An Introduction to Korsakoffs Syndrome

An Introduction to Korsakoffs Syndrome Korsakoff’s syndrome is a memory disorder caused by a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1, in the body. It is usually characterized by amnesia, disorientation, apathy, and confabulation – a condition in which a person reports events that never happened. Korsakoff’s syndrome is commonly associated with prolonged alcohol misuse. Effects of Thiamine Deficiency on the Body Thiamine is critical to the health of living organisms. It serves as a  cofactor  for enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism.  These  enzymes  help produce chemicals needed for generating important  molecules  for the body, such as those that help give cells energy and others that are crucial to building protein. Thus, a lack of thiamine can interfere with many of the body’s processes and lead to  cellular death. Although thiamine is essential for the body, the body does not produce thiamine on its own, and only stores a small amount of thiamine (about 30 mg) at one time. The body can deplete this small store of thiamine in only a few weeks if thiamine is not ingested. When combined with alcohol misuse, thiamine deficiency can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb and transport additional amounts of thiamine. For example, liver damage can reduce how much thiamine can be stored in the body. Furthermore, the transport of thiamine through several parts of the body, like the  blood-brain barrier, can be impaired. These sites would then require even more thiamine to function normally. Neuropsychology of Korsakoffs Syndrome Thiamine deficiency affects several brain regions involved in  episodic memory. These areas, which include structures in the  limbic system  such as the  hippocampus, are responsible for the coding, storage, and retrieval of memories related to specific events. Other memory systems can also be affected by thiamine deficiency,  including autobiographical memory, which combines memories of personal experiences (episodic memory) with general knowledge about the world (autobiographical knowledge). Another area that can be damaged is implicit learning, which is the knowledge that one learns without being aware of it, like the motor skills involved in riding a bike. Though researchers have emphasized the role of memory in Korsakoff’s syndrome, its symptoms often include impairments in executive functions, like reasoning and speech, which are associated with the  frontal lobes  of the brain. For example, confabulation – which is a main characteristic of the syndrome – may involve both memory and the frontal lobes. This has led some researchers to postulate that neurotoxicity resulting from alcohol would primarily affect the frontal lobes of the brain, and occur alongside thiamine deficiency, which affects memory – though this hypothesis has been debated. Causes of Korsakoffs Syndrome Though Korsakoff’s syndrome is commonly associated with alcohol misuse, the condition is not necessarily caused by alcohol. Other causes of Korsakoff’s syndrome include poor nutrition, anorexia, and surgical procedures that are performed to induce weight loss – which can lead to a deficiency of thiamine in the body. TheWet Brain â€Å"Wet brain,† or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, describes individuals who develop both Korsakoff’s syndrome and Wernicke’s encephalopathy due to  alcohol misuse. In cases of wet brain, Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which is characterized by imbalance, confusion, and double vision, occurs  first. Wernicke’s encephalopathy occurs suddenly but its symptoms are often reversible with thiamine treatments. Korsakoff’s syndrome occurs more slowly, and its symptoms are typically irreversible. Around 85 percent of individuals with Wernicke’s encephalopathy develop Korsakoff’s syndrome. Theoretical Explanations There are two distinct theoretical explanations for Korsakoffs syndrome: the continuity hypothesis and the dual-process model. The continuity hypothesis for Korsakoff’s syndrome states that there is a continuum of increasingly worsening cognitive and neurophysiological symptoms, such as memory loss, that can result from alcohol misuse. This continuum extends from individuals who are dependent on alcohol but do not have any complications to those with Korsakoff syndrome. This suggests that Korsakoff’s syndrome is a more severe consequence of alcohol dependence, though worse conditions do not necessarily correlate to a more pronounced drinking history. However, studies testing the continuity hypothesis have mostly focused on memory, with little evidence for other impairments that are also observed in Korsakoff’s syndrome. The dual-process model states that cognitive processes like decision-making utilize one of two systems: the â€Å"reflective system,† in which an individual deliberates a decision before making one, and the â€Å"automatic-affective system,† in which someone impulsively acts. The reflective system is associated with the prefrontal lobes, while the automatic-affective system mostly concerns the limbic system. Normally, these two systems work together to ensure that someone is making coherent decisions. However, this balance may be disrupted in someone who is addicted to alcohol. They have a more active automatic-affective system, which leads to more impulsive behavior, and a less active reflective system, which means those impulsive behaviors are less likely to be inhibited. Though this model may be of relevance to Korsakoff’s syndrome, it has mostly been tested on people who have recently recovered from an alcohol addiction and do not have Korsakoff’s syndrome. The model should be validated through further study. Korsakoffs Syndrome Key Takeaways Korsakoff’s syndrome, which is commonly associated with the misuse of alcohol, is a long-term consequence of thiamine deficiency. Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is an essential vitamin for the body to function.The syndrome is mostly characterized by deficits in memory, though it affects other functions of the brain as well.Models have been postulated to explain Korsakoff’s syndrome, but the models still require further study. Sources â€Å"Autobiographical memory.† In Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference, 2008, pp. 893-909.Brion, M., D’Hondt, F., Davidoff, D., and Maurage, P. â€Å"Beyond cognition: Understanding affective impairments in Korsakoff syndrome.† Emotion Review, vol. 8, no. 4, 2016, pp. 376-384.Brion, M., Pitel, A., Beaunieux, H., and Maurage, P. â€Å"Revisiting the continuum hypothesis: toward an in-depth exploration of executive functions in Korsakoff syndrome.† Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, vol. 8, 2014.Cornell University. â€Å"Thiamine biochemistry.†Martin, P., Singleton, C., and Hiller-Sturmhà ¶fel, S. â€Å"The role of thiamine deficiency in alcoholic brain disease.†McCormick, L., Buchanan, J., Onwuameze, O., Pierson, R., and Paradiso, S. â€Å"Beyond alcoholism: Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome in patients with psychiatric disorders.† Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, vol. 24, no. 4, 2011, pp. 209-216Thomson, A., Guerrini, I., and Ma rshall, E. â€Å"The evolution and treatment of Korsakoff’s syndrome.† Neuropsychology Review, vol. 22, no. 2, 2012, pp. 81-92.

Viral marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Viral marketing - Essay Example The fundamental issue of viral marketing is natural human behavior. Developing marketing strategies, managers take into account social and personal factors, individual characteristics of a target group and their needs. Whether such carryover from business to society will be effective is another matter. Thus, viral marketing does have a stake in the welfare of this nation and it should accept its responsibilities in society and become more intimately involved with societal concerns (Bryce, 2007). As a result, it is necessary to develop further marketing theory, facts, concepts, models, and ideas that interface with such problems. This is grist for social marketing. Unless marketing develops its social awarenesses and implements social actions that are acceptable, government will be forced to do that which marketing has not been willing to do voluntarily, thereby circumscribing the boundaries of marketing management. Following Dunn and Probstein (2003): "Viral marketing is powerful bec ause it is the antithesis of hard sell or "shout" paid advertising. Hotmail experienced this in the on-line buzz it received when it offered free email. Hotmail attached its URL and a brief marketing message to the bottom of every Hotmail" (10). This example illustrates habitual behavior of customers and importance of social networks and personal relations between consumers. Viral marketing allows consumers to achieve a sense of broad community, inspire personal interest and participation. Viral marketing performs its social role in two ways. First, marketing faces social challenges in the same sense as the government and other institutions. But unlike the government, marketing finds its major social justification through offering product-service mixes and commercially unified applications of the results of technology to the marketplace for a profit. Second, it participates in welfare and cultural efforts extending beyond mere profit considerations, and these include various community services and charitable and welfare activities. For example, marketing has had a hand in the renewed support for the arts in general, the increasing demand for good books, the attendance at operas and symphony concerts, the sale of classical records, the purchase of fine paintings through mail-order catalogues, and the attention being given to meeting educational needs. The se worthy activities, while sometimes used as a social measure, do not determine the degree of social concern or the acceptance of social responsibility (Bryce, 2007). Human behavior is explained by communication and personal relations between consumers who share their likes and dislikes with each other. It is assumed that a consumer tells two or three people about the services or products he use or buy. In many cases, consumer preferences are based on word-of-mouth recommendations rather than advertising or promotion. In reality, the improvement of material situations is a stimulus for recognition of intrinsic values, the general lifting of taste, the enhancement of a moral climate, the direction of more attention to the appreciation of arts and esthetics. History seems to confirm this; for great artistic and cultural advancements were at least accompanied by, if not directly stimulated by, periods of

Leadership and Team Dynamics in the MSCC Case Study - 30

Leadership and Team Dynamics in the MSCC - Case Study Example With respect to the key responsibilities that were associated with each role, Jim Kovecki was primarily responsible for systems maintenance and operations. Conversely, Leon Lassiter was primarily responsible for marketing outreach and conducting himself as a representative of the organization as a means to boost visibility, promote the services that the organization offered, and seek to better hone and organize marketing dynamics to better serve the needs of the organization. Lastly, Jeff Hedges was the lead director of research. Although these roles are straightforward enough, the problem that emerged was that nearly as soon as the project began, the key roles and responsibilities of the individuals that have thus far been enumerated upon seemed to experience a sudden shift. Due to the fact that Lassiter was the one that was spearheading the effort to purchase and implement the new systems, the other shareholders showed little if any interest in fulfilling their job responsibilities in order to assist the transition; interested instead in seeking to busy themselves on other tasks, or outright decline to participate in what they termed as â€Å"Lassiter’s project†. In much the same way, Lassiter was left to spearhead an information technology change over that he had little if any experience in. This served as both a disservice to the firm as well as a disservice to his own responsibilities that he was charged with fulfilling.

Financial Analysis of Target Corp. and JCPenney Research Paper

Financial Analysis of Target Corp. and JCPenney - Research Paper Example Presently, headquarter of the company is situated in Minneapolis. The company has been ranked 22nd by the Fortune magazine within its list under the category of â€Å"World’s Most Admired Companies†. Also it has been titled as the 23rd by Forbes magazine within its list under the category of â€Å"America’s Most Reputable Companies†. There are many subsidiaries of the Target Corporation: Financial and Retail Services (FRS), Target Sourcing Services (TSS), Target Commercial Interiors, Target Brands and Target.com. Target had declared its expansion into Canada and has plans to inaugurate around 100 to 150 stores over there by the year 2013. The total revenue of the company during the year 2010 was $67.4 billion (My Target, 2010). Background of J. C. Penney Company, Inc J. C Penney Company, Inc., better known as JCPenney is one amongst many big retailers in the Unites States. The company operates with its 1100 departmental stores situated all around America a nd Puerto Rico. JCPenney also has sites on the internet for its trading in the retail sections of home furnishings and apparels. The company is headquartered in Plano, TX and has 150000 associates. The company offers a wide variety of brands inclusive of private brands, national brands and exclusive brands to more than 50 percent of the American people. The company depicted annual revenue of $17.8 billion during the year 2010 (JCPenney, 2010). Calculation of Ratio for Target Corporation and J. C. Penney Company, Inc Ratios Target Corporation (in millions $ except number of shares) J. C. Penney Company, Inc (in millions $ except number of shares) Book Value Per Share Ratio = (Total shareholder equity – Preferred equity) / Total outstanding shares (15487-0) / 704038218 = 0.000022 (5460-0) / 237000000 = 0.000023 Current ratio = Current asset / Current liabilities 17213 / 10070 = 1.71 6370 / 2647 = 2.41 Net Profit Margin on Sales = Net Earnings / Sales 2920 / 67390 = 0.043 389 / 17759 = 0.022 Earnings per Share = (Net income- Dividends on preferred stock) Average outstanding shares 2920 / 704038218 = 4.00 (Diluted earnings per share) 389/ 237000000 = 1.64 (Diluted earnings per share) EBITDA per share = EBITDA / Outstanding shares 7336 / 704038218 = 10.4 1343 / 237000000 = 5.67 Debt/Equity Ratio = Long term debt / Common stock equity 3954 / 3370 = 1.17 3099 / 4043 = 0.77 Interpretation and Description of the Findings From analyzing the book value per share ratio of a company, not many facts can be interpreted. Book value is rather the accounting value of the shares of a company. This value is considerably different from the market value of the shares. Book values are determined on the basis of the company’s retained earnings and costs whereas market values are determined on the basis of expectations of investors. On comparing the book value and the market value of the company’s shares, inferences can be derived as to whether the company’ s stock is overvalued or undervalued. The only situation when book value can be useful is when the market value of the company’s stock is lower than the book value of the stock. This situation seldom arises but if this arises, then the investors anticipate the company to be undervalued and are attracted to buy. The market value of Target Corporation is $51.19 and the book value would be approximately $22. This

Water Prevention And Control Of Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Water Prevention And Control Of Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay The water law framework in our country is attributed by the coexistence of a number of different principles, rules and acts adopted over several decades extending from common law principles and irrigation acts from the colonial acts to the recent regulation of water quality and pollution. The basic underlying reasons for water law reforms are both physical and institutional. Over the past few decades water has gradually become sparse in many parts of the country. This can be attributed to increased pollution of finite water resources and also increased use of water by all categories of water users as a consequence of economic and population growth. The Water Act of 1974 was Indias first attempt towards dealing comprehensively with the environment related issues. Water is a subject in the State List under the Constitution. Consequently, the Water Act which is a central law came into being under Article 252(I) of the Constitution which empowers the Union Government to make laws in a field reserved for states. All the states have approved the implementation of Water Act 1974. In spite of this there is a lack of umbrella legislation at the national level because of which different state and central legal interventions do not coincide often. Water Prevention And Control Of Pollution Act, 1974 Salient Features The Water Act establishes a Central and State pollution control boards. The Central Board may advise the Central Govt. on water pollution issues, coordinate the activities of state pollution control boards and devise a comprehensive plan for the control and prevention of water pollution. In case of any conflicts between the Central and the State boards, central board prevails. This act is applicable to streams, inland waters, subterranean waters, and sea or tidal waters. Standards for the discharge of effluent or the quality of the used water being released into the water sources are to be prescribed by the state boards. Any person or any industry for that matter has to take the consent of the state board before proceeding towards establishing any industry, operation or process or any treatment or waste disposal system. The Act specifies other important functions of the state boards as follows: Devising a comprehensive programme for prevention, control and abatement of water pollution in respective states Encouraging, conducting, and participating in investigations and research of water pollution problems Inspecting facilities for sewage and developing economical and reliable methods of its treatment State board in its capacity may take emergency measures if it foresees accidents or events that might pollute the water bodies. These measures include activities like removing the pollutants, alleviating the damage and issuing orders to the polluter prohibiting effluent discharges. Under section 33A state boards can issue directions to any person, office or authority, including orders to close, prohibit or regulate any industry, operation or process and to stop or regulate the supply of water, electricity or any other service. Not complying with a court order under section 33 or a direction from the board under section 33A is punishable by fines and imprisonment as per section 41. In order to assist the Water Act, the Water Pollution Board constituted under the Pollution Act, has been empowered under the Cess Act to levy a cess/tax for meeting the financial requirements for its working. This cess is for the purposes and utilization under the Water Act. The Cess Act grants a rebate in the cess payable to those who install a plant for the treatment of sewage or effluents. This is one of the steps to encourage establishments to set up effluent treatment plants and process the effluents before releasing them. However it is to be noted that Cess Act cannot be deciphered individually and should be taken into consideration only in relation with the Water Act. While it is quite evident that water laws are the need of the hour but these water law reforms can only contribute to solving water management issues but fail to solve issues related to human rights, social, environmental and health aspects of water. Textile industry The textile industry in India mainly depends upon exports and manufacturing. Export income from textiles account for around 30% of Indias export revenues and 3% of Indias Gross domestic product. This industry has grown a lot over the past few years especially after the economic liberalization in 1991 where the country was opened to free trade under the auspices of Dr Manmohan Singh. The table below gives the major strength and weaknesses of the textile industry in the country Strengths Weaknesses Production Capacity Increased global competition Cheap Labor Dumping Efficient production facilities Huge Decentralized sector Large domestic markets High production costs Large Export Potential Poor Supply chain management Flexible manufacturing Systems Outdated technologies To grow at a rate of around 15% in the coming years the sector needs to keep in mind the following points which shall go a long way in ensuring that growth is maintained at healthy rate and is also sustainable. Threat of competition in Domestic Market Ecological and Social Awareness Ecological and social awareness are going to play a huge role in determining who is going to reap profits in a sustainable manner keeping in view the sensitivity of the stakeholders who are most of the times the losers when large scale development takes place. The industry is likely to face pressure from the media, the Government and the common people to follow international norms and regulations which shall prohibit it from using natural resources like Water which is a key ingredient in producing textiles. The way this industry uses water and how much it pollutes the various sources shall be determined by external factors. Developed markets have extremely high standards of consumer consciousness on issues such as polluting Dyes, Usage of Child Labor, Unhealthy working conditions of the mill workers etc. Standards like SA 8000 have now been started to get implemented in the industry at a large scale. This has also led to pressure on companies to limit sourcing from countries which violate the practices mandated under the norms of SA 8000. The Indian industry needs to improve its working practices and the fallout of the new international developments in this particular area. In such a scenario large players can take advantage of this and indulge in practices which promote sustainability. Proper water Use by textile mills and recycling and purifying water and then reusing it for industrial purposes can also serve the purpose in the long run. Textile Industry and water Pollution Textile Industry is one of the most polluting industries in the country and in terms of consumption of water it constitutes around 3.2% of total consumption of water for various processes like scouring, sizing, and bleaching, dying and other associated processes. It is one of the most growing sectors in the Indian economy in terms of its contribution to the total GDP of the country. Water pollution is done by each and every process in the whole manufacturing of textiles, The table below gives an exhaustive list of the various processes and the nature of effluents and pollutants which are released as a result of the above. Process Pollutants Nature of Effluents Desizing Starch, Glucose, Resins, Fats and Waxes High Biochemical oxygen demand Kiering Caustic Soda, Wax, Grease, Soda Ash, Sodium Sillicate Strongly Alkaline, High Biochemical oxygen Demand Bleaching Hypochlorite, Caustic soda, Hydrogen peroxide and acids Low biochemical oxygen demand and strongly alkaline Mercerization Caustic Soda Strongly alkaline, low biochemical oxygen demand Dyeing Reducing agents like sulphides, acetic acids and soaps Fairly high biochemical oxygen demand ,strongly colored Printing Dyes, starch, gums oil, china clay, mordants, acids and salts Faily high biochemical oxygen demand, Oily appearance Finishing Special finishes, starch, salts, tallow Low Biochemical oxygen demand, less alkaline The polluted water is very harmful for human beings living in and around the area where the pollution takes place as the turbidity of the water is very high and toxic elements present in the water which have a detrimental effect on humans and animals make such water unfit for consumption. The stakeholders which reside alongside areas which are affected by this menace face severe health hazards and face decrease and productivity and life span as a result of the above. Effects on Aquatic Life and Other living creatures High PH levels in water makes it alkaline, alkaline water is not fit for aquatic creatures like fishes and it also causes incrustation in sewers and may also damage crops by hampering their natural growth rate. Spoiling the natural color of water hampers the passage of sunlight and thus prevents photosynthesis in the aquatic plants and other marine life existing inside water. The effluents and oils present in the pollutants which are passed into water increase the turbidity of water and gives it a bad appearance and foul smell. Oily scum interferes with the oxygen transfer and colloidal matter clog the pores of soil. High levels of dissolved solids are detrimental to sewers as it causes incrustation in sewers. High level of sodium is also harmful to crops. Dissolved oxygen in water is an essential element in marine life and therefore the amount of oxygen required to correct the effluent is expressed in the form of biochemical oxygen demand or BOD. Steps to curb Water Pollution To curb pollution due to these textile mills in the areas around them the following measures can be taken in order to increase measures leading to long term sustainability as a corporate strategy which is wholly aligned to the business goals of being profitable in the long run and acquire market share in the future. Reduction in waste water volume: The water used in processing of textiles is reduced to a considerable extent such that the effluent concentration is limited to a specified small volume of water and it does not start impacting larger volume of water. Counter flow processing Water re-use technique which uses the same water before discharging it into the water body so that effluent concentration is limited to a small volume and more water is saved in the process. Reduction of process chemicals: The process chemicals create more than 90% of the pollution in textile industries. This also brings down the production cost in terms of the chemicals used. It can be achieved through reusing various chemicals when processes are completed. For Example: Caustic soda is recovered from the mercerizing and sourcing and is consequently filtered and dialyzed so that it can be reused. Process modification would involve slight modifications in the various processes used during manufacturing in order to create lesser pollution and reduces unnecessary wastage of water. Certain alternate chemicals can also be used during manufacturing so that recovering those chemicals become easy and it thus can be used in further manufacturing processes. Pre-Release Stage Water Treatment Before water is released into the nearest water body it is essential that it is treated properly in order to ensure that there is significant reduction in the level of pollutants in water before it gets released into the water body. The following steps are necessary in order to ensure proper water condition before release into the nearest river or stream or lake. Primary Treatment: It involves concepts of removal of suspended solids by sedimentation, floatation or coagulation techniques using alum and electrolyte. Secondary Treatment: This involves oxidation of organic matter by aeration either by chemical of biological methods or by both. This is done in presence of micro organisms in presence of chemicals such as Urea. Pollutants resistant to biodegradation such as detergents and petrochemicals are removed by non biological means and are again treated with bleaching powder before releasing them into the water body. Tertiary Treatments: Tertiary treatment contains of three main methods like Chemical Coagulation which involves a mixing tank with the effluent and the coagulant mixed and its PH adjusted to an optimum level. The resultant coagulated material is separated by sedimentation or flocculation. Carbon absorption Technique which is effective in removing pigments and dyes using carbon which is activated and has large surface area. Reverse osmosis where cellulose acetate is used to create a semi permeable membrane and subjected to pressure which is usually greater than the osmotic pressure of the effluent. This process can remove 95% of the dissolved solid content as the solution passes from area of higher concentration to lower concentration. Now to discuss the applicability of these methods to curb water pollution in Textile industry and also to do the cost benefit analysis of the same we shall discuss a relevant case of Tiruppur Textile Industry. Case discussion: Tiruppur Textile Industry Background South Asia lately has become the hub of Industrialisation and the unchecked growth is leading to severe environmental problems. Industries have sprung up as clusters which is why the issue of environmental pollution becomes even more relevant in highly water polluting industries like textile dyeing, leather tanning, paper and pulp processing, sugar manufacturing, etc. The runoff released by these industries leads to contamination of surface and ground water sources and eventually impacts the livelihood of the poor. In a usual scenario, the above mentioned industrial units function at a small or medium scale, are a huge employment opportunity for the locals and have the potential to generate foreign exchange because all these industries are export oriented and more than half of their produce is shipped abroad. Given the vast coverage of these industries, the pollution control mechanisms have been awfully weak in these units. The pollution control authorities have been lenient in imple menting the law and ensuring prevention of water pollution caused due to these industries mainly considering the socio economic benefits that they provide and also the low financial capacity of the small scale units. It is a huge capital investment for the relatively smaller industrial units to set up effluent treatment plants and the return on investment is very low. Since they provide employment, therefore these agencies have not tightened the noose on them. This stance of the Pollution Control Boards further discouraged the polluting industries to formulate and implement pollution management and reduction strategies either by efficient effluent treatment or process changes by adopting newer and cleaner technologies. In this report we have attempted to analyse the environmental impact of the production process followed in a textile unit with reference to Tiruppur, a major textile cluster in South India. A cost benefit analysis of the implementation of cleaner production processes and setting up of treatment plants has also been done to depict the return on investment for these textile units. Textile Industry And Its Benefits Tiruppur, located in Tamil Nadu, is a leading cotton knitwear industrial hub in South India. The industrial activities have experienced a rapid growth during the last two decades due to decentralization and flexibility. At this point of time more than 9000 small-scale textile related units are operating with a volume of investment more than US $ 200 million. The city of Tiruppur contributes 56% of the total cotton knitwear exports from India. The industry provides socio-economic benefits to the local community and to the nation in the form of employment, income, and foreign exchange. More than 2 lakh people are directly employed by this industry. The export value from Tiruppur during the year 2002 was about US $ 957.5 million. An equal amount is sold in the domestic market. The economic opulence of Tiruppur on this industry and the local community is employed either directly or indirectly in this industry in one way or the other. Textile Process And Pollution The textile manufacturing process on the whole is a polluting activity with the major contributors being the bleaching and dyeing (textile processing).During 1981, in Tiruppur , only around 70 textile units were operating. This number drastically rose to 450 ten years later and further to 866 in 1997. With due credit to efforts of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) against the release of untreated effluents some units had to be shut down because of non-conformity to the pollution prevention standards in the state. In 2004 there were a total of 702 textile processing units functioning in Tiruppur. These units together used around 85 million litres per day (mld) of water and discharged a similar quantity (83 mld) as effluents, which are laced with a significant volume of chemicals used at the wet processing stage. The point worth noting here is that the amount of water used as input is almost same as the amount of water that is released in the water bodies which actually me ans that if there is a possibility to treat the effluents, the resultant residual water can be used as a recycled input and thus costs can be decreased. These units collectively produced a quantity of 15,000 tonnes of cloth per month. The incessant release of untreated effluents for more than 10 years has resulted in accumulation of harmful suspended and dissolved solids in the soil, ground water, etc. at Tiruppur and surroundings. During 1980 to 2000, the cumulative pollution load discharged by the Tiruppur units is as follows: Total Dissolved Solids(TDS) : 2.35 million tonnes Chloride: 1.31mt Sulphate: 0.13 mt Total Suspended Solids: 0.098 mt Chemical Oxygen Demand: 0.09mt Biological Oxygen Demand: 0.03 mt Oil and Grease: 0.001mt Impact of Textile Effluents On The Environment From the research conducted on water pollution in Tiruppur area, it is clearly evident that the accumulation of chemicals had added to the woes. All ground water studies showed that open wells and bore wells in and around Tiruppur exhibited high levels of TDS (ranging from 3000mg/l to 11,000 mg/l) and Chloride (ranging from 2000 mg/l to 5000 mg/l) due to industrial pollution and these values were much higher than the background level for this region. The available groundwater in this region was rendered unsuitable for domestic, industrial or irrigation consumption. The surface water studies indicated that the Noyyal river (the river passes through Tiruppur and receives the major share of untreated effluents), reservoir, downstream of Noyyam, (Orthapalayam) and irrigation tanks have been adversely affected by industrial pollution and the surface water is unfit for consumption purposes. A study to measure the quality of soil also indicated the pollution concentration and most of the ar ea the soil is alkaline (pH >8.5) or tending to alkalinity (pH 8-8.5). The Damage Cost Imposed By Pollution Due to high water pollution many adverse effects in the ecology of the Tiruppur area are observed. Agricultural water, drinking water and various fisheries in Tiruppur area and downstream villages have been affected. The water which has been polluted by the textile industry is injurious (EC>3mmhos/cm) to agriculture in an area of 146.3 square km and critical (EC 1.1 to 3 mmhos/cm) in 218.3 square km. Because of this, crop productivity in these villages has declined substantially which has affected the welfare of farmers. Recently farmers took action and filed a case against the industry. The total cost to agriculture was estimated at US $50 million. Drinking water in these villages has also been affected and the municipality has to bring additional water from neighboring villages. In affected villages, special water supply schemes have been issued by the Water Board. Also, a lot of the short fall is being met by bringing water from distant sources of water which leads to the wastage of a lot of time and effort. Considerin all of this, the total damage cost due to pollution of drinking water comes down to US$23.8 million. The fisheries activities in various downstream regions like the Noyyalriver, tanks and reservoirs have been affected as well. Fish mortality rate has increased which has led to a stoppage of fish culture. US $.15 miilion comes out to be the loss in value of fish and besides that, the possibility of the toxicity of existing fish is also high, consumption of which can lead to serious health problems. This high level of pollution has had an adverse effect on the operations of the industry itself. Since most of the industrial wells in this area have only coloured, or very highly polluted water, major water supply is brought in through tankers from peripheral areas. The cost incurred by the industry to maintain this additional source of water supply is US $165 million. Besdies this, the continued buying of water leads to the development of a water market, which causes the water levels in the peripheral villages to go down, affecting the livelihood of villagers. On many occasions, protests have been done by villagers against the water transfer. A mega water supply project is being undertaken by the Tiruppur Area Development Corporation. The total cost of this project is estimated to be US $269 millions and will have to be financed by government agencies and the consortium. Under this scheme, it has been planned that 185 mld of water, which would be both industrial and domestic, would be transferred to Tiruppur from River Cauvery, which is an interstate and a very controversial river in India. If this project would succeed, the industry will need to pay more than what they are currently paying for water, which could result in a huge cost increase for textile processing. Besides these quantifiable terms, human health and aquatic eco-system of river, tanks and reservoir, livestock etc. also get affected by water pollution, but their cost has not been taken into account as it is not easy to express in monetary terms. Status of Effluent Treatment On seeing various adverse effects and hence assessing the seriousness of pollution from textile affluents, the Courts finally gave an order against the continued functioning of various polluting units without being accompanied by effluent treatment plants in 1997. After this order, the state pollution control agency has increased the amount of pressure on all the textile manufacturing units towards effluent treatment. The units which were too small to comply with these regulations and survive were closed. Presently out of the existing 702 units, 278 units are treating upto 38 mld of water effluents through Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CEPTs) which are 8 in number and 424 units are treating upto 45 mldof chemical effluents using Individual Effluent Treatment Plants (IETPs). For effective effluent treatment, US $ 10 million has been spent for various fixed costs, which the Government subsidizes heavily. Besides these, an additional US $ 6.7 million has already been incurred as ann ual running costs. The cost analysis has shown that the variable cost per unit of effluent treatment is much higher than the capital cost both in the IETPs (which is 86% of total cost) and CETPs (which is 73%). Unfortunately the current treatment system is not sufficient for reducing the large amounts of TDS, particularly the acids like Chloride and Sulphates. The average concentration of TDS in the treated effluents is 300 of the TNPCB standard of 2100 mg/l. The same is true of Chloride, which averages more than 300% of the CETP existent standard. Learnings from the case Thus we can see that the management of environment at the Tiruppur textile industry has been difficult and the various difficulties faced by the various actors (State Pollution Control Board, Water Resources Organisations, Local Government , Industrial Organisations, NGOs etc.) or interested parties in this regard or in finding a solution for this problem. If these difficulties had been effectively dealt with, the environmental impacts could not have continued at this level. The above analysis on various RO plants and CPT for the textile units has clearly shown the long run advantage to the industries apart from reducing the various social costs. These technologies can be implemented by all large-scale units who possess the capacity for investment and have long-term vision about the business. But the affordability of affluent treatments among existing large number of small and medium units remains a big challenge. The textile manufacturing industry is predominantly an export oriented business which faces high competition. So any investment done on RO or CPT here impacts the cost of production by increasing it in the short run which is especially true for the smaller units. Also being able to find such big investment, which is approximately more than 10-20 times the overall capital investment, is almost impossible. But the introduction of a much cleaner production for textiles and the availability of advanced treatment technology is the viable long term solution towards further improvement of environmental standards. Realizing the same facts, (i.e. the existing economic benefits of the Tiruppur industry, social costs of pollution, various constraints in effective management of pollution among small scale units, and the need for a having a critical solution for the pollution problem), an integrated process of pollution management can be attempted at by different actors who are related to Tiruppur textile business. In such circumstances the role of various foreign buyers and the consumers of Tiruppur garments are greatly significant. If a very strong demand for garments which are pollution free or come with a green label is observed from them along with a willingness to pay more, definitely it would provide pressure to introduce cleaner technology by the various industries operating in this domain. A few very small units will have no other option but to close down, since making such an investment may not be viable for them. Other units however can think of various steps like unit modification individually or even have joint units. Most critical are proper technical guidelines for these units and financial support is needed for the units from various domestic and foreign research institutions and other donor agencies. In parallel, sincere collaborative efforts from joint industrial associations, pollution law enforcement agencies, industrial consultants and experts, etc. are also required. Only than the textile industry in Tiruppur would be a ble to achieve the ideal objective of sustainable development. Recommended Strategy for companies in textile industry The companies in Textile industries can be divided into two: Major players with financial strength to invest in greener technologies and small player which need assistance even to maintain regulatory standards. Hence the strategy will also differ based on the type of company. Strategy for small players A broad categorization has been done based on the revenue. Below Rs. 10 million the company can be said a small company. It is imperative for a small company to follow regulatory standards at least. While government is finding difficult to close all such factory due to labor intensive nature of such industry it is always a long term risk hence the standards should always be maintained. Hence their strategy is to achieve the minimum standards by increasing the cost as less as possible. The immediate high investment in green technology may throw them out of market. Following strategy must be followed by the company. To have least impact on increment in costs the company might seek financial assistance from government subsidy or jointly making investments. To get knowledge assistance it could collaborate with various stakeholders. Strategy for big players: A major player could afford a significant investment for the long term overall benefit. The strategy should be to gain competitive advantage by achieving Cleaner process technology and establishing efficient effluent treatment plants. These will have high investments in short term but will give major cost advantage and high value of intangibles, other important aspect is to have a differentiation based on greener features. This way a high premium could be charged against the product and much higher overall profitability could be achieved.

The Drug Issue in Australia :: essays research papers

The drugs issue is a major problem in Australia. A simple solution cannot be found to solve this great problem because there are so many decisions, thoughts and sacrifices that need to be made. All sides of the issue must be considered when making such a large decision. To find a solution, several tests, meetings, interviews and research need to be made, to name a few. Extreme care is needed when challenging such major issues, all aspects of the problem need to be considered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zajdow describes drug abuse as being a social, legal, health, economic and ethical issue (1999, p.44). This great problem therefore involves not only one department, but also many other departments. These include the police, who offer their power and resources, Justice, who has the resources for jail, Health, which offers treatment programs, and Education which provides drug education to the community. Without these departments, the issue would be too complicated for the Government to solve on their own. However, as indicated by Knowles, these departments were bidding for more funds to strengthen the resources they provide (2000, p.1). The drugs issue as a social concern:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are an estimated 25,000 heroin users in Victoria (Hodder, p.10). This is a very large amount of people on drugs, in the last 10 years it has been shown to increase and therefore the drug issue is becoming a major problem to all the people in Victoria.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some people argue that the drug users aren’t the heroin victims. One writer notes, 'The parents of the user who steals from them, abuses them, physically, emotionally and mentally, the siblings who suffer the loss of care and love but who also get abused and used by the user, the kids of the user who learn that the parent's desire for smack is greater than the desire to be a parent,' are the real heroin victims (Fitzgerald, 2000). This problem therefore effects not only the user but the society living around them as well. The drugs issue as a legal problem:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Government needs to draw the line somewhere. In Sweden the Government was giving out free heroin, in order to keep the drugs free from being impure. However, Margaret McKay (2001) declares that if we follow in same steps, soon we will be giving out not only free heroin, but also other illegal substances as well. It will then lead to problems with other drugs as well.

Jesus and Cicero Essay

Sinning is one thing people feel that when people do die, they should automatically go to the underworld, or hell, due to their sinful actions. In the Aeneid, book number six, Virgil describes a place where these people go when they perish on earth. When these people get to the underworld, they are judged by their actions and punished depending on the severity of it. Virgil gives us the idea that there is indeed an afterlife, just like Jesus did. But when it came to sinners, Jesus forgave people who have sinned because he wants people to learn the idea of forgiving. Also he wants people to know that nobody is perfect, and that in order for God to forgive one’s sins, he or she must forgive others. When it comes to the idea of sin both Virgil and Jesus agree that there is an afterlife; but Virgil and Jesus’ idea of sin differ when it comes to punishments and judging people as human beings. Virgil shows his readers that the underworld is a place of punishment and cruelty. When sinners die, they are sent to the underworld to admit their wrongdoings and face the consequences for their actions. In the underworld there is a man named Rhadamanthus who listens to the sinners and sentences them to different penalties based on what they did. Once Rhadmanthus listens to the sinner’s story, he sentences them to different sections of the underworld. The underworld contains different sections that are based on levels of severity. The greater the sin someone commits, the greater the punishment that that person will receive. For example, in the sixth book of the Aeneid, Virgil says that, â€Å"Here come those who as long as life remained held brothers hateful, beat their parents, cheated poor men dependent on them; also those who hugged their new found riches to themselves and put nothing aside for relatives- A great crowd, this-then men killed for adultery, men who took arms in war against their right, not scrupling to betray their lords† (181:813-82 0). In this quote, Virgil gives examples of people’s sins that have gone to the Underworld for it. In the Aeneid, Virgil gives readers the idea that people who sin will be punished and sent to the underworld no matter what sin they commit. He also shows that there is an afterlife, but he does not discuss the idea of heaven and that all souls will travel to the underworld to face the consequences. Like Virgil, Jesus does believe in the afterlife, but he discusses the idea of both heaven and hell. He believes that once people die, their souls are lifted out of the human body and are either brought to heaven or hell. Jesus taught that people will be placed into heaven or hell based on their virtue and following the teachings of God. Jesus also bases it on people who either open or close up their heart for others. An example of the reflection of the heart and self comes from the Gospel of Luke. In the gospel it says that there was a rich man who had a poor man, named Lazarus, living o utside his gate. The poor man would beg to eat the food that would fall off the rich man’s table and he needed assistance. Once both men died, the poor man was lifted by angels to Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man was buried in Hades being tormented. When the rich man called to Abraham for help he said, â€Å"Son remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish† (Luke 16:25-26). He is saying that people who are poor are in need of assistance, but there were people who were wealthier that didn’t open up their hearts for others. So, those people of wealth would suffer in the afterlife unlike those were poor. Those who were poor would live a more comfortable way in the afterlife. Even though Virgil and Jesus believed in the afterlife, they differed when it came to the true idea of sinners. Virgil felt that all people would go to the underworld and be judged by Rhadamanthus to see their fate in the afterlife. He never discussed the idea of heaven, and he would make up certain punishments for different people. Unlike Virgil, Jesus looked at sinners in a different way. Instead of punishing and treating sinners differently, Jesus would forgive those who have sinned. An example of Jesus forgiving a sinner is in the Gospel of John. It talks about people gathering around the temple with a woman who committed adultery. The scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus to test and see what he would do to her. The reason the people wanted to test Jesus because in the Law of Moses, it states that the person who commits adultery shall be stoned. The remarkable part of the story is when Jesus says, â€Å"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her† (John8:7). As he said this, everyone backed away one by one and Jesus was left alone with the adulterer. Once he was with her by himself he said, â€Å"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?† She said,† No one Lord† And Jesus said, â€Å"Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again† (John8:10-11). Jesus is saying that people cannot judge or punish a sinner if people themselves have sinned before in the past. Also, Jesus teaches that sins will be forgiven by the Lord as long as people learn from their mistakes and faults. When comparing Virgil and Jesus, they both have somewhat, similar thoughts of having an afterlife, but they differ greatly with people’s consequences. Virgil believes in certain sentences and reprimands. Jesus believes in the idea of mercy with sinners as long as they learn their lesson for the future. They both understand that sinning is a bad thing, but how one deals with sin is the true test. The real question is,† If someone commits sin against you, what will you do in reaction to it?†