, there has historically been a misapprehension that shareholders are simply interested in the financial profits that the company produces. It is argued in this paper that this is not the case and shareholders are becoming much more involved in ensuring a balanced approach and that organisations have a wider awareness of issues such as corporate social re sponsibility (Schacht, 1995). The purpose of this paper is to consider whether or not this type of shareholder activism can actually be seen to be delivering a positive change, specifically in the area of corporate social responsibility. In order to look at this issue and the development of CSR, shareholder activism in its entirety needs to be looked at, before then considering the legal regime which encourages such activism and any specific cases that are relevant, before drawing conclusions on the key question. Shareholder activism – the Theoretical Perspective The management of an organisation has, for a long time, accepted that the performance of a business is down to them and that, if the shareholders are unhappy about the performance or the returns of the business they may potentially walk away from the organisation or the position of the manager may be in jeopardy. Where shareholders take this type of action on board, it can be suggested that shareholder activism is in operation. Broadly speaking, there are several key reasons why which investors may pursue the shareholder activist approach. Firstly, shareholder activism occurs in order to procure a better return on shareholder investment; secondly, to ensure that the company pursues a different corporate strategy that will ultimately improve performance and profitability, a key example of this being the suggestion that the company should demerge; thirdly, to make changes in the management team; fourthly in order to pursue some form of special interest, such as a social and ethical agenda (it is this agenda which will be looked at in more detail in the paper below). Finally, shareholder activism is undertaken to influence the outcome of some form of corporate agenda that has already been pursued (Tarrow, 1994). Shareholders have always had the option of essentially voting with their feet, when they disapprove of the decisions of the management team. For example, they can simply sell their shares, where traditionally the criticisms of management decisions would take place in private, with shareholders simply moving away when they were displeased. Although the concept of shareholder activism is not necessarily new, in recent years, it has certainly increased in its operation and become much more prevalent. Examples of recent shareholder activism include action by an institutional investor, Knight Vinke Asset Management which lobbied for changes in the HSBC strategy, or in Tesco where shareholders became involved in demanding changes in working conditions relating to clothes’ suppliers in Asia. Interestingly, shareholder activism does not depend on the size of the market, with shareholder activism being a tool that can be used in any type of organisation. Those holding shares are also potentially able to act in this way and therefore this lends a considerably more diverse meaning to the notion of shareholder activism, which can be derived from a much broader range of sources (Roe, 2003). With this potential diversity in mind, the next step is to look at the tools that are available for the activist shareholder and to identify the statutory basis upon which such action can take place. Legal Basis One of the key statutory powers which are available in order to support shareholder activism is that of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act). This Act lays down the legal framework which enables a shareholder to exercise any of their legal rights when they are pursuing an activist agenda. The precise options available to the shareholder will depend on the type of company in which they hold shares; for example, there are different rights attached to public companies. For the purpose of this analysis, all potential legal rights will be looked at and it should be borne in mind that these may not always be available, particularly to shareholders of private companies (Wrneryd, 2005). In accordance with sections 303 to 305 of the Act, shareholders are able to call a general meeting. This is a strong element of the shareholder activism as it provides members with a platform in which they can make their requirements known. In the aftermath of the Shareholder Rights Directive 2009, members and groups of shareholders representing a minimum of 5% of the public companies voting rights are able to demand that the directors call a general meeting of the company. Similarly, where the directors choose to convene a general meeting there are rules associated with giving notice to the individual shareholders. This allows shareholders the opportunity to bring a platform upon which to discuss their own issues. Secondly, in accordance with sections 314 317, members with a shareholding of at least 5% or shareholders or that have at least 100 shares with an average of at least  £100 per member are entitled to demand that the company circulates a statement to shareholders of up to 1,000 words regarding a proposed resolution or any other business that is going to take place at the meeting. This again provides the shareholders with the information that they need in order to be potentially active. It is also noted that beneficial owners of shares can count towards the threshold in order to meet the 5% trigger (Belloc and Pagano, 2009). As well as the ability to gain access to the meeting and information in relation to the meeting, shareholders are also entitled to be active within the meeting itself. In accordance with section 338, shareholders holding a total of 5% shares can propose a resolution, a strategy that was used by the investor efficient capital structures but they required a resolution as part of the 2007 AGM of Vodafone plc to pursue a specific strategy. Furthermore, section 168 provides shareholders with the ability to propose the removal of the directors. Arguably, this is one of the greater sanctions available to shareholders, from the perspective of the individual directors. Where this process is being initiated, special notice of 28 days must be given of the intention to propose this resolution and to reasonably work in line with the articles of association of the company (Filatotchev, et al 2006). Importantly, section 116 of the Act allows any shareholders to gain access to the shareholder register which then may offer them the opportunity for the shareholders to join forces in order to deal with a particular agenda, making the ability to reach the 5% thresholds somewhat easier. There are, however, requirements for shareholders to ensure that when they are canvassing support they are doing so for the proper purpose. There are certain thresholds which allow shareholders to have rights, with 5% offering the opportunity to propose a resolution, to require an independent report in the case of quoted companies, the power to require companies to publish audit concerns, again in quoted companies, and also the power to include a matter that should be considered at AGM. When the required percent of the shareholders join forces, the power becomes much more threatening to the management team, as this is the requisite amount required a specific resolution. For example, at 75%, the shareholders can require a special resolution to be passed. The regime associated with proxies can play a very important role when it comes to shareholder activism with the 2006 Act making changes as to the way in which proxies can operate, allowing the property to be much more effective. For example, members have an absolute right to appoint a proxy who can attend a meeting and vote on their behalf. Another key area of shareholder activism emerged from the ability to use corporate representation, rather than using a proxy, as this allows shareholders a much greater degree of practical flexibility when they are unable to comply with proxy deadlines, or some other form of formality. Corporate shareholders are also able to appoint representatives by virtue of their own board resolution. Finally, it is worth noting that shareholders’ rights can be utilised by indirect investors. For example, under the 2006 Act, it is possible for the beneficial shareholders holding shares to enjoy information rights, i.e. to obtain information in relation to the company and in many cases the beneficial shareholders can count towards reaching the 5% thresholds. Although this goes beyond the scope of the discussion here, it is worth noting that these beneficial shareholders can have a direct impact on any agenda for shareholder activism. Examples of Shareholder Activism In order to gain an understanding of just how effective these legal provisions can be, the situation in Tesco can be looked at. In 2007, the poverty charity â€Å"War on Want† used the fact that it held a 5% shareholding in order to present a resolution at the 2007 AGM, with a view to ensuring a better deal for suppliers, in particular across Asia. The matter did not rest there and in June 2008 Tesco was targeted once again by a group of shareholders who were headed by an individual high- profile shareholder, to look at the living conditions of chickens, prior to their purchase by Tesco for sale. The shareholders in both these cases used section 338 of the Companies Act 2006, in order to demand resolutions relating to their individual issues. Once this resolution had been demanded, the company was required to circulate information relating to the resolution, as well as any supporting statements (Aguilera, 2005). This type of shareholder activism was seen to be successful in these individual cases and provided a real forum for the shareholders with a relatively minimal percentage to change the strategy and activities of the organisation itself. Tesco is not alone in facing these types of issues and many other large companies have also faced action from minimal shareholders, relating to specific issues such as wages for staff or supplier issues. This shows a clear indication of the willingness of shareholders to become much more active in putting their points forward and being willing to take on corporations by forcing resolutions to be placed and information to be provided to the broader shareholding (Hendry et al 2007). Analysis and Conclusions The question presented here is to consider whether or not shareholder activism can truly have an impact on organisations, when it comes to encouraging changes and improving corporate social responsibility within the organisation. By looking at the history of shareholder activism and the way in which shareholders are becoming much more willing to engage in the operation of the company, as well as examining the provisions of the 2006 Act which provide shareholders with the ability to undertake these activities, it is argued here that shareholder activism is a growing and real threat to management teams of all sizes. In particular, the 2006 Act offers a considerable opportunity for shareholders to demand information and to have certain items discussed at the AGM. By merely providing this platform for discussion, shareholders can become more active in order to ensure their ultimate agenda is not pursued. By looking at this and using a company such as Tesco as an example, it can be seen that groups of shareholders are gaining real attention and are able to have a direct and dramatic impact on the decisions made by the management teams, particularly when faced with the ultimate sanction that shareholders can request the removal of those directors who fails to comply (Gillan and Starks, 2000). It is concluded here, therefore, that shareholder activism is a real and direct method whereby shareholder groups can encourage changes in the strategy of the organisation relating to both corporate, social responsibility and any other relevant issues. References Aguilera, R.V. (2005) ‘Corporate governance and director accountability: An institutional comparative perspective’ British Journal of Management, 16: S39–S53. Bainbridge, S. M. (1995) The politics of corporate governance, Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol. 18 (3), pp. 671-735. Belloc, M. and Pagano, U. (2009) Co-evolution of politics and corporate governance, International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 29 (2), pp. 106-114. Filatotchev, I., Jackson, G., Gospel, H., and Allcock, D. (2006) Key Drivers of ‘Good’ Corporate Governance and the Appropriateness of UK Policy Responses The Department of Trade and Industry and King’s College London. Gillan, S.L. and Starks, L.T (2000) ‘Corporate governance proposals and shareholder activism: The role of institutional investors’ Journal of Financial Economics, 57 (2): 275- 305. Hendry, J., Sanderson, P., Barker, R. and Roberts, J. (2007) ‘Responsible ownership, shareholder value and the new shareholder activism’ Competition Change,11 (3): 223-240. Roe, M.J. (2003) Political Determinants of Corporate Governance: Political Context, Corporate Impact Oxford University Press. Schacht, K.N. (1995) ‘Institutional investors and shareholder activism: Dealing with demanding shareholders’ Directorship, 21 (5): 8-12. Tarrow, S. (1994) Power in Movement: Collective Action, Social Movements, and Politics in Marens, R. (2002) ‘Inventing corporate governance: The mid-century emergence of shareholder activism’ Journal of Business Management, 8 (4): 365. Wrneryd, K. (2005) Special issue on the politics of corporate governance: Introduction, Economics of Governance, Vol. 6 (2), pp. 91-92.

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis Writing a Rhetorical Analysis Writing a Rhetorical Analysis and Writing Critical Analysis: How? As a rule, writing a rhetorical analysis is considered to be one of the most challenging tasks a student receives during his or her studying life in college. Writing a rhetorical analysis is considered to be so complicated as in order to write it, the student does not have to criticize, analyze, or describe the images of the piece of writing under analysis, instead of this, he or she has to depict what message each of the writers is trying to deliver to the readers, and how he or she is doing it in the piece of writing under analysis. Detecting tactics are the main task of writing a rhetorical analysis: Apart from detecting the tactics the authors use in their writing, you also have to determine the goal of each of the pieces of writing. You see the theme and idea of any piece of writing are considered to be different things, do not mix them up while writing a rhetorical analysis. The theme of the article tells the readers what is the article about; the idea of the article explains the readers with which aim was this or that article written. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing Is A Demanding Task Writing an analysis paper demands from the student a lot of hard working and brainstorming; that is why in order to have enough time for writing a rhetorical analysis completing better start you work at that very day when you have received the task. Writing critical analysis is one more task, which is considered to be a rather difficult as it is really difficult to criticize some others writing. Of course, if you are not going to bring evidence for your words in writing critical analysis, you will not spend much time for such work. However, if you are going to handle writing critical analysis according to all the requirements, you can do nothing but spend your time for finding proofs for your words. If You Need Help With Writing Rhetorical Analysis If you do not want to cope either with writing critical analysis or with writing a rhetorical analysis, you have a marvelous opportunity to escape this dull writing. Our custom essay writing service will handle writing a rhetorical analysis or writing critical analysis with great pleasure for you. We evaluate the comfort and good mood of our customers that is why we never disturb our customers after we have received an order. Entrust your writing critical analysis into our hands and be sure in the success. Read also: Cause and Effect Essay Argumentative Essay Topics English Essay Writing Writing Thesis Papers Writing a Thesis

The Impact Of Economic Growth, Political And Economic Systems On The Essay

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Religion and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Religion and Society - Essay Example United States where on one hand enjoy a multicultural society with religious pluralism; on the other hand it feels as if a threat has been developed in the name of secularization. However this must not be the case in a country where liberal secularization remains in the eye of the scholarly beholder and where the observer possesses the right to decide if a symbol or form has been transformed or not. In American society where religious institutions play an extensive role in the economic regulation, denominational organizations, churches, and religiously affiliated institutions at the same time they contribute substantially to the growth of the domestic and international economy. On one hand we consider America as a multi-religious society, while on the other we take into account those facts that create a link between religion and economy. In order to understand the connection between the two, one can first consider those developments that occur outside this domain i.e., economy in a à ¢â‚¬Ëœnon-religious’ environment. As with all socially significant categories, the reflection of religion upon any economy (stabilizing or destabilizing) depends to some extent on the difference between what counts as religion and what does not. For example, American society at the time of Reformation enjoyed a double compatibility in the name of religion. On the one hand, the visibility, power, and clearly religious identity of the Roman Catholic Church provided a concrete institutional model served the religion positively. On the other hand, however, early America witnessed a time when there was gradual development of other institutional domains that increasingly, over subsequent centuries, established themselves as independent of religious support and eventually even of religious legitimation (Dillon, 2003, p. 43). The development, which America has witnessed throughout centuries, resulted in a capitalist economy in which the sovereign political state emerged inclusive of the administrative and military arms. Such development was the result of multicultural spectrum, which was influenced by religiously, shaped society cultural and racial values, therefore the related domain of positive law, modern science, and later also academic education, medicalized health, art, mass media, and sport all developed. In this scenario the rise of two individual systems 'religious' and 'nonreligious' were critical for developing and treating religion as something distinct and different, therefore there was no option for a growing economy other than to include 'religion' on a broad spectrum in everyday lives of Americans. Not only did religion in this context appeared in contrast to other nonreligious social values, but it modelled itself to some extent in order to cover up all economic threats, therefore religi on also helped in institutional reconstruction. Now that the time has come religion in America has moulded itself in many social forms, it would not be wrong to acknowledge that the way religion has modernized American economy, has never happened in the past. An example is when decades ago, early American religious missionaries worked hard to retain their religious consensus and the moral values of the earlier world out of which they came. At the same time they were enthusiastic about new improvements in transportation and communication along with their entrepreneurial business mindedness in manufacturing and industrialization (Porterfield, 2001, p. 48). Relationship between social class and

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