Introduction of Marijuana Essay Example

Introduction of Marijuana Essay The use of marijuana has been an active past time for thousands of years, however, it did not reach the United States until around 1912. A wave of Mexican immigrants was entering the country in the effort to find work; with them came marijuana. The use of marijuana was a normal custom among the Mexican people, but the White Americans in towns bordering Mexico saw the use of this particular plant in a different light. Fueled with racism and frustration associated with the lack of work for the American people, whites proclaimed that the smoking of marijuana gave the Mexicans super-human strength and transformed those who smoked it into violent murderers. With the increase in rumors of bloodshed and mayhem brought about by Mexicans on marijuana-rampages, the city council of El, Paso, Texas passed a law, the El Paso Ordinance of 1914, banning the possession of marijuana (Grass: The History of Marijuana). As a result, the regulation not only provided a way to control marijuana, but Mexicans as well. THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF NARCOTICS AND UNIFROM STATE NARCOTIC LAW Meanwhile, those Americans who did not reside in states bordering Mexico were quite unfamiliar with the use of marijuana, and were much more concerned with the then current war on opium, morphine, cocaine, and heroin addiction plaguing society. In the early 1930’s the United States government decided that these public health issues of addiction could be handled by the United States Department of Treasury, who in turn established the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (R. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Marijuana specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Marijuana specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Marijuana specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer J. Bonnie, 1970). Harry J. Anslinger was assigned as the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Anslinger was an alcohol prohibitionist who believed that â€Å"progress can only be achieved by controlling the deprived impulses of the masses†; he believed that if laws implemented in society were strict enough and if enough people were punished for partaking in prohibited acts, the public would steer away from wrongdoing. Anslinger believed this same philosophy would work in America’s war against dope. However, Anslinger found it hard to regulate drug use in all 48 states; he was only one man and during the Depression, it was difficult to find financial backing for such a feat. Anslinger sought the solution to his problem among the forty-eight states of America; he aimed to influence each state to individually control drug use and trafficking among its citizens. Anslinger planned to do this by getting each state to sign a joint agreement that would commit a portion of each state’s resources to the drug control, the Uniform State Narcotic Law. However, only nine states agreed (New York, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and Indiana), the other states believed that the agreement allowed the federal government to interfere with state affairs (Grass, 1999). Meanwhile, New Orleans was a major port city that trafficked marijuana into the United States by way of West Indian sailors. It was known as muggles, tea, or reefer on the streets of New Orleans, and grew extremely popular among the jazz crowd in the city due to the proclamation that music sounded notably better after a â€Å"reefer stick†. Musicians began to bring marijuana from New Orleans to cities farther north up the Mississippi River, increasing the drug’s popularity in larger cities of America. With this growing popularity and awareness, Anslinger saw targeting marijuana as the means to his end; he concluded that if he could convince white America that marijuana was an absolute menace, the frightened voters would push their state legislature to agree to his Uniform State Narcotic Law (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). The media was Anslinger’s primary weapon in leading all Americans to believe that marijuana was the most dangerous social issue that had ever faced the country; the use of marijuana was tied to the likes of murder, insanity and death; mothers were told to protect their children from becoming slaves to the drug and movies were made linking the smoking of marijuana with immediate insanity, murderous rage or committing suicide (Grass, 1999). The negative propaganda eventually obtained a firm grasp on the minds of the American people, one by one, each state signed the Uniform State Narcotic Law; Anslinger’s method of exaggeration and manipulation went according plan. THE MARIJUANA STAMP ACT A frightened America demanded that society be protected by the threat of marijuana, and sought relief within the power of the federal government. On June 14, 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was signed into law by President Roosevelt without any â€Å"public debate, scientific inquiry, or political objection† (Grass, 1999). The act prohibited the possession of any marijuana unless one also possessed a marijuana tax stamp which was provided by the Department of Treasury, however, in order to obtain a stamp act, one had to present to authorities his or her amount of marijuana, which was illegal in and of itself. Through this extremely misleading form of legislation, the Department of Treasury effectively made marijuana possession illegal, and subsequently lead to hundreds of arrests. LA GUARDIA VERSUS ANSLINGER The enactment of the Marijuana Stamp Act brought with it skepticism from many white Americans, especially in the northeast region of the country. Those who opposed the Stamp Act believed that its implementation brought with it the return of prohibition, an aspect of legislation they did not want to see in existence again (R. Dietch, 2003). Fiorello La Guardia was the mayor of New York during Anslinger’s relentless crusade against marijuana’s use and possession, and he too was against prohibition and the criminalization of marijuana. La Guardia was skeptical of the claims that were made by the federal government in relation to the effects the use has on the mind, and consequently lead a committee of 31 impartial scientists in the investigation of the physical and mental effects marijuana use has on a human being. The La Guardia Committee Report was conducted for five years (1939 – 1944) in which it concluded that the effects of marijuana use did not agree with the perception of the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics; a perception forced upon and used to frighten the people of America. The report stated that the use of marijuana did not â€Å"lead to violent or antisocial behavior, did not cause uncontrollable sexual urges, and did not alter a person’s basic personality structure† (Grass, 1999). Also, unlike the claims made by the federal government, the information provided by the La Guardia Committee Report, entitled The Marihuana Problem in the City of New York, was supported by scientific evidence and testimony from marijuana users (R. Deitch, 2003). In response to the threat of his credibility, Anslinger had the report discredited and destroyed all copies that he was able to obtain; he labeled the authors as â€Å"dangerous men† and referred to the evidence in the report as â€Å"giddy sociology and medical mumbo-jumbo† (M. Booth, 2005). The determined Anslinger did not allow the plights of science to diverge from him from his course; he targeted the degenerate moral influence of actors and musician in the entertainment industry, â€Å"the missionaries carrying its evil gospel to the world† (M. Booth, 2005). Anslinger obtained control not only over movie contracts, but pilot and book contracts as well; he gained control over the film industry and spent $220 million in the production of films that supported his views in relation to the dangerous effects marijuana could have on one’s life. Musicians were also targeted, especially black jazz musicians; he believed black jazz musicians were the source of this reefer evil, and white marijuana smokers were merely corrupted by black influence through their mainstream music (M. Booth, 2005). RED CHINA AND THE NARCOTIC CONTROL ACT OF 1956 With the approach of the 1950s, the number of heroin addicts was increasing, especially among young teens. Crimes of theft were high among these strung out teenagers who turned to illegal acts in an effort to support their drug habit. Anslinger and the federal government saw an opportunity in this new heroin craze, and deemed marijuana use the reason for the increase in heroin addicts; â€Å"if you smoke it, you will become a heroin addict† (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). With the new fabricated association between marijuana and heroin, tougher laws and greater penalties were demanded by the public for all drug offenses. Anslinger was quick to play on the growing fear of communism among the American people; he began to proclaim that behind every narcotics drug peddler was a communist â€Å"ready to overthrow the government† (Grass, 1999). Anslinger cleverly linked China as the direct source of the opiates that so many American people were becoming addicted to; it was believed by the public that â€Å"Red China† was trying to infiltrate America via the heroin needle (L. Sloman, 1998). In an effort not to appear nationally weak in the midst of a cold war and during the threat of the Red Menace, and without any physical proof that the Chinese were behind the rise of opiates in the United States, Truman signed the Boggs Act of 1951 which implemented mandatory minimum sentences for all drug offenses. THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA The passing of the Boggs act was followed by the passage of the Narcotic Control Act of 1956, which placed marijuana in the same category as heroin; the mandatory minimum sentence for possession of marijuana could result in 2 – 10 years in prison (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). Some states placed even harsher punishments for the possession of narcotics; in Missouri a 2nd conviction could place the defendant in prison for life. Anslinger’s ruthless campaign against the criminalization of marijuana finally came to an end in 1961 under the administration of former President John F. Kennedy in which he warned his successor that â€Å"the impending drug revolution is an assault on the foundation of western civilization†. Between the years of 1941 and 1963, the federal government spent $1. 5 billion on the â€Å"war against marijuana†. The use of marijuana was a new craze among college campuses in the mid 1960s, many of those who smoked marijuana no longer held the view depicting it as a dangerous substance, but as a way of declaring their independence. The new commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Henry Giordano, began to publicize that the use of marijuana will make one an â€Å"unmotivated, dysfunctional loser† (Grass, 1999). Nixon continued to focus on drug crimes by pouring significant amounts of money into the training, equipping, and educating local policemen in recognizing evidence related to marijuana use. Minorities were not the only individuals being convicted for the possession of marijuana; those who were being arrested for marijuana charges consisted mainly of middle-class, white, American teenagers. As a matter of fact, the number of convicted young people was so high that the public began wonder if the legislation against marijuana was too strict; the laws were then seen as the problem in society, not marijuana. The passage of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 officially reduced the penalty for possession of marijuana (L. Sloman, 1998). Between 1964 and 1969 the amount of money used in the control of marijuana use and possession was estimated to be $9 billion. As Nixon continued spend millions of dollars in the establishment of the Drug Enforcement Agency, many American citizens began to seek the decriminalization of private use and possession of marijuana. This sudden public desire for the decriminalization of marijuana could be tied to its use no longer being a youth phenomenon; middle class adults had begun smoking marijuana during social activities and the push for the legalization of marijuana began. The Ann Arbor City Ordinance of 1972 placed marijuana possession to a minor offense, comparable to a traffic ticket. The control of marijuana use is still significant today, though the laws and regulations for the possession and use of marijuana have become notably less strict in comparison to the laws that were implemented during the 1920s. Between the Jimmy Carter Administration and throughout the Regan Administration, the United States of America spent approximately $290 billion in its efforts to control the drugs on the streets of the country (Grass, 1999). THE WAR ON DRUGS America’s need to abolish the use of marijuana stemmed from the racial prejudice against Mexican immigrants and African Americans, and was fueled by false proclamations and loosely associated consequences. The War on Drugs resulted in a grand total of over $300 billion spent; this battle is surely to go down in history as one of the most lengthy and costly wars this nation has ever experienced with no end in sight.

Roswell Essays (1014 words) - Roswell UFO Incident, Walter Haut

Roswell Essays (1014 words) - Roswell UFO Incident, Walter Haut Roswell Brazel's ranch was from an Army Air Force balloon. The new report states many new explanations. It says that ...witnesses are mistaken about when the events they saw occurred, and they also are seriously mistaken about details of the events. The report also states: Witnesses are conflating together, several events that occurred at different times, into a single event, and in every instance, the events the witnesses saw were normal Air Force activities. Surprisingly, the Air Force has never produced a weather balloon that matches witness accounts(Rodeghier). According to CUFOS analysts, the report is clumsily padded to make it appear lengthy and impressive(Rodeghier) Large fonts, wide margins, as well as irrelevant photos were also used. The new report also never mentioned or made any effort to interview witnesses that are still-living(Rodeghier). The Center for U.F.O. Studies(CUFOS) found several flaws and problems with the new report. The Air Force considers a man named Gerald Anderson to be a credible and honest witness, who is simply mistaken about places, dates, and details. The CUFOS says that there are no Roswell researchers that believe Gerald Anderson to be a credible witness. He falsified phone records and a diary to support his claims(Rodeghier). The Air Force also ignored the testimony of credible witnesses. A man named Frank Kaufman was involved with the recovery of the crashed object. Written notes, belonging to Kaufman, were given to the Air Force before the report was issued. Nothing pertaining to Kaufman or his notes appeared in the report(Rodeghier). The Air Force claims that the wreckage was a type of test balloon with life-like dummies inside(Rodeghier) Key witnesses cannot be placed at any balloon recoveries(Rodeghier). The report appears to depend on the UFO witnesses having actually viewed balloon and dummy recoveries. According to CUFOS response to the Air Force report, No witness involved in Roswell can be placed at any recovery. There is another problem e The Truth is Out There, Somewhere: Roswell, New Mexico Fifty years ago, in an isolated section of the southwestern desert of New Mexico, an incident occurred that has yet to be fully explained. It is referred to as the Roswell Incident. Others refer to it as Cosmic Watergate. Several people believe that it was a UFO,(unidentified flying object) containing aliens, that crashed and was recovered by the government. Others believe that there is no supportive evidence to back this theory. The government has released reports and determined the case to be closed. But, the facts show, life on other planets does exist. In early July of 1947, the incident began with several reports of a glowing object in the sky about 9:50P.M. during a large storm. The next morning, it was evident that something had crashed into the land tended by rancher, W.W. Mac Brazel(UFO Phenomenon 39). The strange debris was found scattered over a large portion of his ranch. It consisted of a tinfoil-like substance, strands of wire, small metallic rods covered with indecipherable writing, and pieces of parchment-like paper(UFO: Enigma 63). Mac collected a few scraps and carried them to the local sheriff, George Wilcox(Jeffrey). He was baffled at what he saw and contacted the Roswell Army Air Field, home of the world's only atomic attack unit(UFO: Enigma 63). Colonel William Blanchard, commander of the 509th Bomb Group, ordered Major Jesse A. Marcel to investigate the matter. He was the group's intelligence officer. An entire day was spent at Brazel's ranch. The material was surveyed and then loaded into two vehicles. Reports say that the material was then transferred onto a B-29 and flown to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas(UFO: Enigma). Several tests were conducted on the debris. Shortly before Marcel's death in 1978, he confessed and told researchers that the material was nothing made on earth(UFO: Enigma 63). He told them of tests that were conducted. It turns out that the material could not be dented with a 16-pound sledgehammer, nor burned with a blowtorch. During Marcel's interview, he also stated that the material was no thicker than the tinfoil in a pack of cigarettes(UFO: Enigma 63). Around the same time as Brazel's discovery, Grady L. Barnett, who was more than 100 miles away from Roswell, came across what appeared to be a portion of a 'flying disc'(UFO: Enigma 63). According to Barnett, four small dead bodies lay beside it. They had frail limbs, and disproportionately large heads with big slanted eyes(UFO: Enigma). Barnett also says that he found

International Television - Product Placement Essay

International Television - Product Placement - Essay Example There is an ongoing debate across the world on the pros and cons of product placement. This essay presents some of the salient points in this debate. The concept of product placement is nothing new in the world of advertising. Nevertheless, its magnitude and pervasiveness had grown exponentially in the last 20 years. Members of the Entertainment Resources and Marketing Association form the core marketing personnel of the placement-industry. The Association also acts as the mouth-piece for the placement-industry. The mission statement of the Association contains the phrase â€Å"to highlight the practice and establish a code of ethics†. The association is doing an excellent job in highlighting the practice. But, this essay is primarily concerned with the â€Å"establish a code of ethics† part. Started in 1991, ERMA has had 16 years to design a framework of ethics. Conventional wisdom instructs us that high profits and elevated ethics don’t go together. Given the i mpressive profits made by the public relations industry, the implication is that ethics have been neglected. The rest of this essay will look at the evolution of legislations and industry standards pertaining to product placement, by analyzing and contextualizing government regulations and industry sentiments. Also, the United States is taken as the subject country of investigation as the length of the essay only allows limited scope.

Lulu PLC Clothing Manufacturing In China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lulu PLC Clothing Manufacturing In China - Essay Example Manufacturing in China Rapid economic growth and industrial development has been witnessed in China in the recent past. China is ranked third from the U.S and Germany in the rankings of world’s trading nations. Business organizations intending to exploit business opportunities in China has a mandatory task to understand the prevailing business environment as this may have profound consequences in business development. Cultural and political environment in particular greatly affect any business performance. The government of the People’s Republic of China has over time developed a market economy in the system, which is dominated by socialist characteristics. Socialism in China advocate for collective or state ownership of economic resources and their distribution. Equal opportunities to all characterize the mode of production. This poses a challenge to Lulu Company in that it may take time before adjusting to the common ownership and sharing of production resources. There are two major market trends that are emerging in China’s market that are likely to affect Lulu company’s operations. These are regional integration and world multi-polarization. The NDRC has a plan that is meant to better manage her Foreign Direct Investment in the economy. This plan monitors the national security investment as well as foreign investment. From the policies sighted in the plan, China is advised to give room to foreign investors to own domestic enterprises. This, on the other hand, would work as a boost to Lulu PLC Company’s plan to establish a manufacturing plant. ... This plan monitors the national security investment as well as foreign investment. From the policies sighted in the plan, China is advised to give room to foreign investors to own domestic enterprises. This, on the other hand, would work as a boost to Lulu PLC Company’s plan to establish a manufacturing plant. China’s government has been on the forefront in providing equal treatment to both local and foreign countries interested in engaging in business activities with her. This is equally an advantage to the company’s proposal (Chu, 2010, p.5). Hard work, moral uprightness, social life structures and family institution are some of the basic cultural dimensions a company must face whenever she intends to venture into China for business. As earlier noted in the political governance, social collectivism is a major aspect in the country. This means that our company must be in a position to face the aspect of social cooperation. This must be put in consideration in th e decisions regarding the kind of products to develop for such groups as the family, schools and also on the management control systems to be adopted. The company must design management control policies most suited in collective working as opposed to individual units (Sebenius and Qian, 2008, p.5). Lastly, the clothing industry has been invaded by the advancement of ICT. China as a country has not been left aside. Accesses of niche markets and the development of higher value design and logistics are the main emerging trends in the industry and thus any competitive company must consider this. Lulu PLC Company must thus consider technological advancement in her move to establish the manufacturing facility in China (McNamara, 2008). Setting Up a Manufacturing

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis And Pathogenesis Biology Essay

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis And Pathogenesis Biology Essay Leishmaniasis is a tropical, protozoan disease caused exclusively by intracellular parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. Leishmaniasis is a worldwide problem and due to the various species of Leishmania, can manifest in humans as 3 main clinical forms: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis, or Visceral Leishmaniasis. Consequently, the severity of the infection and symptoms differ from self healing infections that produce significant scars to the fatal infections. Pathogenesis Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of female insect vector sand flies of the species Phlebotomus in the Old World and Luzomyia in the New World (Figure 1). The life cycle for all Leishmania species is relatively simple and similar (Figure 2). When the sand fly takes a blood meal, it inoculates the source with the 2-3 mm long parasite. At this stage, the Leishmania parasite is known as a promastigote as it contains a singular flagellum. Promastigotes are injected into the host skin, after which they attach themselves to the hosts macrophages, and are induced by phagocytosis. These white blood cells are present at the inoculation site because of the hosts natural immune response to the sand fly bite. Once inside the macrophages, the promastigotes transform into their non-flagellate form, known as amastigotes. From here the amastigotes reproduce by binary fission and continue to proliferate within the white blood cells until the cell bursts. The parasites are then free to infect and invade other reticulo-endothelial cells, which share the same fate and are destroyed due to the reproduction of amastigotes within. The amastigotes and infected macrophages enter the blood circulation. The life cycle of Leishmania is continued when a female sand fly feeds on the infected hosts blood and the amastigotes are taken up by the sand flies. Amastigotes transform into promastigotes, which proliferate by binary fission in the midgut of the sand fly over a period of 4-25 days (WHO, 2010). Hereafter, the promastigotes migrate to the fly proboscis or mouthparts, where the parasite can infect a new host during feeding (Murray et al, 2009) and thus the Leishmania lifecycle is continued. Mammals are more often reservoirs for infection. As well as humans; dogs, rodents, wolves and foxes are examples of common reservoirs (Neuber, 2008) and thus, can suffer from leishmaniasis diseases too. Figure 2: The life cycle of Leishmania. Adapted from Chappuis et al (2007). Figure 1: A Sand fly vector of Leishmania parasites. Extracted from Neuber (2008). Epidemiology Leishmaniasis is endemic in 88 countries, 72 of which are developing countries. An estimated 12 million people are infected with leishmaniasis and 70,000 people die each year (Reithinger et al, 2007). There are currently about 350 million people worldwide that are at risk and threatened by leishmaniasis because they live within 40Â ° north and south of the equator (Jones et al., 2005; Neuber, 2008) and according to the World Health Organisation (2010), there are an estimated 1-2 million new cases each year. There are approximately 20 species of Leishmania which are pathogenic for humans (Chappuis et al., 2007). These species vary in their geographical location and have an effect on the leishmaniasis which manifests (Table 1). Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common form of leishmaniasis and is endemic in over 70 countries worldwide (Figure 3). It is found throughout Africa and the Middle East in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kabul, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria; however, more particularly in South America, in Brazil and Peru (Reithinger et al, 2007; Murray et al, 2009). Over 90% mucocutaneous leishmaniasis often occurs in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru and the majority (over 90%) of visceral leishmaniasis cases, the most dangerous form, is localised to 6 countries; Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and Sudan. There are an estimated 500,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis each year (WHO, 2010; Chappuis et al., 2007). Figure 3: Geographical distribution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Extracted from Reithinger et al (2007). Main Clinical Presentation Leishmania Parasite Main Geographical Distribution Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. tropica* Africa, Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean area Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. major* Middle East, Africa Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. aethiopia* Ethiopia, Kenya Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. amazonesis ^ South America (Brazil, Venezuela) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L .columbiensis ^ Northern South America (Columbia, Panama) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. garnhami ^ South America (Venezuela) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. peruviana ^ Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Columbia Cutaneous Leishmaniasis L. venezuelensis ^ Northern South America (Venezuela) Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis L. braziliensis ^ Central and South America Visceral Leishmaniasis L. donovani* Africa, Asia Visceral Leishmaniasis L. infantum (L. chagasi) Europe, north Africa, Central and South America, Mediterranean area Table 1: Overview of clinical presentation and geographical distribution of species of Leishmaniasis that cause human disease. L. = Leishmania. * Leishmania species of the Old World. ^ Leishmania species of the New world. Data adapted from Reithinger et al (2007), Neuber (2008) and Murray et al (2009). Clinical Presentation Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a localised reaction at the inoculation site, which tends to be uncovered areas such as the face, hands and lower legs. Between 2 weeks and 2 months after the sand flys bite, a red papule forms. The area begins to swell and become irritated and after 3-4 weeks, flat ulcers form which eventually harden and form crusted margins. The volcano-like lesions that form can heal without treatment; however, sufferers are commonly left with significant, disfiguring scars. Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, also known as espundia, is most often caused by Leishmania viannia braziliensis and has a similar incubation time as cutaneous leishmaniasis. However, this form causes more devastating disfigurement to disease sufferers as the parasites metastasise towards to the mucosal membranes and destroy them and nearby unrelated tissue structures also (Murray et al, 2009). This form is more commonly seen after a primary infection of cutaneous leishmaniasis, where the lesions have eventually healed. Untreated lesions can transform into mucocutaneous forms and year later the oral and nasal mucosas become infected. Inflammation of the nose, mouth, oropharynx and trachea cause sever mutilation and facial disfigurement. Death can sometimes arise as mucosal lesions do not self-heal and prolonged infection compromises both immune and respiratory systems. Visceral Leishmaniasis Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as, kala-azar, dumdum fever or black fever, is the most severe form of leishmaniasis, and if left untreated, those infected will die. It is the most dangerous because parasites leave the skin and colonise the entire reticulo-endothelial system (Neuber, 2008) and spread to internal organs. Incubation period may be from several weeks to a year and can present as a rapidly fatal disease or as an asymptomatic, self-limiting infection (Murray et al, 2009). As the parasites proliferate and destroy the hosts cells, sufferers present with a marked enlargement of the liver, spleen lymph nodes as well as fatigue, weight loss, fever chills, severe anaemia and kidney damage. Death is caused by haemorrhage, complications relating to anaemia or a weakened immune system which cannot deal with bacterial co-infections (Chappuis et al, 2007). As is the case with all forms of leishmaniasis, the chances of the sufferer developing a secondary infection, such as a bacterial infection, are very high and doing so, can complicate the disease further and may lead to death. To add: one photo for each CL, ML and VL. Canine Leishmaniasis Leishmania infantum not only cause severe disease in humans, but in dogs also. Millions of dogs in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and South America are affected by the parasite. There are some clinical manifestations of the disease in dogs which re similar to that of humans including cutaneous alterations, enlargement of lymph nodes, liver and spleen, weight loss and glomerulopathy. As well as this, ocular lesions, epistaxis (nose bleeds), onycogryphosis (abnormal curving of claws) and lameness (disability in walking) are classic symptoms found in infected dogs (Maia and Campino, 2008). As with visceral leishmaniasis, canine leishmaniasis may also present as an asymptomatic infection, thus delaying necessary treatment. Diagnosis Due to the clinical presentations of the disease, a diagnosis can be made; however, for a definitive diagnosis the Leishmania parasite must be detected to confirm the diagnosis. Parasitological techniques are routinely used and involve demonstrating promastigotes in a direct examination of tissue aspirates, or detecting amastigotes in biopsy specimens, which are then, examined using a microscope. Serological techniques to diagnose leishmaniasis are based upon indirectly identifying specific host humoural and cell-mediated responses after inoculation of the parasite. Diagnostic methods include direct agglutination test (DAT), the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting and antigen detection. Molecular techniques involve detecting leishmanial DNA or RNA have been beneficial in not only diagnosis, but species identification also. The molecular techniques include using various versions of polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to amplify species specific parasite sequences, DNA probes, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and isoenzyme electrophoresis. Treatment All forms of leishmaniasis should be treated due to their mortality and morbidity consequences. Drugs are available to treat the disease and choice for all forms is the pentavalent antimonial compound sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam). Cutaneous leishmaniasis is also treated with injections of other antimonial compounds, such as fluconazole and litefosine, directly into the infected lesions (* Figure). Miltefosine has also proven to be an effective treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (Murray et al, 2009). However, as with all drug treatments, the development of drug resistance is a huge issue and over use of this drug in previous years could lead to Leishmania species becoming resistant. As well as this, there are considerable side effects associated with most drugs (Neuber, 2008). A safe and effective vaccine against the various species is urgently required particularly in endemic areas; however, there is currently no vaccine available although work to develop one is still ongoing. (To add: * Figure of such treatment) Social and Economical Implications Leishmaniasis is found in developing countries or the poorer regions of a country and thus commonly affects the poorest of the poor. Having such a disease can cause many problems in the lives of those infected and their families as they become poorer due to the direct and high costs of diagnosis and treatment of the disease, and the indirect costs such as loss of income (Chappuis et al, 2007). Another impact of the disease is the social and psychological stigma associated with leishmaniasis, because of the disfigurement and significant scarring caused. Thus, even after the disease has been treated or self-healed, patients must deal with a constant reminder of what they had to endure. Cheap, rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are needed to allow all those infected, especially the poor, to get the medical attention they need, and to also allow treatment to start as soon as possible thus ensuring symptoms may not be as detrimental. Project Aims The aim of this project is to compare the different methods for diagnosis of leishmaniasis in humans and dogs. These methods will be critically analysed in order to test the following hypothesis: A Leishmania infection can be detected unequivocally. In doing so, the necessary requirements for a correct diagnosis for those who live in endemic areas and for those whom leishmaniasis is a threat, will also be discussed.

Different Business Structures

There are many types of organisational structure a business may decide to adopt. This assignment will examine the four main different business structures and present the advantages and disadvantages of each one. The business structures that I will be examining are as follows: A sole trader is an organisation, which is owned by one person. The assets and liabilities of the owner and those of the business are the same. There are no legal or tax distinctions between the owner and business. This type of business is straightforward to set up and dissolve. It requires the minimal legal requirements and costs. The owner can make all the decisions and can retain all the profits. He owns all the assets of the business. The owner can draw or invest funds into or out of the business, as he deems necessary. Business losses can be offset against other income, including claw back of past pay as you earn (PAYE). As the sole trader is self-employed, he is able to defer Income Tax and reduce his National Insurance contributions. The owner†s personal assets can be transferred to a spouse (or any other relative). However, the assets may be required to be returned by the court if it is satisfied that they were transferred to defeat creditors that were owed money. There is no legal requirement to have the accounts and records audited. No public disclosure of accounts and records is necessary, unless the business is registered for Value Added Tax (VAT). There is no requirement to register for VAT unless the taxable supplies to customers is equal to, or exceeds, the registration level. The registration level is currently ? 50,000 for a twelve-month period). The main disadvantage for being a sole trader is the unlimited liability factor. The sole trader is putting at risk his entire personal fortune including his house, car and any other personal assets in his possession that are outside the business. This is because there is no distinction between the individual (the owner) and the business. The law does not recognise the business as an artificial person (unlike a company,) and the business therefore, does not receive the benefits that would be attached if it were. If the business does become bankrupt, the owner may loose his personal fortune to pay the debts of the business. It is also true that if the sole trader becomes bankrupt, the business cannot legally continue. There are no additional funds available from equity investment by persons outside the business (third parties). This therefore, limits the businesses† growth potential. The transfer of ownership is not very flexible and the owner can only sell assets. All of the profits from the business are taxes as personal income, whether they have been retained within the business or taken out. Although self-employment reduces the National Insurance contributions payable, it also reduces the benefits of the National Insurance entitlements. The tax relief on pension contributions is restricted. If any property is transferred to the spouse it is lost to the sole trader if the marriage breaks and the spouse refuses to give it up. If the owner dies, the business comes to an end and the executives in charge of his affairs either sell it as a going concern or sell the assets individually. This is easy to set up and dissolve. There are no legal requirements to audit the accounts. No public access to the accounts ensures confidentiality. Any business losses can be offset against other income. Can be converted to a limited company at a later stage. Benefits of self-employment for income tax and National Insurance. Can attract more capital by admitting new partners, however, each partner has the right to veto the introduction of the new partner. Can get credit easily because supplies are not at risk as it is the partners who are taking the risks. A partnership can sue (and be sued) in its own name even though it is not an artificial person. Can change s19 of the Partnership Act 1890, but all partners must agree (s24 of the Partnership Act 1890). Can change provision of the 1890 Act e. g. s24 – profit and losses shared equally, but partners may provide for a different share (e. g. ?: ? rofit liability) in their agreement. If no evidence of split, their split will be equal. Every partner has legal access to inspect and copy firms books s24 (9) Partnerships Act 1890. Differing salaries may be given to partners before surplus profit is split. No doctrine of ultra vires and partnership may engage in any lawful activity as the partners† see fit. Able to access knowledge and experience of the partners. Limited to maximum of 20 people by Companies Act 1985, some professions are exempt and can have partnerships of unlimited size (e. g. solicitors, accountants, estate agents, stock brokers). Partnerships are jointly and severally liable for debts. Liability extends to private assets/personal fortune. Bankruptcy of partnership equals bankruptcy of all partners (excluding limited partners under the Limited Partners Act 1907). If a partner dies, his estate may still be liable for the businesses debts. Unless specific continuation provisions are made in the agreement, death, bankruptcy or retirement will dissolve the partnership. Less flexibility than a limited company, in transferring ownership. High level of trust required. Whether drawn or not, the profits are taxed as income. Self-employed national insurance entitlements have less benefits. Tax relief on pension contributions is restricted. Partners can be sued individually, or together by a creditor that has not been paid. However remaining partners must buy out the share of the deceased, bankrupt or retiring partner and it may be difficult to raise the necessary funds. The Business Names Act 1985 requires the names of all the members of a partnership and addresses in Great Britain where documents can be served, must be stated at all business premises so they can be easily read. Also all names must go on letterheads/documents. If more than 20 partners, the firm may elect to have a statement on letterheads/documents of the firms† principle place of business with indication that the partners† names can be inspected there. Partnership will be in contract if a partner without the relevant authority binds them to it (apparent (ostensible) authority). The partnership is bankrupt if all the partners are also bankrupt (excluding a limited partner under the Limited Partnership Act 1907. There are many factors that are the same for a LTD and a PLC so these will be covered first and then the individual factors will be looked at later. The company is considered by law as an artificial legal person and has an independent legal and tax status. Therefore it can sue and be sued in its own name. As the company is independent of its members, there is limited liability for its shareholders who just risk the amounts invested. Unlike a sole trader and a partnership, the company owns the assets. The death or bankruptcy of a member does not affect the company, which has perpetual succession. Also, the members do not go bankrupt if the company is being wound up. To provide funds for the company shares are issued, which can have different classes and rights (e. g. preference shares and equity shares). Only company directors can bind the company. There is no upper limit restricting the number of members a company can have. A company has a greater facility for borrowing (e. g. it can borrow on debentures) and raising finance externally. The formalised structures make management clearer. It is easier to widen the ownership base. There are no limits regarding contributions made to a pension scheme with tax relief. Income tax is only paid on salaries drawn. When profits are retained in the company the higher rates of personal tax can be avoided. It is very time consuming and expensive to set up as a company. There is a complex registration – registering under the Companies Acts, documents must be delivered to the Registrar of Companies and there are many related fees. The companies must conform to the relevant formalities of the Companies Act 1985. There are many requirements concerning factors such as the accounts and records, audits, share issues, directors requirements etc. The accounts and records must be made accessible to the public so competitors will have access to them. Company subject to regulation and suspension from secretary of state for trade and industry, the courts and the registrar of companies – certain accounts records to be submitted to ROC – less of confidentiality. Audit and account costs high, full audit costs if sales exceed an upper limit. Shareholders personally taxed on dividends. Double tax when company pays corporation tax on profits and capital gains. Higher national insurance contribution. Limited liability initially as creditors and banks request personal guarantees from directors. Private Limited Company (LTD company) Has no minimum value required for the allotted share capital. Can on receipt of its certificate of incorporation limited can borrow and commence business. A LTD company needs only one director and one shareholder. There is less legislation than PLC to comply with. A member can appoint only one proxy who can vote and address the meeting. Can provide financial assistance to a person to help them purchase the companies shares. It is optional for a LTD to pay dividends. A LTD company can not sell shares or debentures to the public. Has to publish accounts but gets partial exemption from publishing the full accounts, if they are bellow an upper limit. The company secretary is not required to be qualified or experienced, so there may be a lack of knowledge. Share holders can not easily sell shares due to the lack of a market and Articles of association restrictions on transfer. The Public Limited Company (PLC company) Raise capital by selling shares and debentures to the public. Needs 2 directors and 2 share holders (unless registered before 1st Nov 1929). A member can appoint more than 1 proxy who can vote but can not address meetings. The secretary must be qualified and posses the requisite knowledge and experience. Public scrutiny over accounts aids performance and efficiency. Large market for shares. No restriction on share transfer on stock exchange, USM and AIM but must keep track of who has shares. Encourages investment into company by share ownership by paying dividends. Can be exempt from the statutory requirement to have its year end accounts audited. Has legal requirement concerning allotted share capital – must be equal or greater than fifty thousand pounds. Can not exercise its borrowing powers or enter business transactions until the registrar has granted it a section 117 certificate. High degree of legislation, rule and formalities it must conform to, e. g. directors retiring at 70 years of age, minimum of 2 directors, voting for directors individually at a general meeting, share allotment. Must publish its accounts in full. Can not give financial assistance to a person to enable him to purchase the companies shares.

No Child Left Behind Essay

The education policy that I chose is on education today and the influence of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. In 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act. The NCBL is a United States Act of Congress, which includes Title 1 (program for disadvantaged students offered by the government). This Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. Each state is required to give these assessments to all students to receive federal school funding. This Act does not set the standards nationwide; each individual state sets the standards. Diane Ravitch, an education philosopher was a supporter of this Act when it was being passed. She believed that every child had the right to a proper education. As the years passed she acquired more experience and knowledge on the Act, and is now completely opposed to the NCLB Act. Ravitch believes that the states dumb down the standards in light of the NCLB. The question now is: is the No Child Left Behind Act se eking to repair the problem, or is it the cause? Under NCLB, the accountability of a child’s education is examined by the Federal government and turned into the hands of the state. This was the first time an American president has set a goal of universal proficiency in reading and mathematics for all children. The federal emphasis on literacy, reading, and mathematics emphasizes teacher and school accountability, with negative consequences when schools do not meet established improvement goals (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Under NCLB the state must have accountability provisions that include how they will close the achievement gap. According to the Department of Education the achievement gap is defined as such; The difference between how well low-income and minority children perform on standardized tests as compared with their peers. For many years, low-income and minority children have fallen behind their white peers in terms of academic achievement (Department of Education, 2002). States must also monitor that every student not excluding the disadvantaged achieve academic proficiency. Yearly assessments must be produced to inform parents of the progress of both the state and the  community. Schools that do not meet the academic proficiency standards must offer supplemental services and take corrective action. If within five years the school is still not making yearly progress, than dramatic changes in the school’s academic direction must be made. Dramatic changes according to the Department of Education are defined as follows; â€Å"†¦additional changes to ensure improvement.† The definition raises the question of whether there is a plan for failure at all. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, in its â€Å"National Report Card† shows that these goals may be falling short. Students in fourth grade show temporary improvement in math right after No Child Left Behind became a law, but returned to pre-reform growth rate. The NAEP estimates that by 2014 less than 25% of financially challenged and African American students will achieve NAEP proficiency in reading. Using the same time frame less than half the financially challenged and African American students will obtain proficiency in math. With so much pressure on the states to perform well, a trend is becoming apparent that they are inflating proficiency levels of students. This causes discrepancies between the NAEP and state assessments especially among the financially challenged, African American, and Hispanic students. With no sufficient evidence shown on that NCLB is working, the question is as follows; is the federal government capable of running our school systems? There are undoubtedly dangers in the public school system teaching a federally mandated curriculum. When one controls people’s perception of history, one controls the present. There is, of course, a point to be made that if the nations’ children are kept in watered down public schools, positions of power will be opened to the children of the aristocracy, who without fail, are being sent to private schools. So many of those Politicians who stand in the way of allowing poor children to escape failing schools, send their own children to private schools (sic). In New York City, where I have spent most of my professional life, both the current and the past chancellor of schools sent their children to private schools. Six of the seven members of the now-defunct Board of Education had  also sent their children to private schools at one time or another. One might add to the list other notables in New York-the governor, the mayor, the leaders of both houses of the legislature, and the junior U.S. senator (and former first lady). In fact, I cannot remember a mayor of the city who sent his children to public school (Viteritti, 2003). The reports of success of NCLB are encouraging to those who support the project. There have been schools in Sterling, Virginia and New York City that have received No Child Left Behind blue ribbons for their success in closing the achievement gap. Other schools have earned national praise for instituting such curriculum as â€Å"Fit for the Future,† a standards-based health and fitness curriculum for grades 1-10; and an anti-bullying intervention program in York, Pennsylvania (Department of Education, 2005). These programs are used to show the benefits of NCLB but are they academic necessities? The curriculum in a kindergarten class in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin included a lesson entitled â€Å"The Little Convincer.† In which a state trooper came into the classroom with a mechanism designed to simulate a car accident. In a discussion about car seat laws, a topic critics of the curriculum call too heady for kindergarteners, the students, ages five to six years old, were asked repeatedly which one of them were actively using car seats, and whether their parents wore seat belts as well. One child who innocently told the officer that his daddy did not wear his seatbelt was told by the trooper that his daddy could go through the windshield and the glass would cut his face and arms like ribbons, and once he hit the road, the car would roll on top of him. The dramatic lesson ended with each of the students taking a turn in the mechanism that simulated the car crash. The officer would speak softly to the child asking them questions about their class or the clothes that they were wearing and when the child began to speak would jerk them forward violently to teach them that an accident could happen at anytime. The question is, are these academic lessons that parents assume that their children are attending school for? Is placing the curriculum in the hands of legislators going to further our children’s grasp of the three R’s as most parents hope, or are they going to be taught how to become complacent law abiding citizens? The problem in purposing that the public school system is flawed beyond repair is offering an alternative that people are comfortable with. When a conversation about privatizing the school system begins many questions must be answered to abate the fears of the public. Would privatizing schools be affordable to all families? Many debates have waged on the validity of a voucher program, allowing families to choose any school they desire whether it is parochial, private, public, or chartered. Without public schools, there are no taxes necessary to support the program, and that money can be returned to the families of school aged children, creating extra funds for private education. In a system of free market education the individual and specialized institutions of learning would have to compete for students, because the money would be linked to the students themselves. Never in the history of the free market have advances been made without competition. When the monopoly on our children’s future ends, a true marketplace of ideas will be born. In an interview with US News, Ravitch was asked â€Å"What needs to happen to make the law more effective for school?† she responded â€Å"I think the main thing to change is . . . to get rid of the remedies and the sanctions because the remedies don’t work and the sanctions don’t work. What No Child Left Behind has given the United States is an atmosphere of punitiveness. The word accountability has come to be a synonym for punish. If students don’t learn, it’s the teachers’ fault. Fire the teachers. Close the schools. We’re now on a wrecking mission to destroy American public education.† Ravitch has completely rejected this Act, and believes we should do something to make our education system stronger. I questioned? Is the No Child Left Behind Act seeking to repair the problem, or is it the cause? I now have the answer. The NCLB Act sounded very tempting as it was passed by congress, and many like Diane Ravitch had hopes in such a great project for our education system, but everything is not perfect. The NCBL offers great support to schools, although standardized testing is not the correct way of determining the amount of financial support each school deserves or requires. After long hours of research I believe that the No Child Left Behind Act has taken a part in the cause of our problem in our education system today. Schools will not improve if the value is set only on what is tested. â€Å"The tests we have now provide useful information about students’ progress in reading and mathematics, but they cannot measure what matters most in education.† (Ravitch. The Death and Life of The Great American School System, pg. 226) In order to improve our public school system we must start by focusing on our schools, offering them an authentic and sincere education that encourages our students to learn.