E_Week4DQ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

E_Week4DQ - Essay Example The cash move is managed without uncovering the record subtleties of the sender to the purchaser. On buy, the cash is moved legitimately from the purchasers record to the merchants account. The exchange can be observed by the purchaser through signing into the Micropay account. In case of any misfortune, Micropay discounts the expense of the bought thing and the expense of the underlying postage esteem. This method of installment offers Privacy, uprightness, and non-denial and the approving substance, for this situation Micropay issues the clients against any misfortunes. Micropay encouraged installment of huge qualities just as little qualities. The money esteem collected in the Micropay account is transferable to banks and universally. The framework is anything but difficult to utilize and permits clients to login and execute business from various areas and PCs. One needs to enroll with both EBay and Micropay to have the option to use Micropay administrations (Hsiao-Cheng, Kuo-Hua, and Pei-Jen, 2002). How Micropay functions Micropay doesn't give an alternate method of banking however is only a broker in the value-based procedures. Credit and charge cards exchanges travel on various systems. At the point when a dealer an exchange to be made through Micropay, they will do as such by paying a little expense which is regularly 2 percent of the exchange. There is likewise an exchangeable expense that is charged for all the organizations that partake in the exchanges. The expense is general and is charged for any organization that is associated with the procedure. The part that Micropay comes in will be in that both the purchaser and the vender manage Micropay after they have given their financial subtleties. Micropay then handles all the exchanges that will happen between all the banks that will be incorporated and will pay the trade charge. They will recuperate the cash that they pay for the trade from the expense they charge for accepting the cash. They addition ally get it from the premium they get from the cash they left in their records (Han Zhang and Haizheng, 2006). I am certain that Micropay will help us in our online business venture in the way that it will assist us with getting installments done to different customers. It will likewise assist us with making sure about our cash and trust. Their security is dependable and we can bet on it getting installments and making installments. References Han Zhang and Haizheng, L 2006, Factors influencing installment decisions in online sell-offs: An investigation of e-Bay merchants, Springer, New York. Hsiao-Cheng, Y, Kuo-Hua H, and Pei-Jen K 2002, Electronic installment frameworks: An investigation and correlation of types, Chiao-Tung University, 1001 Ta-Hseuh Road, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan IBM Taiwan, Taipei 100, Taiwan Technology in Society. In a 3 to 4 section article with help from the content hypothesis talk about the following:â As a client, what is your greatest security bad dream and how to you anticipate that the site should ensure you? My greatest security bad dream is having our online record hacked and all the assets moved to different records. This will imply that all our cash for undertaking the web based business will have been lost. Micropay will be of incredible assistance as in the online exchanges will be made sure about. Because of the idea of Micropay as in it has all the individual data of numerous clients on the Internet, it has an additional layer of security to make sure about the information it handles on the Internet. The subtleties that it handles incorporate financial balance numbers, locations and charge card numbers. With other online exchange

Alternative Energy Sources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Elective Energy Sources - Essay Example Also, utilization of oil as a wellspring of vitality is non-inexhaustible, and brings about ecological contamination. Accordingly, driving economies on the planet have been looking to receive elective wellsprings of vitality and measures to moderate vitality, however with insignificant achievement (World Bank, 2010:190). This paper talks about three key boundaries that obstruct the appropriation of elective vitality sources and vitality preservation. Three key obstructions hinder the selection of option or inexhaustible wellsprings of vitality: cost and evaluating, advertise execution, and lawful and administrative (Martinot and Beck, 2004:13). Greater part of these boundaries are a type of market twisting that work to victimize elective vitality sources, while others result to significant expenses of creating and embracing elective wellsprings of vitality. These hindrances are circumstance explicit in any nation or district. The first and most noteworthy hindrance classification is evaluating and cost. Elective and inexhaustible wellsprings of vitality cost more than the conventional oil, prompting arrangements and choices that keep away from elective vitality sources dependent on cost. The value correlation relies upon a variety of variables. For example, there might be open sponsorships that bring down the expenses of contending wellsprings of vitality. ... In this way, the distinction in appropriation arrangement may result to serious burden of an elective vitality source. Regardless of the way that sustainable power sources may have huge cost-upper hands on the life-cycle premise, the high introductory costs frequently imply that they give lower introduced limit per starting dollar venture than traditional wellsprings of vitality. Along these lines, capital markets may require loaning rates premium so as to give accounts to these elective vitality sources. Also, the elective vitality source faces high import obligations and charges. Subsequently, this may result to high first-costs contrasted with different sources (Dell and Rand, 2004:240). Another noteworthy factor is exchange costs. Elective vitality source ventures are generally littler than those of customary sources are, essentially in light of their newness or vulnerability in execution. Therefore, exchange costs for elective vitality sources, including appraisal, allowing, pow er-buy contract dealings, and financing bundles get together, result to tremendous per-kilowatt limit premise than ordinary vitality sources. Higher value-based expenses are not a financial bending hindrance, yet rather another method of making elective vitality sources amazingly costly. The last prominent sub-class is ecological externalities. The customary vitality sources have genuine expenses on the general public, including framework rot, human wellbeing and, likely, environmental change costs (Edenhofer, Madruga, ans Sokona, 2011:884). Notwithstanding, natural externalities dollar costs are difficult to assess, therefore, subject to prudence and understanding. Despite the fact that monetary examinations

This is Exactly How Long it Takes to Break a Habit

This is Exactly How Long it Takes to Break a Habit In most cases, habits are a good thing. They help us create order in our days and keep us from having to make the same decisions every single day.If you have a habit of waking up, going to the gym, showering, having breakfast and then leaving for work, you don’t have to wake up thinking about what you need to do each morning.You will just wake up and automatically do what you normally do.This makes your morning a lot easier, since you can go through all your morning paces automatically.Similarly, if you have formed a habit of scheduling your day every morning, you will never find yourself feeling idle and wondering what you should be doing on a Thursday afternoon.Sometimes, however, habits are not so good.They either waste our time, negatively affect our health, make us unproductive, waste our money, or lead us astray in many other ways.Examples of bad habits include smoking, procrastination, constantly checking our social media feeds, unhealthy eating habits, fidgeting, and so on. Many of us who have one bad habit or the other are already aware that we have a bad habit and we know that it is bad for our wellbeing.But why continue engaging in the habit if we know it is bad for us?Well, the thing with habits is that they are difficult to change.While we actually want to get rid of the habit, we find breaking the habit to be quite a challenge because we are so used to it.If you have struggled with breaking a bad habit, you might be wondering if it is really possible to break the habit, and how long it takes to completely get rid of the habit.The good news is that it is possible to break a bad habit.When it comes to how long it takes to break a habit, most people claim that you only need 21 days to break a habit.Question is, how true is this claim?Before we look at whether the above claim is true, we first need to understand the basics of habits and how they are formed.HOW ARE HABITS FORMED? A habit can be defined as a practice, tendency or routine of behavior th at has been repeated so many times that it starts occurring without conscious thought.Habits generally consist of three main elements â€" a cue that triggers an action, an action that follows the cue, and a reward that follows the action.For instance, let’s say you have formed a habit of checking your social media pages during the morning commute to work.In this case, getting on the bus or train acts as the cue.Simply getting on the bus or train makes you want to reach for your phone.Reaching for your phone and logging onto your favorite social media network is the action.Once you login, seeing all the new things your friends have shared and the notifications from your friends’ reactions to what you shared leads to a release of dopamine in your brain, which makes you feel happy.The release of dopamine and the subsequent happiness is the reward for the action.The reward plays a key role in making most habits addictive.Now, you need to understand something about your brain.The hum an brain is wired for efficiency. It is always trying to find the best way to get things done while expending the least amount of effort.When you repeat a certain action a number of times, your brain starts noticing a pattern of three elements â€" a cue, an action and the reward. Your brain then creates neural pathways linking the three elements together.Instead of having to constantly think about what to do, your brain automatically fires up these neural pathways every time the cue comes up.So every time you get on the bus, you automatically grab your phone without having to think about it, because your brain knows this action will lead to a reward.The more times you repeat this action, the stronger these neural pathways become.It is good to note that anything can act as a cue. It could be a specific place, an event, a mental or emotional state, a time of the day, a certain phrase, and so on.Whenever this cue comes up, your brain automatically triggers the action related to the cue .It is also good to note that the cue that triggers a certain action is usually very specific.For instance, being bored while you are at home might trigger a totally different action compared to being bored at work.Now, here’s what makes breaking a habit so difficult. Once your brain has formed neural pathways, it cannot destroy them.Even when you think you have successful broken a habit, what actually happens is that these pathways have become weak, but they are still there.This is why it is so easy for someone who has quit an addiction to relapse even a year down the line.So, how do you break habits if the neural pathways are still there?Breaking a habit basically involves forming new neural pathways that are stronger than the established pathways.While you cannot stop the cue from triggering an action, you can change the action that is triggered by the cue. With time, a new neural pathway is formed linking the trigger with another action.Once the new neural pathway becomes stro nger than the previous one, the habit is dropped and the new one is picked.This is why the easiest way of breaking a habit is to replace it with another one.For instance, someone trying to quit smoking might replace cigarettes with chewing gum.With time, the neural pathway related to chewing gum becomes stronger, such that when the previous cue comes up, the person reaches for chewing gum instead of a cigarette.SO, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BREAK A HABIT?Now that we understand how habits are formed, let’s see how long it takes to break a habit.I mentioned above that there is a popular claim that a habit can be broken in 21 days.This popular notion was introduced by Maxwell Maltz in his book Psycho-Cybernetics.Maxwell, a plastic surgeon by profession, came up with the claim after noticing that his patients took about 21 days to get used to their new, surgically altered faces.However, there is a catch.Maxwell said that is takes about a minimum of 21 days to change a habit. This means that changing a habit can take 21 days or more.Maxwell’s claim is supported by another study conducted by researchers from the University College London and published in the European Journal of Social Psychology.In the study, which evaluated the habits of 96 participants over a period of 12 weeks, the researchers came to the conclusion that the average time needed to form or change a habit is 66 days.However, some of the participants of the study formed new habits in as little as 18 days, while others took as many as 254 days.So, while it is possible to break a habit in 21 days, you cannot be certain that this time frame will work for you.The huge disparity when it comes to forming or breaking habits is brought about by the fact that breaking a habit depends on a number of factors. The first factor is the availability of an alternative ability.Like we saw above, a habit is broken when the neural pathways related to the habit become weaker than other pathways related to the same c ue.Therefore, someone trying to break a habit by replacing it with an alternative habit might achieve success faster compared to someone who is simply trying to break a habit without any alternative habit to replace it.The second factor is the motivation for breaking the habit. People decide to change their habits for different reasons, and the stronger the reason behind the change, the easier it becomes to break the bad habit.For instance, someone trying to break a habit because the they might get sick, lose a job or get divorced by a spouse if they don’t stop the habit is more likely to break the habit faster than someone who is simply doing because his friends think the habit is not cool.Similarly, someone trying to break a habit for personal reasons will most likely achieve success faster than someone who is doing is because of external reasons, such as pressure by peers.Finally, the length of time it takes to break a habit will also be influenced by how established the habit is.The longer a person has been engaging in the problematic habit, the stronger the neural pathways associated with the habit are, and the more challenging breaking the habit will be.For instance, someone who has been smoking for a year will usually find it easier to quit compared to someone who has been smoking for 15 years.HOW TO BREAK BAD HABITSNow that it is clear that the length of time needed to break a habit will depend on various, let’s look at some tips on how to successfully break a bad habit.Understand Your CuesThe first step to breaking a bad habit is to become aware of the cues that trigger the bad habit.Only after knowing what your triggers are can you take action to avoid them.To know what cues trigger your bad habit, take note whenever you find yourself engaging in the bad habit and then ask yourself the following questions:Where were you when you engaged in the habit?Who were you with?What was your mental state at the time?What happened before that got you into th is mental state?Do you tend to engage in the habit at specific times within the day?How often do you engage in the habit?If possible, record the answers to these questions in a note book, because you might need to observe yourself for a few weeks in order to totally understand what triggers the habit.Not only will becoming aware of your triggers will help you avoid them, it will also help you understand what reward your brain is craving by engaging in the habit.Cut Out the TriggersOnce you identify the cues that trigger your bad habit, the next step is to cut out as many of them as possible.For instance, if you tend to procrastinate your work when you have your phone near you, keep away the phone while working to avoid the temptation to play games or check your social media.If you always sneak to the parking garage to have a smoke during the day, avoid going to the garage.If you habitually go drinking when you are with a certain group of friends, minimize your interactions with this group of friends.The less you encounter the cues that trigger the habit, the less likely you are to engage in the habit.Make it Hard for Yourself to Engage in the HabitIf possible, create barriers or obstacles that will make it hard or more painful for you to engage in the problematic habit. There are several ways of doing this.For instance, if you are trying to stop swearing, you can agree with some of your friends that you will pay them a dollar any time they catch you swearing.If you are trying to break the habit of snoozing your alarm every morning, download an app that requires you solve a complex mathematical equation before you can press the snooze button.If you want to stop getting onto Facebook whenever you are working on your computer, download an app that blocks all social media websites for a set period of time.By making it harder or more painful to engage in the habit, you will have an easier time breaking these established routines.Find a Replacement HabitWe already s aw that the best way of breaking a habit is to replace it with a new habit.This allows your brain to build new neural pathways associated with the cue, while at the same time weakening the existing pathways.Therefore, instead of simply trying to quit the habit, find something else to do in its place.For instance, if your aim is to stop watching so much TV, if you have nothing else to do instead, you will eventually go back to watching TV.However, if you use that time to exercise or read a book, it will be much easier to reduce your TV time.Similarly, if you want to quit smoking, replace the habit with chewing mint gum or performing breathing exercises.If you want to stop spending too much of your evenings on social media, use the time to work on the side business you have always wanted to start, or working on a hobby.When coming up with an alternative habit, don’t go for a something that is boring.Doing this will only push you back to the habit you are trying to break.The new habi t should be something you enjoy. In other words, the reward for the new habit should exceed the reward for the habit you want to replace.Have a Good Reason Behind the ChangeBefore you even start trying to break a bad habit, take a moment to think about why you want to break the habit.Are you trying to break the habit simply because it is a bad habit, or do you have a stronger reason as to why you want to change?If you want to succeed in breaking the habit, you should have a good reason behind the desire to change.To come up with a good reason why you need to break the habit, think about how engaging in the habit has been affecting your life and the benefits you stand to gain by getting rid of the habit.Why is this important?We have already seen that breaking a bad habit is hard.If you don’t have a good enough reason, it becomes harder to follow through with the change during the hard moments.For instance, let’s assume that you want to stop waking up late, and have decided to rep lace sleeping till late with going to the gym early every morning.One morning, your alarm rings but you are still sleepy as hell.If you decided to go to the gym simply because it is a good thing to do, there is a high chance that you will find convince yourself that you are healthy and continue sleeping.However, if you decided to hit the gym so that you can make it to the local basketball team, you will have greater conviction to ditch the covers and hit the gym.Don’t Rely on Will PowerOne of the greatest mistakes many people make while trying to break a bad habit is to rely solely on their will power.Here is the thing with will power.Everyone has a certain amount of will power.Every time you use your will power to push yourself to follow through with the change, you deplete your available will power, which means you have less will power to push yourself through the next time you feel demotivated.Once this will power runs out, it becomes very easy to fall back to your old habits.T he idea, therefore, is to try and avoid relying on your will power as much as possible.For instance, if you want to start waking up early, one option is to set your alarm and rely on your will power to do the rest for you.Once your alarm rings, you might use your will power to force yourself out of bed on day one.On day two, however, the warmth of your bed might win over your will power. You end up snoozing the alarm and waking up an hour later.Alternatively, you might decide to put your alarm clock outside your bedroom door.When the alarm clock rings, you will be forced to get out of bed in order to switch of the alarm clock.In the second scenario, you are not relying on will power, and you are more likely to get up this way.Don’t Go It AloneWhile it is possible to break your bad habits by yourself, it becomes much easier when you have a support network helping you.For instance, you can share your plans with a close friend or relative and have them call you out whenever you backt rack.If your bad habit is triggered by a certain group of friends, let them know you are trying to break the habit and ask them not to engage in activities that might trigger the habit when they are around you.If you have a friend who is trying to break the same habit, team up with them, set challenges for yourselves and motivate each other.You could also join forums of people who are also trying to overcome the same habit.Such groups will keep you motivated and encourage you to go for your goal. If your bad habit has a huge impact on your health or wellbeing, you might also consider seeking professional help.Reward YourselfWhen explaining how habits are formed, I mentioned that the reward element is what reinforces habits and even turns some of them into addictions.You can also use the psychology of the reward to reinforce the gains you have made.To do this, you can think of rewarding yourself every time you avoid the habit you are trying to break.For instance, if you aim is to sto p procrastinating, set yourself blocks of time to complete a certain task and then reward yourself by allowing yourself to do something you enjoy for a few minutes.Giving yourself such rewards will reinforce your behavior and inspire you to keep at it.WRAPPING UPIf you have a bad habit that you are trying to get rid of, the good news is that it is achievable.While people expect to be able to break a habit within 21 days, you should keep in mind that this is the minimum amount of time needed to break a habit.Therefore, don’t despair if you haven’t been able to break a bad habit after 21 days.Remember, depending on how established the habit is, how motivated you are, and depending on your replacement habit, it might take longer to rewire the neural pathways in your brain.Instead of despairing, keep up the change you want to see in yourself, and follow the tips shared above, and you will eventually be able to shake the bad habit.

The Integration Of Human Resource Management Methods - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3180 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Integration between human resource management and businesses strategy is amongst the most important demands that are put forward by modern day organisations. It is generally acknowledged that the development and deployment of corporate strategy with cooperation from human resource strategy is a difficult preposition. Some go even further by saying that its organisations human resource strategy that gives the competitive advantage. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Integration Of Human Resource Management Methods" essay for you Create order Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) argue that Human Resource Management is now often seen as the major factor differentiating between successful and unsuccessful organisations, more important than technology or finance in achieving competitive advantage. In UK the shift of industry from manufacturing to service has made it even more significant as most of the staff is in face-to-face contact with the customers, hence emphasizing the importance of human capital in routine operation of the organisation. Human resource strategy, particularly in last two decades has emerged as a corner stone strategy that has much of positive correlation with performance of the work force. In this paper, I will examine the linkage between the human resource strategy and how it helps performance in context of flexibility and innovation. The relationship between strategic goals and objectives with Human resource is emerged in late twentieth century and is called Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). Strategic Human Resource Management may be defined as linking of HRM with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve organization performance and developing organizational culture that foster innovation and flexibility. SHRM involves developing and planning HR policies to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Association of HR system with the strategic goals and objectives of the organization has help organization to achieve required performance. Innovation, by default, is a process by which an idea or invention is translated into a good or service or service for which people will pay. It involves deliberate application of information, imagination and initiative in delivering greater or different value. A business innovation applies to other things than its product only. It includes branding, customer satisfaction, employees satisfaction, costs, etc. is a type of organizational adoption that improves the effectiveness of organizational response to the changes in t he internal and external environment. It is an idea to improve process, product, and service and develop management practices, strategies and new products. In the present competitive environment, it is very difficult for the organizations to keep their market share without constant innovation. In todays business continuous development in innovation is the key strategy for the bright future of the organizations. HRM practices and policies improve the organizations capacity to adopt innovation. HRM system and human capital are important organizational characteristics that enhance level of innovation. HRM and Organizational Performance Different studies show that HRM strategies contribute to organizational performance. Strategic management will act as a trigger to implementation of HRM strategy and these strategies will impact organizational performance. Most of the previous research has been reported positive link between Human Resource Management and organizational performance. According to Delaney and Huselid (1996), HRM strategies affect organizational performance through their impact on employees ability, skills and motivation. Some studies emphasized the impact of some HRM policies separately such as training, compensation and performance management systems. McDonald and Smith (1995), reported that HRM policies impact positively on the performance of the organization. It is measured by the investment in HR planning, such as in employee development, hiring, labour and productivity. Later studies have a common idea that HR strategies improve the organization and employee performance due to the complementar y relationship between these strategies. The relationship between business strategy and human resource strategy The relationship between business strategy and human resource strategy refers to the integration of factors and actors involved. In other words, what is relevant for human resource management is very much relevant for business and vice versa. Organisations differ according to their structure and the model of human resource management it uses but the linkage between two is of core importance. This issue has received a great deal of importance in last two decades, both in practice and literature. This is why often it is insisted that it is going to be always a cutting edge advantage for an organisation whether or not they have a human resource expert member in boards of directors. The balance of debate keeps shifting as to whether or not a well-run and effectively managed (human resource perspective) organisation is likely to be high performing and financially successful corporate unit. Taking it on individual perspective, there is another important question that whether a good em ployer is likely to be a successful employer as far corporate side of business is concerned. Many maintain the notion, organisations are only as good as their staff and other call people as the most important asset for the business. Barney and Wright (1998) argue that a well trained and well-managed work force is instrumental in gaining competitive advantage. Linkage between Human Resource Strategy and the overall Performance of Organisation To further emphasize on the importance of a linkage between human resource strategy and the overall performance of organisation, following tabular format is used for the purpose of understanding. HR Component Effect Result Recruitment and Selection Training and Development Employee competence Enhanced organizational performance Performance appraisal and Reward strategies Employee motivation Job design, Communication Opportunity to participate Career progression, Job security, Terms and condition and matters related to Employee relations. Employee commitment HRM can play a significant role in organization performance. An organization may achieve its goals and objectives by adopting HRM practices. They introduced a new contribution of HRM to an organizations financial performance. The process perspective of HRM which is anchored in both resources based and institutional view of organization, it focuses on organizations past experience, social norms and current culture to organize its HR to execute market strategies (www.rphrm.curtin.edu.au). HRM Strategies develop the conditions to achieve Strategic Goals and Objectives of the Organizations HRM strategies develop the conditions to achieve strategic goals and objectives of the organizations by influencing employee behaviour. Bowen and Ostroff (2004), differentiate the features of the HRM system that will contribute the organizational performance. These features are content and process. Content refers to individual policies to achieve particular organizational objectives, such as promotion. Process refers to the design of the HRM system that allows employees to create desired response. Delery and Doty (1996), differentiate three modes of theories in strategic HRM. These modes are universalistic, the contingent and the configurationally. Universalistic mode linked to best HRM policies and high performance work strategies. There is a linear relationship between HRM strategies and performance of the organization. The best HRM strategies can be successful and applied universally in all type of organizations. The best way to measure the performance of the organization is the measure of profit, sales and its shares in the market. Pfeiffer (1994), argued that to achieve high profit and productivity, the strategies of HRM like training, incentive pay, job security, promotion and skill development will be used. Relationship between Dependent and Independent Variables Contingency mode describes the link between dependent and independent variables. The relationship between these variable differ according to the age and size of the organization, unionization, technology and the location. Contingency arguments view potentially complex interaction between HRM variables and performance indicators. According to study of MacDuffies (1995), cofigurational view is represent in automobile industry, where the principle of inquiry configuration themselves as an ideal type. Arthur,s (1994), says that control and commitment HRM systems are based on the idea that closer an organizational HRM strategies resemble the correct prototypical system, the greater the performance gains. The correct HRM system forms a best strategy approach. A correct commitment HRM system represents by employee benefits, social activities, training, individual bonus, skill development, high wages and incentive payments. Arthurs control and commitment system is used in USA steel mills, where the organizations have higher productivity score. This system has a positive effect on employee satisfaction. Organizational Culture and HRM Organizational culture is defined as a set of assumptions developed by a group of people to handle the problems of external adoption and internal integration. It is important to understand the implication of culture within the organization. Culture gives an organization a unique identity that distinguishes it from other organizations. All the organizations have its own unique values, perspective and standards which are known as its organizational culture. Organizational culture gives direction to the employees in the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. Organization culture is developed by the top management. Managers of the organizations introduced rules. These rules include employees behaviour, and the way of work to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Organizational culture usually remain stable but it can be changed and develop according to the organizational demands. Wallach (1983), identified three types of corporate cultures:- Innovative cultures An Innovative culture is existing and active. It provides a workplace full of risks and challenges. Bureaucratic cultures Bureaucratic culture considered as hierarchical. Work is systematic and organized in this culture. It is not attractive for ambitious and creative people. Employees are using different sources of knowledge for the development of new products. Supportive cultures A supportive culture is trusted, relationship oriented and collaborative. Supportive culture provides free environment and workplace. Employees in this culture are friendly and helpful to others. HR practices have an important role in managing human resource and to enhance employees ability which develop a supportive organizational culture to achieve better outcomes. Many of previous studies showed that HRM have a positive effect on the culture and performance of the organization. According to the studies of Huselid (1995), HRM practices had a greater effect on organizational outcomes when applied as coherent, than the sum of the individual effects from each practice separately. Delaney and Huselid (1996), described that the HRM practices are divided into two categories, employees ambition and employees abilities. The ability to learn and apply the knowledge and motivation incentive was to determine the organizations capability. Organization future capabilities are strongl y influenced by its knowledge. An organization with motivated and capable employees will not be effective in using its current abilities if it is not successful in building a supportive culture. DeLong and Fahey (2000), says that culture is the critical factor that influence knowledge creation. High tech organizations differ from manufacturing organizations with regard to their people management practices. Organizations with effective HRM tends to link HRM with overall strategy in the organization. Organizations with effective HRM practices add all the strategies in the reinforcing or changing corporate culture. It is the responsibility of HRM to build stronger corporate culture that connects all the employees with managerial values. A strong organizational culture will be able to adopt changes according to future challenges in the environment due to flexibility. IBM faced these challenges and respond to the market changes from main frames to personalized computers. A strong corp orate culture is given preference to a weak one in long run. Innovation Innovation is defined as a new idea applied to improving a product, service or process, the development of new products, organization, process, management practices and strategies. Innovation is an important means of survival in the face of the dynamic nature of competitive environment. Cunha and Verhallen (1998), says that innovation is a form of organizational adoption that has been derived from some external forces such as globalization, technology development and buyer needs. Innovation is supported by an organizational culture. Innovation includes new services rather than notation of the high technology. George and et al (2001), described that technological innovation becomes essential in responding to quick changes in high technology organizations. Innovation deals with the new knowledge such as collecting information and turning it into new products or services(www.rphrm.curtin.edu.au). Afuah (1998), says that innovation implies both organizational and economic changes. I nnovation refers to using new knowledge and technology for the development of new product and services to customers. It is helpful to maintaining organizations profits and market share. Administrative Innovation and Technical Innovation Innovation has two features administrative innovation and technical innovation. Administrative innovation may or may not effect technical innovation. It related to administrative process and organizational structure, where as technical innovation deals with the development of new products or improving the existing services, process or product. Innovation is of two types, production innovation and process innovation. Production innovations deal with the production of new products and services to meet the needs of the market or customer. Process innovations are related to the elements introduced into an organizations operations. Organizational Culture and Innovation Organizational cultures foster the innovation in an organization. According to the study of Nemeth (1997), innovation may require a culture that is very different and dramatically opposed to that which encourages loyalty, appropriate attitude and behaviour. A strong culture emphasized loyalty, uniformity and adherence to organization expectations would be advantages in the conditions of good management and creative leadership ideas. Flexibility and openness are useful for stimulating creative ideas. The organizations that attempt to foster innovation recognize the importance of being maverick. Organizational culture will lead to more organization innovation. HRM and Innovation HRM can play an important role to innovation through its processes. Huselid (1995), demonstrate that organizations that bundle HRM practices achieve superior performance. For organizations to remain innovative must become a way of life. Sustained innovation required stability and change. Ito (1995), finds that the development of new product or services a result of the practice to form teams and staff them with the personnel. Gupta and Singhal (1993), they found that the effective HRM can make an organization more creative and innovative. The success of the organization lies in the development of intellectual capital and new knowledge. Developing managers knowledge to understand how technology can change the organizational structure and product lifecycle. Organizations cannot achieve competitive advantage by using organic behaviour management without employee competencies. Management for creativity and innovation include the ability to constitute effective work group that represents a diversity of skills and made up of individual who trust communicate well with each other. HRM practices are related to organizations innovation. Examples of Innovation and Flexibility Innovation Examples Swipe- in/Bio-metrics Attendance System It was manual system of attendance in all the organization. But now- a-days mostly organizations has adopted the swipe-in or Bio-metrics system to making sure the attendance. Lie Detectors Lie detectors are also using in the appointment of executive recruitment. Psycho-Numeric Test for Recruitment Mostly organizations are using the Psycho-Numeric test for the recruitment. E-Recruitment System E-Recruitment system is also a new innovation for the recruitment of the employees. Assessment centres Assessment Centres are also a new thing in the process of recruitment. Flexibility Examples Paternity Leave The paternity leave was only for mothers up to one year but now it is six month for the fathers too. Parental Leave Parents can take now up to three weeks parental leave for any reason related with child. Part-Time work Before 1980-90, there was no concept of part-time work. Every employee has to work six days a week, twelve hours a day shift. But now labour Party has changed this rule into five days a week and eight hours a day shift and also give the permission of part-time. Minimum Wage Rate In past there was no concept of minimum wage rate but now there is minimum wage rate, i.e. Â £5.80 p/h. Maximum Hours Per Week Now there is no restriction of hours, every employee can do as much as hours they want to do. Time for Further Studies Now every employee has the right to take two years study leave if he has one year service. Conclusion Foregoing discussion in preview, the importance of human resource management cannot be undermined despite the size of the organisation. A critical review of most of the available literature reveals an ongoing tussle for claiming the core spot between human resources components and corporate factors. This discussion is like who comes first, chicken or the egg; nonetheless both are essentially indispensible. But the fact remains that if any organisation carries the true essence of moving forward in todays unforgiveable competitive world, it necessarily needs to have the fatal tool of competitive advantage in its portfolio. And with the overhauling of labour market as well as rapidly changing organisational orientations between late 80s and 2010, there is no corporate survival than to resort to innovation, flexibility and well above average human resource practices. Having said that all, another extremely important factor is not be looked over, i.e. smooth gel between the corporate go als of the organisation and the human resource strategy. And a rigorous process of continuous innovation within this relation is that keeps any one organisation ahead of the crowd. . References Arthur J. (1994). Effects of Human Resource System on Manufacturing Performance and Turnover, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 670-687. Afuah, A. (1998), Innovation Management: Strategies, Implementation, Oxford University Press, England. Amit R. Belcourt M. (1999), Human resource Management Processes: A value creating source of competitive advantage, European Management Journal, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 39-58. Bowen, D.E. and Ostroff, C. (2004). Understanding HRM firm performance linkages: the role of the strength of the HRM system. Academy of Management Review, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 203-221. Barney J. Wright P. (1998), On becoming a Strategic Partner: Role of Human Resources in gaining competitive advantage. Human Resource Management, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 31-46. Delery J. Doty D. (1996), Modes of Theorizing in Strategic Human Resource Management: test of universalistic, contingency and configurational performance predictions. Academy of Management Journa l, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 802-835. Delaney J. Huselid M. (1996), The Impact of Human Resource Management practices on Perception of Organizational Performance, Academy of Management Journal, Vol.No.39, pp. 949-969. DeLong D. Fahey L. (2000), Diagnosing Cultural Barriers to knowledge Management. Academy of Management Exective, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 113-127. George, G., Zahra, S.A., Wheatley, K.K. and Khan, R. (2001). The Effect of alliance portfolio characteristics and obsorptive capacity on performance: A study of biotechnology firms. Journal of High Technology Management Research, Vol.12, pp. 205-226. Gupta, A.K. and Singhal, A. (1993). Managing Human Resources for Innovation and Creativity. Research -Technology Management, Vol. No. 36, pp. 41-48 Huselid, M.A. (1995). The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Turnover, Productivity and Corporate performance, Academy of Management Journals, Vol. No. 38, pp. 635-670. Ito, M. (1995). The RD system behind Japa ns high technology products -technology, Human resource and Work Organization. Technology Management and Corporate Strategies: A Tricontinental perspective, ed. By Jose Allouche and Gerard pogorel, North Holland, pp. 271-312. McDonald, D. and Smith, A. (1995). A Proven Connection: Performance management and Business Results. Compensation and Benefits review, January-February, pp. 59-64. MacDuffie, j. (1995). Human Resource Bundles and Management performance: Organizational Logic and Flexibility Production Systems in World Auto Industry. Industrial and Labour Relation Review, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 197-221. Marchington, M. and Wilkinson, A. (2008). Human Resource Management at Work: People Management and Development CIPD. Nemeth, C.J. (1997). Management Innovation: When Less Is More. California Management review, Vol. 40, No.1, pp. 59-74. Pfeiffer, J. (1994). Competitive Advantage Through People. Harvard Business School Press, Boston. Wallach, J.E.(1983). Individuals a nd Organizations: The Cultural Match. Training and Development Journal, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 28. https://rphrm.curtin.edu.au/2001/issue1/strategic.html https://www.articlesnatch.com

The Detention Of Prison Inmates - 938 Words

Imagine yourself locked in a miniature-size closet for years without electronics nor social communication- not even sunlight! The only time you are let outside your designated area is for about an hour to go outside to exercise or shower. Nevertheless, that is not the case for numerous prisoners. The majority of the time, prison guards totally fail to recall about the inmate or tend to have a neglecting state of mind when monitoring confinement inmates. Several of the prisoners who end up in isolated confinement are diagnosed with physical and emotional complications such as depression and anxiety. Prisoners over the time have trouble with socializing and interacting with other human beings. Furthermore, some officials often report some cases in which inmates held in these segregated facilities severely harm their own bodies or in some cases it goes as far as to committing suicide inside the prison area. In a study made in New York, it was concluded that inmates placed in isolation o r solitary confinement are seven times more likely to commit an act of self-harm or suicide than an inmate in general population. Solitary confinement, besides being extremely expensive, it is a cruel form of punishment and it does not help anyone who convicted a crime or who seems dangerous around other inmates, become a better person. This method it’s so called a ‘disciplinary solution’ for prisoners to behave in an accordingly manner however, it instead provokes prisoners to act in aShow MoreRelatedCorrectional Facilities And The Correctional Facility1645 Words   |  7 Pagesrequire legally prescribed supervision. Correctional facilities oversee the confinement of inmates who are serving their sentences and they reform rehabilitation of sentenced offenders, organize educational opportunities and offer counseling in preparation for reentry into society. The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world because of the transparency in reporting crimes. Prisons are established for convicted felons, these institutions are maintained for both punishmentRead MoreDefine, Then Compare and Contrast the Prison and the Jail Systems.979 Words   |  4 Pagesexamine corrections, the major goals of contemporary sentencing, who is sentenced, and how these sentences are formulated. Please respond to all three of the following prompts: * Define, then compare and contrast the prison and the jail systems. Jail is a place of detention, a place where an individual convicted or suspected of a crime is tained. Jail holds people accused under federal, state , county and or city. Jails people awaiting trial, people sentenced for a short duration, typicallyRead MoreThe United States Corrections System990 Words   |  4 Pagesorganized distinctive structures that retain certain similarities with the Chinese prisons system. However there remain significant points of departure such as the prevalence of privately run correctional facilities in the United States. This differs greatly from the Chinese system of corrections which relies solely on government-operated public prisons whereby the state does not seek profit as is the case with private prisons (Shen, 2015). The American justice system in line with most Western correctionalRead MoreThe New Asylum Essay1188 Words   |  5 Pagescrisis mentally ill inmates face in the psychiatric ward in Ohio state prisons. The episode shows us the conditions and every day lives of mentally ill patients in Ohio state prisons, and explains how these inmates got to this point. It appeared that most of these prisoners should have been patients in an institute of some sort, out in society, but unfortunately due to whatever circumstances they ended up in prison. According to the episode, most of the inmates end up in prison due to them not copingRead MoreA World Apart: a Comparison of the Italian Prison System to Ours1201 Words   |  5 Pagesof phoenix | A World Apart | A Comparison of the Italian Prison System to Ours | | Matthew Kramer | 4/23/2011 | | The Italian correctional system although much older than the American system are very comparable to each other. Both have come from fledgling institutions in the past that have both evolved because of officials in higher positions as well as concerned citizens that have voiced their opinions on how inmates are treated and how they are housed during their sentences.Read MoreGuantanamo Bay and Human Rights Violations by the United States1536 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is originally a naval base that was once used to house detention facilities for Haitian and Cuban refugees fleeing to the United States. It was also used as a refueling station for Navy ships. It was then converted into a high level detention facility to house enemy troops captured in the War on Terror campaign by Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfield. It has three main camps that house the prisoners. These prisoners of war were later referred to as enemy combatantsRead MoreWhat Happens Behind Prison Doors? Essay1539 Words   |  7 PagesHave you ever wondered what happens behind prison doors? Prisons are defined as a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment. A prison is also referred to a place of detention. Embodiment of the United States is a concrete power under the Constitution of the United States, which means that prisons are under authority of both the federal and state governments. Different United State prisons contain different prisoners based on the crime or felony committedRead MoreIntroduction. In Norway, The Judge Will Determine Whether984 Words   |  4 Pageswhether or not the inmate in mentally capable to serve a preventative sentence if not, the inmate is sentenced to indefinite psychiatric treatment. Inmates who are sentenced to life in prison will often have several mental evaluations over a period of time to determine if the sentence should be continued. Mental issues Norwegian prison systems run by a goal of reintegration. Through the progression of the sentence, the institution and personnel work to bettering the inmate with structure throughRead MoreSouth Carolina Should Reduce Crime Rates Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagesoffering inmates or ex-convicted felons opportunities to find jobs, developed new skills or trade, and the ability to asses counselling once release. These alternatives can possibly improve not only the society, but also South Carolina. To find a program to reduce incarceration, create a positive outlet, and guide inmates to a second beginning would be wonderful. Think about it- prison’s missions are to reattribute, incapacitate, deterrent, and rehabilitate intimates. A Program offer for inmates is theRead MorePurpose of Prisons in the USA771 Words   |  3 PagesPurpose of prisons in the USA The correctional systems in America are facilities that deal with people who have been convicted of crimes. It is argued that the main purpose of correctional system is the separation of criminals from the rest of the society. The correctional system is part of the criminal-justice system that provides housing and other programs for those convicted for crimes that deems it necessary for the offender to loose freedom. This paper will look at the purpose of prisons and if

The Ancient Korean Culture Free Essays

The traditional Korean Society retains a strong Confucian tradition, which is clearly manifested in the strong devotion to the family. This tradition combined with the passionate nature of Koreans can perhaps explain strong loyalties felt between relatives, co-workers, classmates, and friends. This is all true of Korean society today. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ancient Korean Culture or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even though a number of things have changed, there is still a strong emphasis on the traditional family (People, 1). One of the big differences in the traditional Korean family structure and the current family structure is arranged marriages. Arranged marriages reflected the traditional belief that marriage is the union of two families, not simply two people. Under the old family system parents arranged marriages without the consent of their children, either male or female. In the current Korean family this is still true but to a different extent. Since under the old family system, daughters left their parents to live with their husband†s families, marriage was often traumatic for them. New wives of course tried to please their husband, but more importantly, they had to please their mother in laws. The mother in law directed then wife in her housework and had the power to send the bride back home in disgrace if the bride seriously displeased her. Sometimes this adjustment was hard for the bride (Sorensen, 1). Arranged marriages continue to become popular because young men and women in Korea find casual socializing awkward and often feel like the lack experience to choose their own partners. Although casual dating is now more common, most interactions between young men and women occur in groups. Arranged marriages also seem safe because to go between clearly appraises the social background of the bride and groom. After their engagement a couple will date so they know each other well by the time they marry. The pattern is so common that Koreans assume that a young couple who dates regularly will be married (Sorensen, 3). Another aspect of Korean family structure that has changed is the role of men. Sons were more valuable than daughters. Sons had to say at their parents† home even after marriage. This law was revised. Since people often move to find work, eldest sons often cannot live with their parents. The New Civil code of 1958 legalized change favoring the new conditions. Essentially, the new code weakened the power of the head of the household, and strengthened the husband-wife relationship (Male children, 1). Sons were also important because under Korea†s Confucian tradition the family name and family tradition was passed down through male heirs. When a couple could not produce a male heir, they would try to have a son with another woman in order to guarantee that the family name was carried on to the next generation. Parents also depended on their sons when they retired. Today the house head cannot determine where family members live. An eldest son can now leave home against his father†s will. Husbands and wives share power to determine the education punishment of the children. Children can decide on their own marriages, and permission is not required if they are of age. Younger sons leave their parent to form their own families when they marry, and the head of the household no longer has the legal right to manage all family property. Since the New civil code, all children have equal claim in their parents property (Sorensen, 2). A third aspect of change in the Korean family structure is the division of labor of males and females. In the tradition family, men labored outside, taking care of major field crops, while women worked inside doing housework, spinning, weaving, cooking, and raising the children. To a certain extent this tradition lives on today, even as more and more women take jobs in the modern work place. Husbands usually think it is embarrassing to help with the housework, although some of the younger ones help (Male children, 2). The raising of Korean children is done pretty much the same way in the traditional family structure as in the current family structure. Young children were and are indulged. Toilet training was relaxed and children were not disciplined before they were old enough to reason. By the time a child reached six or seven, training began in earnest. Parents began the strict separation of girls and boys, in accordance with Confucian ethics, and they trained children to use the respectful voice of those older (Differences, 2). By the time he reached seven a boy knew that he must use the respectful mode of speech to his older brother, and he knew that failure to do so would result in swift and certain punishment. All of these things are still done today. The only difference is the position of girls in these families. Traditionally, a girl by seven usually knows her position in the family was inferior to her brother†s because when she was married, she left the family. Now, both of them have the option of leaving or staying (Differences, 2). Finally the last aspect of the Korean family culture that has not changed is the importance of education for Korean children. A common belief in Korean is children are reflection of their parents. Parents are expected to all out support their children†s education, often sacrificing their own comfort. More money is spent on private tutoring and exam schools than on public education. Koreans put great stock in a college education. It is the most important factor in deciding one†s career. Another reason is Korean parents† devotion to their children. They will do anything to ensure their children†s success and happiness. Many parents also hope that their children will achieve the success that they dreamed of but never achieved (Sorensen, 1). In spite of recent changes, fundamental characteristics of the traditional Korean family remain. Each person in the family still has a clearly defined role, each dependant on others within the family unit. Korean†s adapt their traditional ideas within the family to new conditions. The family still retains a male house head. Inheritance of family leadership still continues through the father†s line, and sons still inherit more wealth than daughters do. Children, especially eldest sons, are still held responsible for the care of their aged parents. The structure of the Korean family remains with only a few changes. The core Confucian values, which shaped the family, are still a great force in Korean Life. How to cite The Ancient Korean Culture, Papers

Strategy Management Essays - Computing, Business, Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett Packard was founded in 1938 by William Hewlett and David Packard and went public in 1957. HP has come a long way since then from being an electronic instruments company to a major player in the computer industry. HP established its presence in India in 1988. Today, the Indian site is one of the largest sites outside the U.S. HP has more than 30 thousand employees in 42 locations. HP has a presence in over 350 cities in India. The HP and Compaq merger in 2002 resulted in the creation of the largest PC company in India with revenues of Rs. 35 billion and a combined 17 per cent market share (more than a third of the organised market) in India. The merged entity's market share was was more than double of the nearest competitor New Delhi-based HCL Infosystems (eight percent). HP has developed a three-pronged strategy to attract, capture and retain Indian customers. Salient features of HP?s Strategy are: ?Consumer focus: Indian youth and women ?Product Focus: Technology loaded and stylish products with connectivity and mobility not ignoring price sensitivity of Indian market. ?Market Focus: Targeting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India ?Segment focus: Large product portfolio catering to SOHO, SMB, government and enterprise segments. ?Dual-Brand Marketing Strategy: Mass market brand like Compaq Presario and at the same time ultimate digital experience brand HP pavilion. ?Significant investment in R&D ?Glocalization: Adopting a global framework and adapting locally ?Following the principle that PC?s are very personal HP's 'Trade in Trade Out' program In September 2009, HP India launched the second edition of its 'Trade in Trade Out' program aimed at all corporates and customers in India. Season one of the 'Trade in Trade Out' program received a tremendous response from HP customers. Under the program, any corporate or customer can exchange/upgrade their existing high-end large format printers in order to help their business obtain more value from IT investments. The products taken back are recycled to reduce the environmental impact of technology products. In March 2009, HP launched the 'HP Software University' (HPSU) in partnership with Indian Institute of Hardware Technology (IIHT). The university was launched to address the growing demand for software testing professionals in India.

The Role of T Cells in the Body

The Role of T Cells in the Body T cells are a type of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte. Lymphocytes protect the body against cancerous cells and cells that have become infected by pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. T cell lymphocytes develop from stem cells in bone marrow. These immature T cells migrate to the thymus via the blood. The thymus is a lymphatic system gland that functions mainly to promote the development of mature T cells. In fact, the T in T cell lymphocyte stands for thymus derived. T cell lymphocytes are necessary for cell mediated immunity, which is an immune response that involves the activation of immune cells to fight infection. T cells function to actively destroy infected cells, as well as to signal other immune cells to participate in the immune response. Key Takeaways: T Cells T cells are lymphocyte immune cells that protect the body from pathogens and cancer cells.T cells originate from bone marrow and mature in the thymus. They are important for cell mediated immunity and the activation of immune cells to fight infection.Cytotoxic T cells actively destroy infected cells through the use of granule sacs that contain digestive enzymes.Helper T cells activate cytotoxic T cells, macrophages, and stimulate antibody production by B cell lymphocytes.Regulatory T cells suppress the actions of B and T cells to decrease the immune response when a highly active response is no longer warranted.Natural Killer T cells distinguish infected or cancerous cells from normal body cells and attack cells that do not contain molecular markers that identify them as body cells. Memory T cells protect against previously encountered antigens and may provide lifetime protection against some pathogens. T Cell Types T cells are one of three main types of lymphocytes. The other types include B cells and natural killer cells. T cell lymphocytes are different from B cells and natural killer cells in that they have a protein called a T-cell receptor that populates their cell membrane. T-cell receptors are capable of recognizing various types of specific antigens (substances that provoke an immune response). Unlike B cells, T cells do not utilize antibodies to fight germs. This is a colored scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of resting T lymphocytes from a human blood sample. Steve Gschmeissner / Science Photo Library / Getty Images There are several types of T cell lymphocytes, each with specific functions in the immune system. Common T cell types include: Cytotoxic T cells (also called CD8 T cells)  - are involved in the direct destruction of cells that have become cancerous or are infected by a pathogen. Cytotoxic T cells contain granules (sacs containing digestive enzymes or other chemical substances) that they utilize to cause the target cell to burst open in a process called apoptosis. These T cells are also the cause of transplant organ rejection. The T cells attack the foreign organ tissue as the transplant organ is identified as infected tissue.Helper T cells  (also called CD4 T cells)  - precipitate the production of antibodies by B cells and also produce substances that activate cytotoxic T cells and white blood cells known as macrophages. CD4 cells are targeted by HIV. HIV infects helper T cells and destroys them by triggering signals that result in T cell death.Regulatory T cells  (also called suppressor T cells) - suppress the response of B cells and other T cells to antigens. This suppression is needed so that an immune response does not continue once it is no longer needed. Defects in regulatory T cells can lead to the development of an autoimmune disease. In this type of disease, immune cells attack the bodys own tissue. Natural Killer T (NKT) cells - have a similar name as a different type of lymphocyte called a natural killer cell. NKT cells are T cells and not natural killer cells. NKT cells have properties of both T cells and natural killer cells. Like all T cells, NKT cells have T-cell receptors. However, NKT cells also share several surface cell markers in common with natural killer cells. As such, NKT cells distinguish infected or cancerous cells from normal body cells and attack cells that do not contain molecular markers that identify them as body cells. One type of NKT cell known as an invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell, protects the body against obesity by regulating inflammation in adipose tissue.Memory T cells  - help the immune system to recognize previously encountered antigens and respond to them more quickly and for a longer period of time. Helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells can become memory T cells. Memory T cells are stored in the lymph nodes and spleen and may provide lif etime protection against a specific antigen in some cases. T Cell Activation T-cells regulate immune responses, release the perforin and granzymes, and attack infected or cancerous cells. ttsz / iStock / Getty Images Plus T cells are activated by signals from antigens they encounter. Antigen-presenting white blood cells, such as macrophages, engulf and digest antigens. Antigen-presenting cells capture molecular information about the antigen and attach it to a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule. The MHC molecule is then transported to the cell membrane and presented on the surface of the antigen-presenting cell. Any T cell that recognizes the specific antigen will bind to the antigen-presenting cell via its T-cell receptor. Once the T-cell receptor binds to the MHC molecule, the antigen-presenting cell secretes cell signaling proteins called cytokines. Cytokines signal the T cell to destroy the specific antigen, thus activating the T cell. The activated T cell multiplies and differentiates into helper T cells. Helper T cells initiate the production of cytotoxic T cells, B cells, macrophages, and other immune cells to terminate the antigen.

Italics or Quote Marks (Formatting Titles)

Italics or Quote Marks (Formatting Titles) Formatting Titles If you need advice about formatting headings in your work, try this post. But if you want to know about formatting titles of other works in your writing (e.g., books or journal articles), you’re in the right place! Read on to find out when to use italics and quote marks for titles in your work. Formatting Titles First, let’s give an example of what we mean. Take the following sentence: Here, â€Å"Game of Thrones† refers to a popular TV show. If we didn’t know this, we might guess from the capitalization, but most style guides also recommend using distinct formatting for titles. This usually means italicizing the title or placing it in quote marks. But when does each apply? Longer Works (Italics) Titles of longer works, such as books or TV shows, are usually italicized: We use italics for Game of Thrones because it refers to an entire TV series. Works that require italics for titles in this manner include: Books and book-length poems Journals, newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals Entire websites and blogs Movies, radio programs, and TV shows Plays, musicals, and other stage shows Paintings, statues, and other works of art Music albums and other long recordings Importantly, all of these are standalone works (i.e., published by themselves rather than as part of a larger whole). So, for example, you would italicize the name of a blog (e.g., Jenny’s Cooking Blog), but not the name of a post taken from that blog (e.g., â€Å"How to Make Beef Stroganoff†). Were 90% sure this is beef stroganoff and not dog food. Shorter Works (Quote Marks) With shorter works that are part of a larger whole, titles should be given in quotation marks. An episode of Game of Thrones, for instance, would be written as follows: Here, the formatting lets us instantly distinguish between an episode title and the show title. Quotation marks are also used when referring to titles of: Chapters from books or edited volumes Articles from newspapers, magazines, journals and other periodicals Particular pages from a website or posts from a blog Individual poems, short stories, and other short literary works Single episodes from a TV series Songs and other short recordings Unpublished writing (regardless of length) With most of these, the key is that they’re published as part of a longer work or series. The only exception to this is unpublished writing (e.g., a PhD dissertation or an unpublished manuscript). Beware Exceptions! As with most rules in writing, there are exceptions to these guidelines about formatting titles. For example, APA has different rules depending on whether a title appears in the main text or the reference list. It is therefore always worth checking your style guide to see if it has specific requirements.

The concept of globalisation and assess if globalistion brings Essay

The concept of globalisation and assess if globalistion brings economic success to all countries - Essay Example To underline the influence of the aspect of globalisation, it should be noted that globalisation manifests itself under different dimensions in the economic, cultural, health, social, political, environmental, security, and even in other spheres of the world. Nonetheless, the focus of this expose will discuss globalisation within an economic perspective with globalisation defined as the process of economic integration based on the exchanging of products, worldviews, various aspects of culture, and ideas within an economic perspective (Margalit, 2012). Advancements in technological, transportation, and communication infrastructure have promoted an interconnection between nations in the world. Hence, trade activities have intensified across the world leading to a new phenomenon known as international trade, which is a result of globalisation. International trade underlines a situation whereby various jurisdictions exchange each other in the exchange of services and goods across international territorial boundaries (Ingham, 2004). In this case, international trade has become synonymous with globalisation as nations increasingly engage in business with each other at the international front. Each nation has a unique domestic market. Hence, the effects of globalisation on each market vary due to its uniqueness and various determining factors. Some national markets are filled with products from other countries with domestic products suffering especially in instances whereby the cost of production in a specific country is high. These effects are due to the integration of global markets with each nation’s market incorporating various aspects of the global market with producers focusing not only on the domestic markets, but also expanding their production to reach the global markets (Intriligator, 2003).. Integration of markets within the global economy has occurred through various approaches. Among them, Mussa (2000) identifies interactions between individuals as the

Sensationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sensationalism - Essay Example Sensationalism in its practice is not a new concept as such. The practice has been around going back to early humans. The act of storytelling and narrations were often related and focused on sex and conflict. According to Gaudreault et al. (2012) sensationalism per se is not a new phenomenon but has been there for long only that the term is new. Denotation and connotation are terms that are used to convey and also differentiate between two separate kinds of meanings of a particular word. In media reporting, denotation is regarded as first level of analysis; this is primarily what the target audience can visually view on the page. Often, it refers to literal meaning, and avoids any elements of metaphor. Denotations are occasionally coupled with connotation, which forms part of the second level of analysis. Connotation is symbolic nature of a word, things or attributes that are triggered by a word, ideas and notions suggested or even associated a particular word. Connotations are associated with emotions and feelings. According to Durham & Kellner (2005), connotations vary depending on the context and the individual understanding of the word. A single word can bring different emotions, ideas and feelings to different people depending on their personal experiences. Sensationalism in itself is largely controlled by denotations and connotations but often in the wrong way. The application of connotations particularly is largely depended on the context and the target audience. If one decides to intentionally ignore this consideration, then they are likely to send out the wrong information. While sensationalism is not completely a negative tool to be used in the media and journalism, it matters when it is applied in crucial situations. In an online article on The New York Post by Fears (2014) the writer gives a headline concerning construction of a "mosque† at the centre of the ground zero. In real sense,

What Genetic Factors Contribute to Obesity?

What Genetic Factors Contribute to Obesity? Obesity has increasingly become a challenging epidemic and is now a global concern which has shown no sign of lessening (McAllister et al, 2009, p. 868). While considerable efforts have been invested in stressing the importance of physical activity and the choice of food intake, studies have shown compelling evidence that genetic determinants brought by the inter-individual differences have high responsibility in obesity susceptibility (ORahilly Farooqi, 2006, p.1095). Substantive evidences about the molecular constituents of the major pathways involved in the balance of mammalian energy have only been recently deciphered. Therefore, this provides a gateway to a mechanistic understanding of obesity that will soon be a useful resource in the designing of effective drugs against obesity. Linkage studies and associations based on populations have identified specific loci where genetic variations occur among obese individuals. Efforts to indentifying and characterizing the monogenic obe sity syndromes have also shown considerable success (ORahilly Farooqi, 2006, p.1095). While a number of researchers have come into a consensus that genetic factors predispose individuals to obesity, some still slightly differ by appreciating the role of such factors like the influence on metabolic rate as well as the effect of selective partitioning of the excess energy in the human body into fats (ORahilly Farooqi, 2006, p.1095). This paper specifically identifies various genetic factors which contribute to obesity and provides recommendations for addressing the epidemic. To date, there are five main constituent genes known to be involved in food intake and energy expenditure pathways which ultimately contribute to obesity progression. These genes are leptin, leptin receptor, melanocortin-4 receptor, pro-opiomelanocortin as well as prohormone convertase genes (Bouchard, 2009, p.1499). The role of these genes in the occurrence of obesity and mutation consequences of such genes, wh ich are studied in different experiments, are elaborated and explained under different gene headings below. Leptin gene Efforts to perform leptin gene cloning in 1994 opened an avenue for rapid research in biomedicine and large scale genetic studies followed thereafter (Hinney, Vogel Heberbrand, 2010, p. 297). Finally, these efforts made success stories after effectively managing to treat leptin deficiency children using the recombinant leptin protein. The treatment of leptin deficiency children also provided other insights to biomedical researchers that single gene mutations could potentially lead to disorders such as obesity and hyperphagia (Hinney, Vogel Heberbrand, 2010, p. 297). Since its discovery, leptin has posed a potential possibility for the treatment of obesity. The development of obesity treatments has been centered in identifying main targets in leptin gene which was the first to be implicated for the genetic cause of obesity. The leptin hormone is mainly secreted depending on the body fat and is responsible for the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism mainly in the brain (Ahim a, 2002, p.196). Results obtained from linkage studies have deciphered that leptin is basically an assembly of 167 different amino acids that are produced by the leptin gene right from the adipose tissue. The protein encoded by the leptin gene displays a number of biological roles associated with obesity by binding with a defined receptor located in the hypothalamus. These biological roles of leptin include the control of food intake pathways, body weight regulation and homeostasis of energy (Wang et al, 2006, p.183). French studies and investigations into populations in Pennsylvania have associated leptin to cases of severe obesity. Among humans, the chromosomal locations of the genes for leptin receptor and leptin have been mapped to 1p31 and 7q31.3 respectively (Wang et al, 2006, p.183). Research had earlier shown that the variant G-2548A occurring in the LEP promoter was responsible for reductions in the BMI among overweight women. In addition, a few studies have shown correlati ons between obesity development and the presence of LEPR gene polymorphisms (Geller et al, 2004, p.572). According to Ioffe, Moon, Connolly and Friedman (1998, p.11852), subset of obese humans have considerably lower levels of leptin plasma. The findings imply that abnormal regulation of the gene in the adipose tissue could be the main cause of pathogenesis in obesity. Ioffe et al (1998, p.11852) carried out an experiment to test the propensity that decrease in the production of leptin could impact the bodys metabolism thus cause obesity. They performed their experiment by mating animal models that carried lowly expressed adipocyte specific aP2-human leptin transgene with mice that did not express any leptin gene. The leptin treatment of the mice that never expressed leptin resulted to a marked reduction in weight which resembled the results obtained after wild-type mice treatment. Usually, a subset of obese individuals expresses relatively low levels of leptin in plasma. The decreased rates of leptin production among obese individuals by the adipocytes have been implicated for the caus e of obesity (Ioffe et al, 1998, p.11854). Mutations in the leptin gene or the leptin receptor gene have been found to cause increased appetite, overeating, massive weight gain, impaired thermoregulation, insulin resistance and diabetes, immune dysfunction, sexual maturation failures and a number of neuroendocrine derangements in both human subjects and rats (Ahima, 2002, p.196). Melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) Mutations in the melanocortin 4 receptor have been said to be the most common genetic factors which contribute to obesity. While the gene coding for the protein, MC4R has been implicated for regulating the body weight of individuals and obesity, there are no convincing reports associating the gene with the increased binge eating among obese individuals. Contrary to what had been observed in the previous studies, the MC4R deficiency does not actually cause hyperinsulinemia. However, a frameshift mutation in the gene coding for the protein MC4R has been associated with dominant human obesity (Hinney, et al, 2003, p. 4258). The protein also acts as an antagonist for the agouti-related peptide (AgRP) gene that code for an endogenous antagonist for the receptor. The homologous of the MC4R gene, the MC3R gene has also been found to be a good candidate for causing genetic susceptibility to glucose intolerance in type II diabetes mellitus (Hinney, et al, 2003, p. 4258). In order to prove tha t MC4R is influential in causing obesity, researchers have sequenced the introns of the gene among the Pima Indians who among them, 300 were severely affected by obesity and 126 of them were neither obese nor diabetic. In their study, the researchers have addressed the assertion that substitution of G-A at codon 103 of the MC4R gene is responsible for influencing abdominal obesity and lipid, glucose and insulin metabolism. The substitution has also been implicated for its effect in inflecting the circulatory hormones such as the salivary cortisol (Hinney, et al, 2003, p. 4260). Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have been potential tools for identifying a number of candidate genes in specific regions of the chromosomes which harbor genes responsible and other phenotypes (Zlot et al, 2007, p.31). GWAS also provide critical tools for indentifying the common variants with reduces penetrance relevant as traits of interests or risk factors. Genes such as melanocortin-4 receptor gene occur in a coding region which also harbors other polygenic variants which regulate weight in healthy individuals apart from the mutations responsible for obesity (Yang et al, 2002, p.20328). These minor alleles that have been identified include various polymorphisms which code for isoleucine amino acid instead of valine at position 103 (103l) and the other that codes for leucine instead of isoleucine at 251L of the receptor protein. These polymorphisms are all negatively associated with the problem of obesity (Zlot et al, 2007, p.31). Homozygous carriers of such alleles have sli ghtly reduced basal metabolic rate (BMI) which is a risk factor for obesity. The biological mechanism of the MC4R gene has been suggested to involve the activation of the MC4R receptor which leads to a significant decrease in food intake. The MC4R has therefore been marked as the main therapeutic target for obesity treatment. The new regulatory biological mechanism has also been detected in cell lines which are derived from the murine hypothalamic neurons that express MC4R endogenously. This therefore points to the physiological importance of the endocytosis promoted by AgRP. In a study involving a number of obese children and adults, 6 percent of them were found to posses MC4R SNPs (Zlot et al, 2007, p.29). Following agonist stimulation, the MC4R usually signals via the intracellular adenylate cyclase pathway of signal transduction. Studies among the obese subjects have detected large quantities of MC4R mRNA in the membranes of the astrocytes contrary to the HEK-rMC4R cell membranes. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) Feeding in humans follows habitually trained rhythms which are regulated by the hypothalamus. The amount of food one consumes happens as a response to the energy status in the body that depends on the hormones. Even though this is a complex process, there exists an integrated relationship between the energy needs of the body and the amount of food that is required by the body. As a result, the brain through the hypothalamus triggers the release of responsible hormones that regulate food intake. This happens through the release of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) (Millinvgton, 2007, p.4). The initial stage of the production of pro-opionmelanocortin starts with the production of the release of the POMC at the hypothalamus. Through a series of active enzymatic reaction steps, the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) plays an initial role in the production of corticotrophin (ACTH), melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSH) and endorphin (Millinvgton, 2007, p.4). The MSH leads to the production of melanocortin peptides that plays a high role in the development of appetite. The melanocortin peptides also continue to have a role in body weight regulation. As the body continues to produce the necessary genes that regulate its development, some genes that develop in the central nervous system give rise to the production of the melanocortin peptides. According to Zemel and Shi (2000, p.179), melanocortin peptides work by coating the melanocortin-4 receptors through the formation of a layer around these receptors. This covering inhibits the food absorption and intake. The absence of this through the degeneration of the melanocortin peptide cover marks the onset of obesity. This means that melanocortin receptors POMC peptide s plays a significant role in the development of obesity. As seen earlier, feeding is a process that happens through responses of habitual rhythms such as circadian rhythms. These rhythms are controlled by the genes that are adapted to a given type of system. The lack of POMC in the body exhibits itself through adrenal failure, altered pigmentation and increment in height onset of obesity (Millington, 2007, p.8). The processing of POMC occurs partially in the pituitary cells and neurons of the hypothalamus. However, POMC derivatives can be discharged differently through varying hypothalamic sites. These are sites that are involved in feeding process. This process of release leads to slight variations in the amount of signal sent to the sites. From the above discussion, dietary related aspects especially obesity emanates from a complex combination of various genes that makes their significant contributions. Environmental factors are also known to have their equivalent contributions to the role of the genes in the dietary habits and their effects on the body. The melanocortin that is produced as a result of POMC stimulation plays a central role in the direct processes of food absorption. Additionally, the signals sent by the POMC maintain the hormonal levels that controls amount of food to be absorbed at any given moment. This is depending on the homeostatic energy requirement at any specific time. However, in the instance when the levels of POMC released by the hypothalamus get reduced to minimal levels, the immediate effect that follows is the reduced production of melanocortin peptides. This means that the body no longer has the ability to control the amount of food being taken up by the body. Obesity develops as a resul t of the body absorbing food at a higher level than required. Prohormone convertase 1 (PCSK1) Researchers have reported that common variants in the PCSK 1 gene could be a potential cause of obesity. The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1(PCSK 1) has been suggested to play a critical role in proteolytic cleavage, a step which is also important in the maturation process of a number of hormones which are produced as precursors (Heni et al, 2010, p.86). The PCSK 1gene codes for the prohormone convertase 1 which is actively involved in peptide maturation. The protease is selectively expressed in the endocrine and neuronal tissues where its main substrates include the hormones which regulate energy metabolism such as proinsulin, proopiomelanocortin and proglucagon (Heni et al, 2010, p.86). Rare mutations in the PCSK 1 gene have been identified to be responsible for causing childhood obesity as well as the abnormal metabolism of glucose, proinsulin and insulin and the C-peptide. Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PCSK 1 gene, the rs6232 and rs6235 have b een associated with incidences of obesity (Heni et al, 2010, p.86). Various mutations of the PCSK1 gene cause monogenic obesity. The SNP rs6235 has a high correlation to the non-synonymous rs6234 which encodes the Q665E. This substitution occurs at the protein in the C-terminal region (Tuomas et al, 2009, 3499). This research found that there exist a significant correlation between age and crs6232 in the initiation and proliferation of obesity (Tuomas et al, 2009, 3499). Another research by Qibin et al (2010, p.456) found that the rs6234 has significant association with an increased risk of a combined obesity phenotype and an overall overweight condition. The PCSK 1 gene was also found to have a higher association to obesity among men as compared to women. The result of this gene is that it influences the increment in fat storage around the waist region. The study also found that there exist enough evidence that associates PCSK1 rs6234 with overweight and the level of body mass index in men. It was also revealed that PCSK1 rs6234 plays no role in the weight gain among women. There have been various recommendations in the use of several mechanisms in the management of obesity. This has been based on the knowledge of the fact that eating habits are part of acquired characteristics. However, studies have revealed that eating habits are controlled by genes. This has therefore called for more understanding on the gene make up of a person. The understanding of the role of PCSK1 gene in the control in insulin and consequent glucose synthesis is a breakthrough in the ongoing research in the search of the appropriate weight management measures. Studies conducted by Martin et al (2010, 9) have found that small amounts of alleles of PCSK1 and SNPs are associated in high levels of stimulation of glucose proinsulin levels. This gave an indication that the two are related in the reduction of proinsulin conversion with little effect on insulin itself. Under the normal conditions, prohormone convertase cleaves a substantial amount of proinsulin. The study further found that PCSK1 and SNPs alters the sequence of the amino acid sequence of the protein which makes up this hormone. The change that is initiated by the SNP rs6232 on asparagines is the reduction of the enzymatic activity. The similar change also occurs on the location of the protein thereby reducing its effectiveness in regulating insulin. The end result is the increment of body weight, a condition that is referred to as obesity. Fat Mass and Obesity Associated Gene (FTO) The FTO gene has also been identified, using the GWAS approach, to be associated with type II diabetes and obesity. The A-allele of the FTO variant rs9939609 in intron 1 has been shown to be associated with an increased risk to develop obesity complication by 31 percent (Hinney, Vogel Heberbrand, 2010, p. 302). The association of genes in obesity and overweight problems has been suggested to be high in both monogenic obesity and polygenic forms. The FTO gene is one of the best examples of the common variants which play a role in increasing the BMI and thus important among obesity individuals. The FTO gene is known to be found in chromosome 6 among humans and variants of the gene have closely been associated with human obesity. The gene is widely distributed in both adult tissues and fetal tissues but there is much expression in the pancreatic islets as well as in the hypothalamus. Transcribed amino acid sequence of the FTO gene has shown high homology with AlkB, an enzyme which demethylates DNA oxidatively. The FTO recombinant protein has the potential to catalyze 3-methylthymine demethylation in single-stranded DNA. Animal studies have shown that gene expression in FTO is usually upregulated in rats especially in the hypothalamus following food deprivation. The gene is also negatively correlated with the orexogenic galanin like peptide expression that is commonly involved in food intake stimulation. The increase in the expression of hypothalamic FTO is often associated with energy intake regulation but not the feeding reward. These consequences make the gene to be identified as a critical in causing obesity. An obesity risk allele of the FTO variant has been identified. Usually, the carriers with a single copy of the FTO allele are more susceptible to develop obesity than individuals without the copies. In another observation, the carriers of the two copies of the FTO gene weigh even more than those with a single copy of the gene. This implies that the gene causes an increased risk of obesity among the carriers compared to those without a copy of the gene. At the same time, researchers have identified the association of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the similar region (rs14210850) of the FTO gene. The variation has been identified as the cause for some percentage of population variance in BMI and even a higher number of attributable obesity cases. The risk allele, according to the researchers, is found in cluster 10 SNP in intron 1 of the FTO gene known as the rs9939609. Morbid obesity has also been shown to be associated with both the INSIG2 SNPs and the FTO gene. Varian ts of the FTO have also found to be associated with the obesity condition using GWAS of BMI. In the study, individuals with AA and AT alleles at rs993909 have been found to consume more energy per day compared to the individuals having the protective genotype of TT. However, the similar studies have indicated no variation in energy expenditure based on polymorphisms. In other studies, the consequences of variations in the two different types of SNPs in the FTO gene have shown the possibility of the gene impacting the levels of circulating leptin as well as the energy expenditure. The SNPs that affect the energy expenditure and the circulating levels of leptin include the rs1421085 and rs17817449. Although the studies have not pointed on the biological mechanisms of the FTO gene in contributing to obesity and weight control, researchers have postulated that the gene could be responsible for regulating appetite through its influence in the hypothalamus. Discussion and Recommendations The pathogenesis of complex diseases such as obesity has always been associated with the interaction of environmental and genetic factors. This complexity has made it difficult for researchers to tease apart the accurate relationship between the genotype, phenotype and environmental factors by only using conventional experimental designs. Using genetic information maintained in databases, researchers have been able to identify critical molecular pathways responsible for obesity which are specifically brought by the interaction of the environmental factors and the genetic factors (Gohlke et al, 2009, p.46). Bioinformatics techniques and the Internet have offered critical tools for synthesizing data on the relationship between genes and diseases such as obesity. Methods such as genome-wide association scans have shown a number of genetic variants in the FTO gene which might be associated with phenotypes related to obesity (Scuteri et al, 2007, p.115). Researchers have identified the po tential benefits of genomic-wide association studies (GWAS) approaches in obesity intervention and prevention strategies such as the design of highly specific drugs targeting the identified molecular pathways (Zlot et al, 2007, p. 31). The role of epigenetics in obesity has been explored by a number of researchers including McAllister et al (2009, p. 892). Epigenetics encompasses the study of a number of inheritable variations mechanisms in gene expression which do not necessarily originate from alterations in the DNA sequence. These mechanisms are often established at the early stages of postnatal development and during the prenatal stages and they act to maintain a number of gene expression patterns throughout the life of an individual (McAllister et al, 2009, p. 892). Because of this, some environmental factors have become common in the recent past and have commensurately deranged the epigenetic mechanism establishment which results in the regulation of body weight (McAllister et al, 2009, p. 892). The roles of cytosine methylation within the CpG dinucleotides, the modification of histone proteins which package the DNA into the nucleus and the cell-dependent expression of a number of autoregulatory DNA binding p roteins have been investigated and shown to perpetuate the conformation of regional chromatic which dictates which type of gene will be competent transcriptionally in specific type of cells (McAllister et al, 2009, p. 892). This literally implies that apart from the genetic basis of obesity, the epigenetic studies shed light and provides extra information that is layered above the common understanding of gene sequences. Like the DNA sequence, epigenetic factors are also replicated at cell division during mitosis and meiosis thus bestowing transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (McAllister et al, 2009, p. 892). As reported by McAllister et al (2009, p. 896), the understanding of the environmental factors on the epigenetic processes has always remained elementary. Therefore, there has been little evidence to point out specific environmental exposures whose increasing levels might affect epigenetic mechanisms. Maternal obesity has however been identified as one of the main environmental exposure which results into obesity. It is accepted that the obesity epidemic affects even the childbearing women and feed-forward transgenerational obesity amplification has been proposed to result among children born of obese mothers. This is because the intrauterine environments of obese mothers are likely to induce developmental adaptations in the developing fetus which consequently predispose them to obesity. In an observation made to support this assertion, children born of obese mother after bariatric surgery were found to have reduced risks for obesity than the children born of the same mothers before bariatric surgery (McAllister et al, 2009, p. 893). Bariatric surgery is one of the medical procedures carried out with an objective of losing weight and has shown exciting evidence in reducing the chances of obesity among the born children. There are two types of disorders that have been identified to be caused by single-gene defects. The first class of these disorders is the Mendelian disorders which cause a variety of clinical features including obesity. The second class of single-gene defects is mainly characterized by disease conditions in which obesity is one of the main clinical features. 11 different genes have been reported to be closely associated with monogenic obesity and 52 genomic regions which harbor quantitative trait loci have also been indentified to have associations with human obesity. Five of the genes have been considered to be of clinical importance since they account up to 5 percent of the early obesity onset and severe cases of childhood obesity. These genes are leptin, leptin receptor, pro-opiomelanocortin, melanocortin 4 receptor as well as prohormone convertase genes. One of the most interesting observations is that all the five genes are associated with encoding receptors and peptides involve d in satiety and appetite regulation. Therefore, there is need to intensify research efforts in marking the five genes and developing molecular drug targets for critical receptors which control appetite and satiety. Apart from the five common genes that have been associated with obesity, other minor genes with smaller effects such as ACE, LDLR and VDR have also been implicated for causing obesity. These minor genes are more than 20 in number (Bouchard, 2009, p.1499). Conclusion and Recommendation The prevalence of obesity is increasing globally as biomedical researchers step up their efforts to indentify the specific genetic causes of the epidemic. A number of technological and conceptual advances have made it possible for a shift to an approach centered in single-gene search for interventions aimed at treating and preventing obesity. Before these advances, traditional approaches involved studying obesity from the polygenic approach which was very difficult to mark out the exact molecular processes that occur in at cellular level. A few complex segregation analyses maintained the assertion that obesity was mainly caused by more than a single segregating genes having large effects on the adiposity and body weight. Later studies supported the evidence that obesity could be caused by both polygenic and oligogenic determinants. With the improved technology and scanning of the entire genome, it has been possible to identify individual genes responsible for obesity using polymorphi c microsatellite markers. Among the enabling technologies in sequencing the human genomes involve SNP identification, bioinformatics and SNP genotyping technologies. At present, these technologies have made it possible to study the anatomy of the human genome with improved details and this is expected to yield newer insights into pointing out the exact genetic causes of obesity.