On Going a Journey Essay Example for Free

On Going a Journey Essay One of the pleasantest things in the world is going a journey; but I like to go by myself. I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me. I am then never less alone than when alone. The fields his study, nature was his book. I cannot see the wit of walking and talking at the same time. When I am in the country, I wish to vegetate like the country. I am not for criticising hedge-rows and black cattle. I go out of town in order to forget the town and all that is in it. There are those who for this purpose go to watering-places, and carry the metropolis with them. I like more elbow-room, and fewer incumbrances. I like solitude, when I give myself up to it, for the sake of solitude; nor do I ask for ——a friend in my retreat, Whom I may whisper solitude is sweet. The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases. We go a journey chiefly to be free of all impediments and of all inconveniences; to leave ourselves behind, much more to get rid of others. It is because I want a little breathing-space to muse on indifferent matters, where Contemplation May plume her feathers and let grow her wings, That in the various bustle of resort Were all too ruffled, and sometimes impaird,  that I absent myself from the town for awhile, without feeling at a loss the moment I am left by myself. Instead of a friend in a post-chaise or in a Tilbury, to exchange good things with, and vary the same stale topics over again, for once let me have a truce with impertinence. Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and a three hours march to dinner—and then to thinking! It is hard if I cannot start some game on these lone heaths. I laugh, I run, I leap, I sing for joy. From the point of yonder rolling cloud, I plunge into my past being, and revel there, as the sun-burnt Indian plunges headlong into the wave that wafts him to his native shore. Then long-forgotten things, like sunken wrack and sumless treasuries, burst upon my eager  sight, and I begin to feel, think, and be myself again. Instead of an awkward silence, broken by attempts at wit or dull common-place s, mine is that undisturbed silence of the heart which alone is perfect eloquence. No one likes puns, alliterations, antitheses, argument, and analysis better than I do; but I sometimes had rather be without them. Leave, oh, leave me to my repose! I have just now other business in hand, which would seem idle to you, but is with me very stuff of the conscience. Is not this wild rose sweet without a comment? Does not this daisy leap to my heart set in its coat of emerald? Yet if I were to explain to you the circumstance that has so endeared it to me, you would only smile. Had I not better then keep it to myself, and let it serve me to brood over, from here to yonder craggy point, and from thence onward to the far-distant horizon? I should be but bad company all that way, and therefore prefer being alone. I have heard it said that you may, when the moody fit comes on, walk or ride on by yourself, and indulge your reveries. But this looks like a breach of manners, a neglect of others, and you are thinking all the time that you ought to rejoin your party. Out upon such half-faced fellowship, say I. I like to be either entirely to myself, or entirely at the disposal of others; to talk or be silent, to walk or sit still, to be sociab le or solitary. I was pleased with an observation of Mr. Cobbetts, that he thought it a bad French custom to drink our wine with our meals, and that an Englishman ought to do only one thing at a time. So I cannot talk and think, or indulge in melancholy musing and lively conversation by fits and starts, Let me have a companion of my way, says Sterne, were it but to remark how the shadows lengthen as the sun declines. It is beautifully said: but in my opinion, this continual comparing of notes interferes with the involuntary impression of things upon the mind, and hurts the sentiment. If you only hint what you feel in a kind of dumb show, it is insipid: if you have to explain it, it is making a toil of a pleasure. You cannot read the book of nature, without being perpetually put to the trouble of translating it for the benefit of others. I am for the synthetical method on a journey, in preference to the analytical. I am content to lay in a stock of ideas then, and to examine and anatomise them afterw ards. I want to see my vague notions float like the down of the thistle before the breeze, and not to have them entangled in the briars and thorns of controversy. For once, I like to have it all my own way; and this  is impossible unless you are alone, or in such company as I do not covet. I have no objection to argue a point with any one for twenty miles of measured road, but not for pleasure. If you remark the scent of a beanfield crossing the road, perhaps your fellow-traveller has no smell. If you point to a distant object, perhaps he is short-sighted, and has to take out his glass to look at it. There is a feeling in the air, a tone in the colour of a cloud which hits your fancy, but the effect of which you are unable to account for. There is then no sympathy, but an uneasy craving after it, and a dissatisfaction which pursues you on the way, and in the end probably produces ill humour. Now I never quarrel with myself, and take all my own conclusions for granted till I find it neces sary to defend them against objections. It is not merely that you may not be of accord on the objects and circumstances that present themselves before you—these may recal a number of objects, and lead to associations too delicate and refined to be possibly communicated to others. Yet these I love to cherish, and sometimes still fondly clutch them, when I can escape from the throng to do so. To give way to our feelings before company, seems extravagance or affectation; and on the other hand, to have to unravel this mystery of our being at every turn, and to make others take an equal interest in it (otherwise the end is not answered) is a task to which few are competent. We must give it an understanding, but no tongue. My old friend C——, however, could do both. He could go on in the most delightful explanatory way over hill and dale, a summers day, and convert a landscape into a didactic poem or a Pindaric ode. He talked far above singing. If I could so clothe my ideas in sounding and flowing words, I might perhaps wish to have some one with me to admire the swelling theme; or I could be more content, were it possible for me still to hear his echoing voice in the woods of All-Foxden. They had that fine madness in them which our first poets had; and if they could have been caught by some rare instrument, would have breathed such strains as the following. ——Here be woods as green As any, air likewise as fresh and sweet As when smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleet Face of the curled stream, with flowrs as many As the young spring gives, and as choice as any; Here be all new delights, cool streams and wells, Arbours oergrown with woodbine, caves and dells; Choose where thou wilt, while I sit by and sing, Or gather rushes to make many a ring For thy long fingers; tell thee tales of love, How the pale Phoebe, hunting in a grove, First saw the boy Endymion, from whose eyes She took eternal fire that never dies; How she conveyd him softly in a sleep, His temples bound with poppy, to the steep Head of old Latmos, where she stoops each night, Gilding the mountain with her brothers light, To kiss her sweetest.—— Faithful Shepherdess. Had I words and images at command like these, I would attempt to wake the thoughts that lie slumbering on golden ridges in the evening clouds: but at the sight of nature my fancy, poor as it is, droops and closes up its leaves, like flowers at sunset. I can make nothing out on the spot:—I must have time to collect myself.— In general, a good thing spoils out-of-door prospects: it should be reserved for Table-talk. L—— is for this reason, I take it, the worst company in the world out of doors; because he is the best within. I grant, there is one subject on which it is pleasant to talk on a journey; and that is, what one shall have for supper when we get to our inn at night. The open air improves this sort of conversation or friendly altercation, by setting a keener edge on appetite. Every mile of the road heightens the flavour of the viands we expect at the end of it. How fine it is to enter some old town, walled and turreted just at the approach of night-fall, or to come to some straggling village, with the lights streaming through the surrounding gloom; and then after inquiring for the best entertainment that the place affords, to take ones ease at ones inn! These eventful moments in our lives history are too precious, too full of solid, heart-felt happiness to be frittered and dribbled away in imperfect sympathy. I would have them all to myself, and drain them to the last drop: they will do to talk of or to write about afterwards. What a delicate speculation it is, after drinking whole goblets of tea, The cups that  cheer, but not inebriate, and letting the fumes ascend into the brain, to sit considering what we shall have for supper—eggs and a rasher, a rabbit smothered in onions, or an excellent veal-cutlet! Sancho in such a situation once fixed upon cow-heel; and his choice, though he could not help it, is not to be disparaged. Then in the intervals of pictured scenery and Shandean contemplation, to catch the preparation and the stir in the kitchen—Procul, O procul este profani! These hours are sacred to silence and to musing, to be treasured up in the memory, and to feed the source of smiling thoughts hereafter. I would not waste them in idle talk; or if I must have the integrity of fancy broken in upon, I would rather it were by a stranger than a friend. A stranger takes his hue and character from the time and place; he is a part of the furniture and costume of an inn. If he is a Quaker, or from the West Riding of Yorkshire, so much the better. I do not even try to sympathise with him, and he breaks no squares. I associate nothing with my travelling companion but present objects and passing events. In his ignorance of me and my affairs, I in a manner forget myself. But a friend reminds one of other things, rips up old grievances, and destroys the abstraction of the scene. He comes in ungraciously between us and our imaginary character. Something is dropped in the course of conversation that gives a hint of your profession and pursuits; or from having some one with you that knows the less sublime portions of your history, it seems that other people do. You are no longer a citizen of the world: but your unhoused free condition is put into circumscription and confine. The incognito of an inn is one of its striking privileges—lord of ones-self, uncumberd with a name. Oh! it is great to shake off the trammels of the world and of public opinion—to lose our importunate, tormenting, everlasting personal identity in the elements of nature, and become the creature of the moment, clear o f all ties—to hold to the universe only by a dish of sweet-breads, and to owe nothing but the score of the evening—and no longer seeking for applause and meeting with contempt, to be known by no other title than the Gentleman in the parlour! One may take ones choice of all characters in this romantic state of uncertainty as to ones real pretensions, and become indefinitely respectable and negatively right-worshipful. We baffle prejudice and  disappoint conjecture; and from being so to others, begin to be objects of curiosity and wonder even to ourselves. We are no more those hackneyed commonplaces that we appear in the world: an inn restores us to the level of nature, and quits scores with society! I have certainly spent some enviable hours at inns—sometimes when I have been left entirely to myself, and have tried to solve some metaphysical problem, as once at Witham-common, where I found out the proof that likeness is not a case of the association of ideas—at other times, when there have been pictures in the room, as at St. Neots, (I think it was) where I first met with Gribelins engravings of the Cartoons, into which I entered at once, and at a little inn on the borders of Wales, where there happened to be hanging some of Westalls drawings, which I compared triumphantly (for a theory that I had, not for the admired artist) with the figure of a girl who had ferried me over the Severn, standing up in the boat between me and the twilight—at other times I might mention luxuriating in books, with a peculiar interest in this way, as I remember sitting up half the night to read Paul and Virginia, which I picked up at an inn at Bridgewater, after being drenched in the rain all day; and at the same place I got through two volumes of Madame DArblays Camilla. It was on the tenth of April, 1798, that I sat down to a volume of the New Eloise, at the inn at Llangollen, over a bottle of sherry and a cold chicken. The letter I chose was that in which St. Preux describes his feelings as he first caught a glimpse from the heights of the Jura of the Pays de Vaud, which I had brought with me as a bon bouche to crown the evening with. It was my birth-day, and I had for the first time come from a place in the neighbourhood to visit this delightful spot. The road to Llangollen turns off between Chirk and Wrexham; and on passing a certain point, you come all at once upon the valley, which opens like an amphitheatre, broad, barren hills rising in majestic state on either side, with green upland swells that echo to the bleat of flocks below, and the river Dee babbling over its stony bed in the midst of them. The valley at this time glittered green with sunny showers, and a budding ash-tree dipped its tender branches in the chiding stream. How proud, how glad I was to walk along the high road that overlooks the delicious prospect, repeating the lines which I have just quoted from Mr. Coleridges poems. But besides the prospect which opened beneath my feet, another also opened to my inward  sight, a heavenly vision, on which were written, in letters large as Hope could make them, these four words, LIBERTY, GENIUS, LOVE, VIRTUE; which have since faded into the light of common day, or mock my idle gaze. The beautiful is vanished, and returns not. Still I would return some time or other to this enchanted spot; but I would return to it alone. What other self could I find to share that influx of thoughts, of regret, and delight, the fragments of which I could hardly conjure up to myself, so much have they been broken and defaced! I could stand on some tall rock, and overlook the precipice of years that separates me from what I then was. I was at that time going shortly to visit the poet whom I have above named. Where is he now? Not only I myself have changed; the world, which was then new to me, has become old and incorrigible. Yet will I turn to thee in thought, O sylvan Dee, in joy, in youth and gladness as thou then wert; and thou shalt always be to me the river of Paradise, where I will drink of the waters of life freely! There is hardly any thing that shows the short-sightedness or capriciousness of the imagination more than travelling does. With change of place we change our ideas; nay, our opinions and feelings. We can by an effort indeed transport ourselves to old and long-forgotten scenes, and then the picture of the mind revives again; but we forget those that we have just left. It seems that we can think but of one place at a time. The canvas of the fancy is but of a certain extent, and if we paint one set of objects upon it, they immediately efface every other. We cannot enlarge our conceptions, we only shift our point of view. The landscape bares its bosom to the enraptured eye, we take our fill of it, and seem as if we could form no other image of beauty or grandeur. We pass on, and think no more of it: the horizon that shuts it from our sight, also blots it from our memory like a dream. In travelling through a wild barren country, I can form no idea of a woody and cultivated one. It appears to me that all the world must be barren, like what I see of it. In the country we forget the town, and in town we despise the country. Beyond Hyde Park, says Sir Fopling Flutter, all is a desert. All that part of the map that we do not see before us is a blank. The world in our conceit of it is not much bigger than a nutshell. It is not one prospect expanded into another, county joined to county, kingdom to kingdom, lands to seas, making an image  voluminous and vast;—the mind can form no larger idea of space than the eye can take in at a single glance. The rest is a name written in a map, a calculation of arithmetic. For instance, what is the true signification of that immense mass of territory and population, known by the name of China to us? An inch of paste-board on a wooden globe, of no more account than a China orange! Things near us are seen of the size of life: things at a distance are diminished to the size of the understanding. We measure the universe by ourselves, and even comprehend the texture of our own being only piece-meal. In this way, however, we remember an infinity of things and places. The mind is like a mechanical instrument that plays a great variety of tunes, but it must play them in succession. One idea recalls another, but it at the same time excludes all others. In trying to renew old recollections, we cannot as it were unfold the whole web of our existence; we must pick out the single threads. So in coming to a place where we have formerly lived and with which we have intimate associations, every one must have found that the feeling grows more vivid the nearer we approach the spot, from the mere anticipation of the actual impression: we remember circumstances, feelings, persons, faces, names, that we had not thought of for years; but for the time all the rest of the world is forgotten!—To return to the question I have quitted above. I have no objection to go to see ruins, aqueducts, pictures, in company with a friend or a party, but rather the contrary, for the former reason reversed. They are intelligible matters, and will bear talking about. The sentiment here is not tacit, but communicable and overt. Salisbury Plain is barren of criticism, but Stonehenge will bear a discussion antiquarian, picturesque, and philosophical. In setting out on a party of pleasure, the first consideration always is where we shall go to: in taking a solitary ramble, the question is what we shall meet with by the way. The mind is its own place; nor are we anxious to arrive at the end of our journey. I can myself do the honours indifferently well to works of art and curiosity. I once took a party to Oxford with no mean eclat—shewed them that seat of the Muses at a distance, With glistering spires and pinnacles adornd—  descanted on the learned air that breathes from the grassy quadrangles and stone walls of halls and colleges—was at home in the Bodleian; and at  Blenheim quite superseded the powdered Ciceroni that attended us, and that pointed in vain with his wand to common-place beauties in matchless pictures.—A s another exception to the above reasoning, I should not feel confident in venturing on a journey in a foreign country without a companion. I should want at intervals to hear the sound of my own language. There is an involuntary antipathy in the mind of an Englishman to foreign manners and notions that requires the assistance of social sympathy to carry it off. As the distance from home increases, this relief, which was at first a luxury, becomes a passion and an appetite. A person would almost feel stifled to find himself in the deserts of Arabia without friends and countrymen: there must be allowed to be something in the view of Athens or old Rome that claims the utterance of speech; and I own that the Pyramids are too mighty for any simple contemplation. In such situations, so opposite to all ones ordinary train of ideas, one seems a species by ones-self, a limb torn off from society, unless one can meet with instant fellowship and support.—Yet I did not feel this want or craving very pressing once, when I first set my foot on the laughing shores of France. Calais was peopled with novelty and delight. The confused, busy murmur of the place was like oil and wine poured into m y ears; nor did the mariners hymn, which was sung from the top of an old crazy vessel in the harbour, as the sun went down, send an alien sound into my soul. I only breathed the air of general humanity. I walked over the vine-covered hills and gay regions of France, erect and satisfied; for the image of man was not cast down and chained to the foot of arbitrary thrones: I was at no loss for language, for that of all the great schools of painting was open to me. The whole is vanished like a shade. Pictures, heroes, glory, freedom, all are fled: nothing remains but the Bourbons and the French people!—There is undoubtedly a sensation in travelling into foreign parts that is to be had nowhere else: but it is more pleasing at the time than lasting. It is too remote from our habitual associations to be a common topic of discourse or reference, and, like a dream or another state of existence, does not piece into our daily modes of life. It is an animated but a momentary hallucination. It demands an effort to exchange our actual for our ideal identity; and to feel the pulse of our old transports revive very keenly, we must jump all our present comforts and connexions. Our romantic and itinerant character is not to be  domesticated. Dr. Johnson remarked how little foreign travel added to the facilities of conversation in those who had been abroad. In fact, the time we have spent there is both delightful and in one sense instructive; but it appears to be cut out of our substantial, downright existence, and never to join kindly on to it. We are not the same, but another, and perhaps more enviable individual, all the time we are out of our own country. We are lost to ourselves, as well as our friends. So the poet somewhat quaintly sings, Out of my country and myself I go. Those who wish to forget painful thoughts, do well to absent themselves for a while from the ties and objects that recal them: but we can be said only to fulfil our destiny in the place that gave us birth. I should on this account like well enough to spend the whole of my life in travelling abroad, if I could any where borrow another life to spend afterwards at home! Hazlitt.

Effectiveness of a Direct Adaptive Control Algorithm

Effectiveness of a Direct Adaptive Control Algorithm In this research, the authors study the effectiveness of applying a direct adaptive control algorithm for both vibration suppression and damage detection. Combining vibration suppression and damage detection in civil engineering structures allows the implementation of a more effective control system since the model reference represents more accurately the real structure. The adaptive algorithm chosen in this study is the sliding mode and model reference control algorithm, with an online identification procedure based on tracking error. In order to test the effectiveness of the method, a numerical investigation is presented, performed to a MDOF shear building. The study successfully uses the adaptive control algorithm to damage detection and vibration suppression of the MDOF shear-type structure aforementioned. The study first presents the governing relations of a general structural system, such as the equations of motion and its state space representation. Then, it presents the control canonical forms and the transformations that are useful to the application of the model reference adaptive control. These canonical form allow the separation from assignable dynamics and internal dynamics that are not affected from control input, and are applicable to both SISO and MIMO cases. It shows that a correct selection of a reduced measure of the state variables can guarantee exact output reference tracking. After this, the control strategy via sliding mode control and model reference control are presented. The reference model is defined in a way that the system response approaches or tracks the desired reference response. The slide mode control objective is to make the output to track a desired behavior, which means that the output error zero. This goal is achieved by sliding along a line, defined b y a weighting parameter that defines the convergence rate. The control law is therefore defined in a way that the states in canonical form match the sliding line. In this study, the online identification procedure is based on the asymptotic convergence to zero of the tracking errors and the stability of the method is proved by showing asymptotic stability convergence based on Lyapunov function. The numerical investigation performed in a 3DOF shear type structure. The reference model and the actual model differ in damping ratio values. Not much detail is given regarding the tools used during the numerical investigation. In the numerical investigation it is evaluated the performance of collocated and noncollocated control cases. It is concluded that the model reference control is accurate in the output tracking and is successful in suppressing the excessive vibrations, and is effective in the identification of changes in the model, showing it can deal with changes in the plant due to damage. The numerical stability of the method is verified, and the on-line identification effectiveness is evaluated. It is concluded that large control efforts are required during abrupt changes in the plant parameters. The results are not compared to any other adaptive algorithm, so it is difficult to measure its effectiveness. The research is important in the sense that brings the concept of adaptive control by applying model reference adaptive algorithm with sliding mode control to civil engineering structures. It confirms the effectiveness of the method in tracking the system parameters, even after abrupt changes happen, and it is successful in controlling the response while remaining numerical stable. However, that are some weaknesses in this paper, such as: the loading type/duration/scheme applied to the structure is not presented. Therefore, the results of the research are difficult to be reproduced in order to expand the knowledge in the area. The results obtained by this algorithm implementation are not compared to others non-adaptive and adaptive methods. Consequently, it is difficult to assess the extent of the effectiveness of the method. The model reference adaptive control and the sliding mode control theoretical aspect is somehow confusing and lacking completeness, with too many direct citatio ns that introduce a fragmentation in the text.

Technology impact on social interactions

Technology impact on social interactions Technology can have positive and negative impact on social interactions With the proliferation of technologies that are able to overcome the obstacles of time and space (e.g., airplanes, cars, the Internet), one would think that these tools would be used to gain an understanding of other cultures, meet people all over the world, maintain and strengthen familial relationships, communicate effectively with others, and help people to become more socially adept. However, some technological advances cause people to be distracted, overly stressed, and increasingly isolated. Many people are involved in an abundant number of relationships through technology, but sometimes the quantity of these associations leaves people feeling qualitatively empty. Obviously, technology has had a profound impact on what it means to be social. Society is likely on the cusp of a social revolution, during which it will be important to redefine socially appropriate and acceptable behaviors (with regard to digital or virtual interaction). We are at a point in history where very few people have given critical thought to new social realities created by technology and what those realities mean for the individual and society. In this section we closely examine a few social technologies that influence leisure. The section first looks at virtual communities, social networking sites, and today’s communication tools. Then we critically reflect on gaming and television. Think about how each technology affects your social life and social skills. Keep in mind that these are only a few of the technologies that may affect you socially. A comprehensive list is not feasible here. A study of students and information technology found that 85 percent of undergraduates surveyed used social networking sites (Salaway et al., 2008) (see figure 8.2). Many of the respondents reported using such sites daily. Figure 8.3 indicates how undergraduate students use social networking sites. This report found indications that use of these sites is increasing yearly. Let us now look critically at whether this trend is positive. The use of social networking sites has both positive and negative consequences. It is amazing how someone can find a long-lost friend through a social networking site, enabling them to reconnect. In a society where people have become quite mobile and family and friends are often geographically separated, it is convenient to keep in touch through technology. However, one need not look far to find problems associated with social networking sites. There is a lively debate about whether Internet addictions are real. To me it appears to be a real problem (perception is often reality in a social context) with which people have to grapple. Some assert that these Web sites contributed to cheating on significant others, often leading to divorce. People have been fired from their jobs or put under pressure because they use these sites at work or because something is posted on a site that undermined the person’s professional standing. Although divorce and loss of employment are serious issues, perhaps they are not as common as other problems that have the potential to stem from social networking sites. Narcissism—excessive interest in one’s appearance and in oneself—is sometimes manifested on social networking sites. These Web sites have been found to be an avenue for people to display their narcissistic traits online (Buffardi Campbell, 2008). I often wonder whether people use these sites to display their popularity to the world rather than use them as a vehicle to develop meaningful relationships. Creating meaningful relationships is often about sharing our lives with others, and technology can allow us to do so through photos, videos, text, and music. In conducting research for my doctoral dissertation, I looked at how eight senior citizens used technology and how it affected their lives. My hope was to find that they used technology to stay in touch with friends, family, and people with similar interests. Although the participants did use e-mail to stay in touch with family and friends, almost all of the study participants talked about how vapid chat rooms and discussion boards seemed to be. Most had tried chatting a few times and then gave up because they viewed it as a waste of time (similar reasons were given by undergraduates in the ECAR study who did not use social networking sites). However, one participant was a chat room monitor for a fantasy baseball site. As he spent more time in that chat room he began to realize that it was not as shallow as he first imagined. Pe ople were in that virtual community because of a shared or common interest. Gradually he got to know people and care about their lives. He was eventually able to meet some of these new, online friends in person and said they connected as if they had known each other for years. While working on my dissertation I visited many chat rooms and discussion boards that catered to older adults. After visiting many such sites, I began to be discouraged because of the inane nature of many of the conversations. However, I stumbled on one online discussion board in which two World War II veterans wrote about their experiences in the war. They also lamented the fact that where they lived, there were no more veterans of that war left. They felt alone and isolated, but this chat room was a forum where they fit in again. They were able to share similar interests and experiences. Perhaps overcoming a sense of isolation is one of the greatest features of online communities and virtual worlds. Someone might feel like an outcast in her own community or family but might find someone online with similar hobbies, pursuits, and interests. Consider someone who enjoys photography as a serious leisure pursuit. This person would be able to share that passion with people all over the world by using the Internet and its powerful tools (e-mail, video chat, discussion boards, online video, family Web sites). However, simply sharing common interests and pursuits with people through technology does not necessarily have a positive impact on social skills and social development. Gaming and Social Development Gaming is an instance where you may encounter potentially serious social setbacks. I lead a group of Boy Scouts who share a love of a certain online virtual world game. This game seems to be all they talk about. When given other opportunities for deep, respectful, meaningful conversation, these boys are sometimes rather inept. Although linking their online gaming to poor social skills might be spurious, studies show negative social impacts of some video games. One study tested whether high exposure to video games increased aggression over time. It was found that playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physical aggression in both Japan and the United States—for boys and girls (Anderson et al., 2008). However, linking video games to poor social skills and behaviors often misses the bigger picture. People might participate in other activities (take football, for example) in which the social problems that arise from the activity may be the same or even worse than those of gaming. Evidently it is not enough to simply blame the medium. In fact, in many instances, gaming may aid in relationship building. The 13th Annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card (Walsh Gentile, 2008) indicated that 75 percent of gamers play with other people. Since my family received a Wii as a gift, we have spent countless hours of enjoyment playing together. Naturally, overindulgence in this one activity would have deleterious results, but the limited time we do spend playing together seems to strengthen our family. Television and Social Development Television is another technology that has mixed reviews with regard to social skills and social lives. Some researchers suggest that spending a limited amount of time watching wholesome programs can strengthen families and friendships. Others believe that television contributes to the downfall of social values in this country. It does seem that many people spend less time with others in their community than they do with the people they watch daily on television. Television tends to be a passive medium, which requires little skill and thought on our part (although some programming bucks this trend). Therefore, television provides little opportunity for meaningful interaction while watching. Watchers simply sit there and ingest what is presented to them without having to respond or react to another person. Obviously this can have serious effects on people’s social skills because viewers are not practicing how to relate to and deal with other people. Exposure to what is viewed on television can have some other serious effects on people’s social lives. For example, exposure to television shows with sexual content may increase the chance of teen pregnancy (see figure 8.4) (Chandra et al., 2008). Furthermore, when some people see violence, sex, and all manner of lasciviousness on television, they may be prone to mimic the behavior and think that it is acceptable. Were everyone to copy the social behaviors portrayed on television, our society would lack morals, and many levels of individuals’ lives would be destroyed. It is apparent that technology has the potential to harm or enhance your social skills and social life. The key is to analyze how technology affects you socially. Do technologies help you build positive, meaningful relationships, or do technologies hinder this process? Are you better able to communicate, listen, and share because of the technologies in your life? Do you use technologies to improve your relationships and build new ones? Are you letting a few choice people know who you are and what you contribute to this world, or are you merely distracting yourself with shallow pursuits? Does technology increase or decrease your concern for others, your compassion for others, and your desire to serve them? Such are the critical questions regarding technology and social development. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/positive-effects-of-technology-on-society.html Positive Effects of Technology on Society Technology runs in the veins of society. It is the fuel that drives our lives. It is an integral part of daily life. It has definitely benefited society. It has brought luxury in the life of every common man. Automation brought about by technology has saved human effort and time to a large extent. It has brought distant places closer and simplified information access. It has made the world a smaller place to live in. Let us look at some of the important areas, where technology has brought a positive change. Automation of Processes in the Industry and the Household: Technology has automated many of the critical processes in the industry as well as the household. Imagine the amount of labor that must have been involved in industrial processes when the concept of automation did not exist. Electronic gadgets have entered homes of the common man to rescue him from the boredom of daily chores. Imagine the amount of time people must be spending doing household chores during the time there w ere no machines and household appliances. Its better not imagined. Todays is the age of robotics. Machines can learn, adopt new things and perform tasks with near-human efficiency. Changed Modes of Transport: The automobile industry and technology are interwoven. Time has witnessed this industry evolve from mechanical scooters to automated aircraft. Animals were the only modes of transport in the olden days. Technology was the driving force behind the creation and design of the modern-day automobiles. Bicycles evolved into scooters and sports bikes. The idea of having four-wheeled modes of transport gave rise to the creation of cars. Modes of air and water transport came up, thanks to technology. Reduced Risk to Human Life: Machines have automated many crucial industrial processes. Machines are now taking up mundane jobs that were once done by human workers. Technology has evolved to an extent where machines can perform tasks that are not feasible for man, either because they are ri sky or life-threatening or because they are beyond human capacity. The use of advanced technologies like robotics and artificial intelligence has proven to be helpful in life-risking endeavors like mining and space exploration. Data Management and Information Retrieval: Computer technology, needless to say, has changed the face of the world. Computers can store, organize and manage huge amounts of data. They can process large amounts of information. Computers have given rise to the software industry, one of the most progressive industries of the world. The Internet that seeded from computer networking concepts is the most effective communication platform and the largest information base existing today. Impact on the Entertainment and Advertising Industries: The Internet has brought a positive change to the entertainment and advertising industries. Over the Internet, advertisements can reach the masses within seconds. Internet advertisements have changed equations of the advertising industry. Branding on the Internet is much more effective that other forms of product promotion. The entertainment media has progressed because of advancements in technology. Movies, songs, games are a few clicks away. People have begun using the Internet to watch and download movies, listen to music, play games and entertain themselves. Thanks to handy, mobile and user-friendly devices, all this has become really easy. Onset of the Digital Age: Theres hardly anything analog now, we live in a digital world, a digital age. Talk pixels and bytes. The digitization of information has made it possible for us to store it in a compact form. Ever wondered how gigabytes of data can be stored on a small chip? Digitization it is! Also, digitization enriches the quality of data storage. Digital voice and digital images are of a higher quality. Digital cameras and digital TVs provide users with an enriched picture quality, thus bettering user experience with technology. Communication Redefined: Cellular communication has revolutionized the communication industry. The conventional telephone, also a piece of technology, was one of the earliest technological developments in communication. Mobile phones have broadened the horizons of communication by enabling convenient long-distance calling and mobile use. Letters have taken a backseat and emails and cell phone messages have become the easiest means to connect. Owing to developments in technology, communication is wireless. Social networking is another defining factor here. It has given an all new dimension to communication, entertainment and recreation. Satellite Technology: Satellite communication is an important facet of technology. Satellite TV and satellite radio have eased the broadcasting of events across the globe. How else do you think could matches and concerts be broadcasted live? Not just TV and radio, even communication to ships and airplanes wouldnt have been possible if not for satellite communication. Even you r hand-held devices wouldnt be of use, if not for radio communication. These were still a few fields influenced by technology. It is almost impossible to enlist all the positive effects of technology on society. The fast-advancing technology on the whole, has given impetus to developments in various fields and improved the quality of human life. Theres less risk, less effort, less mess. Theres more leisure, more ease and more speed all because of that ten-letter word not a word, a phenomenon technology.  

The Awakening :: essays research papers

Responsibility and Duty as they Relate to The Awakening Most cultures put heavy emphasis upon responsibility and duty. The culture portrayed in Kate Chopin's book The Awakening visibly reflects a similar emphasis. The main character finds herself wanting to stray from her responsibilities and embrace her intense desire for personal fulfillment. Edna's choice to escape shows two elements: rebellion to the suppression of her adventurous spirit and the lack of "fulfillment" in her relationship. Although she embraces her new found freedoms, she commits suicide at the denouement of the book due to her frustration with the world around her. Many philosophers have dealt with the question of whether to live a life of servitude or to pursue ones greater happiness. Immanuel Kant stipulates that the more people cultivate their reason, the less likely they are to find happiness. Kate Chopin's character Edna tries her entire life to fit in the prescribed mold of the women of her time. She invests so much time into duty and responsibility that she loses any happiness that she could hope to achieve. With time, Kant noted, the person who devotes their life to reason finds themselves needing a release, in the end despising reason, and eventually pursuing only their true happiness. After being "reasonable" for the twenty-eight years of her life, Edna breaks down. She wants to pursue love and disregard her duty to her husband and children. She falls in what she considers "girlish" love with the character Robert. She proclaims to him: "I love you . . . only you; no one but you. If was you who awoke me last summer out of a life-long, stupid dream . . .Oh! I have suffered! Now you are here we shall love each other. Nothing else in the world is of any consequence." In keeping with Kant's philosophy, Edna's life has been riddled with reason and duty, essentially giving herself away to the people around her. This devotion to responsibility causes her to break away from her common behavioral pattern and moves her to focus on finding her inherent happiness. Ayn Rand objectivism states that a person should live life by pursuing their abilities and engaging in trade of equal value with others. Further her philosophy states that working for another's good or sacrificing your self for another's happiness goes against the very nature of existence. Edna was not engaged in the pursuit of her finest abilities. She lived her life for others, not for herself.

Doud Chronicles Power Trip :: Essays Papers

Doud Chronicles Power Trip The story Disney’s Doug Chronicles Power Trip is about Doug and his problems at school. Doug’s problem was that Vice Principle Bone chose Doug to be the hall monitor. Doug was surprised because he was hand-picked from all the other students. At first Doug thought that it would be dorky, he put on the orange belt but as he was walking to class all the other students were walking the opposite direction, Doug saw he friend, Skeeter. Doug asked â€Å"whats going on?† â€Å"Principle White Announced that there was going to be an assembly in the auditorium,† Skeeter said. The assembly was about a police man from the city, Doug saw how he looked in the uniform and he started day dreaming about him being hall monitor and how he can impress Patti (Doug has a crush on Patti). On Tuesday Doug was doing his regular routine of being the hall monitor, Doug saw Roger the school bully, walking by as the tardy bell rang. Since Doug was new he let him slide and just give him a warning, the other kids in the classroom were amazed that Doug actually stud up to Roger. On Wednesday Doug felt he had more power. A student went up to Doug congratulated him.As Doug was going back to class he saw Roger and his gang in the hall Doug pointed at the clock and Roger left disappointed. On Thursday, Doug was getting a little carried away, he was standing on a stepladder with a megaphone in his hand barking orders. Doug saw Patti running but he just asked â€Å"would you please slow down?† Skeeter walked up to Doug, Skeeter started talking but it seemed that nobody was home. Skeeter walked away mumbling disapoitedly. When Doug went home he still felt like he was in control, he started telling everyone what and what not to do, everyone was angry at Doug. Finally on Friday morning Doug once again caught Patti running, Doug was nervous of what to do, he tried not look at her eyes as he was giving her a detention slip. Patti was undoubtedly upset. Doug really felt bad and he decided to wait for her before she got to detention but unexpectedly it was Vice Principle Bone to arrive first, Doug

Marketing and Britannia Essay

The story of one of India’s favorite brands reads almost like a fairy tale. Once upon a time, in 1892 to be precise, a biscuit company was started in a nondescript house in Calcutta (now Kolkata) with an initial investment of Rs. 295. The company we all know as Britannia today. The beginnings might have been humble-the dreams were anything but. By 1910, with the advent of electricity, Britannia mechanized its operations, and in 1921, it became the first company east of the Suez Canal to use imported gas ovens. Britannia’s business was flourishing. But, more importantly, Britannia was acquiring a reputation for quality and value. As a result, during the tragic World War II, the Government reposed its trust in Britannia by contracting it to supply large quantities of â€Å"service biscuits† to the armed forces. As time moved on, the biscuit market continued to grow†¦ and Britannia grew along with it. In 1975, the Britannia Biscuit Company took over the distribution of biscuits from Parry’s who till now distributed Britannia biscuits in India. In the subsequent public issue of 1978, Indian shareholding crossed 60%, firmly establishing the Indianness of the firm. The following year, Britannia Biscuit Company was re-christened Britannia Industries Limited (BIL). Four years later in 1983, it crossed the Rs. 100 crores revenue mark. On the operations front, the company was making equally dynamic strides. In 1992, it celebrated its Platinum Jubilee. In 1997, the company unveiled its new corporate identity – â€Å"Eat Healthy, Think Better† – and made its first foray into the dairy products market. In 1999, the â€Å"Britannia Khao, World Cup Jao† promotion further fortified the affinity consumers had with ‘Brand Britannia’. Britannia strode into the 21st Century as one of India’s biggest brands and the pre-eminent food brand of the country. It was equally recognized for its innovative approach to products and marketing: the Lagaan Match was voted India’s most successful promotional activity of the year 2001 while the delicious Britannia 50-50 Maska-Chaska became India’s most successful product launch. In 2002, Britannia’s New Business Division formed a joint venture with Fonterra, the world’s second largest Dairy Company, and Britannia New Zealand Foods Pvt. Ltd. was born. In recognition of its vision and accelerating graph, Forbes Global rated Britannia ‘One amongst the Top 200 Small Companies of the World’, and The Economic Times pegged Britannia India’s 2nd Most Trusted Brand. Today, more than a century after those tentative first steps, Britannia’s fairy tale is not only going strong but blazing new standards, and that miniscule initial investment has grown by leaps and bounds to crores of rupees in wealth for Britannia’s shareholders. The company’s offerings are spread across the spectrum with products ranging from the healthy and economical Tiger biscuits to the more lifestyle-oriented Milkman Cheese. This is because NutriChoice SugarOut is sweetened with â€Å"Sucralose,† derived from sugar, which provides the same sweetness as any other biscuit, without the added calories of sugar. This range is available in 3 delicious variants namely Lifetime, Chocolate cream, and Orange cream, targeted towards all health sensitive people. It is also relevant for consumers with sugar related ailments. Customers are pleasantly delighted with its great taste and equally surprised to know that it has no added sugar. Don’t be taken for a ride when you read â€Å"Sugar Free† label on many biscuit packs marketed in India or abroad. Even with 100% no-added sugar, wheat-cereals in biscuits have their own natural sugar content. Britannia has chosen to represent these biscuits with â€Å"No Added Sugar† claim, as there is no added sugar in the processing of NutriChoice SugarOut. Britannia 50-50 Pepper Chakkar The launch of the latest 50-50 variant left everybody guessing â€Å"What it eez? † From TV ads, radio, outdoor and in-store display materials to events, a website and SMS and email blasts, traditional and new media were blended synergistically to create excitement and curiosity about the unique taste of the biscuit. The tangy and distinctive pepper flavoured biscuit, that’s thin and crispy and more like a snack, caught the imagination of a younger audience craving something to nibble on. The 50-50 Pepper Chakkar launch is truly a case of leveraging the marketing mix to best advantage. Biscuits derive its name from a French word meaning twice backed bread; Biscuits in general have a good shelf life, which is higher than all other snack items available in the market. India is the second largest producer of biscuits in the world after the U. S. A. but still the per capita consumption is only 2. kg/year of developed countries. As per the latest survey done by N. C. A. E. R. , 49 biscuits are consumed in rural areas. The penetration of biscuits into households stands at an average of 83. 2% with the rural penetration at 77% and urban penetration at 88%. Biscuits are reserved for the small scale sector but there are strong possibilities of the industry being deserved in line with the government policy of liberalization. The net effect thus would be greater choice for the consumer as well as a check on the costs. The country production of the biscuits during 2004-05 was 18. Lac tons of which 1/2 were manufactured by the organized sector. The industry turn over was 5322. 7 Crores of which organized sector contributed 2519. 3 crores. Britannia, makers of Britannia biscuits, doubled capacity from 25 tonnes a day to 50 tonnes and plans to be a national brand soon. In an aggressive mode, the North dominated biscuit player has increased its ad budget to Rs. 5 crore this year from Rs. 3 crore last year. Britannia has also recently invested about Rs. 5 crore in the modernization and expansion of its production and packing its production capacity of 40 tonnes per day to 100 tonnes per day by next year. The aim: to take the current turnover of Rs. 50 crore to Rs. 100 crore by the year. The low priced brand claims to have a 15 per cent market share in the North and is aggressively eyeing a bigger bite of the Rs. 2,500 crore biscuit industries. The brand plans to gain a 40 per cent market share in the North by the year of. The company’s strategy has been to attract new consumer segments and widen its consumer base with its well packaged low priced offerings. Britannia’s success has also come from its formidable. The applicability of various branding strategies play crucial role in arketing in product. the applicability has grown due to the liberalization, competition and technological changes taking place in corporate world. In this project the various branding strategies adopted by the company has been studied and compared on the basis of current market scenario. It gives the idea about the market share enjoyed by the different companies in the Biscuit Industry. It provides the adequate coverage of many issues related to biscuit industry. The objective of this report is to give the market share of Britannia biscuits in the Indian capital (New Delhi). It has been made possible by knowing the consumer’s behaviour and by studying the patterns adopted by the retailers. It gives us very precise view about the existing demand of Britannia biscuits and demand of their products as compared to other competitors. It also highlights the changing market trends and consumer preferences, why they have shifted from finally pack to pouch pack. The annual growth rate of the industry is about 12. 5%. However, the growth of cream biscuits, assorted or special variety is the range of 30-40%. The organized sector consists of large, medium and small scale biscuit manufacturers who produce packed biscuits. The major players in this sector are Britannia, Bakeman’s, and Parle, etc. the unorganized sector comprises of small bakery units, cottage and household type manufacturing plants. These units distribute their biscuits in the surrounding vicinity of their manufacturing locations of say 20-50 kms. The country production of biscuits during 2005-06 is estimated to be about 19. 5 lack tons. Out of which 1/2 again is expected from unorganized sector.

Principles of Disease and Epidemiology

Chapter 14 – Principles of Disease and Epidemiology Pathology Infection and Disease 1. Pathology is the scientific study of disease – concerned with cause (etiology) and manner in which disease develops (pathogenesis) – Also concerned with structural and functional changes brought about by disease and final effects on the body 2. Infection – invasion or colonization of the body by pathogenic microorganisms 3. Disease – when infection results in change in state of health Normal Microbiota – 1. Free of microbes in utero, at birth gain lactobacilli in intestine from mothers vaginal canal, E. oli taken through food and inhabits intestine thru life 2. Ten times more bacterial cells than human cells in the body 3. Normal flora – normal microbiota 4. Transient microbiota – present for a while but disappear 5. Distribution of normal flora dependent on physical and chemical factors, defenses of the host and mechanical factors Relationshi p between Normal Flora and Host 1. Microbial antagonism – aka competitive exclusion – normal microbiota ability to protect the host from overgrowth of harmful microorganisms 2. Normal microbiota and host live in symbiosis – one is dependent on the other 3. The three types of symbiosis – commensalism (one organism benefits, other unaffected), mutualism (both benefit) and parasitism (one harmed and one benefits) 4. Probiotics – live microbial cultures applied to or ingested that are intended to exert a beneficial effect Opportunistic Microorganisms 1. E. coli – normally harmless but in other parts of the body – cause UTI, pulmonary infections, meningitis or abscesses. 2. AIDS – compromises immune system – increases susceptibility to opportunistic infection e. g. Pneumocystis pneumonia The Etiology of Infectious Disease – Koch’s Postulates – 1. Koch established that microorganisms cause specific disease 2. Isolated microorganisms from diseased animal, grew in pure culture and identified, injected healthy animal, disease reproduced and identical 3. Experimental requirements – same pathogen must be present in every case of disease, pathogen must be isolated from diseased host and grown in pure culture, pathogen must cause disease when inoculated into healthy animal, pathogen must be isolated from inoculated animal and shown to be original organism Exceptions to Koch’s postulates – 1. Unique culture environments – modified to establish etiologies of those that cannot be grown on artificial media e. g. viruses, syphilis, leprosy 2. Some disease such as tetanus have unequivocal signs and symptoms 3. Some disease may be caused by a number of microbes e. g. pneumonia and nephritis 4. Some pathogens cause several diseases e. g. S. pyogenes 5. Certain pathogens only cause disease in humans e. g. HIV Classifying Infectious diseases – 1. Every disease alters body structures and functions in particular ways ad are indicated by several kinds of evidences 2. Symptoms – changes in body functions 3. Signs – objective changes the physician can observe or measure e. g. lesions, swelling, fever and paralysis 4. Syndrome – a specific group of signs or symptoms that accompany a disease 5. Communicable disease – any disease that spreads from one host to another e. g. herpes, chickenpox, measles, typhoid fever and TB 6. Contagious diseases – Spread easily from host to host e. g. chickenpox 7. Noncommunicable Disease – caused by microorganisms that inhibit body and only occasionally produce disease or live outside the body and produce disease when introduced e. . tetanus Occurrence of Disease – 1. Incidence – the number of people in a population who develop a disease during a particular period of time 2. Prevalence – number of people in a population who develop a disease at a specific time, regardless of when it first appeared – old and new 3. Sporadic disease – occurs on ly occasionally e. g. typhoid fever 4. Endemic disease – constantly present in a population – e. g. common cold 5. Epidemic disease – Many people in a given area develop disease n short time e. g. AIDS, STD’s 6. Pandemic – Epidemic disease that occurs worldwide e. g. avian flu Severity or Duration of Disease – 1. Acute disease – develops rapidly but only lasts a short time e. g. influenza 2. Chronic Disease – develops more slowly and body’s reactions may be less severe but continues or recurs for long periods of time e. g. Mono, TB & HepB 3. Subacute – Intermediate between Acute and Chronic e. g. Sclerosing panencephalitis 4. Latent Disease – causative agent remains inactive for some time but than becomes active to produce symptoms e. . shingles 5. Herd Immunity – Immunity to disease in most of population Extent of Host Involvement – 1. Local infection – microorganisms limited to relatively small area e. g. boils 2. Systemic infection – Spread throughout the body by blood or lymph e. g. measles 3. Focal infection – local infection enters blood or lymph and spread to other specific body parts where they are co nfined – arise f/ teeth, tonsils, sinus 4. Sepsis – toxic inflammatory condition arising from spread of microbes from a focus of infection 5. Septicemia – blood poisoning systemic infection arising from multiplication of pathogens in blood 6. Bacteremia – presence of bacteria in blood, Toxemia – presence of toxins in blood and viremia – presence of virus in blood 7. Primary infection – acute infection that causes initial illness 8. Secondary infection – caused by an opportunistic pathogen after primary weakens defenses 9. Subclinical (inapparent) infection is one that does not cause any noticeable illness e. g. Polio & HepA can be carried but never developed Patterns of Disease . Sequence – must be reservoir of infection as a source pathogen transmitted to susceptible host by contact or vectors transmission followed by invasion (enters host, multiplies) injures host through pathogenesis 2. Despite these effects, occurance of disease generally depends on resistance Predisposing factors – makes body more susceptible and may alter course of disease 1. Gender – Fem ales more UTI, Men more meningitis 2. Genetic background – sickle cell against malaria 3. Climate and weather – respiratory disease increase in winter 4. Others – nutrition, age environment, lifestyle, habitat, illness, chemo, emotions. Development of Disease – 1. Incubation Period – interval between initial infection and first mild signs and symptoms, time depends on virulence, number of microorganisms, and resistance 2. Prodromal period – characterized by appearance of the first mild signs and symptoms 3. Period of illness – disease at its height and all signs and symptoms apparent, PT dies during this period if not overcome 4. Period of Decline – signs and symptoms subside- vulnerable to secondary infection 5. Period of convalescence – body returns to its pre-diseased state and health is restored The Spread of Infection Reservoirs of Infection – 1. Reservoir of Infection – A continual source of infection- may be human animal or nonliving 2. Human reservoirs – Many people harbor pathogens and transmit them – Carriers are living reservoirs and harbor the disease with or without signs or symptoms – Can carry disease during latent phases such as incubation or convalescent – play important role in spread of AIDS, typhoid fever, diphtheria, hep, gonorrhea, and streptococcal infections 3. Animal Reservoirs – Wild or domestic – Zoonosis are diseases that occur in wild but can be transmitted to humans e. g. Rabies, Lyme disease – Can occur through contact of animal, its waste, consumption or contamination. 4. Nonliving Reservoirs – Soil and Water – Soil e. g. Ringworm, Botulism and Tetanus, Water e. g. – usually contamination related, cholera , typhoid fever Transmission of Disease 1. Contact – spread od an agent of disease by direct contact, indirect contact or droplet transmission a. Direct Contact – touching kissing, intercourse, – Any close physical contact e. . STDs, AIDS, cold, influenza, staph, Hep A, measles etc. b. Indirect Contact – occurs when agent of disease is transmitted from reservoir to host by means of nonliving object – Fomite is a object involved in spread of infection e. g. tissues, bedding, syringes etc. c. Droplet Transmission – microbes are spread in droplet nucle i that travel short distance – Sneezing, coughing, talking – not considered airborne e. g. flu, pneumonia and pertussis 2. Vehicle Transmission – transmission of disease by a medium, such as water food or air and drugs blood IV and body fluids d. Waterborne – contaminated water, cholera leptospirosis e. Foodborne – transported through undercooked, poorly kept or unsanitary food such as tapeworm f. Airborne – droplet nuclei in dust that travels more than 1 meter – measles virus and TB bacteria as well as some spores can be carried in dust and cause disease coccidiodomyosis 3. Vectors – animals that carry disease from one host to another – g. Mechanical Transmission – passive transport on insects feet or body part – houseflies transfer from feces to food h. Biological transmission – active process and more complex – arthropod bites infected person pathogens reproduce in vector increase causes more possibility of transmit. If arthropod vomits or defecates while biting host, can transfer from gut. Often parasites, also includes – Lyme disease, plague, Malaria etc. Nosocomial (Hospital Acquired) Infections 1. A nosocomial infection is any infection that is acquired during the course of stay in a hospital, nursing home or other healthcare facility 2. About 5 – 15% of all hospitalized patients will acquire this 3. Result from combination of weakened host, chain of transmission in hospital and availability of microorganisms in hospital. Microorganisms in the Hospital 1. Often normal flora are a problem when introduced to body in catheters and surgical procedures 2. Major problems include coagulase negative staph, S. aureus, E. coli, Enterococcus, P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter, K. pnuemoniae, Candida albicans 3. Most frequent are opportunistic gram negative, drug resistant Compromised Host 1. Resistance impaired by disease, therapy and burns. 2. Two principals – Broken skin/Mucous membranes and suppressed immunity . Broken skin and mucous membranes – disable first line of defense 4. Invasive devices also cause problems 5. Adverse effects to B and T Cells compromise host Chain of Transmission – 1. Direct transmission from staff member to patient and among patients 2. Fomites such as catheters, syringes and respiratory devices Control of Nosocomial Infections – 1. Aseptic techniques can prevent – Hand washing most important 2. Hospital infection control staff members are responsible for overseeing proper cleaning, storage and handling of equipment and supplies Emerging Infectious Diseases . EID’s are new or changing, increasing recently and showing future increase. 2. Number of factors contribute to emergence including new strains which may result from genetic recombination (E. coli), a new serovar resulting from changes or evolution (Vibrio cholerea) , use of antibiotics and pesticide to cause resistance, changes in weather patterns (Hantavirus), modern transportation (West Nile), Ecological changes from natural disasters construction or wars, animal control measures (kill deer predators, more deer, more Lyme disease and failures in public health measures. . CDC priorities (1) Detect investigate and monitor pathogens and disease (2) Expand basic and applied research on ecological and environmental factors microbial changes and host in teraction (3) Enhance public information (4) Establish plans to monitor and control worldwide Epidemiology 1. The science of epidemiology is the study of transmission incidence and frequency of disease 2. Modern epidemiology began in mid-1800s with the works of Snow, Semmelweis and Nightingale 3. Descriptive Epidemiology – data about infected people is collected and analyzed – includes info about person place and period 4. Analytical epidemiology – analyzes disease to determine probable cause – (case control method) a group of infected people is compared with an uninfected group or (Cohort Method) people in contact with an agent vs. hose not in contact with the same agent 5. Experimental Epidemiology – controlled experiments designed to test hypothesis are performed e. g. placebo studying 6. Case reporting provides data on incidence and prevalence to local, state and national health officials 7. The CDC is the main source of epidemiologic information in the US 8. The CDC publishes the Morbidity and Mortality weekly report to provide info on incidence and deaths.