Sociology As Applied To Dentistry Health And Social Care Essay

Sociology every bit applied to dentistry is an indispensable portion of preparation for tooth doctors. The instance for inquiring, even necessitating, medical and other pupils of the wellness professions to prosecute with the multiple ways in which health-related phenomena, from single behaviors through categorizations of and schemes for get bying with medically defined disease to the support of healthcare systems, are embedded in the societal universe remains undeniable ( Scambler 2008 ) . â€Å" He or she needs it at the really least for protection against the really existent jeopardy of defeat and sadness when it proves hard to implement medical steps ; but above all it is needed if the medical and other health-related professions are to do their greatest possible part to the public assistance of the populations they are privileged to function † ( Margot Jefferys 1981, in Scambler 2008 ) Sociology is the survey of how society is organized and how we experience life ( British Sociological Association 2010 ) . ‘It seeks to supply penetrations into the many signifiers of relationship, both formal and informal, between people. Such relationships are considered to be the A?fabricA? of society. Smaller scale relationships are connected to larger scale relationships and the entirety of this is society itself ‘ ( British Sociological Association 2010 ) . It is a comparatively new add-on to the dental course of study, holding been ab initio introduced in the 1980s. An increasing acknowledgment of the importance of ‘social ‘ factors associated with assorted unwellness provinces has ensured medical sociology a go oning topographic point in learning and research enterprise ( Reid 1976 ) . The General Dental Council ‘s acquisition results for the first five old ages specifically states that as portion of the undergraduate course of study, pupils shou ld be ‘be familiar with the societal, cultural and environmental factors which contribute to wellness or unwellness ‘ ( GDC 2008 ) and many of the other larning results have a sociological attack at their bosom. The General Dental council highlight six cardinal rules that dental professionals are expected to follow ( GDC 2005 ) . The first two of these rules regard a patient centred attack to dentistry. They specifically province that tooth doctors should be ‘putting the patients involvements foremost, moving to protect them ‘ and that as tooth doctors we have to ‘respect a patients ‘ self-respect and picks ‘ . In order to carry through these criterions it is imperative that we understand that each person will see a figure of different influences on their wellness, and how that person will respond to each influence will depend greatly on what has come before and what will come after. Without this basic apprehension, tooth doctors will neglect to of all time understand their patients or supply them with the best attention. How a patient will move in any given state of affairs will really much depend on several factors that have influenced their life. What is accepted as ‘normal ‘ to one patient may be wholly different to another patients position. With peculiar mention to wellness and unwellness, societal and cultural variables have a important portion to play. Aukernecht showed this in 1947 when analyzing a South American folk. The folk had a skin status that harmonizing to biomedical criterions was a ‘disease ‘ . But this ‘disease ‘ was considered ‘normal ‘ by the members of the folk, so much so that if they did non hold it they were non allowed to get married! ( Aukernecht 1947 ) . Although this might be regarded as an utmost illustration, if you consider some of the information from the most disadvantaged countries of the UK, our position on what is regarded as ‘normal ‘ may be challenged. In the most recent kids ‘s review, it was sh own that 52.1 % of primary seven kids in the most disadvantaged class showed obvious marks of decay experience ( Scots Dental 2010 ) . Similarly if we look at the most recent grownup dental wellness study, it was shown that over half the people populating in the most disadvantaged countries ( DEPCAT 6 & A ; 7 ) were reliant on either full or partial dental plates ( ADHS 1998 ) . It is ‘normal ‘ for people in disadvantaged countries to see dental decay. What the people in this group in society respect as ‘disease ‘ may be wholly different than our perceptual experience. The universe wellness administration defines wellness as ‘the complete physical, mental and societal wellbeing and non simply the absence of disease or frailty ‘ ( WHO 1948 ) . It is of import that dentists receive preparation in the sociological influences that determine what wellness means to different people in order that they understand that this definition is unachievable for the bulk of the population. The medical theoretical account of disease causing as localization of function of pathology is flawed. There should be a alteration off from our focal point on disease. Switching tooth doctors perceptual experiences off from a disease orientated position that dental diseases are the consequence of distinct pathology, to the position that wellness or unwellness occurs as a consequence of complex interactions between several factors including familial, environmental, psychological and societal factors is cardinal ( Tinetti & A ; Fried 2004 ) . Our focal point should be shifted to a position of wellness that encompasses an persons ‘ ability to be comfy and map in a normal societal function ( Dolan 1993 ) . It is indispensable that tooth doctors are trained to hold a holistic attack to the attention of their patients, and are able to admit the impacts that socio-environmental factors have on wellness. As described by Dahlgren and Whitehead in 1991, forms of unwritten wellness and unwellness can non be separated from the societal context in which they occur ( Figure 1 ) . hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nap.edu/books/030908704X/xhtml/images/p20008090g404002.jpgFigure 1. Main determiners of Health ( Dahlgren & A ; Whitehead 1991 )Even with this cognition, tooth doctors must be able to associate this to their patient. The universe is non an equal topographic point and tooth doctors must be trained to admit the effects that inequality can hold on wellness. As antecedently discussed, socio-economic position has a major influence on the wellness position of an person. Equally early as 1842, Edwin Chadwick looked at life anticipation of those in different societal categories ( Chadwick 1842 ) . This showed that the mean age at decease in Bethnal Green at that clip was 35 for aristocracy and professionals but merely 15 for laborers mechanics and retainers. Although life anticipation has improved for all categories in Britain since this clip, inequalities have remained. The Black Report, published in 1980, showed that there had continued to be an betterment in wellness across all the categories ( DHSS 1980 ) . But there was still a co-relation between societal category and infant mortality rates, life anticipation and inequalities in the usage of medical services. In 1998 The Acheson Report once more highlighted the turning spread between the richest and poorest in society in relation to wellness and life anticipation ( Stationary Office 1998 ) . Regardless of whether you look at mortality, morbidity, life anticipation or self- rated wellness position, the gradients remain the same and the wellness of those at the underside of the category system is worse than that of those at the top. When looking at Oral Health a similar form emerges. Social inequality in unwritten wellness is a cosmopolitan phenomenon ( Peterson 2005 ) . More disadvantaged countries have higher degrees of disease in the industrialised and non-industrialized universe alike. The inequalities between groups are comparatively stable and persist through the coevalss. In the 1998 Adult Dental Health Survey, dental wellness was reported to be worse in the lower societal categories and that there was a clear gradient between the rich and hapless. Between 1978 and 1998, large betterments in the Numberss of edentate grownups were detected. However, the spread between those in the lower and upper categories was still evident. By 1998, those in societal category IV and V had merely reached degrees of unwritten wellness found in societal categories I, II and IIIm in 1978. In a more recent study of kids ‘s unwritten wellness in 2003 ( Children ‘s Dental Health Survey 2003 ) , similar forms were found. Those in lower societal categories were more likely to see tooth decay, were more likely to hold dentitions extracted due to disintegrate and were twice every bit likely to hold unmet orthodontic demand than their wealthier equals. Entree to dental services has besides been shown to change between societal categories. The 1998 grownup dental wellness study showed that people from a higher societal category were more likely to utilize dental services, and that in-between category grownups were more likely to go to for preventative intervention whereas working category grownups were more likely to go to for alleviation of symptoms. Working category grownups were besides most likely to see jobs in paying for dental intervention, and more likely to go to irregularly. Socio-economic inequality shows no marks of change by reversaling, rather to the contrary. In the last 20 old ages the spread between rich and hapless has widened. Harmonizing to the office for national statistics, informations shows that the top 1 % of the population ain 21 % of the wealth. Possibly more astonishing is the fact that about half the population portion merely 7 % of the entire wealth ( ONS 2003 ) . This has a major impact on how we deliver dental services. Dentists have to be cognizant of the fiscal restraints that face a big part of the population. With a limited budget to manus, dental intervention or so preventative steps such as toothpaste and floss may go a luxury that they can non afford. There is besides a demand for tooth doctors to be trained to recognize the effects of other inequalities such as gender, ethnicity and age on wellness. There are cardinal differences between work forces and adult females that non merely find their place within society, but besides their place in the wellness spectrum. Womans are less likely to keep a place of power and are paid less than their male opposite numbers ( Scambler 2008 p134-140 ) . They are besides more likely to endure sick wellness, although possibly surprisingly they outlive their male opposite numbers, so much so that adult females from societal category 5 unrecorded significantly longer than work forces from societal category 1- ? this ref, in notes but ca n't happen elsewhere! ( ONS 2000- ? 2004 ) . There is argument about the consequence that gender has on unwritten wellness, with some surveies proposing that gender does consequence unwritten wellness, with adult females sing poorer dental wellness than their male opposite numbers ( Todd & A ; Lader 1991 ) ( Downer 1994 ) . Other surveies suggest that the contrary is true ( Scambler 2002 ) . The issue appears to be related to the inability to pull a decision on whether it is gender entirely that is doing the inequality, or if it is by virtuousness of the fact that adult females are in lower societal categories than work forces and are presently populating longer. Age is the individual biggest ground for the lessening in sound and untreated dentitions across the population as a whole, with the following most of import factor being part of the UK, the more deprived the country, the more disease. Older people are more likely to be populating in poorness than any other sector of the population. In 2007/08, an estimated 2 million pensionaries in the UK were populating in poorness ( ONS 2010 ) . As seen in the treatment on societal category, this will hold obvious deductions for their unwritten wellness. Whilst life anticipation is increasing this does non needfully intend that people are populating longer in good wellness and there is some argument about the thought of healthy life anticipation ( in notes ) . It can be surmised that possibly an aging population will convey with it a catalogue of dental disease as they are non merely more susceptible to disease by life thirster, but by virtuousness of them falling down the societal ladder. Older people presently experience higher degrees of hapless unwritten wellness than other groups and overall they make less usage of dental services and receive poorer attention than other groups ( in notes ) . However, the older population is altering. More people are retaining natural dentitions into their old age, and are more likely to do regular usage of dental services. Dentists have to be cognizant of the alterations that are traveling to go on with their patient demographic over the following few old ages. This group of patients will necess itate more renewing and decorative interventions but will be further down the societal ladder and less able to pay for such interventions. Poor socioeconomic position is besides thought to account for the differences that are seen in unwritten wellness of cultural groups ( Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology 2007 ) . Programs have been designed to better dental pupils understanding of and attitudes to patients, such as Otto wagners cross-cultural patient teacher programme to better dental pupils understanding of and attitudes towards ethnically diverse patients ( Wagner et al 2008 ) . But what this type of programme fails to turn to is that the biggest factor in finding the wellness of an person is their socio-economic position ( Watt and Sheiham 1999 ) . Not merely do people in the lower socio-economic groups experience more ill-health, they besides are more likely to comprehend a deficiency of control over their wellness. Cornwell ( 1984 ) found that people in low socio-economic groups would travel to great attempts to turn out deficiency of duty if they became sick. In add-on to this, Blaxter ( 1982 ) found that people in lower socio-economic groups tended to specify wellness in a functional manner. These two points are important for tooth doctors to hold on. On the whole, tooth doctors by nature of their profession autumn into a traditional in-between category position. Middle category people are more likely to take a moral duty for their wellness and to experience that they can make something about it ( Scambler 2002 ) . Given that the bulk of the population in the UK position themselves as working category ( BBC 2006 ) , it is extremely likely that the tooth doctor and the patient will hold really different positions on non mere ly how they define wellness but besides on their personal ability to alter their wellness position. The differences between tooth doctors and their patients do non halt at that place. Recent research suggests that the lower the socio-economic position the less likely that a patient will go to wellness services in the first topographic point. Several ‘barriers ‘ have been suggested including fright ( Todd and Lader 1995 ) , handiness of tooth doctors ( acquire ref ) , cost and dissatisfaction with attention. It is deserving observing that the presence of barriers increases the lower the socio-economic position of the person. Even when people recognise that they are sing symptoms, they do non needfully seek medical aid ( Zola 1973 ) . Decisions about help-seeking are elaborately bound-up with the societal fortunes that people find themselves in. Evidence clearly demonstrates that there is a important sum of unmet demand in the community and that many people who experience symptoms do non seek aid from medical or dental professionals. By far the most common unwellness beha vior is self intervention with nonprescription medical specialties such as hurting alleviation ( Wadsworth 1971 in Scambler pg 49 ) Others have indicated the presence of a ‘lay referral system ‘ , whereby â€Å" the whole procedure of seeking aid involves a web of possible advisers from the intimate confines of the atomic household through in turn more choice, distant and important laypersons until the ‘professional ‘ is reached † ( Friedson 1970 ) . â€Å" A state of affairs in which the possible patient participates in a subculture which differs from that of physicians and in which there is an drawn-out ballad referral system would take to the ‘lowest ‘ rate of use of medical services † ( Scambler 2008:48 ) . This all adds fuel to the fire of the ‘inverse attention jurisprudence ‘ which states that those in demand of the most healthcare have least entree to it ( Tudor-Hart ) . Consulting behavior has besides been seen to non be entirely related to the experiences of symptoms, with every bit many as 48 % of those sing terrible hurting non confer withing a tooth doctor ( Locker 1988- in notes ) . The type of symptom ( i.e. hurting ) is merely one factor and the consequence that the symptom has on daily life is besides an of import consideration. It is indispensable that tooth doctors are educated in sociology as applied to dentistry in order that they are able to handle their patients efficaciously. Without an penetration into the bigger image, tooth doctors will efficaciously be clean uping the deckchairs on a sinking ship. The society in which a individual lives shapes the wellness, unwellness, life anticipation and quality of life of those within it. In order to do any alteration on an single degree, so alterations have to happen on a social degree. From work done by Wilkinson and Picket ( 2009 ) it would look that the best manner of cut downing wellness inequalities would be to cut down the income inequalities that exist in the UK. Their work showed that â€Å" there is a really strong inclination for ill- wellness and societal jobs to happen less often in the more equal states. With increasing inequality, the higher is the mark on our index of wellness and societal jobs. Health and Social jobs are so more common in states with bigger income inequalities. The two are inordinately closely related- opportunity entirely would about ne'er produce a spread in which states lined up like this. † Dentists have to be cognizant of this job. There is a demand for tooth doctors to force for authorities to implement policies that will undertake these inequalities. Dentists ( and other wellness professionals ) need to work together to seek to promote authorities alteration. There has to be a move off from tooth doctors accepting disea se at face value, tooth doctors have to be trained to gain that no sum of Restoration placed within a patients oral cavity is traveling to convey about the alteration that is needed to assist that person have a healthy life. Every oral cavity we see is portion of a individual, which is portion of a household, which is portion of a society. Dentists should be taught to ‘think sociologically ‘ ( Scambler 2008 ) . By believing sociologically we can get down to gain that whilst we are all knitted together in the rich tapestry which is society, we are besides co-creators of the design for that tapestry. Dentists need to take a more active function in the creative activity of that design, a function that is indispensable if we hope to accomplish a more equal society. Unit 1- Health, Disease and SocietyPurpose:To present the relationship between wellness, disease and society and to specify and research cardinal theoretical accounts within wellness and unwritten wellness.Aims:Define Disease, Illness, Health and Oral Health Disease- a biomedically defined pathology within the human system which may or may non be evident to the person Illness- the ballad reading of bodily or mantal marks or symptoms as somehow unnatural Illness and disease exist in a societal model and indices of disease and unwellness produced by alveolar consonant and medical professionals do non ever make sense to the ballad population. Understandings of wellness and unwellness are constructed through the interplay between the symptom experience and the societal and cultural model within which this experience occurs. Health is a many-sided construct that can be experienced in different ways by different people at different times and in different topographic points Oral health- a comfy and functional teething that allows persons to go on their societal function. Describe cardinal historical fluctuations in disease patterns- Knowledge about the organic structure, about disease and about medical specialty, are merchandises of their clip ; they are socially constructed by what is ‘known ‘ or thought to be ‘known ‘ at any point in clip. Diseases themselves are socially constructed and can alter over clip. Describe cardinal theories of disease causation- monism and localization of function of pathology Monism- all disease in due to one underlying cause ( normally one of balance ) in the solid or unstable parts of the organic structure. Balance distrupted, unwellness will happen. Restoration of balance, remedy and unwellness irradicated Localization of function of pathology- Medical scientific discipline developed this theory. Cases Discuss the altering nature of dental disease forms in grownup populations Unit 2- societal construction and health- inequalitiesPurpose:To present the nature of societal construction and how this relates to forms of unwritten disease in the UK populationAims:Introduce and discourse the significance of societal construction and societal stratification Describe ways of mensurating inequalities Discuss the relationship between societal category and wellness Discuss the relationship between societal category and unwritten wellness Discuss accounts for societal category related differences in health/oral wellnessUnit of measurement 5: Social Structure and Health II – Gender ;Ethnicity ; Ageing and Oral HealthPurposes:To depict societal differences between the genders in relation to such factors as equality, work, matrimonial functions, and wellness behavior. To analyze the wellness and unwritten wellness of cultural minority groups in Britain today. To look at the impact of ageing and the lifecourse on wellness experiences, integrating outlooks of old age and differential intervention of older people.Aims:Define gender, ethnicity and ripening. Understand the mortality and morbidity derived functions for work forces and adult females. Understand gender differences in wellness behavior. Outline and discourse gender differences in unwritten wellness. Be cognizant of the inequalities in the general wellness and unwritten wellness of cultural groups. Have cognition of some of the major dental wellness jobs of older people. Be cognizant of the societal impact of ageing on dental wellness.Unit of measurement 5: Health and Illness Behaviour and the Dentist-Patient RelationshipPurpose:To present the constructs of wellness and illness behavior and measure the scope of factors which influence what happens when people become sick.Aims:aˆ? To sketch and discourse different perceptual experiences of wellness and unwellness. aˆ? To discourse the clinical iceberg in populations and its deductions for dental wellness. aˆ? To present and discourse the nucleus variables Influencing illness behavior. aˆ? To discourse the construct of ‘triggers ‘ for seeking dental attention and their deductions for the dental intervention experience. aˆ? To present the construct of entree to wellness attention. aˆ? To discourse the nature of the dentist -patient relationship. In order to get down to look at these inequalities, persons can be stratified into different groups, harmonizing to specified standards and ensuing in a hierarchy with those at the lower terminal agony in comparing with those at the top of the system. â€Å" Social stratification involves a hierarchy of societal groups. Members of a peculiar stratum have common individuality, similar involvements and a similar life style. They enjoy or suffer the unequal distribution of wagess in society as members of different societal groups. † ( Haralambos and Holburn 2000 ) . Webber devised a hierarchal theoretical account, in which category relates to occupational standing. Occupational type is considered along with societal position and power. This theoretical account forms the footing for the two theoretical accounts of societal category which are most frequently used within research in the United kingdom: Registrar Generals Model of Social Class and National Statistics Socio-economic Classification. Social Class has long been associated with degrees of wellness.

Evaluate factors that influenced the effectiveness of each interaction Essay

In this piece of coursework I will be analysing and evaluating the factors that influence the effectiveness of each interaction in relation to the one to one set at a GP’s for a patient that has really bad back pains and is complaining about how sharp the pain is. I based the one to one interaction on a patient with back problems and they’ve come to the GP’s for something to be given to them. I thought of this because it’s something I went through and I thought it would be nice to let people know what process I went through and how hard it was. The first factor, I thought that influenced the one to one interaction was the patient and doctor taking turns while talking and not interrupting. Turn taking is a major factor that involves our everyday lifestyle and it’s helpful because you know you will get a turn at having your own say. Turn taking helps out a lot especially if you are with younger children or at a GP. For example, the patient came to her doctor and she told her doctor what was wrong with her and how much she’s in pain, the doctor listened to her while she was talking and didn’t ask questions until she finished talking then, the doctor answered all her questions and asked her own questions trying to figure out what was wrong about that patient and what actions will need to be taken for the patient to feel better. Towards the end the doctor referred the patient to her local hospital for an x-ray to see what’s going on. What’s good about turn taking is that everyone listens to each other and you don’t get interrupted also you know you’ll have enough time to talk while others have a chance to think about questions to ask you. The second factor I realised that influenced the one to one interaction was listening. Listening is letting people talk and you concentrating on just what they are saying, listening is a very important communication skill because if you don’t listen you may misunderstand something which may leads you to thinking differently and feeling insecure. Read more: Describe factors which may influence children’s development essay Listening was one factor that influenced the one to one interaction because if one of us didn’t listen while the other person was talking we may have not heard what they were saying or concentrated enough to understand what they were saying which can lead to giving wrong answers which could be a problem to the persons health that’s why when others are talking you always have to listen. For example, in the one to one interaction Emily was my partner and she helped me concentrate listening to  her because little things distract me easily so I had to make sure I listened to her also, we had our script which was used as a prop if we missed out something we carried on listening to each other while looking at what was said to not give the wrong answer. We listened to each other because we knew how important listening is and we were successful at getting through the one to one interaction without not knowing what was going on because we listened to each other. The third factor that also had an influence on the one to one interaction was respect towards each other. Respecting each other shows you give them pride and you are happy about what they are saying or doing also, respect comes from learning to care about people from older ages because we have to respect people to get along with life if we don’t respect then there could be consequences. Respect is very important because we all have to respect everyone no matter what their race, gender, age or features are we have to because we live in a society that moves with respect. For example, if we didn’t respect the army that looks after the country for losing their lives to make the world a much happier place and for us to be safe then that will be a major consequence because what’s the point of those people dying for us if we can’t have a little respect for them. The reason why I thought respect had a influence in the one to one interaction was because if we didnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t respect each other we wouldn’t have been able to understand each other and we wouldn’t have been able to do the doctor and patient script because a doctor always has to respect their patients no matter what happens they have to so does the patient too. An example of this would be, when the patient walked into the room I felt the respect from the patient by the way they answered me and facial expressions. This had a big impact on the interaction because it made it less awkward to talk with the patient and not only was the patient comfortable with asking questions to do with her illness but as a doctor being able to have enough respect from a patient to ask them what areas of the back hurts and being able to have a look at the patients back to check what’s wrong. The last factor that had an influence on the interaction was how professional I was. Being professional can be difficult because if you’ve always been in an environment that’s unprofessional and you don’t know where to use what language that can be an issue. So being professional was key in this interaction because I was a person that had a reputation,  that had power to help people and look after them. If I didn’t act professional the patient could have not taken me serious but I did. The reason why being professional was an influence in the interaction because I realised the more professional you are no matter where you are you will always be looked up to and that’s why I thought it was an influence because it made the patient feel secure with me, it made the patient understand no matter what happens I will always be supporting the patient which would make both of us happy. For example, the minute the patient knocked on the door I dropped everything I was doing and stood up and shock the hand then I made the patient feel welcomed and asked how they were then they started explaining what the problem was and the actions I was doing showed I was professional.

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Human Sexuality - Essay Example Men do not seem to have as many body images as women do. Men and women do think about their bodies differently. Men seem to be more confident that women. I believe this is a society stereotype. Men are never portrayed as too old. An example would be Hugh Hefner. Despite looking like an old man, Hefner is always surrounded by young women. Not just one young devotee, but Hefner is dating three or four women at a time. I believe in this instance it is Hefner’s confidence, not his looks that make him appealing to women. His money does not hurt either. On the other hand, when an older woman dates or marries a younger man, like Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, the woman is a cougar. Even Demi has tried to keep up a youthful image with cosmetic surgeries. Women are more pressured to look young. Another way that men and women differ about their body image is weight. An overweight man can still attract women. In restaurants or in public I have observed fat men show up with a date more than fat women. This is reflected in the media as well. For example Kevin James, James Gandolfini, and other actors are shown with skinny partners on and off the screen. They also get more press than heavy female stars. I also feel that race has to do with body image. African American women are more comfortable with their bodies than white women. No matter the size, African American women wear makeup, dress up, and portray a sense of pride. Heavier white women tend to wear baggy clothes, no makeup, and try to hide themselves from society. Black men seem to accept heavier women and find that more attractive. White men want skinny women with big breasts. Another body image point that Americans perpetrate is the tanned blonde that stands about 5’10 and weighs about 100 lbs. Ethnic models are sometimes accepted if blue eyed, but dark black models are discouraged. Ethnic hair is also discouraged. African American women wear wigs and straighten their hair. I

Harvard Reflection Paper - The definitive Guide to Recruiting in Good Essay

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Political Science Russian Politics - Essay Example After the August 1991 putsch and the dissolution of the CPSU, the DPKR in its first congress was renamed the People's Party of "Free Russia," and was headed by Rutskoi and Lipitsky. It flourished from 1991 to 1993, when it was considered a potential ruling party. Moving in March 1992 into constructive opposition to the course of the Boris Yeltsin-Yegor Gaidar administration, the NPSR reached an agreement with the Democratic Party of Russia, on the basis of which the bloc Civic Union was formed. (McFaul and Markov, 1993) In the 1993 conflict between Yeltsin and the delegates, Rutskoi sided with the latter and landed in prison after the attack on the White House. After his amnesty in May 1994, the party changed its name again, this time to the Russian Social-Democratic People's Party (RSDNP). Its main goals were the creation of conditions for free and thorough development of the citizens of Russia; elevation of their welfare; guarantee of citizens' rights and freedoms; and establishment of a civic society, a social-market economy, and a lawful government. Leaders had different ideas for the party's development: Rutskoi called upon the delegates to participate in the creation of the social-patriotic movement Power, whereas Lipitsky supported the idea of transforming the RSDNP into a social-democratic party of the Western European variety. In March 1995, the split became fact in congress, after which both sides essentially ceased existing. Rutskoi's group began working in the social-patriotic movement Power, and Lipitsky's in the Russian Social-Democratic Union. (McFoul, 2001; Reddaway and Glinski, 2001) In the 1995 elections, Lipitsky's supporters participated in the bloc Social-Democrats (0.13% of the vote), and Power pushed forward its federal list, on account of which a new split occurred in the leadership of the movement, and a number of politicians left it. The new list of Power with Rutskoi at the head received 1.8 million votes (2.6%), while in Rutskoi's homeland, Kursk, it received more than 30 percent. In 1996, Power was unable to collect the required number of signatures for its presidential candidate Rutskoi, and it joined with the bloc of popular-patriotic forces headed by Gennady Zyuganov. Soon afterward, Rutskoi was elected first as cochair of the Popular-Patriotic Union of Russia, and then, with its support, governor of Kursk Oblast. He resigned as chair of Power and fell into conflict with the NPSR and Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF). In 1998, Power, under the chairmanship of Konstantin Zatulin, entered the movement Fatherland of Moscow mayor Yuri Lu zhkov, and on the very eve of elections it split yet again and disappeared from the political scene. (McFoul, 2001) Free Russia gradually emerged from obscurity from the Russian Party of Small and Medium Businesses. This was due to the efforts of former presidential contender Irina Khakamada to revive the liberal movement in the country, which many in the West criticize for alleged backsliding on democracy. It has 55,063 registered members and is little known to the population. It has never run in a national parliamentary election, but gained 11% of the votes in the regional election in the Novgorod Region on October 8, 2006. In the 2007 parliamentary elections, Free Russia registered as a contender and will try to appeal to the right-wing electorate in the 2007 parliam

Stove Pipe stucture v.s Line Manager Research Paper

Stove Pipe stucture v.s Line Manager - Research Paper Example Organizational structure may be defined as the method through which the use of a hierarchy such as groups, business, organizations, or people cooperate to achieve success of one common goal. Business organizational structures differ depending on their objective, scope, and size. However, a good structure should reflect hierarchical duties, division of labor and tasks arranged related directly to a goal. A structure may also be seen as an organizational chart. Organizational structures can be classified differently depending on the nature and size of organization. A structure can be traditional, divisional or matrix. Traditional structures are usually based on the functional divisions and departments. Organizations with traditional structures often follow laid out rules and regulations strictly, they also have a well defined authority structure for all levels of management. The structures include the line structure that has a line of command; line and staff structure that is a combination of the line structure where information comes from the top level to the bottom levels, with staff departments for support and specialization; and functional structure that is a classification of people according to the function they perform in the organization, for example, sales, accounts, human resource or administrative. Divisional structures are specifically based on the divisional differences in the organization. This structure is further divided into product structure whereby the organization of employees and the work to be done is on the basis of the different types of products produced by the organization; market structure that involves grouping employees on the basis of the market the company sells their products and geographic structure that follows a zonal region structure. Matrix structure is a combination of the functional and product structures. It aims to combine the best of both structures to make an organization and its structure more

The Role of Reason in the Historical Concepts of Human Rights Essay

The Role of Reason in the Historical Concepts of Human Rights - Essay Example The classic example drawn from the Greek literature is that of Antigone, who upon being reproached by Creon for defying his command not to bury her slain brother, asserted that she acted in accordance with the immutable laws of the gods. Human rights concepts however can actually be traced to an earlier period. The Old Testament of the Bible relates the story of ancient Israelites, and in it are abundant inferences about human rights, there is no well-developed statement on the issue but there are significant scattered passages that give clear evidence of a point of view at least as advanced as Greek and Roman philosophy. The Ten Commandments for example, by the prohibition of murder and theft, give implicit recognition is considerably broadened by later elaboration of the laws and by the passionate discourses on justice by such prophets as Amos that can be read in his book in the Old Testament If the concept of human rights is very old, the general recognition of their validity is not, throughout most of history governments failed to accepts the notion that people have rights independent of the state, this called statism and it implies the supremacy of the state in all matters pertaining to the lives of subjects, it is still potent concept in the 20th century, Germany under Adolf Hitler and the Soviet Union during the rule of Joseph Staliln are prime examples of statism. It was not until after the Middle Ages, however that natural law doctrines became closely associated with liberal political theories about natural rights, in Greco-Roman and Medieval times natural law doctrines taught mainly the duties, as distinguished from the rights of man, in addition as evidence can be read in the writing of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, these doctrines recognized the legitimacy of slavery and serfdom (someone who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord) and in doing so, excluded perhaps the central most ideas of human rights as they are understood today, the ideas of freedom or liberty and equality. For the idea of human rights to take hold as a general social need and reality, it was necessary that basic changes in the beliefs and practices of society take place, changes of the sort that evolved from about the 13th century to the Peace of Westphalia (1648), during the Renaissance and the decline of feudalism. When resistance to religious intoler ance and political-economic bondage began the long transition to liberal notions of freedom and equality, particularly in relation to the use of ownership of property, then were the foundations of what today is called Human Rights truly laid. During this period reflecting to the failures of the rulers to meet their natural law obligations as well as the unprecedented commitment to the individual expression and worldly experience that was characteristics of the Renaissance, the shift from natural laws of duties to natural laws as rights was made. The teaching of Aquinas (1224/25-1274) and Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) on the European continent and the Magna Carta (1215), the

City Genral plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

City Genral plan - Essay Example As well as activities that are acceptable on every land parcel, this provides every area with compatibility and continuity as well as those individuals who border those areas. Taking an example of a general plan of Albany, in New York and, the element of land use element has been addressed of which its purpose is to benefit individuals and shape development of cities this is vividly seen in reference with the cities prospective of which its plans are to shape the road ahead, with a target that they feel should be accomplished in the future twenty years from the current time. In the land use plan land uses a pattern known as the spatial distribution all over the city and ways in which for instance the occupants or even enterprises make use of land that is available. The goals that are entailed in this element are simple but at the same time work best, it ties to the six original visions statements which are original and its aim is to support the adoption of a balanced future land use pattern standing with these concepts. There’s also strategies in the land use element and has suggestions such as the utilization of properties that have been neglected or could be they are not occupied, maps are used to guide decisions in the transportation connections land generally the use of land. The land use map outlines a number of lands uses for instance what is referred to as the downtown hub. In all of these corridors there’s employment and education centers that are contained and their results lead to a prosperous economy and revitalized development of the city. The land use element is essential because it is what is used to guide future development and make land use decisions that maintain attractive and economically sustainable city, through considering citizens satisfaction survey in making improvements it can lead to a commendable city development. While dealing with the land use element hardships that are involved in matters like understanding nature an d the limitations the planners coaching and motivation bring to decision concerning how land is used. In land use element we see that the cultural factors are mainly less emphasized in comparison to the physical and even the economic and social characteristics in making decisions on land use patterns. For instance in places that are have the potential of productivity according to soil and the slope parameters and to the existing social economic aspect do not maintain the activities that a land use would assign to them. The cultural factors that affect land use element and mostly in development of a city are information, the technology and the biasness that comes along this factors could either affect land use component positively or negatively. Due to cultures being different from one another, there happen that evaluation on land use can’t be standardized for similar physical conditions. People living and working in a given space often there’s is disregard the proposal s of studies on the constraints that are physical in the area. When we have people living and working together at a place there’s usually disregard of proposals on studies on the physical parameters of the area. Land use element evaluation on the Albany city portrays the potential for production and loss under a specified land use thus there is no possibility of commanding a decision that depends on the individuality of the populations influenced. Some of the systems attributes turn out to be dangerous to the

Benchmarking and policy and regulations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benchmarking and policy and regulations - Essay Example This percentage is increasing day by day with the increase in health care costs. The American nation is acutely aware of the fact that the health care system of their country is not working out for everyone. The increasing costs and an increasing percentage of uninsured people contribute to the rising problem in the health care system. The attention of policy makers is often directed towards these issues which they try to solve by addressing specific problems rather than looking at the whole health care system. These short-term solutions help in solving these problems for a limited period of time. Nonetheless, the problem as a whole still remains (Bureau of labor education, 2001). There are many causes of health insurance problems in United States. Due to the high cost of insurance, many people (mostly unemployed and poor) tend to remain without insurance. Businesses do not offer all their employees health insurance, hence more than half of the employees remain uninsured. Moreover, there are some people who want to get insurance, but the insurance companies consider them unfit for health insurance. Lastly, there are people who consider themselves healthy and do not want to seek insurance and pay high amounts of money to these health insurance companies (Bureau of labor education, 2001). As per the statistics 46.3 million people are currently uninsured in United States, however according to Families USA (2009), the number is even higher if we add the number of people who remain uninsured at least during for a little time. In 2007-2008 almost 86.7 million people were uninsured at some time. Almost 5 million people have the finances to get health insurance, however are not able to due to pre existing conditions. Texas has the highest number of uninsured people as compared to all other states of America. During 2004-2006 almost 24.1% of Texas population was uninsured (US Census Bureau, 2009). The percentage of under-insured

Optical isomerism in Thalidomide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Optical isomerism in Thalidomide - Essay Example The tragedy which occurred due to thalidomide use led to very stringent testing requirement for pesticides and drugs before licensing. Initially, thalidomide was prescribed as effective painkiller and tranquilizer for insomnia, colds, coughs, and headaches. It was a very effective antiemetic inhibiting morning sickness, and this resulted into many pregnant women using thalidomide in order relieve their pregnancy symptoms. The relationship between the drug and defects in birth were suspected by Australian obstetrician, McBride William, and the German pediatrician, Lenz Widukind. This was later proven in 1961 by Lenz. Approximately 2500 thalidomide babies were born in Germany. The United States Congress constituted laws demanding safety tests during pregnancy before approving any drug. Other nations have passed similar laws too. This has seen thalidomide not sold or prescribed in several countries for decades1. The severe thalidomide impacts led to strict tests being carried out. The d rug was tested as a one single agent for treating multiple myeloma because of its ant angiogenesis activity during the research trials. Many studies have illustrated that thalidomide in combination with dexamethasone increases the rate of survival of the patients of multiple myeloma2. However, commercially produced drug differed from the one used during the research trials, and this resulted into other thalidomide effects. The commercially produced drug differed from that used in research trials in that during commercial productions, thalidomide was produced in combination with dexamethasone and melphalan, which is today the regimen most common for the patients who are newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma. This has seen the development of other side effects such as fatigue, polyneuropathy, venous thromboembolism (VTE), skin rush, or blood clot, which may result into myocardial infarction or stroke. Several scientists have made reviews on VTE relationship with thalidomide in multipl e myeloma diagnosed patients, and the results show that thalidomide administered without prophylaxis leads to a high rate of VTE (26%). Owing to this high VTE rates with thalidomide combined with doxorubicin or dexamethasone, which is commercially produces, a black box warning was given in 2006 in the United States to the thalidomide package showing that multiple myeloma patients receiving thalidomide-dexamethasone bay concurrently benefit from thromboembolism prophylaxis or aspirin. There has been production of other thalidomide derivatives such as lenalidomide and bortezomib3. The presence of optical isomers severely affects fetal development in pregnant women. Tests from the laboratory after the thalidomide disaster indicated that in some animals the 'R' isomer was an effective sedative, but the 'S' enantiomer was tetragenic. The presence of the optical isomers may also lead to phocomelia which is characterized by shortened limbs, or even complete absence. In addition, fetus may develop hypo plastic or external ear abnormalities, facial palsy, malfunctions of genitourinary and gastrointestinal tract, or even complete absent bones. Approximately 40% of such fetuses die after birth4. Conclusion To sum up, there is no acute toxicity in thalidomide and a fatal overdose may be impossible virtually. As a component of thalidomide, Citalopram has severe effects with the dosage of thalidomide. This is because Citalopram and peripheral

Gun politics in the United States Essay Example for Free

Gun politics in the United States Essay To draw up case studies, it is first important to understand its various aspects. For an effective case study, one must first understand the principles of a case. It is important to understand what a case is, the types of cases there are and their purposes. Following this understanding, the methods of analyzing and discussing cases must be explored. After mastering these skills, The three stages of problem, decision and evaluation are vital to the organization of the case study. 4 ? 5 6 7 ? In all case studies we should first explore the brief synopsis of the case and its pedagogical objectives. 8 9 ? In a case method classroom, both the instructor and students must be active in different ways. The art of a case method instructor is to ask the right question at the right time, provide feedback on answers, and sustain a discussion that opens up meanings of the case. If students don’t come to class well-prepared, the case method will fail because the people responsible for making meaning from the case are not equipped to do it. ? 10 ? Case discussions are full of facts and information, but they aren’t shaped into single interpretation, the â€Å"truth†. Instructors don’t announce definitive conclusions or right answers, although they may discriminate between more and less plausible solutions. Students enter and leave the classroom responsible for the outcomes of the discussion. For students, this is a shift from the comfort of authority and single truth to the hard work of personal responsibility and the unease of ambiguity and multiple meanings. ? 11 ? Cases are verbal representation of reality. Real business situations involve uncertainty and don’t present selected and sorted information. ? A case must have 3 characteristics: 1) a significant real world business issue or issues 2) Sufficient information on which to base conclusions 3) No stated conclusions 12 ? Many cases have these complicating properties: 1) Information that includes â€Å"Noise†- false, irrelevant†¦ testimony by characters in the case 2) Unstated information that must be inferred from the information that is stated 3) Nonlinear structure 13 ? A well-written case must have these characteristics. Reader of the case must be able to: 1) Construct conclusion from the information in the text 2) Filter out irrelevant portions of the text. 3) Furnish missing information through inferences. 4) Associate evidence from different parts of the case and integrate it into a conclusion. 14 ? Noise is a characteristic of real situations. Today, we are flooded in information, much of it of little value. Every case, whether it has a large amount of information or very little, requires the reader to make inferences. This can be the most difficult transition from textbooks and lectures. ? If memorization is the primary skill of the lecture model, inference is the primary skill of the case model. Furthermore, cases do not have a linear structure and are not presented in the most logical way. ? 15 ? There are 3 possible approaches to reading the case: 1) Receive it 2) Find it 3) Make it (appropriate for cases) ? â€Å"Receive it† states both subject and its significance (fits a text such as news story) â€Å"Find it† states keys and clues to find the solution (fits a text such as mystery novel) On the first reading of the case, it can seem to be a whole that is less than the sum of its parts. Indeed, the most basic matters of fact are not clearly stated or are stated in multiple ways. Students have to read a case actively (Active Reading) and construct their own meaning based on pedagogical objectives of the case and the theories and concepts already discussed in the class. 16 ? ? ? A case is a text that refuses to explain itself; hence, a meaning needs to be constructed for it. To analyze a case, the contextual factors concerning it must first be studied in order to allow a deeper understanding of the case (Situational analysis) Contextual information helps to limit and narrow the analysis of the case. Courses are often divided up into different modules or themes defined by certain types of situations and, often, concepts, theories, and practices appropriate for these situations. Students should learn how to make a case with relevant information based on the objectives of the case or questions already given by the instructor. 18 ? ? ? The method of analyzing a text is heuristic, meaning that important aspects of the situation in which the case is set must be identified and understood. This is a term used for self-guided learning that employs analysis to help draw conclusions about a situation. 19 ? Analysis has two closely related definitions: to break something up into its constituent parts; and to study the relationships of the parts to the whole. To analyze a case, you therefore need ways of identifying and understanding important aspects of a situation and what they mean to the overall situation. ? Thinking about a case must start before you begin making it. This way, the different questions arising about the case can be answered during the reading process. For example, the framework of a certain concept may guide a product launch decision. Hence, specialized methods are advantageous in achieving well-defined purposes. 20 21 22. 23 The following will provide a starting point for further understanding the different aspects of analyzing a case: ? There are four types of situations which appear repeatedly in case: †º Problems †º Decisions †º Evaluations †º Rules (complicated for beginners) 24 ? The definition of â€Å"problem† as a case situation is quite specific, unlike its other suggestions. Problem is a situation in which there is a significant outcome or performance, and there is no explicit explanation of the outcome or the performance. A problem in a case study is when the outcome or performance is significant yet there is no clear explanation of why it has happened. The causes of these outcomes are important to know so that the situation can be improved. ? 25 ? The outcomes of the cases may be negative. This is as a result of the fact that the change effort of the manager may be self-destructive. This result may arise from weaknesses that are unapparent. For efficient problem analysis, the problem first has to be defined. This is where success can come to be seen as a problem, in its own special meaning. ? ? Next, the problem must be explained by linking the outcome or performance to its root causes. Specialized methods of business disciplines are needed as tools to carry out this analysis. 26 ? Problem analysis begins with a definition of the problem. That seems obvious, yet many cases do not state a problem. As a result, you will first need to realize that a problem does exist. After this, you must define it yourself. Next, you must work out an explanation of the problem. This can be done by linking the outcome or performance to its root causes. This is the main work of problem analysis. To carry it out, you will need to employ the relevant tools, the specialized methods of business disciplines such as Strategy or SCM or operations management. 27 ? Would Barnes Noble have benefited (or been hindered) by its physical organizational structure and management processes in its attempt to strengthen its position as an electronic commerce product/service provider? Defend your arguments. 28 ? Many cases complicate the decision immediately. Many of these are organized around an explicit decision. The decision, however, should not be based on other situations. The existence of an explicit decision is an important distinction, because nearly all business cases involve decision. In many other cases, however, the decisions are implicit and dependant on another situation. The decisions featured in various cases vary greatly in scope, consequence and available data. An executive must decide whether to launch a product, move a plant, pursue a merger, or provide financing for a planned expansion. ? 29 ? Analyzing a decision requires the following, regardless of the dimensions of a decision: †º Decision options †º Decision criteria †º Relevant evidence ? The decision options are often mentioned in the case itself. A stated decision needs to be followed by a statement of the alternative decision options. Finding these or coming up with them can be set as the first goal of the analysis. 30 ? In making a rational decision, the appropriate criteria need to be determined. By thoroughly studying the specifics of the case with the help of specialized methods, the criteria can be derived from the case, as they are not likely to be directly stated. The criteria are then used to develop evidence so as to complete a decision analysis. The decision must be the best option between the evidence and criteria available. In decision analysis, no decision is objectively correct. The goal is to find a decision that creates more benefits than the alternatives, as well as having less severe downsides. 31 ? ? â€Å"If we are to continue outsourcing, and even consider expanding it, why should we keep paying someone else to do what we can do for ourselves? † what are the stimuli behind such a statement to reflect on eBay customer support decision? 32 ? In an evaluation, a judgment is expressed about the worth, value, or effectiveness of a performance, act, or outcome. An outcome can be the subject of an assessment. The analysis of an evaluation can be based on any unit, from an individual to a global region. ? The outcome can be the subject of an assessment. The competitive position of a company, for instance, is the outcome of numerous decisions and performances as well as contingencies such as macroeconomic conditions. 33 ? Evaluations require appropriate criteria for setting the standards for assessing worth, value, or effectiveness. These criteria can be inferred from the particulars of a situation, with the aid of specialized methods. An overall evaluation will express the best option between the evidence and the criteria. Another requirement of an evaluation is that it includes both positive and negative aspects. Both strengths and weaknesses require analyzing. ? ? 34 ? 1. Is it justifiable for a company like Amazon. com to continue investing so much money and effort in a business operation that not only has made a profit for nearly 5 years but was incurring heavier losses? (Refer to the company’s financial statements) 35 ? The key to the analyzing process is active reading in order to make a case, as it is interrogative, purposeful, and iterative, meaning that you make multiple passes through a case and each time reading with various purposes. 37 ? Three factors contribute to active reading: a goal, a point of view, and a hypothesis. Goal of Analysis – Concrete limits must be set in order to derive the desirable information form the case. In addition, a time limit can be used to make the time spent on analyzing the case more productive. the main character. This way, making a decision as a person in that situation will help making conclusions easier. compare and contrast a concrete statement against case evidence. †º Point of View – It is effective to pout oneself in the place of †º Hypotheses – This gives the advantage of being able to 38 ? The process of working on a case has five phases: 1) Situation 2) Questions 3) Hypothesis 4) Proof and action 5) Alternatives 39 The analysis can first be structured as a series of questions and then identifying the situation by reading the first and last sections. The opening or end of a case may present partial or complete descriptions of the problem as well as expressing a tension or conflict vital to the analysis. 40 Knowing the situation allows you to ask questions pertinent to a problem, a decision, or an evaluation. Hence, the stages previously stated can develop the needed understanding to ask the questions in this second phase. Making a content inventory of the case, to locate information that might be used to answer the questions about the situation, can be useful. 41 †º Problem – Who or what is the subject of the problem? What is the problem? Am I trying to account for a failure, a success, or something more ambiguous? What is the significance of the problem to the subject? Who is responsible for the problem and what might he need to know to do something about it? †º Decision – What are the decision options? Do any seem particularly strong or weak? What is at stake of the decision? What are the possible criteria? What might the most important criteria be for this kind of decision? Are any of the criteria explicitly discussed in the case? †º Evaluation – Who or what is being evaluated? Who is responsible for the evaluation? What is at stake? What are the possible criteria? What might the possible criteria be for this sort of evaluation? Are any of the criteria explicitly discussed in the case? 42 ? Instructor may decide to provide situation guidelines and questions regarding the case study for students: 1) Situation 2) Questions 3) Hypothesis 4) Proof and action 5) Alternatives 43. This is the most important phase while working on the case. This involves narrowing the possibilities to the one that seems most plausible. There are different aspects to take into consideration, depending on if you are dealing with a problem, a decision, or an evaluation. Recording your thought process can help the development of this stage. 44 ? Make sure you know the problem that needs to be diagnosed. Consider whether the characteristics of the problem suggest causes. Think about the frameworks that seem most appropriate to the situation. Quickly review the specifics of the frameworks if you are not certain about them. Pursue the diagnosis by looking at case information through the lens of the cause you are most certain about. For each cause, make a separate pass through the case looking for evidence of it. If the case has a lot of quantitative evidence, to what case is it most relevant? If you do not have a case relevant to the quantitative evidence, formulate one. Work up as much relevant, high-value quantitative evidence as you can. In a case with a protagonist (central character), consider whether she is a potential cause. If you think she is, work out how she contributes to the problem. Problem 45 Energy = 2/3 consulting + all of technology service Industry = 1/3 consulting + all of certification 46 ? Decision Review the criteria you have come up with so far. Which do you have the most confidence in? Review the decision options. Do any seem especially strong or weak? Apply the criteria that seem to identify the most evidence in the case. Investigate the strongest decision option with the criterion you have the most confidence in. or, if you are reasonably certain about what which is the weakest, see if you can quickly dismiss that option. If the case has a lot of quantitative evidence, which criterion is most relevant to it? If you do not have the criterion relevant to the quantitative evidence, formulate one. Work up as much relevant, high-value quantitative evidence as you can. If there are conflicts about the decision between individuals or groups, think about why it is. Look at the decision from the point of view of each of the parties to the conflict. If the protagonist is in a difficult position in relation to the decision, consider why that is. 47 48 49 ? Evaluation Review the criteria you have come up with so far. Which do you have the most confidence in? What are the terms of the evaluation going to be? Do any stand out in the case? Do you already have a sense of the bottom-line evaluation you favor? If you do, what are the reasons for the preference? Pursue those reasons. Start by applying the criterion that seems to identify the most evidence in the case. Investigate the most positive range or the most negative with the criterion you have the most confidence in. Investigate the most positive rating or the most negative with the criterion you have the most confidence in. If the case has a lot of quantitative evidence, which criterion is most relevant to it? If you do not have a criterion relevant to the quantitative evidence, formulate one. Work up as much relevant, high-value, quantitative evidence as you can. 50 08 😕 ?†¢  «  » ( )? ?†¢  «  » ( )? ?†¢  «  » ( )? ?†¢  «  » ( )? 😕 ?15? A hypothesis drives a different approach to the case. You will start proving something you have already found out. Evidence supporting the hypothesis can be found in this stage. After this, the evidence can be assessed and a decision option can be drawn up, also finding the actionable content of the decision made. The last phase involves questioning your own hypothesis. This means reading your hypothesis and evidence with a critical eye. In this way, you can be the one who notices the weaknesses in the first place. †º †º Problem – Can the problem be defined differently? Would that make a difference to the diagnosis? Are there any holes in the diagnosis – could there be causes missing? What is the weakest part of the diagnosis? Could an entirely different diagnosis be made? What would it look like? Decision – What is the biggest downside of the recommended decision? How would you manage the downside? What is the strongest evidence against the recommendation? How would a case for the major alternative look? 55 †º Evaluation – Have you been objective and thorough ? If a hypothesis, after all these stages of analyzing and evaluation, fails, looking at alternative ideas can help to come up with another, stronger, hypothesis. This can be made into a useful learning experience for gaining more expertise. Such a case may arise if you perhaps overlooked important information or not used specialized tools effectively. about the evaluation findings that oppose your overall assessment? Think how a different overall evaluation might be proved. Have you accounted for factors that the subject of the evaluation could not control? 56 ? Potential for further discussion 57 ?†¢ 02 0102 ? Deepwater Horizon , 11 ? 71 . 3 002 ? ? .? ?85? ? The variables that influence the path and quality of a case discussion include the instructor, the students, the case, and a host of other possibilities such as the physical setting, the time of day, or the proximity to exams. The only variable that you can control is yourself. Case discussions are the most important part of Industrial Engineering and Business studies classrooms. This method encourages students to apply their learned theories and be able to contribute as part of a group to converse in a business matter. Therefore, skills to communicate and participate are very essential. 60 ? ? A case is a condition explained in which the students attribute with giving their own opinions about it, as well as listening to their peers. It is important for everyone in the case class to contribute in the discussion and comment on it. 61 ? Unfortunately there are some students who do not find it comfortable to participate in the class and feel threatened. This could be due to several reasons. ? The language used in the class might be different from their mother’s tongue and therefore give them the fear of making a mistake in front of their native speaker peers. They might have the fear that they do not have enough knowledge and background about business as others do, and therefore make themselves look silly by making a useless comment and several other reasons, which limits students from participating. Strategies have been used by instructors to overcome these kinds of fears. 62 ? ? Preparing comments and speeches are among the tactics used to overcome fears. Students prepare all their comments and what they want to say before the class and write them down, ready to be said. They will feel comfortable thinking they will have a valuable point to make. This is not always right. A discussion is not predictable, and the preparation might not work very well. The discussion might go into a totally different path in which the prepared points are irrelevant. On the other hand a flexible plan preparation can be helpful. It only causes problems when it is â€Å"over prepared†. ? 63 ? Another tactic is to enter the discussion with a delay, which is after listening to the peers and the professor and trying to make a comment relevant to theirs. This is not a very good way. In fact, it makes it harder to enter a discussion, thinking that only a perfect comment will give him the power to break into the discussion. Therefore the earlier the student starts participating, preferably from the first class, he will feel more comfortable. ? 64 ? Case method exposes risk which is shared by everyone. Risk isn’t purely negative; it is a motivator to do the hard work the case method requires. The most valuable advice about case discussion is to speak up early. Speaking up early not only reduces the nervousness of being in the spotlight It also assists you in setting realistic expectations for yourself. †º Setting a limit on your case preparation has several benefits: it puts a healthy pressure on students to use the time well; and it encourages students to pay attention to how you analyze a case. †º Read the case actively. Reading passively is one of the most important obstacles to efficient analysis. 65 ? In addition, students can try to get to know each other outside the classroom. This reduces their fear and strangeness towards each other. ? They can meet outside the classroom. This will definitely change the environment in the classroom. Building a social network is important to case discussion. Students surrounded by classmates who clearly respect them will probably be at least a little more willing to take risks in discussions. The often subtle but damaging influence of stereotypes about gender, personal appearance, and many other characteristics can be muted when people get to know each other as they are instead of what they are projected to be. A classroom friend can encourage a quiet student to speak up or to take bigger risks with his/her comments 66. Regardless of business seriousness, it is also  helpful to be funny at some points, and make others enjoy the class with a little humor. participation. However it should be accompanied by participating. It is important to listen to everyone carefully and contribute equally, and do not hesitate to talk whenever an idea pops in the mind. †º Listening is the most important factor of 67 †º Take a little time after class to think about the discussion before the memory of it fades away, you’ll capture more of the value of the classroom experience. The short-term benefit is greater clarity about the issues that link on case to another and lends coherence to a course. In long run, these takeaways become your personal bible for leadership. is the product of useful contributions over a period of time, not occasional bravura performance. †º You need to be patient. Effective collaboration 68 ? In conclusion, it is important to first analyze and discuss a case to develop one’s understanding of it. Afterwards, the knowledge gained can be employed to draw up the planning of the casebased essay. Finally, using the guidelines outlined, the different aspects of the case analyzed can be used to write up a well-researched essay. 69 ? Ellet W (2007) The Case Study Handbook: How to Read, Discuss, and Write Persuasively About Cases (Boston: Harvard Business School Press) ECCH Case Study Workshop 2010 ? 70 View as multi-pages TOPICS IN THIS DOCUMENT Scientific method, Casebook method, Case study, Qualitative research RELATED DOCUMENTS How to analyse case study How to analyse a case study Step 1: Get a general impression †¢ Which organisations and industries/sectors does it relate to? †¢ Is the organisation doing well or badly and how has it performed in the past? Is it an organisation that has an unbroken record of success or has it fallen on hard times? †¢ Look at the development of the organisation over time. What strategies has it pursued? Which have succeeded and which have failed? How successful has the 4076 Words | 3 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Study Guide Ukzn Westville South Africa UKNZN, SCHOOL OF MIG- DISCIPLINE OF MAKERTING AND SUPPLY CHAIN SCMA 305 2013 CASE STUDY GUIDE ANSWERING CASE STUDIES The following problems that have prevented companies to be successful are as follows: 1. The inability to recognize important problems; 2. Difficulty in formulating the main problem; 3. The inability to actually visualize or understand the situation; 4. The inability to communicate with other managers and 4076 Words | 7 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Study Introduction to Case Study by Winston Tellis+ The Qualitative Report, Volume 3, Number 2, July, 1997 (http://www. nova. edu/ssss/QR/QR3-2/tellis1. html) Abstract This paper is the first of a series of three articles relating to a case study conducted at Fairfield University to assess aspects of the rapid introduction of Information Technology at 4076 Words | 20 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case study ? Case Study Evaluation Protocol and Procedures Evaluation of the overall quality of each case study will be made on the following criteria: CASE STUDY PARTS CRITERIA Abstract Summary paragraph introducing the project, building, hypothesis, highlights of findings. concise brief of the parts to the case study. Introduction Description of building, background 4076 Words | 3 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT MGMT591 Case Study Analysis ? Case Study Analysis: Building a Coalition Aldranon English II [emailprotected] com MGMT591 ­_68800_20150301 Glenn Palmer March 22, 2015 Abstract This is an in-depth analysis of case study involving the Woodson Foundation. The analysis will evaluate the structure, environment (internal and external), strategy and implementation of tactics surrounding the program. This is only my interpretation of the program’s strengths 4076 Words | 6 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Analysis Study Case Study Analysis Paper Prepare a 1,400 to 1,750-word case study analysis paper based on the University of Phoenix Material, â€Å"Case Study for Student Analysis,† located in Week Two of the COMM/215 [pic] page. Below is a detailed description explaining how to prepare a case study analysis paper. ____________________________________________________________ _________________ 4076 Words | 6 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT How to Write a Case Study Write a Case Study Analysis By Karen Schweitzer, About. com Guide See More About: †¢ case studies †¢ case study analysis †¢ mba classes Ads Wetting Balance TestingSolderability Testing Analysis Components -PWB- Assemblywww. standsgroup. com Requisite OrganizationFree research and information from the RO International Institute. www. requisite. org Novi Team BuildingIdealna zabava za 4076 Words | 4 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Study Writing Fromate Writing a case study report Josephine Hook, Research Learning Coordinator Josephine. [emailprotected] edu (Source: www. office. microsoft. com) Outline ? What is a case study? ? Approaching a case study assignment ? The structure of a case study report ? Key elements of a case study report What is a case? A case might be: ? A 4076 Words |

The Nature of Evil Essay Example for Free

The Nature of Evil Essay 1: That which is morally bad or wrong, or that which causes harm, pain, or misery. 2: A force that is believed to cause wicked or bad things to happen. 3 A very unpleasant or harmful situation or activity. The existence of evil has been puzzling philosophers and leaders of all major religions for hundreds of years. The problem of evil is particularly challenging because Christianity was committed to the existence of a God that controls everything but at the same time acknowledged the real existence of evil. Some religions have tried to deal with the problem of evil by saying that it doesnt exist. In Hindu teaching evil is said to have no real existence instead being dismissed as phenomena. William Golding wrote The Lord of the Flies just after the Second World War, having witnessed the evil of this war he lost the belief that humans have an innocent nature; even children he learned are essentially evil. The Lord of the Flies challenges readers to attempt to develop their own views about the existence of evil in the human race. I found this quite challenging and after much deliberation it is my opinion that evil is within every human being because we all have the potential to be evil and that it is only laws and the threat of punishment that keeps people from behaving in an evil manner. This I why Roger in The Lord of the Flies acts the way he does. My theory that evil is within every human is also expressed in The Lord of the Flies through symbolism. I think that The Beast symbolises the evil that resides within man. I think that the children on the island were all aware that there is a beast on the island, but they thought that it was an actual living thing and didnt realise that it lies within them and that it is in their soul and mind leading them to chaos because of a society with no adults. Only Simon understands what the beast really is, but he is killed when he tries to tell the boys about the beast. Many people believe that Simon from The Lord of the Flies was mad and it is very hard to determine the difference between madness and evil. I dont think that Simon is mad at all; in fact he seems to me the most sane and logical of all the boys on the island. He is the one who tries to show the boys that there is no beast on the island and that the beast is actually the boys themselves. The theme of madness is explored in William Poes novel The Tell Tale Heart. The Tell Tale Heart is a story of domestic violence and it is hard to understand why it ends in the killing of a man. I think that it may have been caused by the narrators fear of the old mans eye; the narrator describes this eye as being pale blue with a film over it, and resembling that of a vulture. Because it is a short story we do not know why the narrator is so scared of the eye, but it is my belief that he is not actually fearful of the eye, and that he has pretended that he is frightened of it to justify the killing. I think this because the syntax suggests that the narrator has only just thought of the eye as a justification for the killing of the old man. for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his evil eye I think that the killing of the old man was evil but the narrator himself is not evil. I dont think that the narrator is evil because although to me and many people it is implausible that a man would kill another man just because of the way his eye looks but to other people this may seem quite plausible. What may drive one person to kill is very different to what will drive another person to kill. I think that Roger from The Lord of the Flies is a sadist who enjoys in hurting and causing pain. This is obvious from very early on in the novel where he knocks over the littluns sand castles and throws stones at them. Even before this I was quite weary of Roger after Goldings description of him. a slight, furtive boy whom no one knew, who kept to himself with an inner intensity of avoidance and secrecy the shock of black hair, down his nape and low on his forehead, seemed to suit his gloomy face and made what had seemed at first an unsociable remoteness into something forbidding. In the end it is Roger who pushes the boulder that kills Piggy. He joins Jacks anarchist group and becomes Jacks right-hand man. In The Lord of the Flies I believe that Jack is the leader of anarchy on the island. From the start of the novel he does not like abiding by rules of any kind. He simply wants to hunt and have a good time. Not seeming to care about being rescued, Jack and his tribe are examples of how without order and discipline we would all turn into savages. However Jacks form of anarchism is at odds with how anarchism is defined in the dictionary where it is said to be the political theory that is opposed to all forms of government. Anarchists believe that the highest attainment of humanity is the freedom of individuals to express themselves, unhindered by any form of repression or control from without. They hold that the perfection of humanity will not be attained until all government is abolished and each individual is left absolutely free. Jack is an anarchist in the sense that he tries to abolish Ralphs form of government, but he then tries to control how other people think and behave by setting up his own tribe. In many ways Jacks tribe is a lot like Adolf Hitlers fascist government in Germany. The way Jack persuaded the boys on the island to join him are very similar to the way that Hitler got people to join the Nazi Party. Like Hitler, Jack was an alternative to democratic policy (Ralphs government) and promised the boys a fun time. Also one of the main appeals of the Nazi Party was their organised appearance with their marches and uniforms. I think that this was also one of Jacks appeals, for example, when Jack and his tribe applied war paint the other boys were in awe of them and wanted to join them. By making these comparisons I think that William Golding was showing how extreme political views such as fascism may work in the short term and may be fun but that it is democracy that achieves the greatest results. In the beginning of the novel Jack, still conditioned by the previous society he had been a part of; could not bear to kill a pig. As the plot progresses he becomes less and less attached to what goes on in the civilised world and he subsequently becomes more extreme. Near the end, he feels no shame about the deaths of Simon and Piggy, or his attempt to kill Ralph and he gets his wish as his anarchy defeats Ralphs order. I think that the novel shows the reader how easy it is to revert back to the evil nature that is within every man when not living in a civilised environment with rules and discipline.

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Glucose Transport

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Glucose Transport A role for ataxia telangiectasia mutated in insulin-independent stimulation of glucose transport Abstract Literature reports suggest that ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) can activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a protein that can stimulate glucose transport in skeletal muscle. We hypothesized that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), an AMPK activator, would increase glucose transport in mouse extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in an ATM-dependent manner. AICAR-stimulated glucose transport was prevented by the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 and in ATM-deficient (ATM-/-) muscle despite normal stimulation of AMPK phosphorylation. S231 of TBC1D1 matches the sequence motif of ATM substrates, and phosphorylation of this site is known to inhibit TBC1D1 and lead to increased glucose transport. Accordingly, we assessed TBC1D1 phosphorylation and found that AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of TBC1D1 at S231did not occurin ATM-/- muscle. However, activation of ATM without activation of AMPK was insufficient to increase TBC1D1 phosphorylation.The data suggest that AT M plays a role in AICAR stimulated glucose transport downstream of AMPK. Keywords: AMP-activated protein kinase; ataxia telangiectasia mutated; TBC1D1; AICAR; glucose transport; skeletal muscle Introduction The serine-threonine kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) appears to play a role in glucose homeostasis. For example, recent genome-wide association studies have found that genetic variations near the ATM gene are related to glycemic responses to metformin [1, 2], a commonly-prescribed drug for blood glucose control. While the mechanism for metformin’s effect on blood glucose levels is under debate [3-6], it is known that metformin acutely stimulates glucose transport into skeletal muscle concomitant with activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) [7]. Activation of AMPK is sufficient to stimulate insulin-independent glucose transport into skeletal muscle [8, 9]. Intriguingly, ATM dependence has been reported for activation of AMPK in response to DNA damage or insulin-like growth factor 1 in HeLa cells and fibroblasts, exposure of lung cancer cells to ionizing radiation,exposure of lymphoblaststo H2O2, or treatment of HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts with the adenosine analog AICAR [10-14]. Despite these suggestive data on the role of ATM upstream of AMPK, the potential role of ATM in AMPK-dependent stimulation of glucose transport has not previously been investigated in skeletal muscle, the predominant whole-body storage depot for glucose. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that glucose uptake stimulated by the AMPK activator AICAR would be dependent on ATM in skeletal muscle. Methods Materials Antibodies against TBC1D1, AMPK, phosphorylated AMPKÃŽ ± T172 (P-AMPK), and phosphorylated ATM S1981 (P-ATM) were purchased from Cell Signaling Technology (Beverly, MA, USA). Antibodies against phosphorylated TBC1D1 (P-TBC1D1) S237 (S231 in mouse) were purchased from EMD Millipore Corporation (Billerica, MA, USA). Antibodies against tubulin and ATM were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (St. Louis, MO, USA). Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies were obtained from Pierce Biotechnology (Rockford, IL, USA). The ATM inhibitor KU-55933 was a generous gift from Dr. Graeme Smith (KuDOSPhramaceuticals, Cambridge, UK). The AMPK inhibitor Compound C was provided by Merck Co., Inc. (Rahway, NJ, USA). Doxorubicin was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. Radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose and mannitol were purchased from American Radiolabeled Chemicals, Inc. (St. Louis, MO, USA). Collection and Processing of Animal Muscle All procedures using live animals were approved by the Saint Louis University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Transgenic mice expressing a truncation mutation of ATM [15] were obtained from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, ME, USA). Mice that were heterozygous for the transgene were used to breed wild type (ATM+/+) and ATM deficient (ATM-/) mice. After weaning, each mouse was anesthetized with ketamine/xylazine (55 mg ketamine and 5.5 mg xylazine per kg), and a tail sample was obtained for genotyping as previously described [15, 16]. Mice were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/kg) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were removed and incubated in vitro as described previously [16, 17]. The incubation media for the muscle consisted of Krebs Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (KHB) containing 8 mM glucose and 32 mM mannitol. Vials containing EDL muscles were gassed with 95% O2 : 5% CO2 and kept gently shaking at 35 ºC. Muscles were incubated for one hour to allow recovery from dissection. Muscles were then transferred into KHB containing 32 mM mannitol and 8 mM glucose in the presence of 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide vehicle (DMSO) or 1  µM KU-55933, a concentration sufficient to inhibit ATM [18, 19] but low enough to avoid inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase [19]. After 30 minutes, muscles were incubated in KHB with 8 mM glucose and the absence or presence of 2 mM AICAR for one hour with the continued presence of DMSO or KU and 32 mM or 30 mM mannitol to keep osmolarity constant across media. At this point, some muscles were blotted and clamp-frozen with aluminum tongs cooled in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80  ºC for later western blot analysis. Other muscles were subjected to 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake assays as described below. In parallel procedures, EDL muscles from wild-type or ATM-deficient animals were allowed to recover in vitro for one hour, incubated in KHB containing mannitol as described above and in the absence or presence of 2 mM AICAR for one hour and then either clamp-frozen or subjected to 2DG uptake assays as previously reported [16, 17] and briefly described below. 2DG uptake Muscles were washed at 30  ºC in glucose-free KHB containing 40 mM mannitol in the absence or presence of KU-55933 (DMSO vehicle) or, for procedures with the ATM-/- mice, in medium containing neither KU nor DMSO. Muscles were then incubated in KHB containing 4 mM 2DG, 2  µCi/ml 3H-2DG, 36 mM mannitol, 0.3  µCi/ml 14C-mannitol, and 0.1% DMSO or 1  µM KU-55933 if they had been present in earlier incubations. Muscles were clamp-frozen and stored at -80  ºC. Muscles were then homogenized in Kontes ground glass tubes in ice-cold buffer containing protease and phosphatase inhibitors (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, 2 mM Na3VO4, 150 mM NaF,10  µg/ml leupeptin, 10  µg/ml aprotinin, 0.5  µg/mL pepstatin and 1 mM phenymethylsulfonylflouride). Homogenates were centrifuged at 4  ºC for 10 minutes at 14,000Ë £g, and supernatant protein concentration was analyzed by the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) method (Pierce Protein Technologies, Rockland, IL, USA). Supernatant aliquots and aliquots of the incubation media were mixed with Ultima Gold XR scintillation fluid (Perkin Elmer, Boston, MA, USA), and samples were assessed by scintillation counting (TriCarb 3110TR, Perkin Elmer, Boston, MA, USA). The disintegrations per minute (DPM) of 14C-mannitol were used to measure the extracellular volume, and intracellular 2DG was calculated from 3H DPM after accounting for 3H DPM in the extracellular space. 2DG transport was expressed as nmol 2DG/mg protein/10 minutes. Western Blotting Samples were homogenized, centrifuged, assayed for protein content as described above, diluted in Laemmli sample buffer containing dithiothreitol, and boiled for 5 minutes. Samples were then analyzed using SDS-PAGE as described previously [20]. Samples were run on 4-20% Tris-HEPES gels (Pierce) and then transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes. After transfer, membranes were blocked with 5% non-fat dry milk in Tris-buffered saline containing 0.1% Tween. Proteins on the nitrocellulose membranes were probed with primary and secondary antibodies described in the Materials section and then visualized using enhanced chemiluminescence (Western Lightning; PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA, USA). Western blots were quantified using TotalLab software purchased from TotalLab Nonlinear Dynamics (Newcastle on Tyre, UK). For probing ATM and P-ATM, samples were run on 3-8% Tris-Acetate gels (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA) alongside HiMark (Invitrogen) molecular weight markers. Statistics Data were analyzed by ANOVA with post hoc LSD comparisons. A level of P Results AICAR-stimulated glucose transport ATM’s role in AICAR stimulated glucose transport was assessed in isolated EDL muscle by using either ATM deficient mice or by using the specific ATM inhibitor, KU-55933. As shown in figure 1A, ATM protein was present in only background levels in EDL from ATM-/- mice. As shown in figure 1B, AICAR increased glucose transport in muscle from wild type mice(P AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK It has previously been reported that ATM plays a role in AICAR-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation in HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts [12]. Thus, we assessed phosphorylation of AMPK to determine whether ATM’s role in AICAR-stimulated glucose transport was through an influence on AMPK phosphorylation. As shown in figure 2A, AICAR-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation was normal in muscle from ATM-/- mice. Likewise, AICAR-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation was unaffected by the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 (figure 2B). Phosphorylation of TBC1D1 The RabGTPase activating protein (GAP) TBC1D1 is required for stimulation of glucose transport by AICAR [21]. Furthermore, phosphorylation of mouse TBC1D1 at S231 (corresponding to S237 of human TBC1D1) in response to AICAR occurs concomitant with an increase in glucosetransport [22-24], and S231 phosphorylation appears to be necessary to convey insulin-responsiveness to TBC1D1 [25]. Intriguingly, S231 and the surrounding amino acids (F-S-Q) match the consensushydrophobic-serine/threonine-glutamine (à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬  -S/T-Q) motif of ATM targets [26, 27]. While phosphorylation of this site is increased by the AMPK activators phenformin and AICAR [28], and the site is an in vitro target of AMPK [28], this does not rule out the possibility that another kinase could act on the site. Thus, we hypothesized that S231 phosphorylation in response to AICAR would be dependent on ATM. As shown in figure3, AICAR increased phosphorylation of TBC1D1 S231 in EDL from wild type mice (P Discussion The new information provided by this study is that AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is dependent on ATM. Additionally, this role for ATM in AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake does not involve an effect at the level of AMPK phosphorylation but instead is associated with altered phosphorylation of TBC1D1, downstream of AMPK. Based on data that the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 blunted activation of AMPK by metformin in a hepatoma cell line, Zhou et al proposed that ATM acts upstream of AMPK [2]. However, two independent groups have shown that KU-55933 prevents AMPK activation by metformin through inhibition of the cation transporter responsible for metformin uptake rather than through inhibition of ATM [3, 4]. In hepatocytes, ultraviolet light irradiation stimulated phosphorylation of the ATM target H2AX, but had no effect on AMPK activity [4]. Additionally, caffeine, which inhibits ATM,suppressed phosphorylation of H2AX but not activation of AMPK by metformin [4] . Finally, while hydrogen peroxide activated both AMPK and ATM in HEK293 cells, KU-55933 prevented ATM autophosphorylation but did not interfere with AMPK activity [4]. Together, these data [4] suggest that ATM does not act upstream of AMPK, at least in hepatocytes or HEK293 cells. While it has been reported that ATM acts upstream of AMPK inHeLa cells, lung cancer cells, fibroblasts, lymphoblasts, and embryonic fibroblasts [10-14], it seems unlikely that tissues corresponding to these cell lines would play a meaningful role in glucose homeostasis. Intriguingly, however, the increase in insulin sensitivity and a concomitant increase in autophosphorylated ATM in L6 myotubes in response to serum starvation was found to be dependent on AMPK, while inhibition of ATM prevented increased insulin action but not an increase in AMPK phosphorylation in serum starved myotubes [18]. Together, the data from serum-starved myotubes [18]suggest that ATM could act downstream of AMPK in regulation of glucose transport. The current data showing blunted glucose transport despite normal phosphorylation of AMPK in response to AICAR in ATM-deficient skeletal muscle or muscle exposed to KU-55933 are consistent with the idea of ATM acting downstream of AMPK. AMPK is a heterotrimerof ÃŽ ±, ÃŽ ², and ÃŽ ³ subunits, each with multiple isoforms [30]. The two main activating upstream kinases for AMPK are liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase ÃŽ ² [31], though there are some reports that ATM-dependent phosphorylation of AMPK does not require LKB1 [11, 32] and could indeed be through direct phosphorylation of AMPK by ATM [11]. Intriguingly, LKB1 is an in vitro substrate for ATM [33], suggesting a potential mechanism for the ATM-dependent phosphorylation of AMPK [14]. However, phosphorylation of LKB1 by ATM does not affect LKB1 activity in vitro or LKB1 localization in vivo [33], so the precise role of LKB1 phosphorylation in activation of AMPK remains uncertain. Clearly, there are cell-type differences in the role of ATM upstream of AMPK, and perhaps these are influenced by factors including the expression profile of AMPK subunit isoforms or the subcellular localizations of ATM, AMPK, and LKB1. The current study, as the first to demonstrate a role of ATM in insulin-independent glucose transport, adds to the growing body of literature suggesting a role for ATM in glucoregulation. For example, young mice that lack functional ATM are hyperglycemic compared to wild-type animals during oral glucose tolerance tests [34]. Likewise, for mice with an ApoE-/- background, animals that have only one allele ofATMthat codes for functional protein are hyperglycemic during intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests and insulin tolerance tests compared to mice with two wild-type ATM alleles [35]. Finally, inhibition of ATM decreases insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in muscle-derived cell lines [16, 32], and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is blunted in L6 cells expressing kinase-dead ATM and in mouse skeletal muscle from animals deficient in ATM [16, 32]. Quite interestingly, while ATM plays a role upstream of Akt in response to insulin in some cell lines and in glycolytic skeletal muscle [ 16, 20, 36], the point of influence of ATM in insulin signaling leading to glucose transport in oxidative muscle is downstream of Akt at theRabGAP AS160/TBC1D4 [16, 20]which, like TBC1D1, acts on Rabs 2A, 8A, 8B, 10, and 14 [37]. Thus, ATM influences both insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of AS160 [16, 20] and AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of TBC1D1 in skeletal muscle. In summary, this study provides the first evidence for a role of ATM in AICAR-stimulated glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. Thus, ATM plays key roles in both insulin-dependent [16]and insulin-independent stimulation of glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, suggesting a basis for the association of ATM variants with glycemic profiles recently reported [2, 7].