Women s Risk For Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Essay

While interconception care projects and interventions are intended to target population health and social problems, the rhetoric used continues to focus solely on individual behavior change (Waggoner, 2013). By focusing on individual behavior change, interconception care projects, interventions and narratives miss the importance and impact of social factors like poverty, health coverage and education – factors that greatly impact women’s risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes (Waggoner, 2013). This focus on individual behavior change is highlighted in the categories of preconception and interconception care indicators that the CDC notes should be addressed to prevent adverse birth outcomes: category one – behaviors and experiences including tobacco use, alcohol use, multivitamin use, contraception use, dental check-ups, health counseling, physical abuse, and stress; and category two – health conditions including an unhealthy weight; having diabetes, asthma, h ypertension, a heart problem, or anemia; or having a previous low birth weight or preterm birth (Livingood et al. 2010). Current interconception care efforts correspond with the growing public health trend towards the individualization and medicalization of social and health problems including adverse pregnancy outcomes, health disparities, and women s health care access (Waggoner, 2013). In addition, clinicians and public health professionals often lack the knowledge and training to address those social and environmentalShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between Anxiety And Depression1433 Words   |  6 Pagespostpartum women. Many women met the clinical cutoff for depressive, insomnia, and generalized anxiety symptoms. The measures (ISI=0.87, EPDS=0.85, PSWQ=0.95) all scored above the clinical threshold. All three measures were also correlated in each group and in the total sample. Studies suggested that the relationship between depression symptoms and insomnia symptoms was influen ced by generalized anxiety disorder in pregnant women. Symptoms of depression were present in 75% of the women and 61% hadRead MoreHigh Rates Of Adverse Neonatal Outcomes1644 Words   |  7 PagesBackground: High rates of adverse neonatal outcomes have been reported among women with HIV. In high-income countries, small for gestational age (SGA) and pre-term birth (PTB) are among the most prevalent of these outcomes and have been variously associated with antiretroviral treatment, ethnicity/race, psychosocial risk and lack of prenatal care. While evidence demonstrates that both medical and social factors contribute to LBW and PTD, risk factors for HIV positive women in Ottawa, Canada, have notRead MoreEssay On Anticoagulation During Pregnancy911 Words   |  4 PagesSubstitution for Anticoagulation during Pregnancy Current studies showed evidence that although heparin is safer for the fetus, it has also resulted to and/or is associated with adverse maternal outcomes such as a higher incidence of valve thromboses in the heparin groups (Malik et al., 2012, p. 487). Additionally, according to Chan et al. (2000), the benefit of fetal safety in the heparin group was counterbalanced by an increase in maternal complications (as cited in Malik et al., 2012, p. 484Read MoreMaternal Newborn Risks And Benefits Of Home Births1083 Words   |  5 Pages Maternal-Newborn Risks and Benefits of Home Births Carson M. Michalowski Family Focused Nursing University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing Maternal-newborn Risks and Benefits of Home Births Hmong Study Many Hmong families in Thailand do not use maternity services due to cultural beliefs and distrust in institutional processes. Culturally, pregnancy is viewed as a natural process where home support is the only care needed (Culhane-Pera, Sriphetcharawut, ThawsirichuchaiRead MoreAdverse Health Effects of Adolescent Pregnancy Essays1451 Words   |  6 PagesAdolescent pregnancy is a very important health issue worldwide. When adolescents who, are often physically and mentally unprepared to bear a child are become mothers it has astoundingly negative outcomes for the mother. Including bad personal outcomes adolescent mothers often give birth to children with increased health issues when compared to a healthy adult mothers. Because of the negative outcomes associated with adolescent pregnancy, the issue should be addressed worldwide. Adolescent mothersRead MoreThe Low Country Healthy Start Program1503 Words   |  7 Pageshealth, improve birth outcomes, and quality of life in African a merican women and infants living in Allendale, Bamberg, Hampton, and Orangeburg counties. The Low County healthy start program propositions four purposes (1) Eliminate disparities in perinatal health by focusing on individual health behaviors and assisting women of child bearing age improve their health and the health of their families, (2) Increase responsiveness to women and families at high risk for poor outcomes by working directlyRead MoreEffects of Alcohol and Nicotine on Fetal Development and Child Psychological Development: According to the Teratogenic Effect1140 Words   |  5 PagesMaternal smoking during pregnancy (SDP) is associated with numerous adverse outcomes in offspring, such as cognitive problems (Batty et al. 2006; Gilman et al. 2008a, b) and criminal behavior (D’Onofrio et al. 2010a, b; Brennan et al. 2002; Wakschlag et al. 2002). These associations are often attributed to the causal effects of teratogenic insults on the developing offspring (for reviews , see Wakschlag et al. 2002; Cornelius and Day 2009). Several lines of evidence support this causal inference,Read MoreThe Use Of Tobacco Products During Pregnancy1326 Words   |  6 PagesThe use of tobacco products during pregnancy has influenced the outcomes of infants’ birth in multiple ways. Maternal smoking during pregnancy impairs fetal growth and decreases gestational age thus, increasing several risk factors in the neonatal population. These risk factors are low birth weight (LBW), and premature birth. There is a strong correlation between both risk factors as it relates to neonatal long-term morbidity and also mortality. Infants who are born preterm accounts for a largeRead MoreNo Perinatal Mental Illnesses Have Linked With An Increased Risk Of Suicide Essay920 Words   |  4 PagesUntreated perinatal mental illnesses have also been linked with an increased risk of suicide. According to Mendez-Bustos et. al suicide has been shown to be one of the leading causes o f maternal mortality in the last two decades and in the perinatal period the rate is not showing any signs of improvement. In 2005 among women aged 15 to 44 years suicide was the fourth cause of death in the US (Mendez-Bustos, Lopez-Castroman, Baca-Garcà ­a, Ceverino, 2013). A 2006-2008 review of maternal death in theRead MorePrenatal Care For Young Women Essay1082 Words   |  5 PagesPrenatal Care for Young Women Most young mothers are worried about a number of new changes that will impact them socially, physically and emotionally. Prenatal care can be neglected due to an unexpected pregnancy, not being educated on what to do, or not having resources to get care. Prenatal care is very important to a child’s early development. Prenatal care can mean several things like cutting back on caffeine and stopping smoking. It can also mean soon after conception beginning to care for yourself

The Holocaust During World War II - 1177 Words

The Holocaust is well known around the world, and many people do not realize the devastation and the technology that was used in that time. What we knew before was that the Holocaust resulted in the death of six million jews, and was controlled by the Nazi Regime. Adolf Hitler was the dictator of Germany and came up with the Final Solution, a plan to exterminate all the people of Jewish faith or race during World War II. This then brought in the concept of concentration camps. Concentration camps did not just hold Jews captive, they also targeted other groups such as Gypsies, African-Germans, Homosexuals, Atheists, and the physically and the mentally disabled. Now, it is common knowledge that that many people were killed in gas chambers or†¦show more content†¦Therefore we chose this subject because it is not what is primarily spoken about. Many know that targets of the Holocaust were usually killed in mass shootings or gas chambers, but it is not as easy as it sounds. Where did these things come from and how did they do it? It began like this. The majority of prisoners would be Jewish people, and before Hitler declaring The Final Solution, they were forced to live in ghettos. Being pushed out of their homes was not foreign to them. Many believed that when the Nazis came to pick them up, they would be transported to someplace new. This was not the case when they would take them out and shoot them instantly. In some cases people were made to dig their own grave and then be shot.1 Other times they would just make a huge mass grave and shoot the people close to it so they would just fall in. 2 Sometimes though, people would be sent to work camps until they could no longer work and be killed. These camps were systematically placed to be close to train railway lines and in undisturbed places in the country.3 The next method were gas trucks. This would make the murders more impersonal so Nazi officers would not be emotionally hit by their actions. They would use the exhaust gas from the truck that would eventually give carbon monoxide poisoning and suffocation. 4 Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka were

SCHOOL VOUCHERS Essay Example For Students

SCHOOL VOUCHERS Essay One of the biggest topics in government today is the issue of school vouchers. Many people are sided over this educational issue. Some wonder about the practicality of using the vouchers, while others wonder if it is defeating the purpose of the educational system. Educational vouchers can be very beneficial for both the student and even the school districts involved in the program. Many people do not realize the benefits of this program. Educational vouchers are something that many school districts need to implement due to their advantages. The benefits of educational vouchers very much outweigh the disadvantages. Educational vouchers, also known as scholarships, redirect the flow of education funding, channeling it directly to individual families rather than to school districts. This allows families to select the public or private schools of their choice and have all or part of the tuition paid. These vouchers are funded by either public (government) or private (corporations, foundations) funds. Scholarships are advocated on the grounds that parental choice and competition between public and private schools will improve education for all children (www.schoolchoices.org). Publicly-funded education vouchers allow families to make private decisions regarding how public taxpayer money should be spent. Therefore, a voucher program hopes to create an educational market where schools must compete for students. Supporters claim market benefits, such as choice and innovation, will improve education. Opponents, on the other hand, say that vouchers will lead to greater inequality and the loss of civic p reparation. Current evidence concerning the impact of vouchers is disputed (IBID.). The Zelman versus Simmons-Harris court case that ended on June 22, 2002, is probably one of the most monumental court cases to date on this subject. The United States Supreme Court upheld a Cleveland, Ohio school voucher program by a 5-4 vote. Judges Rehnquist, OConnor, Kennedy, Scalia, and Thomas were for the decision (www.law.umkc.edu). This case was the latest in a long series of Supreme Court decisions that eroded constitutional requirements for school voucher programs. In order to comply with these constitutional requirements, a constitutional voucher program must take many actions. The program must be completely neutral with respect to religion. If parents choose to use vouchers at religious schools, they must do so wholly as a result of their own genuine and independent private choices. The voucher program must not give parents any incentives to pick religious schools over non-religious schools. The program must provide parents genuine, practical, legitimate secular options, i ncluding adequate traditional public schools, adequate non-traditional public schools such as community and magnet schools, and adequate private non-religious schools. The purpose of the program must be to advance secular education, not to funnel state funds to religious schools (www.au.org). Many people believe that there are many advantages to publicly-funded vouchers. One of these benefits is increased choice for schools. A tuition certificate, especially for low-income families, helps parents afford to choose a school suited to their childs needs. This way, the child is guaranteed a decent education, no matter what his family background is. Greater competition is another one of the programs advantages. As families gain the ability to choose the school their child attends, schools may have to improve to attract students. This would be very beneficial to the students in question. Another advantage is targeted assistance. School vouchers can be aimed at a particular struggling stud ent population and offer assistance without changing the entire public education system. This is very beneficial to the child because his individual needs are attended to without reshaping the entire system in order to fit one individual need. More students are able to be helped due to this system. Vouchers also give parents more parental discretion. Vouchers provide parents with significant authority over the knowledge and skills their child will learn. The parent is the one who knows the child best, so it is very beneficial to the student to have someone who knows his exact learning style. These benefits are just a few advantages to school vouchers (www.ncspe.org). However, like any other government program, it has its disadvantages. Increased inequality among schools is one of them. Unregulated markets among schools may produce widely varying quality and school focus. Also, school vouchers may possibly be very difficult to implement.

The Moment of Truth My Crush Essay Example For Students

The Moment of Truth My Crush Essay At age 11 not many people would say girls are on a boys mind, but for me it wasnt just girls that I was interested in, it was Vanessa Alistor, Brown skinned, curly haired, and athletic girl that I was interested in. When I first saw her I couldnt decide between the thought of marriage or was she just a gift that god brought down for me. During lunch Id have a certain table Id sit at with a couple of my friends, wed talk about the struggles of not having a dollar to go to the store after school, and get candy or an Arizona. We will write a custom essay on The Moment of Truth My Crush specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now But that day at lunch it was different, I was determined to get recognized by Vanessa. Call it a crush, or call it an addiction who knew what it was all I know is that this girl had me sprung. I moved to a table that was closer to hers and made sure I wore that shirt that my grandmother got me for my 10th birthday. During my lunch period I decided to go on line while she went also in hopes, that shed smell the cologne I borrowed from my dad the day before. As I am on line to get my lunch, she gets her lunch before me, and stands by the end of the metal bar separating the lunch tables from the lunch line. My heart began to race, not knowing if she wants me to come say something to her. By the way she stood upright with a slight slouch, showed me that it was possible that she wanted me to approach her. As I was about to make my move; she signals a friend that was standing behind me at the time. As embarrassing as that may have been for me I was still determined to get the girl of my dream. Coming into class the next day, I witness Vanessa sitting alone because she decided to come into class a little early to cover some work that had to be done; that day I got dropped off at school a little earlier to catch up on the work that I missed. In class it was me, Vanessa, and 3 other students, I decided to talk to her about the work that we had to do, and wanted to see if shed need any assistance from me since I was pretty good at doing math. As we began to talk, I see a small smile creep up from the side of her face it was then I knew that she was feeling me. While feeling successful during our conversation I decide to take my seat, after laying down some smooth moves on Vanessa, as charming as I was, charm wasnt going to save me from what had happened next. As I go to take my seat a book was dropped onto the teal floors of the 2040 dimension class room. My right foot clipped the top of the book causing me to topple over, and fall into 3 desks. The sound of the desks toppling over me alarmed everyone in the class room, and made them aware of my embarrassment. seconds prior to the incident everyone in the room started laughing, the intense feeling of disappointment, sorrow, and pain made me want to run out of the room as fast as possible but considering that I had to complete a bunch of work the only thing I could do was suck it up, and do my work. As class ends Vanessa asks me to stay back, and help her with a problem. Considering that my day couldnt get any worse why not sit down, and talk to the one person I felt most comfortable around. .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 , .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .postImageUrl , .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 , .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:hover , .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:visited , .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:active { border:0!important; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:active , .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1 .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u861eded465db00bf5894aba5e340b9a1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Cinematography Treatment Example EssayAs I walk her through the math problem she was stuck on she stops me, and tells me that shes sorry that I took a bad fall. We laughed about it for a couple minutes until till my mother came, and as Im packing to go she gives me a piece of paper with a drawing of 2 boxes separate from each other, and over the top of the boxes is a little question asking if I had liked her. I checked the box with the yes over the top, and gave her the paper without saying a word, and just walked out. That day was the most exciting, embarrassing, and successful day of my pre pubescent life.

Biodiesel Research Paper

Biodiesel Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Abstract Based on findings by Oliveira et al (2007) and Kondamudi et al (2008 ), this paper aims to outline the socio-economic and environmental benefits of producing biofuels from the waste products of the coffee industry. On average, a fifth of all coffee grown in Latin America is defective, (Oliveira et al 2007) and cannot be sold on international markets where very high standards of quality are required. Using this defective coffee for fuel instead of for the production of low quality beverages would be beneficial to the small scale producers of coffee, as the defective beans may command a much higher price if sold to the biodiesel industry. Additionally, the main hindrance to biofuel production is the cost of crop production. By making use of the wasted by-product of the existing industry, both the economical, and environmental costs of biodiesel production could be reduced. Nicaraguan Coffee Nicaragua currently produces around 950000 bags of coffee for exportation per year, depending on the harvest, (Wallengren, 2008 ) and coffee exportation accounts for over a third of the country’s economy. However, due to extremely low prices for coffee on the world markets in the past two decades, there is increasing pressure for Nicaraguan, and other Latin American farmers to produce exceedingly high quality coffee. Green (unroasted) coffee beans are graded for quality using a scale devised by the Speciality Coffee Association of America (SCAA); any coffee achieving more than 60 points on this scale can be exported, and achieves the Fair Trade price of $1.26 per pound. Coffees with 80 points or more are classed as ‘Speciality’, and command a higher price – in Nicaragua this is around $1.80 per pound. World class coffees are graded at 90 points and above, and in 2006, Nicaragua produced one of the five highest graded coffees in the world, according to the i ndependent Coffee Review journal. (Davids, 2006) This emphasis on quality is not always reflected in coffee consumption, however. Less than 18% of the world coffee market comprises of Speciality coffees, the majority is low grade, low quality produce sold for much lower prices (Ponte 2002). In Nicaragua, the higher quality coffee is all exported, leaving the low grade beans for domestic consumption. The same is also true of other producing countries, such as Brazil and Colombia. (Oliveira et al 2007, Mance 2009). Selling coffee on national markets also severely restricts the prices these coffee crops can command, to the point where the price falls below the cost of production, leaving the coffee farmers in a very precarious position. Coffee quality is affected by a number of factors, some of which can be controlled by the skills of the farmer and by the methods of processing. Other factors cannot be controlled, however, such as climate conditions and physical geography. According to a guide to coffee cupping (sampling and grading) produced by catadores (cuppers) at Santa Emilia Estate in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, â€Å"desde el campo, vienen la calidad’ (Santa Emilia, 2006) or ‘from the country, comes the quality.’ Growing high quality coffee requires a humid, temperate climate with night temperatures not falling below 20 °C year round. It also requires high altitudes of at least 700m above sea level, relatively high rainfall during the growing season and a hot dry climate after harvest season in order to dry out and process the beans properly. Speciality coffees are also restricted to the coffea arabica variety, which has a better flavour but is much more susceptible to adverse climate conditi ons, disease and pests. In practical terms, this means that high quality coffees are very difficult to grow, particularly when international demands for organic produce mean that chemical fertilisers and pesticides cannot be used. Without the necessary climate and geography, it is impossible to produce high quality organic coffees. Further still, no coffee crop can ever be 100% high quality; there are always going to be defects, no matter how conscientious and skilled the farmer may be. Within Nicaragua, the market for coffee, both soluble (instant) and freshly ground, is strong. Nicaraguans as a nation drink a great deal of the beverage – â€Å"like it is water† – (Arghiris and Leonardi 2008:57). However, due to economic conditions, the prices for domestic coffee are low. Farmers do not receive a good price for their crop on the domestic market, and similarly, consumers do not pay much for their jars of nationally produced instant coffee. The vast majority of Nicaraguans drink very low quality coffee, and often never taste the award winning produce grown locally. Presently, there are efforts to amend this trend. Cecocafen, an organic and FairTrade certified coffee cooperative based in the Nicaraguan department of Matagalpa, have launched a brand of ground coffee called â€Å"Cafà © El Sabor Nica† or Nicaraguan flavour coffee. It is a blend designed by expert cuppers at Cecocafen’s ‘Solcafe’ processing plant. sually, this coffee is roasted on the premises at Solcafe (most coffee is exported in its unroasted green state.) It is marketed as typifying the flavours of Nicaraguan coffee, akin to the concept of ‘terroir’ in the wine industry. Most interestingly, the slogan on the packaging claims the coffee is â€Å"export quality†. This brand is designed to encourage more Nicaraguans to drink, and appreciate their own coffee, and create a market less reliant on the fluctuations of international coffee prices. This initiative is an exception rather than the norm in Nicaragua however. The issue still remains that over 20% of Nicaragua ´s annual coffee crop cannot be exported due to its low quality. This coffee still requires the same resources, expenses, labour and time to grow, and so the farmers and producers still need a return on their investment in the crop somehow. It is often the case that this return does not come from selling the defective coffee on national markets. The Need for Biofuels Another major difficulty facing coffee farmers in Nicaragua is transportation costs. Over 60% of Nicaraguan coffee is grown on tiny farms with less than two hectares of coffee crop. These farms are necessarily located in remote areas often high up in the northern mountains. Most roads to these places are in very poor condition, and require heavy-duty 4WD vehicles to navigate them. (Aleman, 2008 ). Coffee quality is also severely affected by its freshness – ideally de-pulped and washed coffee beans should arrive at the dry processing mill within a few days of being harvested. (Katzeff 2001). Powerful vehicles and farm machinery, and especially the fuel to drive them is an expense few coffee farmers can afford, and at times, the quality of their coffee is reduced due to the beans over-fermenting, rotting or going stale as a result of delays in transportation. Improving the country’s road structure is of paramount importance, but so is allowing farmers more access to affor dable, reliable transport. In Brazil and other parts of Latin America, some crops are already being grown specifically for use in biofuels, such as soybean crops or sugar for ethanol fuels. Due to Nicaragua’s small size, mountain ranges, protected cloud rainforests and huge lake, the country is not ideally suited to conventional large scale crop and pasture cultivation, and so as yet, does not produce crops for biofuels. Neither does it import biodiesel for national use, and rising costs of oil and petrol across the world mean that running a vehicle is very expensive in Nicaragua. However, this could be about to change. Scientists at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil have found that it is possible to extract oil from coffee beans, which can then be processed into biodiesel using the same methods as extracting other vegetable oils. Coffee beans, both arabica and robusta varieties have quite a high oil content, which accounts for a good proportion of the distinctive aroma when roasted. Coffee oils can be seen as the ‘crema’ on the top of an espresso. With efficient processing, 10-15% of the coffee bean’s mass can be extracted as oil, which is equal to the yield from soybean and rapeseed crops. Extraction can be done either through cold-pressing the beans, or more efficiently, through solvent extraction. By-products of this process, solid matter and saponified substances like glycerine can still be composted and used as fertilizer, as is usually what happens to wasted and unusuable coffee beans. Alternatively, the glycerine co uld be burned to provide additional power and heating. Coffee oil has been found to be very well suited to use in biodiesel, because the oil is naturally very high in antioxidants.(Oliveira et al 2005). This means that the resulting oil is very stable and does not decompose very quickly. Relatively low levels of saponified matter in the oil also means that it remains viscous and does not congeal easily. (Oliviera et al, 2007) Most importantly, Oliveira et al (2005) discovered that defective beans actually yield more oil than healthy beans. Beans become defective or of low quality when they are over-ripe, sour or mouldy, or if they get wet after harvesting. All these factors allow the beans to mature for longer, increasing the oil content. In most countries in Central America, coffea arabica is grown predominantly, with some farmers growing coffea canephora (robusta) as a form of failsafe against failure of the main, but less resilient arabica crop. Mazzafera et al (1998 ) show that arabica coffee beans contain 2-5% more oil than robusta, depending on the specific variety. Practicalities of Biodiesel Production As mentioned earlier, coffee beans can be cold-pressed to extract the oil, which is a simpler but less efficient method; or it can be extracted using solvents (please see Oliveira et al 2007 for more details of this process.) – which is more expensive and reliant on access to the appropriate chemicals, but produces a purer, higher quality oil. A further issue with biodiesel production is the time taken, and monetary cost of the resources required to convert vegetable oils to biodiesel via a process known as transesterification. This involves processing the coffee oil with an alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst (typically sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide). During the reaction, the triglyceride molecule contained within the oil is broken down by the catalyst (forming the glycerine by-product) and replaced by the alcohol molecule provided by the methanol. Further processing is necessary to remove the soaps, glycerine and unreacted methanol; this results in a fuel with around the same viscosity as regular mineral diesel fuel, and which can be used as a direct, ‘drop-in’ replacement fuel for the diesel engine, including agricultural and power generating diesel engines. If, for example, biodiesel processing co-operative plants were to be set up in Nicaragua, it would provide coffee farmers with the oppo rtunity to sell their low quality, waste beans to an alternative market for fuel instead of for national consumption. With world coffee prices continuing to drop and more emphasis placed on cheaper, environmentally friendly fuels, it is possible that the lower quality coffee could fetch a better price being sold as fuel rather than for beverages, if processing facilities became available, making more efficient use of a potentially wasted product. In the current situation in Nicaragua however, biodiesel production facilities simply do not exist, and the majority of coffee farmers may find it very difficult to find the expertise to make this possible. But this does not necessarily mean that coffee oil cannot be used directly as a fuel. It is also possible to run most diesel vehicles, particularly farm machinery, using straight vegetable oil, or SVO, without converting it to biodiesel. Instead, the engine itself is modified with a two-tank system, starting up on regular diesel fuel (or biodiesel) until warm, and then switching to coffee oil, then shutting down on diesel fuel. Moreover, there are certain types of diesel engines, notably the indirect injection type (for example the XUD9 engine), fitted with a non-electronic Bosch injection pump, which have proven themselves capable of safely using vegetable oil directly as a fuel, with no modifications. Finally, and perhaps importantly, there is a lack of knowledge. For a lot of people, the idea of running a diesel engine on vegetable oil is simply a wholly unknown concept. [CT1] In conversation with the Catador at Solcafe, Julio Obregon, about waste coffee beans, he was unaware that oil from these beans could be used. Vegetable oil was in fact one of the original fuels for Rudolph Diesel’s engines. He intended his engine to be run on a wide variety of different fuels (including coal dust!), and at the World Expo in Paris in 1900, he demonstrated his engine to the French, running it on peanut oil. It was a political decision, designed to show them a powerful, cheaper, highly efficient engine, not dependent on the inefficient and expensive steam engines that were around at the time, and most importantly, running on a fuel that the farmers in the French colonies could make themselves from some of their crops they set aside. However, the oil companies were quick to capitalize on this new engine, and began offering very cheap ‘mineral diesel fuel’, which was at the time a by-product of the petroleum refining process. The world soon forgot about vegetable oil as fuel, and diesel engine design became centered around the diesel fuel supplied by the oil companies. (Bdpedia 2006b) Conclusions: the Benefits of Coffee Oil Although coffee oil extraction and biodiesel production are reliant on expensive chemicals and equipment not readily accessible in Nicaragua[CT1] , the potential benefits of coffee oil use should not be ignored. Low quality, waste coffee is an unavoidable part of coffee farming. When prices for this coffee are so low as to be below the cost of production, as is often the case particularly in Nicaragua’s domestic market, coffee farmers need a viable alternative for their crops. Setting aside a proportion of their crop for fuel could be very economically beneficial. Transport and processing costs of the low quality coffee would not be necessary, thus saving the farmer time and effort as well. Using straight coffee oil in existing vehicles and farm machinery, as well as in electricity generators, is not only a more environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, it would also be a considerably cheaper option for farmers struggling with rising fuel costs, while at the same time boosting their capacity for self-sufficiency, and decreasing their reliance on imported fuel. On a national scale, using low quality coffee for oil rather than for domestic consumption would in turn, force national coffee companies to improve the quality of their produce, as less low quality coffee would be available. This would then encourage Nicaraguans to drink better quality coffee in much the same way as Cecocafen’s El Sabor Nica brand intends to do. On an international level, the benefits of biofuel use for the environment are well documented. (see, for example, energyportal.eu 2006, or Bdpedia 2006a) Carbon emissions from biodiesel engines are a lot lower than from conventional engines, and use of straight vegetable oil reduces these emissions even further. At present, biofuel production is hampered by the cost of growing crops for fuel at the expense of growing them for food, particularly when staple food prices are rising all over the world. By using coffee oil, the biodiesel can be created from what is essentially a by-product of the existing coffee industry thus making better use of an otherwise wasted resource, and not impacting on the â€Å"food or fuel?† debates that have recently been taking place in the media and with environmental groups. (energyportal.eu 2006) Finally, world coffee prices have decreased so dramatically in recent years, partially as a result of over-supply. (Ponte 2002). By using a proportion of the annual crops for fuel, this potentially restricts the amount of coffee available on the beverage markets, as well as improving the quality of it. Moreover, restricting the supply by diverting it to an alternative market could potentially boost the international prices of coffee, by adding scarcity value. Coffee biofuel is still a long way from commercial production, and the feasibility of this will require more research in the future. However, the concept, method, resources and even the market for this already exist, and the benefits of coffee oil biodiesel certainly warrant considerable attention. References Arghiris, R., and Leonardi, R., 2008 Nicaragua Footprint:Bath Bdpedia, 2006a Advantages of Biofuels and Biodiesel, The Biodiesel WWW Encyclopedia bdpedia.com/re/be/adv/adv.html Bdpedia, 2006b Biodiesel History, The Biodiesel WWW Encyclopedia bdpedia.com/biodiesel/history/history.html Davids, K., 2006 Nicaragua Cup Of Excellence, coffeereview.com energyportal.eu, 2006 The Advance of Biofuels – a boon for the climate? Http://www.energyportal.eu Katzeff, P., 2001 The Coffee Cupper’s Manifesto, CafeNica: California Kondamundi, N., Mohapatra, S. K., and Misra, M., 2008 Spent Coffee Grounds as a Versatile Source of Green Energy, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Vol 56, No. 24, pp11757-11760 Mance, H., 2009 Colombians find redemption in coffee http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7820075.stm Mazzafera, P., Soave, D., Teixeira, M. A. Z., and Guerreiro Filho, O., 1998 Oil Content of Some Green Coffee Species Bragantia, Vol 57, No.1 Instituto Agronomica de Campinas Oliveira, L. S., Franca, A. S., Mendonà §a, J. C. F., Barros-Junior, M. C., 2005 Proximate composition and fatty acids profile of green and roasted defective coffee beans LWT Vol. 39, pp 235-239 Oliveira, L.S., Franca, A.S., Camargos, R.R.S., Ferraz, V.P., 2007 Coffee Oil as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production Bioresource Technology Vol. 99 pp3244-3250 Ponte, S., 2002 The Latte Revolution? Regulation, Markets and Consumption in the Global Coffee Chain World Development, Vol. 30, No. 7 pp1099-1122 Santa Emilia, 2006 Manual de Catacion Santa Emilia Estate: Nicaragua Wallengren, M., 2008 Nicaraguan Coffee Harvest Down 41% on Previous Year, Dow Jones Newswires aboutcoffee.net/labels/coffeemarket.html With thanks to Julio Absalon Obregon at Cecocafen, Matagalpa, Nicaragua for information on Cafà ¨ El Sabor Nica The Waste of the World is funded by the ESRC Research Papers on Biodiesel Research PaperDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfPETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesGenetic EngineeringIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part One

MGT499 Mod 2 TD Example

MGT499 Mod 2 TD Example MGT499 Mod 2 TD – Coursework Example SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis is a mechanism that is used in the evaluation of the environment that surrounds a business ventureor a market. It is an acronym that stands for Strength, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Opportunities are the loopholes that are available in the market that if a business venture is able to fully capitalize on shall lead to a huge success. Threats on the other hand are the potential scares that threaten to demolish the prospects of the business venture and should be handed cautiously right in time. One perfect example of a company that has taken a wrong approach in dealing with its threats is Apple. The biggest competitor and by far biggest threat to the prospects of Apple Inc is Samsung Company. Apple is a US Smartphone firm while Samsung is a South Korean electronics firm that has of late taken the mobile telephony industry by a storm. Apple failed to notice the huge threat that was posed by Samsung and in turn it dealt with the threat very wrong ly. This has come to haunt them up to date. One mistake that Apple made is constantly outsourcing its tenders to the South Korean firm. This gave their enemy key knowledge of their technology. Apple also failed to deal with the fact that the Google Operating System Android was just left open for anyone who wished to incorporate in heir devise. This hugely exposed Apple Inc to the throngs of the threat in the market. By the time Apple realized that they had taken a wrong approach in dealing with their threats, the adverse effects were already taking a toll on them. Apple was compelled to take another wrong approach in filing a law suit against Samsung over the allegation of copying its technology. This is a very expensive and long affair that is largely seen as the last kicks of a dying horse. ReferencesApple Computer, Inc. SWOT Analysis. (2003). Datamonitor Plc.Apple Computer, Inc. SWOT Analysis. (n.d.). (Business Source Complete.) Munster: Datamonitor Plc.Lee, J. (January 01, 2012) . A Clash between IT Giants and the Changing Face of International Law: the Samsung vs. Apple Litigation and its Jurisdictional Implications. Journal of East Asia and International Law, 5, 1, 117-142.

How Change Management Theories can be Utilize when Planning for Essay

How Change Management Theories can be Utilize when Planning for Incremental Change - Essay Example According to the report it is essential to know about Starbuck’s organizational structure before one can effectively examine how change management theories can be applied in the case of Starbucks when planning for an important incremental change. Since the use of a functional structure could make the company’s response to market and environmental change in a very slow phase, Starbucks is using a combined centralized and decentralized form of authority when managing organizational change.This study outlines that  Starbucks combined using centralized and decentralized form of authority in the sense that the company’s major decision-making power is highly controlled by Schultz. To ensure the quality service rendered by each of Starbuck’s baristas to its valued customers, a regional manager is usually assigned to manage the company’s store managers who are in-charge of managing the work quality and training of each Barista.  Because of the continuou s changes in the U.S. market, the CEO of Starbucks – Mr. Schultz exerted extra effort to communicate to the general public about its effort to improve its business performance particularly in the United States where the unemployment rate remains high and demand for retailed coffee is low. In order to win back the trust of its valued customers and maximize the ability of Starbucks to gain more revenues, Schuartz talks about the need to develop and implement new business strategies that could make the company optimize the use of its available resources effectively.